Equipment

Ping launches new virtual ball-fitting tool: Ballnamic

Published

3 years ago

Aug 30, 2021

Ping has today introduced a virtual ball-fitting experience based on a golfer’s launch conditions and performance preferences: Ballnamic.

Per Ping, Ballnamic offers unbiased golf ball brand and model recommendations for golfers of every skill level, with the software powered by the company’s ball-specific flight models and algorithms developed by its engineers and data scientists.

More than 40 ball models are housed inside the tool, which is periodically updated to ensure that current designs are considered.

The ball-fitting tool is available direct to consumers for a $39 fee at ballfitting.com and provides users with a detailed fitting report contrasting the top five best-matched balls.

Speaking on Ballnamic, John K. Solheim, Ping President. said

“Ballnamic represents our never-ending quest to innovate every variable of the custom-fitting experience. We’ve been studying golf balls since the early days of PING when my grandfather, Karsten Solheim, quickly recognized the ball was the ‘tuning fork’ for golf equipment. Our extensive knowledge library and engineering expertise led us down the ball-fitting path, and we’re excited to bring it to both fitters and consumers. The access golfers have to their data through launch monitors and other tools continues to grow and make advancements like Ballnamic possible. Since we’re not in the golf-ball business, we’re able to conduct independent testing and offer this unbiased tool as another service for golfers to help improve their enjoyment of the game.”

Utilizing the Ping Man swing robot, doppler radar and carefully monitored weather conditions, the brand’s researchers have measured ball performance across a comprehensive span of driver, iron, and wedge shots – in both wet and dry conditions. Per the company, the results generated data approximating how golf balls perform across various speeds and lofts; a low-spin ball on drivers can generate high spin around the green and vice versa.

Once logged into the site, golfers create a profile by completing a questionnaire that guides them to think about aspects of ball performance, just like a Tour player. Golfers enter performance preferences for their long game, irons, wedges, short game, and putter.

Without access to a launch monitor, Ballnamic employs a user’s estimated launch conditions based on their data, such as their driver and 7-iron flight. At the same time, those who have used a launch monitor recently can enter their specs into the tool.

Ballnamic is currently only available in the U.S.

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

12 Comments

Rich

Jan 2, 2022 at 9:20 pm

It’s too expensive. I learned that by paying for it and using it. It’s too expensive because….

— It is driven by your inputs regarding distances, which most golfers are self-delusional about.

— But even if you get that right, you’re limited to just 5 ball outcomes.

— And you’re limited to just 5 uses of it.

— And it’s incredibly buggy, with fails and page refreshes all over the place.

— It loses your info, causing you to go back and re-input–sometimes costing you one of the valuable 5.

— It asks for your current ball, but doesn’t always include that in the comparisons.

— There’s almost no explanation for its choices.

I emailed Ping about the bugginess of the site. They said they were swamped with activity because of the recent publicity and their servers couldn’t handle the traffic. I only got 2 results from four attempts–with about 60 page refreshes throughout. That left me with just one more. They responded and said they were working on the issue and would give me a code for a new 5 tries. I feel like I got comped a meal in Vegas after the hotel’s screw-up.

Even if this thing worked correctly, paying $42 (including tax) isn’t worth it.

Reply Report comment
DH

Sep 1, 2021 at 5:11 pm

The tool seems cool, and it’s great that Ping is putting all of their data to good use for everyone. I have not issue with them monetizing it either, but $39 for a one time access is steep. I’ll let others on here be the guinea pigs and write reviews before I decide to test it out.

$39 for a year’s access is something I’d be onboard with. If I get on a monitor 2 or 3 times in a year I’ll be curious to see how the suggestions change (or don’t) after each session, and I’d like to re-visit my suggestions over time as new ball models come out.

Reply Report comment
Keith Martin

Sep 1, 2021 at 10:48 am

Ping should consider providing this for free to promote they’re products. 39$ is a ripoff…

Reply Report comment
- KUUUUCHHH
  
  Sep 1, 2021 at 5:35 pm
  
  They don’t make Golf Balls… Hard to promote a product they don’t make.
  
  and it’s their not they’re
  
  Reply Report comment
Wigib2

Sep 1, 2021 at 9:05 am

So let me get this straight, Ping spends untold hours and money researching golf balls with no horse in the race to provide a tool that can help better your golf game…and you deem it a rip off or cash grab because they have the balls (see what I did there!?) to charge for the use of the tool?? No ones forcing you to use it! I don’t see people complaining that Club Champion or Golf Galaxy will happily charge for a ball fitting and then turning around and making a profit on selling you the golf balls. I swear, some people are never happy…

Reply Report comment
Moe Greene

Sep 1, 2021 at 12:46 am

Ping loses my respect for this overpriced nonsense.

Reply Report comment
Ben

Aug 31, 2021 at 2:44 pm

39 bucks? Damn…

Reply Report comment
Z

Aug 31, 2021 at 2:15 pm

Rip off

Reply Report comment
Lindsay

Aug 31, 2021 at 12:44 pm

I was skeptical, but it’s actually an interesting tool. It is pretty cool that it includes past model year balls. For example, it said my best match was a 2019 Srixon XV.

Reply Report comment
Irwin R. Shyster

Aug 30, 2021 at 5:16 pm

Cash grab

Reply Report comment
dave

Aug 30, 2021 at 11:19 am

Dude…journalism 101: Who? What? Where? When? And in the case of a product or service that’s not free, HOW MUCH?

These guys harvest name and email address at the start of the process and it’s not until you finish filling out the tool that you discover that it will cost you $39.00 plus tax to see your results.

Reply Report comment
- HoppItUp
  
  Sep 1, 2021 at 8:34 am
  
  “The ball-fitting tool is available direct to consumers for a $39 fee at ballfitting.com and provides users with a detailed fitting report contrasting the top five best-matched balls.”
  
  Unless they added it in after you supposedly read it, it is right near the top of the, article. RIF.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Whats in the Bag

Xander Schauffele WITB 2024 (May)

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Xander Schauffele what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees @10.1)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 70 TX (45.5 inches)

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX

Check out more in-hand photos of Xander Schauffele’s clubs in the forums.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX

Irons: Mizuno MP-20 (3), Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-10)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid X100 (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-10)

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-10S @57), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-K @61)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100