TAKE THE TOUR OF KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
It’s no secret that living in Phoenix can be a golfer’s paradise. With the ability to play golf all year round and enjoy the largest attended golf tournament in the world at the TPC of Scottsdale FBR OPEN; golfing enthusiasts have it all. However, many golfers are unaware of a free opportunity in Phoenix that most would pay hundreds of dollars to experience. What is this you ask? Well, at the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, you can see how one of the worlds leading manufacturers of golf equipment put together some of the finest clubs in the game. Best of all, its free!
To take the tour, you must call and make an appointment. PING offers factory tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays by reservation only. You can call the toll-free number at 1-800-474-6434 to make a reservation, at least 1-2 months in advance. If calling from outside the US, please call (602) 687-5000. Once booked, you must find it. The plant is located off 19th Avenue and Desert Cove in West Phoenix (look for the driving range netting). PING provides highly qualified guides, audio equipment, and the group size range is generally small, but varies depending on season and day of tour. Upon arrival, tour takers must register at the “brown shack” and after a short video, it’s off to the plant!
Once in the plant, visitors are given an education in “cell manufacturing” as PING workers perform tasks in designated areas while rotating those tasks to promote productivity. The actual process of assembling the clubs begins when molds for club heads are machined then, transferred to the foundry for investment casting. Next they are heat treated and then, it’s on to assembly for component matching and personalization. Quality assurance is examined by every worker that passes each component on to the next phase of production. From engineering, investment casting, and calibration, every club bearing the PING name is quality assured at every phase. PING is also ISO-9001-2000 & 14001 certified; a worldwide standard for quality assurance and environmental systems. Best known in the aerospace industry, this certification is hard to come by and is a testament to the PING ideology of doing things the right way. Worker retention is very high with many workers tenure averaging over 15 years! After taking the tour, one marvels at the process and the pride that goes into these tools of the trade.
For decades, PING has remained one of the leaders in golf club equipment design, manufacturing, and club-fitting. The family-owned company prides itself on closely controlling the entire club making process. New engineering ideas are tested daily with the goal to design the perfect custom-fit golf club. Check out the process on their site at: http://www.pinggolf.com
May 1st, 2007 at 4:15 am
dear folks, i’m a “newbie” to golf. playing only three years. remarkably though, i am very good at it. i am a carpenter by trade, and use only the best of hammers, ESTWING. along the same guide line, in golf, my “driver” is a “PING” 1 iron…..all right, qiut laughing…i figured out quick i’m not worth a hoot with drivers, i don’t even have them in my bag any more. long story short, my club broke, at hte base. no, i don’t do “divots”….i was going to go to the local fix-it place and have it repaired. my brother, the real golfer in my family, told me that y’all guarentee ping clubs like estwing does it’s hammers. if this is true, how do i go about dealing with you? i do have another 1 iron, BUT, it’s not my PING. it feels like i’m wearing another man’s shoes….the right size, but just doesn’t feel or fit right. i play just about every day at the “BABE” and i am eagerly awaiting a response from you, so please, feel free to call me….home 813-932-3399, cell (always on and in my pocket) 813-293-3399. sincerely, i’m scott and you’re not! thanks!
November 22nd, 2007 at 2:26 am
I have Ping eye2 woods which need to be rebuile. Do you do this? How much would it cost? How do I go about getting this done?