PING Proving Grounds

Episode 59: Science Friction Nov 07, 2024

Shane and Marty tackle a big topic in wedge performance — spin. They discuss how spin is created, the factors that alter it, and how to control it in various scenarios.

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Episode 58: Golf Blueprint (Feat. Dr. Nico Darras) Oct 24, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome the founder of Golf Blueprint, Dr. Nico Darras, to the podcast to discuss his company, taking the guesswork out of practice, how programming differs for pros versus everyday golfers, and tips for young players.

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Episode 57: Tour Truck Insights Oct 03, 2024

It's a workshop on wheels servicing Team PING and the best players in the world. Adam Harding and Jack Ulrich are joined by Shane Bacon inside the PING Tour Truck to discuss life on the road as part of PING's Player Development team. They discuss the logistics involved in getting the truck to Tour stops week-to-week, PGA Tour equipment insights, and a few of the most interesting build requests they've received.

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Episode 56: PLD Custom (Feat. Alex Webb) Sep 19, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome Master Fitter Alex Webb to the podcast to discuss PING’s PLD Custom program. They talk about the history of PLD, the in-person and virtual fitting process for customers, alternative-style putting techniques, and their excitement to pass tour-level fitting and customization options on to the everyday golfer.

"Battle of the Podcast Co-hosts: Marty Jertson vs. Shane Bacon": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1deM6ipAsw

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Episode 55: Matt McCarty Sep 05, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome the Korn Ferry Tour’s top-ranked player and new PGA Tour card holder Matt McCarty to the podcast. They discuss his recent Three-Victory Promotion to the PGA Tour, playing the game as a lefty, keys to distance gains off the tee, and his plans for the rest of the season.

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Episode 54: Lauren Coughlin Aug 22, 2024

LPGA Tour winner Lauren Coughlin joins Shane and Marty on the podcast to discuss her recent success at this year’s CPKC Women’s Open and the Women’s Scottish Open, her work with Dr. Bob Rotella, building confidence in her game, and the upcoming Solheim Cup in her home state of Virginia.

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Episode 53: Tim Herron Aug 15, 2024

PING Pro Tim ‘Lumpy’ Herron joins Shane and Marty on the podcast to discuss growing up in a golf family, his journey to becoming a four-time PGA Tour winner, his favorite PING clubs from over the years, and longevity in golf.

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Episode 52: Iconic PING Clubs (Feat. Jonathan Wall) Aug 02, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome Jonathan Wall, Managing Editor for equipment at Golf Magazine and Golf.com, to the podcast to discuss several of PING’s standout clubs from the past and present. They talk about PING’s longstanding relationship with staff players, iconic PING clubs like the s55 irons, Anser hybrid, and Rapture driver, and notable Tour victories with PING clubs.

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Episode 51: Prodi G — The Next Generation Jul 24, 2024

Shane and Marty get together to discuss the next generation of Prodi G junior clubs. They recount their personal experiences with junior golf, as players and parents, offer fitting advice for parents, and take us through WebFit Junior, a web app and new fitting tool just for juniors.

https://junior.webfit.ping.com

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Episode 50: Matthieu Pavon Jul 10, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Pro and PGA Tour winner Matthieu Pavon to the podcast. They discuss his reverse handed chipping, playing a 46" driver, and what it'll mean to represent France in the Olympics.

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Episode 49: Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley Jun 27, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Brand Ambassador, Wayne 'Radar' Riley to the pod. They dive into how he got started in the game and his 20+ year career on the European Tour, his transition to on-course commentating, and the story behind his 'Radar' nickname.

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Episode 48: A Culture of Curiosity (Feat. Dr. Erik Henrikson) Jun 20, 2024

PING Director of Golf Science, Dr. Erik Henrikson, joins Shane and Marty on the pod for a deep dive into the world of research, development and innovation. From motion capture lab insights to the conception of crown turbulators, they discuss what goes on behind the scenes to develop PING's industry leading products and technologies.

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Episode 47: Austin Eckroat May 31, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Pro and PGA Tour winner Austin Eckroat to the Tour Truck. They discuss his long relationship with PING, which started when he was a junior golfer, his victory at the 2024 Cognizant Classic, and his shot-shaping abilities with the Blueprint T irons.

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Episode 46: Your Questions Answered May 22, 2024

You asked. We answered. Shane and Marty dive deep on a variety of equipment and fitting related topics including their two-driver setup, the power of the trajectory tuning hosel, finding the right swingweight, and what type of player would benefit from an 'E' grind.

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Episode 45: Harris English May 09, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Pro and four-time PGA Tour winner Harris English to the pod. They discuss his longevity on the PGA Tour, shot making with Blueprint T irons, and why he enjoys the challenge of a US Open and playing tough golf courses.

