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PING Club Creator Karsten Solheim to Receive Ford Achievement Award Saturday

24 June 1999

PING Club Creator Karsten Solheim to Receive Ford Achievement Award Saturday

    DEARBORN, Mich., June 24 -- Karsten Solheim, whose PING
putters and irons revolutionized golf club manufacturing, will be presented
the Ford Achievement Award on June 26.
    The award will be part of the seventh annual Ambassadors Charity Ball at
the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn after the third round of the FORD SENIOR PLAYERS
Championship, which began today.
    "Karsten Solheim's designs made golf more enjoyable for amateurs and
professionals alike," said Wayne Doran, Ford vice president and chairman of
Ford Motor Land Development Corporation.  "Karsten had the foresight to merge
innovation with manufacturing in a way that spawned many imitators."
    This year is the 40th for PING.
    Solheim created the first PING putter in his garage.  A mechanical
engineer with General Electric Co., his aim was not to start a business, but
to improve his golf game.  The company's name was derived from the unique
"ping" sound made when models of his first putter, called the 1-A, struck a
golf ball.
    In the first six years of producing putters, Solheim introduced 21
designs.  Demand for his uniquely balanced putters became so great that, by
1967, Solheim had resigned from GE to make golf clubs full time in a small
shop in Phoenix, Arizona.  PING now employs 800 people and ships putters,
irons, drivers, golf bags and other accessories around the world.
    The Ambassadors Charity Ball and the Ford Achievement Award were
established in 1993 as part of a week-long series of events held in
conjunction with the FORD SENIOR PLAYERS Championship.  Also being saluted
Saturday will be members of the Ambassadors Club, a group of 51 corporations.
Invited by Ford Motor Company , these suppliers, dealers and
community leaders help raise money for southeastern Michigan charities.
    Last year's golf tournament raised more than $600,000 that was distributed
to 27 non-profit groups.  Since Ford's involvement began in 1993, more than
$3.6 million has been raised for local charities.
    Deane Beman, then commissioner of the PGA TOUR, received the first Ford
Achievement Award, for contributions to golf.  In 1994, Arnold Palmer was
presented the award on the 40th anniversary of his U.S. Amateur victory at
Detroit Golf Club.  Byron Nelson won in 1995, 50 years after his unmatched 11-
tournament tour victory streak.  In 1996, Sam Snead was honored as the
winningest golfer in TOUR history.  Jack Nicklaus, winner of more major
tournaments than any golfer in history, received the Ford award in 1997 for
his many golf accomplishments.  Chi Chi Rodriguez received it last year for
his contributions to golf and to charities.