Quality control (Ping)

[gyippie]

Hi All

This is NOT an indictment on Ping or any manufacturer. I'm just sharing an experience I believe happens with all companies.

 

Background: I am a long time part time employee at a major golf retailer in Canada (supplements my real job income and the prices on golf stuff is awesome, typical WRXer!). So I understand workings of the OEM and retailer.

 

I decided to send my G20's to be reshafted. Remove the KBS tour 90 for the Dynalite gold XP. I decided to send them back to Ping instead of doing it in my own store because of various info on this site and personal experience.

 

So I've 'read' that ping hosels (irons) are parallel but when they use taper tip shaft, they don't use shims - they use a 'special' epoxy. And hence why they 'have' to reshaft or the lies will be all over the place. I've had evidence of this. Not on irons but on my G20 driver - special order with a MRC whiteboard. I decided to reshaft the G20, but in store this time, and found that there was no shim on the .335 tip.

 

I sent my irons back the 2nd last week of July. I only got them back 6 weeks later. My manager had to call 5 weeks in to find out where they were. Sure enough, they arrived the week after. I do understand that Ping may have an enormous amount of returns, reshafts, warranties, etc,.. So I completely understand.

 

However, the black dot indicating standard specs, had been completely stripped off! There is only a residual of black left in the dot area. Since I am an employee and I really don't care too much about cosmetics I will not be returning them. They work fine, I have them back, I'm moving on. My manager on the other hand stated that they should be absolutely returned, not acceptable work. I have not called customer service, as I'm sure I will have no issue with having them redone, but I don't wish to lose them for another 6 weeks (in Canada the season is short!)

 

In summary, if I may generalize, all companies have quality control issues. There is no company that is 'better' or 'treats' clients better than another. In today's golf world where mass quantity is more important that quality, it is difficult to get everything perfect. If pressed for perfection, most companies (experience through work) and even the retailers will do their best for you.

 

Everyone is doing their best. Most of the time the product will be OK, if not, if pressed it will be taken care of.

 

Thank you for listening :D

[4Wedges]

Long story....but is the jist of your "complaint" that Ping didn't put the black dot back on your clubs when they reworked them? How was the work otherwise? Did they get the shafts right? Do they look right? Hit well? Length all good?

Is the whole reason for voicing your concern here some missing paint?

[IvanDAG]

I am not sure what you are trying to say or prove.

[richard t]

I've been 'in the bag' for Ping since Eye2s. Sent in a bunch, special ordered a bunch, sent back a couple things. Never, NEVER had any problem. Give them a call, send back the clubs and I bet they'll fix you up.

[Holy Moses]

Get some paint fill I guess

[tangojay]

[quote name='4Wedges' timestamp='1379801216' post='7890353']
Long story....but is the jist of your "complaint" that Ping didn't put the black dot back on your clubs when they reworked them? How was the work otherwise? Did they get the shafts right? Do they look right? Hit well? Length all good?

Is the whole reason for voicing your concern here some missing paint?
[/quote]
[quote name='IvanDAG' timestamp='1379801481' post='7890369']
I am not sure what you are trying to say or prove.
[/quote]

Am with these two gentlemen,,,,,,,your going to lose golf time and your going to pay to ship them back to PING for something which can be fixed with a .99 cent bottle of black enamel nail polish?!?! (.99 cents here in the USA's Wal-Mart's)

Let us know what you decided on,,,,,,,,,,,

[10_ft_Jon_Boat]

I have sent clubs into ping for rework and have been very happy-no issues. However, I do understand where the OP is coming from. He wants them to execute some final inspections on their clubs... Verify work was done, paint fill, etc. Just a simple checklist. I don't think that's absurd. After paying for rework, he shouldn't have to paint them himself. Just my thoughts...

[garcia51694]

Sounds look a DIY paint fill is in order

[MB_Viking]

The horror! How do you sleep at night knowing that the paint isn't filled in?

[HighSpeedScene]

Cool story. Tell it again.

[golfnuthb]

[quote name='tangojay' timestamp='1379809091' post='7890891']
[quote name='4Wedges' timestamp='1379801216' post='7890353']
Long story....but is the jist of your "complaint" that Ping didn't put the black dot back on your clubs when they reworked them? How was the work otherwise? Did they get the shafts right? Do they look right? Hit well? Length all good?

Is the whole reason for voicing your concern here some missing paint?
[/quote]
[quote name='IvanDAG' timestamp='1379801481' post='7890369']
I am not sure what you are trying to say or prove.
[/quote]

Am with these two gentlemen,,,,,,,your going to lose golf time and your going to pay to ship them back to PING for something which can be fixed with a [b].99 cent bottle of black enamel nail polish[/b]?!?! (.99 cents here in the USA's Wal-Mart's)

Let us know what you decided on,,,,,,,,,,,
[/quote]Come on..spring for the extra 29 cents and at least go with the more manly testors model paint!

[slide13]

Wow, eight paragraphs because a little dot wasn't properly filled in with black paint. Oddly you don't seem bothered by the issue but felt compelled to post about it...I'm confused.

