A Rare Golf Club Design Innovator
Karsten Solheim was a hell of an innovator…a true pioneer in the golf industry. Many of the designs started out of a garage some 50 years ago…and even many of those are still being copied today. The majority of designs today are almost exact replicas of an exisiting golf club design or if not they are at least inspired by one. But Karsten and Ping always seem to put one truly unique design after another.
Lack of Innovation?
However…we have received quite a few emails regarding the lack of ingenuity people feel went into the new Ping 50th Anniversary line which is supposed to be celebrating the great innovation and pioneering efforts of the Ping founder.
Tell Us Your Opinion…
So take a look and tell us what you think…would you give up your existing Ping Rapture V2 for one with a new paint job? And even though the Ping Zing was a great putter would you pony up for a new one just because it glimmers like Gold?
Ping Rapture V2 50th Anniversary
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Tacky is the word I would use to describe them – especially the driver.
Not much positive coming in from all our golf sites. How you doing lately Mr. Tait?
I think they could have come up with something much more inventive then a copy of a club they just released.
Pics look great by the way! But why do you think they did this? I am sure the golfspy knows. Do you think the economy made them do this. I mean do they really think we will think this will have value one day just because it has a different paint job?
Hey Lyle, I think they think we are fools. I mean we did fall for all the other foolish remarks golf companies claim every year.
Greetings from Twitter Golfspy! Love your stories, and great coverage of the PGA Show. I think this is criminal what Ping is doing.
Unfortunately, I think Ping missed the mark here. They had a great opportunity to launch some new innovation in conjunction with the 50th anniversary – something that would have allowed them to pay homage to their heritage by continuing to push the innovation envelope. However, a gold paint job and a 50th anniversary badge is only really going to attract Ping club collectors – not new players/customers.
Mr. 14Stix,
Well said…don;t think I could have typed it any better myself
I totally agree. They really missed the boat here. Just rebadging clubs does not impress me. Why would I want to buy those clubs when I can get the same exact clubs that have been on the market for a little while and are probably cheaper than the 50th anniversary clubs?
I can see why they used their most current models. Why would you go back to the designs of 50 years ago just to commemorate this mile stone anniversary. Those “old” designs would not sell. That being said! They could have just as easily issued a 50th anniversary line with the “new” line of clubs they have in the wings. We KNOW they have something new in the works. Every club manufacture today always does.
Hey Don – yeah I agree…don’t think people were looking for an older model…but they were looking for something that depicted what the company has been about over the last 50 years…and from the looks of the emails…phone calls…and comments on MyGolfSpy…they missed the boat.
The questions that pops up in my mind: How would Karsten Solheim feel about all this? I would have a difficult time retiring my BeCu Anser 4, to move into one of these new putters. But then again, it would be a problem any golf club maker would have, if they are consistently releasing innovative and quality clubs, year after year. How do you get those golfers to retire their beloved clubs and move into the new? I would presume that most golfers are trying to find a club that fits them like a glove, performs according to their stroke or swing, and then sticks with that club until it breaks. To the collector, it may be a completely different story. I can understand commemorative issue clubs, but they are just that.
well , i dont know what else they should look like. they look like the traditional Ping irons no flashy plastic made to look like carbon fiber or crome.. i love the look and the way my Mizuno blades play BUT i will never ever get rid of my Ping eye 2 red dots old mizuno blades and traditional Ping irons are my clubs of choice ! put all the flash on the clubs you want! but if you want a fitted proven winner that doesnt just change for the sake of offering up something new without reguard for if the new design is better than the old then go for the flash. these pings are NICE Players clubs! thats all that matters to me! congradulations on your 50 years on top of the industry ! times change club builders change, but Ping is Ping and there re-sale tells the story! GREAT CLUBS old or new there going to give you what you need to play great golf and the rest is up to practice!
I’m not in love with the irons at all, but, I do like the rest of the setup. I’d like to see better pictures of the driver, but, from what I can tell, it’s fine.
Love the putters.
–Shag
what was the point of that . they should have released as set of vintage irons or a putter or something
There is more to the PING Anniversary iron than meets the eye. The irons have a milled face and grooves for achieving maximum spin and pure feel. I can’t wait to start shootin lower scores with these bad boys.
Is that the answer to lower scores?
Have been a Ping user for many years, and was considering getting a set of G10 irons but was not very impressed with the orange coloured inserts, to me the gold insert has an altogether classier look so have just got a set today,I think they are a really nice looking club
I have been a using my ping zing 2 black dots since 1994. I have tired several different Irons from the g5 to the G10′s big Bertha’s, I keep going back. If i were to release a 50th anniversary club. I would of released a New Ping Zing or a New Ping Eye model! just a thought. I have read a lot of reviews and a lot of people loved the pings from 1991-1994!
Hi Dan – thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment on MyGolfSpy. We hope you come back often.
Its the 50th anniversary collection, they’ve made great products from day one. Why change something that is’nt broke. I’ve run in to tons people that have ping stuff they have been using for years. Putters if you have one that works hang on to it. I love my bronze ZING wouldn’t trade it in for the world and yes I did purchase a 5oTh one because they brought back that soft and true touchy feel you get from those old putters. Take a look at all trends whats old is new again. Everyone forgets that the majority putters their using have been coppied from a variety of pings original line hence the remake of the bronze mag. putter including three of his most popular anser,zing, and b60.
Love the look but not the clubs. How about offering the i-5s in the 50th anniversary finish?
just got a ping 10.5 driver because my 12.0 is the best driver I ever used.This one has the black and gold shaft not the cricket green that is standard on rapture v2 drivers. That green shaft made me choose the diamana shaft just to avoid other.Why should ping make a different product,when they have the best now.
Hallo,
is somewhere anybody how would be able to answer my question? In which year was released the original B60 PING putter.
Many thanks
karel S., senior golfer from czech rep. B60 owner