Old Ping Putters

[ezgoer]

9 hours ago, JMJ11 said:

Any have any feedback on this putter?  I'm trying to nail down the age.

 

 

 

I get them confused but isn’t this a “Dale head”?? If so a pretty early Anser. 

 
I don’t care for the polished look but many others do. Nice legendary putter either way. 

Edited April 20, 2024 by ezgoer

[Foozle]

10 hours ago, JMJ11 said:

Any have any feedback on this putter?  I'm trying to nail down the age.

 

 

 

First time round, 85029 zip was used in 1966 & 1967. Karsten Co became Karsten Mfg Co in 1967 and the registered trade mark symbol was also introduced in 1967. 

Using all these details I would say this is a 1967 Anser, pre trademark.

 

[sheepdawg]

10 hours ago, JMJ11 said:

Any have any feedback on this putter?  I'm trying to nail down the age.

 

 

 

It's from the third batch of the daleheads. 1967-70 That ones called a rocker sole, there was also a flat sole. If you go back a couple of pages my pictured Karsten Co. is a flat sole Shame someone added the sightlines. 

Edited April 20, 2024 by sheepdawg

[sheepdawg]

Interesting article on how the Anser came about.

https://www.golfalot.com/equipment-news/john-solheim-story-of-the-ping-anser-putter-3522.aspx

[Foozle]

2 hours ago, sheepdawg said:

It's from the third batch of the daleheads. 1967-70 That ones called a rocker sole, there was also a flat sole. If you go back a couple of pages my pictured Karsten Co. is a flat sole Shame someone added the sightlines. 

At the risk of splitting hairs, I do recall an opinion being expressed that the Karsten Co, second batch you refer to, is not technically a Dale Head? It may have been @RobotDoctor with apologies if I have that wrong.

The original Scottsdale and '67 Mfg have a continuous curve on the bumpers whereas the Karsten Co has a very slight shoulder - not enough to produce the vertical drop of the later Ansers but a subtly different profile to the Dalehead.

Not sure if the difference shows in these pictures?

First is a '66(?) Karsten Co

Second a '67 Mfg like @JMJ11 one being discussed here.

Third tries to show a comparison including a "standard" Anser. The latter being an '80's reissue which is also stamped 85029 just help illustrate the vagouries of using Zip's to ID!

[tripanfal]

I just wanted to pop in and say thanks for splitting hairs - I am pretty new to owning more than one ping putter and this is the best place by far to get information about them because of posters that split hairs - and even post pictures to illustrate their point. It is very appreciated by me at the very least. 
 

 

Edited April 20, 2024 by tripanfal

[RobotDoctor]

5 hours ago, Foozle said:

At the risk of splitting hairs, I do recall an opinion being expressed that the Karsten Co, second batch you refer to, is not technically a Dale Head? It may have been @RobotDoctor with apologies if I have that wrong.

The original Scottsdale and '67 Mfg have a continuous curve on the bumpers whereas the Karsten Co has a very slight shoulder - not enough to produce the vertical drop of the later Ansers but a subtly different profile to the Dalehead.

Not sure if the difference shows in these pictures?

First is a '66(?) Karsten Co

Second a '67 Mfg like @JMJ11 one being discussed here.

Third tries to show a comparison including a "standard" Anser. The latter being an '80's reissue which is also stamped 85029 just help illustrate the vagouries of using Zip's to ID!

 

Karsten CO Ansers were the second version of the Anser, the first with the Phoenix address.  These are not Scottsdale Ansers obviously.  That said, these were the model between the Scottsdale Anser and Dalehead Anser.  The three models were made from the same molds, note the bumpers.  On a side note, the Karsten CO Ansers are generally a little bit heavier than the Scottsdale and Daleheads.  At least that is what I recall reading.  Bobby Grace would be the best person to get an answer for these as he is one of the preeminent Ping putter experts around.

[sheepdawg]

6 hours ago, Foozle said:

At the risk of splitting hairs, I do recall an opinion being expressed that the Karsten Co, second batch you refer to, is not technically a Dale Head? It may have been @RobotDoctor with apologies if I have that wrong.

The original Scottsdale and '67 Mfg have a continuous curve on the bumpers whereas the Karsten Co has a very slight shoulder - not enough to produce the vertical drop of the later Ansers but a subtly different profile to the Dalehead.

Not sure if the difference shows in these pictures?

First is a '66(?) Karsten Co

Second a '67 Mfg like @JMJ11 one being discussed here.

Third tries to show a comparison including a "standard" Anser. The latter being an '80's reissue which is also stamped 85029 just help illustrate the vagouries of using Zip's to ID!

Maybe you're confusing the rocker sole with the flat sole daleheads.