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Episode 44: Juan Postigo Arce Apr 28, 2024

He’s ranked fourth in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability, a PING Pro, and professional golfer on the G4D Tour. Get to know Juan Postigo Arce as he joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to talk about his background, his game, and what’s in the bag.

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Episode 43: Chris Como Apr 24, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome Chris Como, PING Brand Ambassador, to the pod. They discuss Chris’ journey to becoming a top golf instructor, his introduction to and interest in biomechanics, the 3D flat spot, and the relationship between fitting and instruction.

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Episode 42: What's in the Bag: Shane Bacon & Marty Jertson Apr 17, 2024

From G430 MAX 10K drivers to hit more fairways, to PLD custom putters to fit their stroke. Shane and Marty detail the equipment they have in the bag and how each club is custom-fit and custom-built to help them play their best.

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Episode 41: Bubba Watson Apr 10, 2024

Christian Pena, PING VP of Tournament Players, joins Shane on the PING Tour Truck as a special co-host for this week’s episode just outside the gates of Augusta National Golf Club. They welcome two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson to the pod to discuss ‘Bubba Golf’, what it takes to win at Augusta, and his longtime history with PING and the Solheim family.

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Episode 40: Seamus Power Apr 03, 2024

From Ireland to Johnson City, Tennessee, to a two-time winner on the PGA Tour. PING Pro Seamus Power joins Shane and Marty on the PING Tour Truck to talk about equipment, his journey to the PGA Tour, and back-to-back aces in the 2023 Masters Par 3 Contest.

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Episode 39: Help for the High Handicapper (Feat. Andrew Rice) Mar 21, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Brand Ambassador Andrew Rice to the pod to discuss his mission to help people play better golf so they enjoy it more. They talk about the tools and technology that have changed his approach to teaching, common equipment mistakes that high-handicap players make, the importance of knowing your carry numbers, and the best ways to practice.

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Episode 38: Putter Fitting Kinetics (Feat. Dr. Sasho MacKenzie) Mar 06, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome PING Brand Ambassador Dr. Sasho MacKenzie to the pod to discuss putter fitting kinetics. They dive into why golfers miss putts, the four things a golfer can control, putter offset, and heads up putting.

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Episode 37: Derek Deminsky Feb 29, 2024

Shane and Marty welcome golf instructor and PING Brand Ambassador Derek Deminsky to ASU’s Thunderbirds Complex for an episode dedicated to the short game. They discuss misconceptions about spin, curing the chipping yips, and teaching tour-level and high-handicap players.

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Episode 36: Stan Utley Feb 21, 2024

Short game expert and PING Brand Ambassador Stan Utley joins Shane and Marty during the 2024 PGA Show. They cover Stan’s short game principles, important elements of wedge design and the s159 sole grinds, and of course, working with Charles Barkley.

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Episode 35: Behind the Design of s159 (Feat. Jacob Clarke) Feb 15, 2024

Shane and Marty are joined at ASU's Thunderbirds Complex by Senior Design Engineer, Jacob Clarke. They dive into the R&D behind s159, PING's most extensive and versatile wedge line to date. They also discuss Jacob's work with PING pros and how it inspired the development of WebFit Wedge, a new app aimed at simplifying the wedge fitting process.

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Episode 34: Putting Lab Design (Feat. Tony Serrano) Feb 09, 2024

Principal Design Engineer Tony Serrano joins Shane and Marty at a PLD launch party at Putting World during the week of the WM Phoenix Open to talk about his 36-year career at PING, the evolution of the PLD program, and his work with PING pros including Tony Finau and Viktor Hovland.

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Episode 33: John K. Solheim Jan 26, 2024

From an intern to the President & CEO at PING. John K. Solheim joins Shane and Marty from the PING booth at the 2024 PGA Show to talk about his journey to a leadership role, the evolution of the PGA Show, PING's latest equipment and what's in his bag.

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Episode 32: Blueprint For Success Jan 18, 2024

Shane and Marty discuss the recent addition of Blueprint S and Blueprint T to PING’s iron landscape. They chat about blended iron sets, the latest update to the gapping app within PING Co-Pilot, the early success of Blueprint S on Tour, and what’s currently in Marty’s bag.

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Episode 30: 2024 Golf Checklist Jan 03, 2024

Shane and Marty kick off 2024 with new year’s resolutions, the importance of a golf game retrospective, goal setting, and how to use stat-tracking apps and PING fitting tools for an unbiased assessment and to ensure that you have the right equipment in your bag.

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Episode 29: WebFit Dec 13, 2023

Shane and Marty dive into PING’s WebFit tool. They detail WebFit’s purpose and how to use it, the evolution of using AI and data in fitting, and PING’s goal of empowering and educating golfers.

