Tag Archives: John A. Solheim

Golf Companies, Ping, Professionals

PGA of America – John A. Solheim, Executive Chairman of PING, named 2022 PGA Distinguished Service Award recipient

Octubre 27, 2022 – John A. Solheim, the Executive Chairman of PING in Phoenix, Arizona, and son of founder Karsten Solheim, has been named the 2022 PGA Distinguished Service Award recipient by the PGA of America. Solheim will be honored on Wednesday, Nov. 2, as part of the 2022 PGA Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix.

Since 1988, the PGA Distinguished Service Award honors outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf. Among the recipients are three U.S. Presidents (Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton), Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Barbara Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Vince Gill, Bob Hope and Lee Trevino.

One of the game’s true innovators, Solheim, who began working for his father as a teenager in the family garage in 1959, is a renowned inventor and forward thinker. With more than 170 U.S. patents to his name, he has influenced the design of golf clubs and bags across the industry, helping PING become one of the most trusted manufacturers in golf and recognizable names in sports equipment.

“John Solheim has set an industry standard for how a golf company should run, and his love and dedication for creating the highest quality products has elevated the bar for all equipment manufacturers,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “But what is truly admirable about John, and what speaks to his character, is his commitment to growing golf through youth participation and helping physically challenged adults, children and military Veterans discover a love for the game.”

“I’m very appreciative to receive such a prestigious honor from the PGA of America,” said John A. Solheim. “I’ve been blessed to spend my entire career in the golf industry. It’s allowed us to continue building a family business, which is very enjoyable for me to now guide our strong third generation in their leadership positions and still allow me to do what I enjoy most, design and develop future products.”

PING, under Solheim’s watch, has sponsored more than 50 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tournaments and created thousands of playing opportunities for juniors. In 2002, Solheim personally created the PING Junior Solheim Cup for girls ages 12-18, modeled after the Solheim Cup, which was founded by Solheim’s parents in 1990. PING is also a supporting partner of PGA Jr. League, which provides an introduction to the game for kids 17 and under in a fun team environment.

Under Solheim’s leadership, PING expanded its club fitting services for physically challenged golfers. He’s advanced that further by integrating those efforts into physical rehabilitation for wounded and disabled Veterans, ensuring they can enjoy the game.

Solheim and PING also collaborated with Bubba Watson to raise funds for Phoenix Children’s Hospital, leading to the development of the Bubba Watson and PING Golf Motion Analysis Lab — which uses state-of-the-art equipment to measure real 3D motion, force and muscular activity to develop personalized care plans for children with orthopedic and neurological conditions.

As a company, PING has flourished under Solheim’s leadership. It became the first club manufacturer to be ISO certified, a distinction given to companies that meet a set of established quality standards to meet and exceed customer and stakeholder needs.

PING is also a founding member of the United States Golf Manufacturers Council, which works with governmental agencies on international trade matters and anti-counterfeiting efforts. The USGMC also works with golf’s ruling bodies to improve upon the equipment rule making process.

“To lead today requires unbelievable research in every category, and I promise we won’t stop,” said John A. Solheim. “Much of our success is directly related to our relationships with the PGA Professionals who have represented and helped promote our products for more than 60 years. Early on, my father, Karsten, recognized that the PGA’s role and expertise would have a big influence in custom fitting our clubs to help golfers play better, and enjoy the game more. To be recognized by the PGA is especially meaningful and one of the biggest highlights of my career.”

Ping, Putters

PING – Introduction of Limited-Edition Camo design PLD2 putters

April 10, 2017 – Merging an innovative graphic application process with high-performance heads precision-milled at PING, the company has introduced two visually striking PLD2 putters – the Camo Ketsch Realtree Xtra, and the Camo Ketsch Muddy Girl. Both limited-edition models are PING Putting Lab Design (PLD) originals and part of the lab’s efforts to advance new putter design, technology and engineering concepts.

“The first thing that grabs you is the incredible detail of the camo design that makes these putters distinctive in the marketplace,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO.

“We chose the award-winning Ketsch for this project because of its popularity with golfers and its unique geometry. Using a proprietary Permodize anodized sealing process, we apply the multi-colored camo graphic to the milled 6061 aluminum head. The graphic permeates the material with vibrant and rich detail while creating an extremely hard, durable shell. The results are two putters that look amazing, perform great, and showcase our commitment to manufacturing innovations.” 

Contrasting sightlines make the Ketsch easy to aim, and 17-4 stainless steel sole weights yield a low centre of gravity for faster forward roll and exceptional stability. The patented TR face technology ensures speed control across the face. Both the Realtree Xtra and Muddy Girl models are milled from 6061 aluminum at PING in Phoenix to ensure the precise engineering detail of the Ketsch design.

The stainless steel sole plate undergoes a nitriding finishing process, commonly used in the aerospace industry, which diffuses nitrogen onto the surface of the metal to harden the surface. The stepless shaft has a brushed, non-glare finish that eliminates reflections and further distinguishes the look of both putters.