Here's my flat sole KARSTEN CO. My link above explains the two styles of daleheads and the moulds designed by Karsten and his son Allan

Here's a rocker sole KARSTEN MFG. CORP. dalehead from the 3rd  and last run of the original daleheads. Notice the trademark stamp, this is one of the last ones.

Edited April 20, 2024 by sheepdawg

[PlsBrk80]

I'm extremely jealous. I just got to play my new ( old ) 1980  Pings and desperately want to add a putter but not sure which one. Great post.

[ColinKelvin]

Just thought I would add this beauty. A face-balanced beryllium copper Anser 5+ which I bought new in 1991 as a teenager. I traded it quite recently with another collector but deeply regretted doing so and managed to get it back. 

 

When I asked them for info Ping stated that they never released this officially and it was a prototype head shape.

[tripanfal]

4 minutes ago, ColinKelvin said:

Just thought I would add this beauty. A face-balanced beryllium copper Anser 5+ which I bought new in 1991 as a teenager. I traded it quite recently with another collector but deeply regretted doing so and managed to get it back. 

 

When I asked them for info Ping stated that they never released this officially and it was a prototype head shape.

Just very casually dropping a new grail for me. Gorgeous putter.

[ezgoer]

2 hours ago, ColinKelvin said:

Just thought I would add this beauty. A face-balanced beryllium copper Anser 5+ which I bought new in 1991 as a teenager. I traded it quite recently with another collector but deeply regretted doing so and managed to get it back. 

 

When I asked them for info Ping stated that they never released this officially and it was a prototype head shape.

Quick edit - went back through pictures and found the one I had. Mine was a 5K. Long neck was more conventionally located compared to yours. Traded or sold it along with a PAL that I really liked before the current “hoarding mode” kicked in. I haven’t really seen many long necked PINGs over the years. Really like the look of yours. 

Edited May 16, 2024 by ezgoer

[Binson]

On 4/28/2024 at 12:20 PM, PlsBrk80 said:

I'm extremely jealous. I just got to play my new ( old ) 1980  Pings and desperately want to add a putter but not sure which one. Great post.

As good as the BeCu's look, the BeNi's and SS sound and feel better to me. Most of my BeCu's are quite tingy sounding, which I'm just not used to and it messes with my pace management.

 

Highly recommend BeNi or SS Zing 2, Scottsdale Anser, B60, Anser 2.  If you want MGBR, tought to beat a My Day.

[tripanfal]

26 minutes ago, ezgoer said:

I had an Answer 5 or 6 with the same long plumbers neck but If I remember correctly it was not face balanced so the neck was in the conventional location. Mine wasn’t beryllium and had a LPGA Dina Shore logo on the face. Traded or sold it along with a PAL that I really liked long before the current “hoarding mode” kicked in. I haven’t really seen many long necked PINGs over the years. 

I love the face balanced ping blades - these are my keepers so far. They put such a smooth roll on the ball for me, and because they don’t seem to be that popular there are deals to be had.

[tripanfal]

46 minutes ago, ezgoer said:

Quick edit - went back through pictures and found the one I had. Mine was a 5K. Long neck was more conventionally located compared to yours. Traded or sold it along with a PAL that I really liked before the current “hoarding mode” kicked in. I haven’t really seen many long necked PINGs over the years. Really like the look of yours. 

I think that is the same hosel as my Zing 5, but I am not sure what the difference was between the 5, 5k, 5ks, et cetera. (Now 5+ too for criminys sake - would just go perfect with a set of Eye 2 + irons.)

[Joe S]

3 hours ago, ColinKelvin said:

Just thought I would add this beauty. A face-balanced beryllium copper Anser 5+ which I bought new in 1991 as a teenager. I traded it quite recently with another collector but deeply regretted doing so and managed to get it back. 

 

When I asked them for info Ping stated that they never released this officially and it was a prototype head shape.

I just picked one of these up at Goodwill not long ago.  I've been using it for the last few weeks and love it!

[ColinKelvin]

20 minutes ago, Joe S said:

I just picked one of these up at Goodwill not long ago.  I've been using it for the last few weeks and love it!

Really? A 5 + rather than a 5?

[Joe S]

1 hour ago, ColinKelvin said:

Really? A 5 + rather than a 5?

 

1 hour ago, ColinKelvin said:

Really? A 5 + rather than a 5?

It's actually a 5K.  Not sure about the differences between the variations.  Regardless, It's great.  Love having a face balanced blade style putter instead of mallet.  Best of both worlds.  

[Foozle]

Given the title of this thread, I thought I would throw in some pictures of an Old Ping putter.

[ColinKelvin]

41 minutes ago, Foozle said:

Given the title of this thread, I thought I would throw in some pictures of an Old Ping putter.

This couldn't be a more apposite post.  Kudos!

[Binson]

My Favorite BeNi... For some reason, it has a satin, tumbled look.

