Equipment

For its 50th Anniversary, Ping is recreating the original Anser putters

Published

10 years ago

Jun 14, 2016

In 1966, Karsten Solheim invented the Ping Anser putter, which has became so popular that when golfers see an imitator — and there’s a lot of them — they’re often dubbed “Anser-style.” Fifty years later, Ping has gone to great lengths to create a limited-edition line of Anser putters that are as much like the originals as possible.

The limited-edition putters are made from the original Anser molds, using the original parts and metals, and created in the same foundry that produced the first Anser putters. So for golf history buffs, this release is something special.

Making the story better is that Karsten’s son and current Ping CEO John Solheim will have his hands on every single putter released. Ping plans on releasing 1,550 right-handed versions, and 150 left-handed models. Solheim is grinding the soles of each putter, just as he used to do with the original Ansers in his father’s garage.

The putters will have the original Ping grips, which Tiger Woods has since made famous, and the shafts are made by True Temper, with the same step pattern as the originals.

What’s “modernized” about the new putters are the toe and heel bumpers, which used to be shaped by hand using sandpaper. The 2016 versions had that shaping already built into the molds.

Speaking of those molds, there’s either a “K,” which stands for Karsten, or an “A,” which stands for “Allan,” John’s brother, engraved on the hosel of the putters, which indicate which of the two original molds were used to cast each putter. According to John Solheim, the putters produced by the different molds will not be identical because the Karsten, or “K” mold, had the radius on its heel slightly nicked. So the heel on the “K” putters have what John calls the “slope side.”

While the putters are made from the same high-strength, manganese-bronze metal, the hosels are applied with epoxy, while the originals were not. Without the epoxy, the original Anser putters sometimes cracked at the hosel, according to Solheim.

You will also notice inserts in the toe and heel, which are tungsten weights used to bring the heads “up to weight.” The putter heads weigh 350 grams, which is significantly heavier than the originals, but standard these days.

The putters have no release date at this point, but sometime before the 51st Anniversary would be a safe bet. Remember, John Solheim is grinding each of the putters, which he says takes roughly 4-5 minutes each. There is no set price, either, but according to Solheim, “They won’t be cheap.”

See what WRXers are saying about the putters in our forum.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

9 Comments

cgasucks

Jun 20, 2016 at 2:38 pm

If Mr. Solheim himself is going to grind the putters like his dad did you know its not gonna be cheap…

Reply Report comment
MisawaGol4

Jun 16, 2016 at 6:23 am

So these are exactly like the originals, same metal, same molds, and from the same garage. Minus the fact that now they have added weight plugs and the hosels are attached differently, but John Solheim will be guaranteed to have touched these for at least 4 whole minutes! Who can put a price tag on that? Apparently Ping can. There is a reason the originals value will increase and these will start high but never really amount to much. I never buy a limited or collectors edition of anything. You are guaranteed that they will be anything but that.

Reply Report comment
jimmy snodgrass

Jun 15, 2016 at 11:04 am

maybe i should’nt give my secrets away but i could never afford pro shop prices for clubs or clothing, i play golf at public courses because of the mostly private club restrictions on attire. i wear golf polo shirts, with whatever nice club logo i know, have a dozen masters shirts, several congressionals, and even a bob hope chrysler classic, most of them bought for 2 to 3 dollars. i wear levi’s , not holed up because they fit me best. i had a fairly nice, pleated pair of pants with the pockets cut down the sides, hopped into a golf cart, and lost most of the items in my pockets, because, when sitting, the pockets were parallel, coins and a swiss army knife were lost somewhere on the course, and i still have 2 pairs of leather footjoy classics with steel spikes, in great shape, just waiting for the day when they are re-allowed.

Reply Report comment
- Ryan morris
  
  Jun 16, 2016 at 4:46 am
  
  I missed the secret.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - The MailMan
    
    Jun 19, 2016 at 3:30 am
    
    Not true. I am actually doing your husband.
    
    Reply Report comment
Anser 4

Jun 15, 2016 at 12:58 am

If this came in Anser 4 I would be over it like a rash.

Reply Report comment
Weekend Duffer

Jun 14, 2016 at 11:13 pm

You can buy the actual originals for $35 on eBay, yet they will likely charge $350 for the remake.

Reply Report comment
- Joey
  
  Jun 15, 2016 at 8:58 am
  
  Less than that. You can get Zings and My Days for around $10 bucks (shipping not included).
  
  Reply Report comment
- Joe Duffer
  
  Jun 15, 2016 at 12:08 pm
  
  Wrong… a nice original Scottsdale Anser will still bring north of $1000
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”