“The complex geometry of the Ketsch model really challenged us to execute the process to its fullest extent,”John A. Solheim said. “We achieved unmatched image quality that would be impossible to replicate with other manufacturing methods. This type of technology has functional and decorative applications that we look forward to utilizing in the future.”

PLD2 PUTTERS SPECIFICATIONS

  • Authentic Realtree Xtra Camo Pattern; Authentic Moon Shine Muddy Girl Camo Pattern.
  • Precision-Milled From 6061 Aluminum at PING in Phoenix
  • Patented True-Roll Face Technology Improves Ball-Speed Control.
  • 17-4 Stainless Steel Sole Weights Create Low CG and High MOI.
  • Brushed Stepless Non-Reflective Shaft.
  • PP58 Grip with Color Accents (Orange on Realtree Xtra Model, Pink on Muddy Girl Model).
  • Matching Camo Design Putter Covers.
  • Limited Edition.

Drivers, Golf Companies, Golf Shops, Ping

Ping – G30, No1 selling driver in USA and United Kingdom in September

Driver-Ping-G30-portada

November 2, 2014 – In only its second month on the market, the Ping G30 driver achieved the No1 sales position for units and dollars in the on- and off-course retail channels combined for the month of September in the United States and the United Kingdom, according to Golf Datatech LLC, which tracks golf equipment sell-thru data for both regions.

The driver, which features an industry-first innovation called Turbulator Technology on the club’s crown, was introduced to golfers on July 31. Since its launch, demand for the driver has reached unprecedented levels for the company throughout the world as golfers realize increased clubhead and ball speeds, leading to more distance. The G30 driver also features the highest MOI of any Ping driver ever designed to ensure golfers the accuracy and consistency to hit more fairways.

“The response to the G30 driver has been phenomenal,” said John A. Solheim, Ping Chairman & CEO. “Our engineering team has created a club that is impacting the driver business unlike anything we’ve seen. Golfers all over the world are hitting the ball farther than ever with the G30 driver, thanks to Turbulator Technology.”

Tour acceptance has also been swift, with the majority of Ping’s staff converting to the new G30 driver immediately. Angel Cabrera won The Greenbrier Classic the first week the driver was on the PGA Tour. Bubba Watson also put the G30 driver in his bag that same week. He finished the PGA Tour season No. 1 in driving distance with an average of 314.3 yards, including launching the longest drive of the season – 424 yards – at the Bridgestone Invitational. He increased his clubhead speed by 2 mph and ball speed by 4 mph – leading to a 10-yard distance gain during testing.

Fábrica-Ping-Drivers-G30

Billy Horschel‘s switch to the new driver gained him 12 yards off the tee and played a big role in helping him win the FedExCup. After putting the G30 driver in his bag, he won twice, finished second and earned more than $13.4 million.

“All golfers are benefitting from the technology of the G30 driver,” John A. Solheim said. “The tour results speak for themselves, but we’re hearing every day from golfers of all skill levels who are commenting on how the driver has changed their games. They love the turbulators.”

Ping, Solheim Cup

Solheim Cup 2015 – New Solheim Cup logo unveiled for 2015

Solheim_Cup_logo_GER2015_Portrait_light_bg_rgbSeptember 17, 2014 – The Ladies European Tour (LET) and LPGA have jointly unveiled the new official Solheim Cup logo ahead of the matches at Golf Club St Leon-Rot, near Heidelberg, Germany, on September 18-20, 2015.

This is the first time in the event’s 24-year history that a new logo has been introduced, with the iconic cup flanked by the European and United States flags to visually express the event’s strong trans-Atlantic rivalry.

The new logo was developed in joint consultation with Ping CEO and Chairman John A. Solheim, whose parents Karsten and Louise established The Solheim Cup with the LET and LPGA in 1990.

Speaking at the launch of the logo in Germany, with a year to go until the matches, John A. Solheim commented: “The new Solheim Cup logo represents a continuation of the tradition our family proudly started nearly 25 years ago. It symbolizes the honour and pride that come with representing your country in the spirit of competition and inspires the next generation of women golfers who hope to someday put their name in the Solheim Cup record book.”

Adding to Solheim’s comments, LET CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh said: “The Solheim Cup is a global sports event with a rich history of world class golf and unforgettable drama. With this being the first staging of the contest in Germany, we wanted a fresh and inspiring image to reflect the unique competition and connect with new audiences.”

LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said: “The Solheim Cup and its excitement represents everything that players and fans truly love about this great game. This logo offers a contemporary take on the exciting history of the rivalry between Europe and the United States.” 

The 2015 event, supported by global partners Ping, SAP, Allianz and Rolex, marks the 14th time The Solheim Cup will be contested with the United States Team currently leading the series 8-5.

In 2013, the European team made history by winning The Solheim Cup for the first time in the US with a score of 18-10 and a record eight point margin of victory. Next year, in Germany, Europe is targeting three wins in a row.