Ping Putters Net Lifetime Achievement Award

The first-ever recipient of the GCAA Lifetime Achievement Award by the Golf Coaches Association of America is the late Karsten Solheim who invented the Ping putter in 1959 in his Redwood, California garage. Sohleim continued to develop the putter through the 1960's, while he worked as an engineer for General Electric.

It wasn't long before Ping putters were being used by professionals and amateurs around the globe.

In the 1980's, Solheim's Ping EYE2 model irons became the top-selling golf clubs in history.

Length is the most important factor in fitting the putter. Static putter fitting finds the right putter length and color code through your height and wrist-to-floor measurements based on the conventional putting posture. However, some golfers may have unconventional preferences.

For example, a golfer who prefers to crouch while playing will generally fit into a shorter putter.

Ping Putter Fitting Centers

Ping Putter Fitting Centers have a variety of different length putters with special fitting grips that enable accurate measurement of the golfer's preferred length. The markings on the grips of 32", 34" and 36" putters indicate the golfer's hand position to within ¼".

The proper length allows the golfer to take a comfortable posture over the ball. Long putters are popular with golfers who prefer an upright putting posture to alleviate back pain and with those who want to eliminate wrist action during the stroke.

Since putters cannot be more upright than 10° as per The Rules of Golf, long Ping putters (the color code is black) are built to this angle. The standard length of a long putter is 50", although custom lengths from 45" to 56" are also available.