PING Proving Grounds
Episodes
Episode 93: Trackman (Feat. Fredrik Tuxen)
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined by Fredrik Tuxen, CTO and co-founder of Trackman, to discuss the technology that has impacted every facet of the golf indus...
Episode 92: G740 Irons
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Erik Henrikson, PING Director of Golf Science, joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to discuss the G740 irons, the newest PING iron i...
Episode 91: Mason Howell at the Masters
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Shane is joined on the PING Tour Truck just outside the gates of Augusta National by 18-year-old amateur, Mason Howell, as he prepares to make his Mas...
Episode 90: Scottsdale TEC Putters
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined by Tony Serrano, PING Principal Design Engineer, to review the new Scottsdale TEC putter line. They discuss the research be...
Episode 89: i540 Irons
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Travis Milleman, PING Senior Design Engineering Manager, joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds for a discussion on the new i540 irons. The...
Episode 88: Daniel Berger
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined on the PING Tour Truck by Daniel Berger, a recent addition to the PING roster on the PGA Tour. They discuss his transition ...
Episode 87: Viktor Hovland & Shay Knight
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Viktor Hovland and his caddie, Shay Knight, join Shane Bacon inside the new PING Tour Truck at TPC Scottsdale to discuss the upcoming WM Phoenix Open,...
Episode 86: s259 Wedges
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Senior Design Engineer, Jacob Clarke, joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to review the s259 wedge lineup. They cover the six grind...
Episode 85: G440 K Driver
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined at the PING Proving Grounds by Ryan Stokke, PING Director of Product Design, to go behind the design of the G440 K driver. ...
Episode 84: Shaft Development
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined at PING HQ by John Oldenburg, Director of Shaft Development, to dive into the world of graphite shafts. They discuss PING's...
Episode 83: Soft Goods Design & Development
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined by Alex Kump, PING Soft Goods Design & Development Director, for a gear-focused discussion on golf bags, headwear and a...
Episode 82: Top-End Fitting
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty discuss how to determine the best clubs between your driver and longest iron. They compare all of the equipment options, identify the ...
Episode 81: Alternative Style Putters
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty discuss alternative style putting and the fitting tools available to help golfers find a putter that’s best for their setup and ...
Episode 80: Ryder Cup Preview (Feat. Harris English)
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PING Pro Harris English joins Shane Bacon ahead of his second Ryder Cup to discuss Bethpage Black, what it’s like to play for Team USA, and how ...
Episode 79: The PING Virtual Fitting Experience
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Fall approaches, Shane and Marty take time to discuss the PING Virtual Fitting Experience, a complimentary fitting session with PING Fitting Specia...
Episode 78: Mason Howell
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Newly crowned U.S. Amateur Champion, Mason Howell, joins the pod off the back of his recent win at The Olympic Club. The 18-year-old high schooler&nbs...
Episode 77: Putter Torque (Feat. Dr. Erik Henrikson)
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Erik Henrikson, PING Director of Golf Science, joins Marty Jertson in the PING Putting Lab for a discussion on putter torque and why it's a popula...
Episode 76: i240 Irons
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty discuss the most recent addition to the PING iron lineup, the i240 irons. They dive into the technologies have helped advance performa...
Episode 75: iDi Driving Iron
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As The Open Championship approaches, Shane and Marty discuss the new iDi driving iron, PING's latest long-game solution. They cover inR-Air technology...
Episode 74: Prepping for Tournament Golf
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is a busy time for tournament golf. In this episode of the PING Proving Grounds podcast, Shane and Marty discuss their tournament schedules and...
Episode 73: Tour Development Program (Feat. Scott Sullivan)
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined on the PING Tour Truck by Scott Sullivan, PING Senior Manager of Amateur Player Development. They discuss the philosophies ...
Episode 72: Mackenzie Hughes
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty caught up with two-time PGA Tour winner Mackenzie Hughes earlier this year during the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. They dis...
Episode 71: VISION54 (Feat. Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson)
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
VISION54 co-founders Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, join Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to discuss the importance of managing your body, ...
Episode 70: Matt McCarty
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PING Pro Matt McCarty joined Shane and Marty in the PING Tour Truck earlier this year during the WM Phoenix Open. They talked about his recent success...
Episode 69: Thriston Lawrence
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the PING Proving Grounds podcast, Shane and Marty are joined on the PING Tour Truck by PING Pro Thriston Lawrence. They discuss gro...
Episode 68: Erik Anders Lang
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined in the PING Tour Truck by Erik Anders Lang, film maker and founder of Random Golf Club. They chat about his intro into golf...
Episode 67: Scottsdale Putters
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined in the PING Putter Lab by Tony Serrano, PING Principal Design Engineer, to discuss the new Scottsdale putter family. They d...
Episode 66: G440 Irons (Feat. Dr. Paul Wood)
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Paul Wood, PING VP of Engineering, joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to discuss the design and development of the G440 irons. They...
Episode 65: Jim Knous
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty sit down with Jim Knous, former PING Pro turned Fitting Science Manager, to talk about his transition from life on Tour to an engineer...
