Set of PING 69 Ballnamic Irons with Original Bent Shafts - 2 Iron-PW - Rare
Exceedingly both scarce and early in Karsten Solheim's PING manufacturing timeline is this incredible set of PING 69 Ballnamic irons with nonconforming original bent shafts! Speaking at length as a well respected clubmaker himself, industry expert Bobby Grace detailed this set's features and low production run in his publication 'Guide to Collecting Rare Ping Golf Clubs.' One out of only 100 sets of these made - this is unquestionably deserving of the finest PING and club collections.
"Ping 69 irons were produced in 1961; they were Karsten's first attempt at a TOUR quality set of clubs. He was obviously way ahead of his time, even then. He thought of creating the first cavity back irons with hand milling machine. The original 69 Ballnamic ironns were milled with 2 cavities in the back of the blade. Stamped in the sole 'PING 69 BALLNAMIC' and painted white in the cavity. Karsten was certainly on the right track, purchasing his iron heads from Golf Craft and possibly from Fernquest & Johnson. Golf Craft, at the time, were making some of the finest forged irons available on the market. Still today (2000), Golf Crafts are recognized as some od the most beautiful of all the grinds ever made. Karsten's goal was to lighten the swing-weight with these cavity back milled clubs. Karsten designed a severe bend in the shaft, of all these early irons, at the end of the grip, near the collar directly below the golfers hands. The USGA eventually ruled the bend in the shaft nonconforming to the rules. Karsten, at that point had to offer to replace the shafts of those sets already purchased. Therefore it is very rare to find any near mint sets (such as the one in this lot) which still have their original shafts with the bend." Grace goes on to speak on the scarcity, "According to Karsten Mfg. Corp. they made a total of 100 sets of each 69 model." 35" - 39 1/2"
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