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Karsten Solheim: Companies
built 187 days ago
Karsten Solheim, who invented a putter with a "Ping" that led him to establish one of the most successful golf equipment companies, died today in Phoenix, Ariz., of complications from Parkinson's disease, his company said. He was 88.
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As Karsten emerged from its legal squabble in the 1990s it found itself operating in a new business environment. Other equipment manufacturers had followed Solheim's lead and greatly improved on their technology, but unlike Solheim they were more willing to please their customers and not insist that pure functionality rule the day. Moreover, they effectively advertised their wares, instead of relying on reputation, no matter how strong that reputation might be. Karsten began to lose significant market share, with its top-selling irons falling second to rival Cobra in 1995. It was clear that change was needed and as a result Solheim's son John Solheim took over as president and soon presided over the first layoffs in nearly three decades and instituted a number of changes over the next few years. The company updated its marketing approach, replacing its staid print ads with bolder designs and adding broadcast advertisements; it introduced oversized metal woods that had become popular with players; and instead of merely offering bonus money based on performance to professionals who played with Ping equipment it began to offer a salary to select players.
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Prior to joining Karsten Manufacturing, Solheim spent 12 years at IBM. He trained at the IBM Systems Research Institute and then progressed through the company as a developer of software products and programming languages.
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Ping golf began as a garage business with its founder Karsten Solheim and it was his new putter known as the “PING 1A” that kick started his company. His inability to putt properly led him into making putters and the name owes itself to the sound of a metal striking a golf ball. These putters, that included the PING 1A, as well as others have revolutionized the putting scene and newer “heel-toe” weighting putters have since been incorporated.
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Previously, Solheim held the position of Executive Vice President at Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, a leading golf equipment manufacturer. Solheim directed the company's computer operations where he applied industrial engineering techniques to improve production and perfected many of the efficient processes that now give Teacher's Pal's software its unique capabilities.
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On May 23, 1988 Solheim was honored by President Ronald Reagan as the recipient of the President´s "E" Award for Export Expansion. The "E" award recognizes organizations that demonstrate outstanding export growth over a four-year period. In 1992, the company received the «E Star» Award for continued export excellence.
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