155 replies to this topic

[clewallen]

Just thinking, 5 years ago Ping was golf... If you said anything golf related it was ping. Now with a younger cliental base, and all the marketing schemes. I believe taylormade is #1 bran in sales ( could be wrong just guessing )

So did they refuse to evolve and change with the times and get passed by from a company stand point or are they just as strong as before?

[moonshine]

In terms of sales or word of mouth?  Not sure I understand the basis of the question?  All products have a market cycle for sure.  I know many great players use their gear and would not if they thought a better chance to win was out there.

[BrianL99]

I think PING is perfectly happy where they are.  They've always been a little "boutique" and I doubt they have any plans to change.   Just a wild guess, but I would think they represent about 10%-15% of the club market and I think they'll continue to do that.  That had a slight up tick in the 90's, but I think they'll just keep on trucking where they are.

If I'm not mistaken, PING is still the only large, privately held golf equipment company.  They don't have stockholders to please or financial analyst to answer to ... they just take care of themselves.

[clewallen]

Oooo I didn't know they were private. Cool

[wjdpar1]

IMO their quality has gone south.  The Anser line screams "me too", definitely late to the party.

[Sean2]

I go to a lot of junior golf tournaments. The younger juniors seem to be playing a lot of TM, and older juniors (it that an oxymoron?) seem to be playing Titleist. You rarely see Ping anymore.

[MtlJeff]

From what i understand Ping is making a lot of money on government contracts and side businesses. As a private company i think they are focused on being profitable and not necessarily the biggest. They haven't changed their tour strategy or their product cycle strategy all that much. Even though you don't see them as much i bet you their brand approval/rating is as high as it gets in golf

thing is, being the biggest isn't important, being profitable is king. Going for #1 and failing is what costs companies. Carving out a niche is how to best run a business

[BrianL99]

MtlJeff, on 11 October 2012 - 05:53 PM, said:

From what i understand Ping is making a lot of money on government contracts and side businesses. As a private company i think they are focused on being profitable and not necessarily the biggest. They haven't changed their tour strategy or their product cycle strategy all that much. Even though you don't see them as much i bet you their brand approval/rating is as high as it gets in golf

thing is, being the biggest isn't important, being profitable is king. Going for #1 and failing is what costs companies. Carving out a niche is how to best run a business

I haven't played a PING product in 25 years.  I probably bought 5 different sets of Eyes & Eye2's years ago & just couldn't get used to them.  I switched to PING irons this year & I'll probably never change again.  I have (2) sets of Anser Forged & a set of I20's.  I've re-shafted & MOI matched all of them & PING's quality & customer service is by far, the best I've ever seen.  Great company!   Try to call Titleist & talk with one of their design engineers, they'd laugh at you ... call PING & their design guru will call you back in 10 minutes!

[Thrillhouse]

I dunno, I think that there was a period there in the 80's and 90's when ping was the putter to have, and in the days of the eye 2's they were the iron to have, but since then they haven't really been the biggest volume brand. In the 90's callaway was, with taylormade nipping at their heels, then taylormade took over. Ping has always been very good with a loyal following, much like mizuno actually.

If anything I think they are bigger now than they've been in a while.

[MtlJeff]

I know how Ping feels. For a while i was the cool Canadian here. Now all i hear is "thrillhouse this" or "thrillhouse that"

[Sean2]

I play Pings and have for years, but I still think you have to appeal to the younger generation(s) that are on the horizon. I'm not sure if Ping is doing that. Yes, they are doing well now, but you always have to look ahead.

[TJCDAS]

Ping and Buick.

[MadGolfer76]

MtlJeff, on 11 October 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

I know how Ping feels. For a while i was the cool Canadian here. Now all i hear is "thrillhouse this" or "thrillhouse that"

"MadGolfer this...?"

I play golf in Canada...

[Nessism]

I like Ping.  Good customer service, focus on custom fitting, US based company, solid offerings that focus on function, not bling (other than the Anser line).  Their 17-4 stainless steel clubs are uber durable, far more so than forged carbon steel club heads.  To me that's Ping's signature; functional clubs, custom fit, built to last.

