A replica of the Zing 2 putter used by Curtis Strange in 1988 to win the first of two consecutive U.S. Opens will be available at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the third in the extremely limited-edition series commemorating Ping’s sweep of all four major championships in 1988 – the only time it’s happened for any putter brand.
During each of the four major championship weeks in 2023, Ping is releasing a new model from its “Ping Slam” collection as part of its PLD Limited program. Precision-milled versions of the four winning models – Pal, Pal 2, Zing 2 and Anser, respectively – are released each Tuesday of this year’s four major championships, giving collectors a rare opportunity to own a part of Ping’s storied putter history.
Only 88 versions of each handcrafted putter model will be available via pingpld.com for $990 (limit one per customer) during the corresponding major’s week. Each putter is serialized for authenticity and includes a custom headcover unique to each of the four major events. The Zing 2 (303 stainless steel, natural finish) will drop Tuesday, June 13, at 2 p.m. EDT at pingpld.com. Pre-sale waiting room opens at 1:55 p.m. EDT. To reserve a randomized place in line, it is recommended that you join promptly at this time.
“It was a tremendous accomplishment,” said John A. Solheim, Ping executive chairman, of the 1988 sweep. “When it happened, it was very special, and we celebrated by running one of our iconic yellow ads under the headline ‘Ping Putters Used To Win The Grand Slam Of Golf.’ What made it even more rewarding was that four different models of putters were used in the victories.”
The replica Pal putter Sandy Lyle used when he won the Masters in 1988 and the Pal 2 that Jeff Sluman used to clinch the Ping Slam with in the PGA Championship at Oak Tree in Oklahoma sold out in minutes. Lyle used a version of his putter to finish his final competitive round at Augusta National in April.
Strange needed five days with his Zing 2 to win his first major, beating Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Strange shot 71 in the playoff to beat Faldo by four strokes. He used the same Zing 2 putter the next year at Oak Hill to become the first player to successfully defend his U.S. Open title since Ben Hogan in 1951. It proved to be Strange’s last victory on the PGA Tour.
“Curtis’ thrilling win at the U.S. Open was soon followed by the U.S. Women’s Open champion using a Zing 2, giving us wins at both national championships that summer,” said Solheim. “The next year Curtis won the U.S. Open again with his Zing 2. That was a remarkable run for the Zing 2 and secured its place in Ping’s putter history.”
Ping’s engineers meticulously recreated the precise specs of each putter based on company archives, old images and measurements taken from the Ping Gold Putter Vault, ensuring Karsten Solheim’s original designs remained intact.
The Anser model (aluminum/bronze alloy), commemorating the 1988 Open Championship win by Seve Ballesteros at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, will be released at 2 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 18, during the week of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.
On Dec. 5, collectors will have the opportunity to purchase one of 35 complete sets of the PLD Limited “Ping Slam” putters for $4,990 (limit one per customer), which will include a custom-designed display unit.
“Whether golfers want to purchase one of the 88 individual putters during the week of the major or wait until the end of the year to collect all four at once, we expect the putters to go fast, so we encourage those interested to plan accordingly,” Solheim said.
PHOTOS COURTESY PING