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Episode 28: Fit for Golf (Feat. Mike Carroll) Dec 07, 2023

Golf fitness expert Mike Carroll joins Shane and Marty to discuss his golf and fitness journey, how to stay sharp during the winter months, common misconceptions about golf fitness and recovery, and strength training vs. speed training.

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Episode 27: In the Archives (Feat. Rob Griffin) Nov 30, 2023

Shane and Marty join PING Historian Rob Griffin in his office, the Archives at PING HQ, a room that houses more than 60 years of PING innovation. They discuss the man that started it all, PING Founder Karsten Solheim, his most iconic designs which revolutionized the way golf equipment was designed and manufactured, and how his philosophies still drive our research and development today.

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Episode 26: The Secret to Spinsistency Nov 16, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome Kenton Oates, PING’s Sr. Player Development Manager, back to the pod to discuss Spinsistency, G430 fairway woods on the PGA Tour, and how the 7-wood can be optimized for all types of players.

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Episode 25: Preston Summerhays Nov 09, 2023

Shane and Marty catch up with the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion and current Arizona State All-American, Preston Summerhays. Preston discusses playing in the Walker Cup at St. Andrews, the evolution of his swing and the clubs in his bag, along with his family's focus on all things golf.

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Episode 24: Golf’s Scariest Shots Oct 31, 2023

In honor of Halloween, Shane and Marty walk through some of the scariest shots in golf, including how to tackle a fried egg, the 30-40-yard bunker shot, mud balls, and tee shots with trouble.

____

As referenced by Marty when talking about mud balls: https://ping.com/en-us/blogs/proving-grounds/mud-balls

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Episode 23: Corey Conners Oct 26, 2023

Shane and Marty catch up with PING Pro Corey Conners to discuss Corey's background growing up and playing sports in Canada, his consistent performance and the keys to his impressive ball striking. They also reflect on his experience playing in the Olympics and Corey’s goal of returning to Canada to play for the 2024 International Presidents Cup team.

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Episode 22: Taylor Moore Oct 18, 2023

PING Pro Taylor Moore joins Shane and Marty in the Tour Truck to discuss the benefits of Taylor playing on the Canadian and Korn Ferry tours, his big win at the 2023 Valspar Championship, and his long-standing relationship with PING.

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Episode 21: Boyd Summerhays Oct 13, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome PING Brand Ambassador Boyd Summerhays to the Tour Truck to discuss his success as a junior golfer and his path from professional golf to coaching some of world’s best players. Boyd also talks about his role as a parent to elite junior golfers and his longtime coaching relationship with PING Pro Tony Finau.

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Episode 20: Joe Mayo Oct 05, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome Viktor Hovland’s swing coach, Joe Mayo, to the pod to discuss his return to golf, how TrackMan has impacted golf instruction, his approach to teaching, and his relationship with the Norwegian superstar.

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Episode 19: Adaptive Fitting Sep 28, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome PING VP of Engineering, Dr. Paul Wood, to the pod to discuss the brand’s history of adaptive fitting, some examples of how their engineers have created one-off custom clubs to help people with differing disabilities enjoy the game of golf, and how an innovative approach to adaptive fitting has influenced the design of some mainline products.

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Episode 18: Solheim Cup Preview Sep 20, 2023

Shane welcomes LPGA pros Allisen Corpuz and Leona Maguire to the podcast as they prepare for the 2023 Solheim Cup. They discuss Leona’s past Solheim Cup success, both of their stellar 2023 LPGA seasons, what it means to play for your country/continent, and the various strategies employed in the Cup’s match play format.

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Episode 17: Tony Finau Sep 15, 2023

Shane and Marty catch up with PING Pro Tony Finau and discuss his unique path to the pros, how he fell in love with PING, and how he learned that it takes more than distance to compete at the highest level.

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Episode 16: Women’s Product Development Sep 07, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome PING’s Director of Engineering Operations, Rose Fielder, to the pod to discuss women’s product development, common pain points PING engineers try to address when designing clubs for women, PING’s commitment to women’s golf and deflating fitting anxieties.

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Episode 15: Shay Knight Aug 31, 2023

Just after their win at the BMW Championship, Shay Knight, caddie for Viktor Hovland, joined Shane and Marty in the PING Tour Truck. They discussed Viktor's recent success, the prep work that he puts in ahead of a tournament, and how and why their on-course relationship works.

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Episode 14: Viktor Hovland Aug 23, 2023

A day after his record-setting 61 at the BMW Championship, Viktor Hovland joined Shane and Marty on the PING Tour Truck ahead of the Tour Championship. They discussed key moments in Viktor’s final nine at Olympia Fields, his approach to constant improvement, growing up in Norway, and, of course, the Ryder Cup.