 

From left to right, comparison between a Stainless, normal BeNi, and the satin BeNi Zing 2.

 

Also, shoutout to these grips.  I love its length and everlasting material. Love seeing them on old Ping putters and Irons.  I know I'll never need to regrip them. 

 

[bcstones]

3 hours ago, Foozle said:

Old Ping putter

I have one of these (forget where I bought it...it was in a set of hickory clubs I bought at a nearby antique mall, a month or three ago. I thought I put it up to find it's history somewhere here, but can't find it. 

Anyway, do you have any info on age or where it fits in the different Ping putter line-up?

[Foozle]

6 hours ago, bcstones said:

I have one of these (forget where I bought it...it was in a set of hickory clubs I bought at a nearby antique mall, a month or three ago. I thought I put it up to find it's history somewhere here, but can't find it. 

Anyway, do you have any info on age or where it fits in the different Ping putter line-up?

I have been unsuccessful in finding out much history on the Old Ping putter. Zip code on mine puts it in the '68 - '73 date range but I know little more. I haven't seen many so guess one of the lower production (less popular?) models but putts quite nicely. 

[sheepdawg]

On 5/17/2024 at 5:57 PM, Foozle said:

I have been unsuccessful in finding out much history on the Old Ping putter. Zip code on mine puts it in the '68 - '73 date range but I know little more. I haven't seen many so guess one of the lower production (less popular?) models but putts quite nicely. 

Don't rely on zip codes, they only tell you when the mold was made. Many molds were used for ten years. 

[North Butte]

On 5/16/2024 at 10:29 AM, ColinKelvin said:

Just thought I would add this beauty. A face-balanced beryllium copper Anser 5+ which I bought new in 1991 as a teenager. I traded it quite recently with another collector but deeply regretted doing so and managed to get it back. 

 

When I asked them for info Ping stated that they never released this officially and it was a prototype head shape.

I'm pretty much over my putter-lust days now but about 20 years ago I would have been willing to give a LOT of money for a BeCu Anser 5+. That's right up there with as good as it gets, right there. Dang.

[ColinKelvin]

2 hours ago, North Butte said:

I'm pretty much over my putter-lust days now but about 20 years ago I would have been willing to give a LOT of money for a BeCu Anser 5+. That's right up there with as good as it gets, right there. Dang.

Funny you should say that because getting it back has really cooled my collecting urge. I was seriously thinking about a PLD custom and I don't think I'll bother now. Only other one I've ever seen in the wild was a guy in Switzerland with a NOS one with a pro-scratch competition stamp on the sole. He wanted about 1k for it. Ping have two in their archive. My guess is that max 50 were made. 

[North Butte]

Just now, ColinKelvin said:

Funny you should say that because getting it back has really cooled my collecting urge. I was seriously thinking about a PLD custom and I don't think I'll bother now. Only other one I've ever seen in the wild was a guy in Switzerland with a NOS one with a pro-scratch competition stamp on the sole. He wanted about 1k for it. Ping have two in their archive. My guess is that max 50 were made. 

A few years back I made my accommodation with non-face-balanced plumbers neck putters after a golfing lifetime of heavily favoring face balanced ones.

 

That had the happy result of opening up the vast glut of plain old Anser versions out there for me to choose among and they cost peanuts. I got a couple pristine condition Manganese Bronze 1970's Ansers ones plus a third that was in good rather than near-mint condition. So I'm probably not going to live long enough to wear all three of them out!

 

But yours is like the best of all worlds in a putter, in my book. 

[ColinKelvin]

30 minutes ago, North Butte said:

A few years back I made my accommodation with non-face-balanced plumbers neck putters after a golfing lifetime of heavily favoring face balanced ones.

 

That had the happy result of opening up the vast glut of plain old Anser versions out there for me to choose among and they cost peanuts. I got a couple pristine condition Manganese Bronze 1970's Ansers ones plus a third that was in good rather than near-mint condition. So I'm probably not going to live long enough to wear all three of them out!

 

But yours is like the best of all worlds in a putter, in my book. 

Haha, yeah, they built those OG Ansers to last! I have a few non-face balanced ones too just to collect (love the later JAS Wti), but I know I get better results with long necks on the course. 

 

You could get yourself a Becu Anser 5 or 5KS - they're sometines findable in very good nick for under $100, and the only difference from the 5+ is that the former has a sloped back bumper, and the latter has a long slant neck and more rounded bumpers. Both great putters tho! 

[Joe S]

I just found this and posted it on another forum where we were talking about face balanced putters.  Am I the only person that didn't know that Ping color codes their shaft labels based on stroke type?

 

 

[Joe S]

So it looks like the color coding in my post above doesn't apply to old Ping putters.  What I'm seeing there is that the Ping Man is a different color on different shafts, and the color doesn't match up to code above.