[Craglyboy]

Ping have a massive following in the uk. Most pro shops around me only stock pings. Even for the younger generation I don't know of a mate who hasn't used a driver, and lets not forget the hoofer bag is almost a rite of passage for any golfer!

Personally only ever had 1 ping club, a ping i3 fairway wood which I have had for 11 years still love it.

[Arizonalefty59]

Titleist is the elite company IMO.

[Quasimoto]

I have never had a Ping product.
The other day I was doing some preliminary scouting for irons and looked at the Anser series.
Good looking clubs, probably play really well. But virtually 2x the price of comparable competitors? I don't get it and won't buy for that reason.

Also, I looked at some cold weather mitts (Canada golf, gotta love it).
The Cally and Ping were the identical manufacturer, just different name and colours.
Price? Cally $24.95  Ping $39.95.
Guess which brand are on my hands.

[Night train]

I'm bagging a whole sack full of Ping clubs and love 'em.............including an old MB Ping Anser. I probably have 30 putters in the basement but this old Anser is a keeper.

I'm amazed at how many players look at it and say.........that's cool, how old is that!

.......no headcover needed!

[Shambles]

I have not much liked the Ping models since the Eye 2. Granted they were more forgiving and some of their new wedges play very nicely for me, I just do not like thew robot school of design they have fallen into with all the cartoon colors.

Regardless, they all play the way I expect Pings to play and I like that part. It's also a fact that I did not like the looks of the Eye 2 when I first fell into it. The thing just grew on me as I found out how much could be done with it and they do age very well and can handle a lot of rough use with little or no damage.


Shambles

[DigDugDig]

I thought only Scotty Cameron owners were elite?

[Willie Malay]

When were they elite?

[Fatz]

Fatz is Ping & Canadian...

Who the F are Thrillhouse and MtlJeff, Montreal doesnt even want part in Canada.

;-)

[Sean2]

Willie Malay, on 11 October 2012 - 09:49 PM, said:

When were they elite?

They all graduated from Harvard...

...I have one, but I received a special dispensation...

[toolman]

I loved my i20 woods while I had them.  But in regards to the question t hand I certainly think they make a good product they just don't shove marketing down your throats.  I think they are slowly starting to approach themselves to a younger crowd with bubba and hunter commercials.  I've always thought of ping as a more refined or matured brand, maybe that's because generally I only ever see older gents playing them.

[Fatz]

Ping has always had a certain niche. And nothing has changed.

I get it and am right there with anybody on their irons.  There's something about the Pings for me, and when I bag something else, I keep cOming back because I miss them.

[Willie Malay]

Had Ping Zings....sucky. Had G5 driver..really liked it.

[Thrillhouse]

MtlJeff, on 11 October 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

I know how Ping feels. For a while i was the cool Canadian here. Now all i hear is "thrillhouse this" or "thrillhouse that"

Everyone is saying "gabbo this" and "gabbo that", no one is saying "Jericho this", or "worship that".

[D-Fuzz]

I think TaylorMade is more about the bling and the flash.  The thing about them that bothers me is how quickly they turn over their lines.  If you buy something at full-pop at the beginning of the year, it is likely on clear-out by the end because the next newest & greatest is on its way.  Callaway seems to have the same mentality.  I'm just not sure how a company can make enought significant changes year after year.  It also seems that people playing those lines tend to change out their clubs more frequently.  Ping, Titleist and Mizuno seem to keep their clubs in their line-ups a little longer and as such people hold onto them longer.  Needless to say, I've never played a lot of TaylorMade or Callaway stuff over the year.

[eagle1997]

clewallen, on 11 October 2012 - 05:24 PM, said:

did they refuse to evolve and change with the times and get passed by from a company stand point or are they just as strong as before?

that's a clown question, bro.

sorry, i'm deep into my bottle of highland park.  nats win in the 9th.  o's win in the 13th.  i really should go to bed.  i'm a clown right now.

[goliath23]

I think they are as strong as ever. All their products are amazing (except for wedges which receive no buzz and frankly I have never even tried)