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Episode 13: Temperature, Humidity & Altitude Aug 15, 2023

As Shane prepares for his first U.S. Amateur in Colorado, he and Marty discuss the impact weather and altitude will have on his game. Marty takes Shane through Ballnamic’s “Plays Like” chart and Co-Pilot’s Launch Efficiency tool, before discussing common misconceptions golfers have with these conditions.

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Episode 12: Driving: Distance vs. Accuracy Aug 10, 2023

Shane and Marty tackle a big question in driver performance — What’s more important, distance or accuracy? They discuss how to determine when distance wins, how PING driver innovations address each element, and how PING’s fitting tool, Club Compare, can help golfers maximize their driver performance.

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Episode 11: Golf Ball Fitting Aug 03, 2023

Shane and Marty dive into the importance of being properly fit for the correct golf ball, and discuss spin vs. aerodynamics, the Ballnamic fitting tool, how PING engineers use Sling Man, and the importance of fitting both club and ball together synergistically.

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Episode 10: Putter Fitting Principles Jul 27, 2023

Shane and Marty discuss the importance of putter fitting, touching on its history, how iPING was developed and is utilized in the fitting process, the evolution of the PLD program, how tour feedback impacts the putter design process, and much more.

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Episode 9: Tyrrell Hatton Jul 19, 2023

Shane and Marty catch up with PING Pro Tyrrell Hatton inside the Tour Truck to discuss his recent tour success, why he plays a 7-wood, memories of his first Open qualifier, and a rare six-man playoff win.

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Episode 8: Performance without Sacrifice Jul 13, 2023

From the PING Gold Putter Vault, Shane and Marty discuss the unique tradition of commemorating tour victories won with PING putters with gold-plated replicas, as started by PING Founder Karsten Solheim. Shane and Marty also discuss the product development process and what it takes for PING to release a new product.

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Episode 7: A Guide to Gapping Jul 06, 2023

Shane and Marty discuss the importance of proper gapping — what it is, the commonalities among all skill levels, how it can be addressed in the fitting environment and the software solution PING has developed to help golfers gap their entire bag.

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Episode 6: Joaquín Niemann Jun 29, 2023

Shane and Marty catch up with Chilean Tour Pro Joaquín Niemann in the tour truck at the US Open. Joaquín discusses his win at Riviera, his love of cars, car racing, and avocados, his go-to clubs, and how he’s embraced PING technology.

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Episode 5: Get Golf Growing Jun 22, 2023

Shane and Marty dive into youth golf, covering topics like evolution of junior products and fitting, the Get Golf Growing program, the right time to transition to adult clubs, and their joint fear for the day their kids beat them on the course.

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Episode 4: Sahith Theegala Jun 14, 2023

Shane and Marty welcome Sahith Theegala to the PING Tour Truck. Among other things, they discuss Sahith’s swing, his PGA Tour journey, the likelihood that he’s the best chess player on tour, and what happened on 16 at Augusta.

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Episode 3: Fitting Matters Jun 08, 2023

Shane and Marty get together in the PING Putting Lab to talk about the PING fitting process, how it’s evolved with new tools and technologies, and the availability of fitting for golfers of all skill levels.

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Episode 2: The PING Tour Truck Jun 01, 2023

Shane and Marty take us inside the PING Tour Truck at the PGA Championship with PING’s Sr. Player Development Manager, Kenton Oates. They cover the basics, like what’s on the truck, who stops by, and what their week looks like when they pull up to a tournament, before diving a bit deeper, touching on the importance of the relationship tour reps develop with players, the balance between personality and technology when working with a pro, and advice the everyday golfer can take from how they fit and take care of Tour players.

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Episode 1: Welcome to the PING Proving Grounds May 25, 2023

In the first episode of the PING Proving Grounds podcast, our hosts, golf broadcaster Shane Bacon and Marty Jertson, PING’s Vice President of Fitting and Performance, give us a brief overview of their backgrounds before diving into the history, culture, and importance of the PING Proving Grounds.

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Introducing: PING Proving Grounds May 22, 2023

The PING Proving Grounds podcast dives into PING's celebrated history and immeasurable contributions to golf equipment, custom fitting and the game of golf in general. Broadcaster Shane Bacon and Marty Jertson, PING's Vice President of Fitting and Performance and professional golfer, discuss what happens behind the scenes at the PING Proving Grounds where data-driven research helps a team of scientists and engineers develop products and fitting tools to help golfers play their best. From the gold putter vault to PING Man and everything in between, tune in to hear more about what goes on at the PING Proving Grounds.

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