Episode 64: G440 Fairway Woods & Hybrids (Feat. Travis Milleman)
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome Travis Milleman, PING Design Engineering Manager, to the podcast to take a closer look at the G440 fairway woods and hybrids. ...
Episode 63: G440 Driver (Feat. Dr. Erik Henrikson)
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty are joined at the PING Proving Grounds by Dr. Erik Henrikson, PING Director of Golf Science, to dive deep into the G440 driver family....
Episode 62: Your Questions Answered
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of 2024, Shane and Marty take time to answer questions submitted by the PING Proving Grounds pod community. They discuss how to e...
Episode 61: Indoor vs. Outdoor Fitting
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As winter approaches, Shane and Marty discuss the differences between indoor and outdoor fittings, including tips on how to make the most of the indoo...
Episode 60: Fitting Science (Feat. Chris Broadie)
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome Chris Broadie, PING Fitting Science Manager, to the podcast to discuss the progression of statistics in sports over the years,...
Episode 59: Science Friction
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
Episode 58: Golf Blueprint (Feat. Dr. Nico Darras)
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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, h...
Episode 57: Tour Truck Insights
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 PIN...
Episode 56: PLD Custom (Feat. Alex Webb)
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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-pers...
Episode 55: Matt McCarty
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Th...
Episode 54: Lauren Coughlin
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 53: Tim Herron
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 T...
Episode 52: Iconic PING Clubs (Feat. Jonathan Wall)
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 stan...
Episode 51: Prodi G — The Next Generation
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty get together to discuss the next generation of Prodi G junior clubs. They recount their personal experiences with junior golf, as play...
Episode 50: Matthieu Pavon
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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, an...
Episode 49: Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Episode 48: A Culture of Curiosity (Feat. Dr. Erik Henrikson)
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 innova...
Episode 47: Austin Eckroat
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 whe...
Episode 46: Your Questions Answered
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 45: Harris English
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 44: Juan Postigo Arce
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 A...
Episode 43: Chris Como
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome Chris Como, PING Brand Ambassador, to the pod. They discuss Chris’ journey to becoming a top golf instructor, his introducti...
Episode 42: What's in the Bag: Shane Bacon & Marty Jertson
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Episode 41: Bubba Watson
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 gate...
Episode 40: Seamus Power
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 39: Help for the High Handicapper (Feat. Andrew Rice)
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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. The...
Episode 38: Putter Fitting Kinetics (Feat. Dr. Sasho MacKenzie)
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 37: Derek Deminsky
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome golf instructor and PING Brand Ambassador Derek Deminsky to ASU’s Thunderbirds Complex for an episode dedicated to the short...
Episode 36: Stan Utley
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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, impo...
Episode 35: Behind the Design of s159 (Feat. Jacob Clarke)
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 34: Putting Lab Design (Feat. Tony Serrano)
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 abo...
Episode 33: John K. Solheim
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 j...
Episode 32: Blueprint For Success
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 u...
Episode 30: 2024 Golf Checklist
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Episode 29: WebFit
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 P...
Episode 28: Fit for Golf (Feat. Mike Carroll)
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 mis...
Episode 27: In the Archives (Feat. Rob Griffin)
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 26: The Secret to Spinsistency
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 25: Preston Summerhays
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty catch up with the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion and current Arizona State All-American, Preston Summerhays. Preston discusses play...
Episode 24: Golf’s Scariest Shots
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 sho...
Episode 23: Corey Conners
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 22: Taylor Moore
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 21: Boyd Summerhays
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 profession...
Episode 20: Joe Mayo
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 19: Adaptive Fitting
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 18: Solheim Cup Preview
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 17: Tony Finau
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 16: Women’s Product Development
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome PING’s Director of Engineering Operations, Rose Fielder, to the pod to discuss women’s product development, common pain po...
Episode 15: Shay Knight
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Vi...
Episode 14: Viktor Hovland
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 13: Temperature, Humidity & Altitude
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Shan...
Episode 12: Driving: Distance vs. Accuracy
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty tackle a big question in driver performance — What’s more important, distance or accuracy? They discuss how to determine when dist...
Episode 11: Golf Ball Fitting
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty dive into the importance of being properly fit for the correct golf ball, and discuss spin vs. aerodynamics, the Ballnamic fitting too...
Episode 10: Putter Fitting Principles
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 9: Tyrrell Hatton
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 8: Performance without Sacrifice
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From the PING Gold Putter Vault, Shane and Marty discuss the unique tradition of commemorating tour victories won with PING putters with gold-plated r...
Episode 7: A Guide to Gapping
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fitt...
Episode 6: Joaquín Niemann
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 c...
Episode 5: Get Golf Growing
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 4: Sahith Theegala
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shane and Marty welcome Sahith Theegala to the PING Tour Truck. Among other things, they discuss Sahith’s swing, his PGA Tour journey, the likelihoo...
Episode 3: Fitting Matters
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Episode 2: The PING Tour Truck
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 1: Welcome to the PING Proving Grounds
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of the PING Proving Grounds podcast, our hosts, golf broadcaster Shane Bacon and Marty Jertson, PING’s Vice President of Fittin...
Introducing: PING Proving Grounds
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The PING Proving Grounds podcast dives into PING's celebrated history and immeasurable contributions to golf equipment, custom fitting and the game of...