Ping Custom Order: Poor Experience

[johngalt312]

Placed a sizeable, costly custom order with Ping. After a few days was told by Ping that they didn’t have and couldn’t get the shafts I ordered (True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue - yet I could pick from True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 or True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue...), that they didn’t have and couldn’t get the grips I ordered (Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard (despite me having a Ping G400 Crossover sitting here with this exact grip on it (from Ping)...) - the lady in Ping’s custom order department was arguing with me and the retailer for days that Golf Pride only makes Tour Velvet 360 Standard and Tour Velvet Align Standard), and that they didn’t have and couldn’t get the putter grip I ordered (SuperStroke Flatso 3.0 - though I could choose from 1.0 and 2.0). Oddly I can easily buy all of the above today from multiple sources without issue. And then to top it all off, two of the three wedges (heads) ordered are out of stock for a month or two (I get this happens though). Perhaps I am being overly critical, but when choosing to custom order from a manufacturer, while paying a significant premium, with them then unable to provide some of the most common/basic options (not like I wanted some exotic bespoke shaft or custom made grip), it is both annoying and offputting. And then having to deal with their employee’s argumentative ineptitude as respects their vendors’ products was enough and has led to this post being made. Thanks Ping, pleasure doing business.

[RSinSG]

I can deal with pretty much any supply problems as I know keeping some items in stock can be difficult. What I have little patience for are employees who dig into a position and will not back down even when you supply information to the contrary.

 

That being said I’m sorry you ha problems with Ping. Every transaction I’ve had with the company for 35 years has been good. Hopefully your experience is an anomaly.

[taylorx300]

B/O on heads happens from time to time. Tour issue DG120 are not something they offer.

Grips - order the stock stuff loose in the box and swap with the ones you want. Whoever you placed the order with should help you accommodate this request. Good luck, hope it goes better next time

[Literacola]

Now, before we do this, let's go over the ground rules. Rule number one: No touching of the the hair or face...

[balbowski]

The shop you are ordering from should know the options that Ping offers and communicate that to you. All of their options are on the price sheet that every retailer gets. Before a call was placed to Ping, all of these issues you had should have been addressed.

 

All the major OEMs have shafts that they decide on at the start of the season and they stick to those decisions. They won’t add that to their matrix unless it is unbelievably popular (which the DG 120 TI is not).

 

On grips it is the same thing. They don’t offer GP TV standard because their stock iron grip is the ribbed version and their stock wood grip is the TV 360, both in .580” core. They made a decision to not stock the round version of the TV because they like ribbed ones on their irons. I’ve ordered many a Ping club with grip in the box to put an alternate option that Ping didn’t offer for the customer.

 

All told though, most of this could have been handled by your shop much better. Ping is generally very good on their customer service but they have always done things their way. Sounds like you need a more customized approach like what a Hot Stix or Club Champion would offer.

 

 

[larciel]

I agree ^^^

 

my local shop (roger dunn) installs any grip for free when you do custom order. If manuf doesn't provide it, they use their stock and install it for free.

 

Those MCC4 is $70+ a set !!

 

 

Half of your problem could've been fixed by your local shop. Shaft and B/O is something you can't help.

[Belmont148]

I go on TGW and configure my Ping clubs and then take it into my club pro for ordering. TGW has every Ping option listed and makes it stupid easy to know what you can/can’t get. Agree above on the loose in the box and get the retailer to install the grip you want.

[GoGoErky]

Sounds like it’s the shop placing the order is the issue and not ping. Money doesn’t always talk

[johngalt312]

B/O on heads happens from time to time. Tour issue DG120 are not something they offer.

Grips - order the stock stuff loose in the box and swap with the ones you want. Whoever you placed the order with should help you accommodate this request. Good luck, hope it goes better next time

 

I had ended up going with the TT DG TI, stock Ping grips loose in box on the irons and wedges, and the Flatso 2.0. Have been to and have given much business to Club Champion (their HQ is close to my house - good group of people there, especially Roger P.). They will be gripping all the clubs and building G400 Max driver and G400 3 wood with GD AD MT for me. Putter already arrived from Ping and the product is great (just that this one experience was not):

 

 

[Nessism]

What is your reasoning behind switching from 120 gram shafts to 130 gram shafts. That's a big difference.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

Placed a sizeable, costly custom order with Ping. After a few days was told by Ping that they didn't have and couldn't get the shafts I ordered (True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue - yet I could pick from True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 or True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue...), that they didn't have and couldn't get the grips I ordered (Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard (despite me having a Ping G400 Crossover sitting here with this exact grip on it (from Ping)...).

I'm just a stickler for inaccuracies. True Temper does not make a "Tour Issue" variant of the Dynamic Gold 120. And the grip you have on your G400 hybrid (from PING) is a Tour Velvet ribbed/reminder grip, not a GP Tour Velvet in standard round.