[Birddog2]

I think I would definitely let Ping know about it; all my stuff has come back pristine and in a timely manner.

[lafojb]

Hi,

I had my Ping i20 checked by my local clubmaker, I had orded red color and diffrent swingweights on the clubs, after we checked the clubs they where all over the numbers, I sent the clubs and the result to Ping in my country, after some time they sent them to Ping UK for correction, I did the same procedure with my local clubmaker, and to my supprise they where almost identical to the clubs I sent to Ping, I have no clue why they didn't correct the clubs to what I have orded.

My local pro had to change both loft and lie, we left the swingweight since it is changed with the medallions.

I told this to Ping and they sent me a new Ping Latitude carrybag as a compensation,

[BrianL99]

I don't know where you got the idea that PING hosels are anything but tapered? They don't use shims, they use a collared ferrule.

The service in Canada seems much different than in the USA. I've sent (3) sets of PINGS irons in for adjustment this year and have always received them back within 7 days, with the work done perfectly and inexpensively.

[gyippie]

Perhaps I was not clear...I am simply sharing an experience and reiterating that all companies aren't perfect. I'm sorry if 8 paragraphs bore some of you but I thought I would take the time to type out my experience correctly. As for the paint fill issues, yes, I could do it myself and It is not expensive. But wouldn't you agree (thank you 10_ft_john_boat) from a common courtesy point of view, that they would have gotten it right and not have to do it myself?!

[4Wedges]

Cliff notes: there are no perfect company's.

Very insightful. Thank you for that.

[pccasstpro]

[quote name='lafojb' timestamp='1379830921' post='7891989']
Hi,

I had my Ping i20 checked by my local clubmaker, I had orded red color and diffrent swingweights on the clubs, after we checked the clubs they where all over the numbers, I sent the clubs and the result to Ping in my country, after some time they sent them to Ping UK for correction, I did the same procedure with my local clubmaker, and to my supprise they where almost identical to the clubs I sent to Ping, I have no clue why they didn't correct the clubs to what I have orded.

My local pro had to change both loft and lie, we left the swingweight since it is changed with the medallions.

I told this to Ping and they sent me a new Ping Latitude carrybag as a compensation,
[/quote]

You have to remember that some companies, like Ping use proprietary measuring devices. I know for a fact that Ping builds most of there gauges in house. So using a Mitchell, Maltby, or Golfsmith scale for example will not yield the same numbers. Same is true with loft and lie.So unless you pay extra for digital loft and lie , which I am not even sure they offer on irons or wedges, they left the factory spec on the in house gauges.

[gyippie]

[quote name='4Wedges' timestamp='1379884231' post='7893865']
Cliff notes: there are no perfect company's.

Very insightful. Thank you for that.
[/quote]

I thought this was a forum where views, thoughts and opinions can be expressed freely. If we all had opinions like yours why would anyone post anything?! Thanks you so much for you thoughtful and insightful responses

[gyippie]

[quote name='pccasstpro' timestamp='1379884472' post='7893883']
[quote name='lafojb' timestamp='1379830921' post='7891989']
Hi,

I had my Ping i20 checked by my local clubmaker, I had orded red color and diffrent swingweights on the clubs, after we checked the clubs they where all over the numbers, I sent the clubs and the result to Ping in my country, after some time they sent them to Ping UK for correction, I did the same procedure with my local clubmaker, and to my supprise they where almost identical to the clubs I sent to Ping, I have no clue why they didn't correct the clubs to what I have orded.

My local pro had to change both loft and lie, we left the swingweight since it is changed with the medallions.

I told this to Ping and they sent me a new Ping Latitude carrybag as a compensation,
[/quote]

You have to remember that some companies, like Ping use proprietary measuring devices. I know for a fact that Ping builds most of there gauges in house. So using a Mitchell, Maltby, or Golfsmith scale for example will not yield the same numbers. Same is true with loft and lie.So unless you pay extra for digital loft and lie , which I am not even sure they offer on irons or wedges, they left the factory spec on the in house gauges.
[/quote]

That would make sense. I never looked at it from that point of view.

[TeeBonZ]

I've sent several sets to Ping for loft/lie, reshaft, regrip, you name it. I personally think they are far and away the best! No complaints.

[4Wedges]

[quote name='gyippie' timestamp='1379886260' post='7894025']
[quote name='4Wedges' timestamp='1379884231' post='7893865']
Cliff notes: there are no perfect company's.

Very insightful. Thank you for that.
[/quote]

I thought this was a forum where views, thoughts and opinions can be expressed freely. If we all had opinions like yours why would anyone post anything?! Thanks you so much for you thoughtful and insightful responses
[/quote]

You're welcome.

[HighSpeedScene]

I have to admit I sent my i10 irons back to ping to get the ctp's fixed and they also redid the paintfill and it was all smeary, including the dots. Sloppy, but immaterial.

I certainly didn't entertain doing anything except grabbing my acetone and a paper towel...