[larciel]

Placed a sizeable, costly custom order with Ping. After a few days was told by Ping that they didn't have and couldn't get the shafts I ordered (True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue - yet I could pick from True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 or True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue...), that they didn't have and couldn't get the grips I ordered (Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard (despite me having a Ping G400 Crossover sitting here with this exact grip on it (from Ping)...).

I'm just a stickler for inaccuracies. True Temper does not make a "Tour Issue" variant of the Dynamic Gold 120. And the grip you have on your G400 hybrid (from PING) is a Tour Velvet ribbed/reminder grip, not a GP Tour Velvet in standard round.

 

So ti 120 they have on website is just a sticker and same as regular dg120? I dont know about that

[johngalt312]

Placed a sizeable, costly custom order with Ping. After a few days was told by Ping that they didn't have and couldn't get the shafts I ordered (True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue - yet I could pick from True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 or True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue...), that they didn't have and couldn't get the grips I ordered (Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard (despite me having a Ping G400 Crossover sitting here with this exact grip on it (from Ping)...).

I'm just a stickler for inaccuracies. True Temper does not make a "Tour Issue" variant of the Dynamic Gold 120. And the grip you have on your G400 hybrid (from PING) is a Tour Velvet ribbed/reminder grip, not a GP Tour Velvet in standard round.

 

Kenny Lee,

 

As your are a stickler for inaccuracies, then please allow me to refute both of your - the only - errors:

https://www.truetemper.com/products/dg-120-tour-issue/

https://www.truetemper.com/new-dynamic-gold-120-tour-issue-iron-shaft-now-available/

https://www.fairwayjockey.com/True_Temper_DG_120_Tour_Issue_Iron_Shaft_Set_p/true29.htm

 

 

and

 

It’s a Ping G400 Crossover 3 iron, NOT a Ping hybrid. And it most certainly does have a Ping factory installed Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard grip on it.

 

 

Regarding the grip, Ping advised me that they CURRENTLY only carry three Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips: 1) Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align, 2) Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360, and 3) custom made for Ping Golf Pride Tour Velvet with Ping logo and color code (this is the grip I ordered for all clubs, uninstalled, but in the box). Will upload photos of these grips when the clubs arrive in case you think that this, too, is inaccurate.

 

I like Ping and their products. This custom order experience was poor so I posted about it. First world problem - that’s it.

[johngalt312]

What is your reasoning behind switching from 120 gram shafts to 130 gram shafts. That's a big difference.

 

I am in 130s now, wanted to go down to 120s, but am staying with 130s.

 

Reasoning (who knows if it would make a discernable difference, but I like(d) the idea in theory): keep swing speed up and fatigue down as I do not have the time to practice/play enough to stay golf swing conditioned (and sadly I am getting older; though I guess I better - or will have to - practice/play more now!). For example: my driver and 3 wood swing speeds fell from 115-120 down to 100-105, but I now have them back up to 110-112 after two weeks of rather consistently hitting balls at home on the GC2 + HMT). A little bit more and I will be back to “normal”.

[balbowski]

Placed a sizeable, costly custom order with Ping. After a few days was told by Ping that they didn't have and couldn't get the shafts I ordered (True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue - yet I could pick from True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 or True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue...), that they didn't have and couldn't get the grips I ordered (Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard (despite me having a Ping G400 Crossover sitting here with this exact grip on it (from Ping)...).

I'm just a stickler for inaccuracies. True Temper does not make a "Tour Issue" variant of the Dynamic Gold 120. And the grip you have on your G400 hybrid (from PING) is a Tour Velvet ribbed/reminder grip, not a GP Tour Velvet in standard round.

 

Kenny Lee,

 

As your are a stickler for inaccuracies, then please allow me to refute both of your - the only - errors:

https://www.truetemper.com/products/dg-120-tour-issue/

https://www.truetemper.com/new-dynamic-gold-120-tour-issue-iron-shaft-now-available/

https://www.fairwayjockey.com/True_Temper_DG_120_Tour_Issue_Iron_Shaft_Set_p/true29.htm

 

 

and

 

It’s a Ping G400 Crossover 3 iron, NOT a Ping hybrid. And it most certainly does have a Ping factory installed Golf Pride Tour Velvet Standard grip on it.

 

 

Regarding the grip, Ping advised me that they CURRENTLY only carry three Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips: 1) Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align, 2) Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360, and 3) custom made for Ping Golf Pride Tour Velvet with Ping logo and color code (this is the grip I ordered for all clubs, uninstalled, but in the box). Will upload photos of these grips when the clubs arrive in case you think that this, too, is inaccurate.

 

I like Ping and their products. This custom order experience was poor so I posted about it. First world problem - that’s it.

 

That Ping crossover has a ribbed tour velvet on it if it was factory installed, not a round.

[Nessism]

What is your reasoning behind switching from 120 gram shafts to 130 gram shafts. That's a big difference.

 

I am in 130s now, wanted to go down to 120s, but am staying with 130s.

 

 

If you want 120's get 120's. The TI business is just a money grab. There is no discernible difference between your first choice of 120TI and the standard 120.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

apologies to OP. I will admit I had zero idea True Temper has newly released the Dynamic Gold 120 in "Tour Issue" weight sorting.

[johngalt312]

What is your reasoning behind switching from 120 gram shafts to 130 gram shafts. That's a big difference.

 

I am in 130s now, wanted to go down to 120s, but am staying with 130s.

 

 

If you want 120's get 120's. The TI business is just a money grab. There is no discernible difference between your first choice of 120TI and the standard 120.

 

There is between my ears. But in all seriousness, I recognize this as I doubt I or anyone could perceive the differences. That said, happily paid extra for custom (weight sorting) as I want what I want.

[Nessism]

What is your reasoning behind switching from 120 gram shafts to 130 gram shafts. That's a big difference.

 

I am in 130s now, wanted to go down to 120s, but am staying with 130s.

 

 

If you want 120's get 120's. The TI business is just a money grab. There is no discernible difference between your first choice of 120TI and the standard 120.

 

There is between my ears. But in all seriousness, I recognize this as I doubt I or anyone could perceive the differences. That said, happily paid extra for custom (weight sorting) as I want what I want.

 

Total shaft weight is a FAR more significant fitting parameter than a minuscule weight variation through the set.

[johngalt312]

Agreed.

[johngalt312]

Update here: what the @#$%, Ping.

 

i210s all came swing weighted at D1 (ordered D2 3-8; D2.5 9; D3 PW).

Glide Forgeds came swing weighted at E1+ 50* (ordered D3), D5 54* (ordered D4), and E3+ 58* (ordered D5).

Some of the shafts not centered logo down in the club heads (if this was the only issue I wouldn't mention it).

Glad i custom ordered at a premium and waited a while for all of this.

To top it off, the loose in box grips appeared to be the "unavailable" GP Tour Velvet Round Standards (though admittedly they could be 58s and not 60s - not sure how to determine - they are not ribbed).

Last 13 club Ping custom order they only screwed up installing the wrong grip on one club - this time though it seems a bit ridiculous.

[KaTooM]

To top it off, the loose in box grips appeared to be the "unavailable" GP Tour Velvet Round Standards (though admittedly they could be 58s and not 60s - not sure how to determine - they are not ribbed).

 

 

Roll the open end of the grip inside out and you should see a raised 58 or 60 molded into the rubber...if they are round (not ribbed) there should be an "r" aslo molded in.

[balbowski]

To top it off, the loose in box grips appeared to be the "unavailable" GP Tour Velvet Round Standards (though admittedly they could be 58s and not 60s - not sure how to determine - they are not ribbed).

 

 

Roll the open end of the grip inside out and you should see a raised 58 or 60 molded into the rubber...if they are round (not ribbed) there should be an "r" aslo molded in.

 

If they are ribbed then it will say the core size followed by an X, so 58X or 60X.

 

A ribbed grip feels the same and looks round when not installed on a club. There are no other indications of ribbed on the outside of the grip, just the markings on the inside.

 

I’m not sure if the swingweight issue comes from ordering without the grips installed, but that may have played a factor.

[johngalt312]

Thank your for the grip intel - I will take a look and advise.

 

Ping has advised that they are going to to rebuild all of the clubs to the specs as per my original order i.e. as they should have been built in the first place.

[brew4eagle]

Look through the hole on the butt of the grip while pointing at a light, if ripped you'll see the rib running down the back of the grip, if round the inside will be completely smooth.

[johngalt312]

Ping’s rebuild set has arrived. The color codes, lengths, and swing weights are now all correct, however, the three Glide Forged Wedges are now X100 flex (instead of S400 as ordered and as the first set built had)...

 

All of the clubs are gripped this time - albeit with the wrong grips, but I am not even going to address this. Easier to cut them off and spend the $80 to have Club Champion correct this.

[sdandrea]

I miss the old "made in America" PING. Those were the days. Sigh.

[Bad9]

I miss the old "made in America" PING. Those were the days. Sigh.

 

Pretty sure the assembly is still done in America. And the issues the OP describes are assembly issues, not where the parts were made. If the assembly was done in another country then I stand corrected.

[sdandrea]

I miss the old "made in America" PING. Those were the days. Sigh.

 

Pretty sure the assembly is still done in America. And the issues the OP describes are assembly issues, not where the parts were made. If the assembly was done in another country then I stand corrected.

 

I don't mean it that way. Back in those days they established the trends, they didn't make short product cycles just to keep up, they were unique. Quality was superior. Now........

[johngalt312]

The clubs are indeed assembled in the USA (AZ). I just don’t understand how they keep messing up as the correct specs were sent to them from the beginning and haven’t changed.