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PING Proving Grounds

PING Proving Grounds

PING 103 Episodes Oct 5, 2026

The PING Proving Grounds podcast explores the history of PING and its contributions to golf equipment, custom fitting and the game itself. Hosted by broadcaster Shane Bacon alongside Marty Jertson, PING's Vice President of Fitting and Performance and a professional golfer, the show goes behind the scenes at the PING Proving Grounds. Episodes cover how data-driven research guides a team of scientists and engineers in developing products and fitting tools that help golfers play their best. Topics range from the gold putter vault to PING Man and other stories from the company's past and present.

Episodes

Episode 103: Golf Mythbusters
Episode 103: Golf Mythbusters Oct 5, 2026 2384 In this podcast episode, Marty and Shane put common golf beliefs to the test. Using research and insights from the PING Proving Grounds, they discuss Strokes Gained: Driving vs. Putting, spin characteristics out of the rough, and how wind affects ball flight.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 102: Hunter Mahan
Episode 102: Hunter Mahan Sep 17, 2026 4409 Six-time PGA TOUR winner, past Ryder Cup competitor, and longtime PING Pro Hunter Mahan joins Shane and Marty for a conversation about life on and off the golf course. Hunter reflects on his long relationship with PING, discusses his latest role coaching high school golf, and shares stories from his years competing at the highest level.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 101: Iron Fitting
Episode 101: Iron Fitting Aug 18, 2026 1699 Shane and Marty return to the pod for a deep dive into the fitting process for the scoring clubs. They cover PING’s iron lineup, WebFit, and how it can be used to jumpstart the fitting process, and what to consider when getting fit inside vs. outside.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 100: Charles Barkley
Episode 100: Charles Barkley Jul 22, 2026 2495 In a special 100th episode, Shane and Marty welcome friend of the PING brand, and two-time Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley to the Proving Grounds podcast. From rebuilding his infamous golf swing under the tutelage of Stan Utley, to stories from his time on the ‘92 U.S. Olympic "Dream Team" with Michael Jordan, the Chuckster holds court in this milestone episode.  See omnystudio.com/liste
Episode 99: Driver Fitting
Episode 99: Driver Fitting Jul 10, 2026 2318 It’s the most important club in the bag, which makes the fitting process even more critical. In this episode, Shane and Marty take an in-depth look at the driver fitting process, exploring the G440 lineup and the technologies and data available to fitters and golfers to help find the right combination of distance and forgiveness off the tee.    See omnystudio.com/listener for priva
Episode 98: Arccos (Feat. Sal Syed)
Episode 98: Arccos (Feat. Sal Syed) Jul 1, 2026 2302 Shane and Marty are joined by Sal Syed, CEO & Co-founder of Arccos, on the pod for an episode on PING’s partnership with Arccos, golf’s #1 game tracking platform. They discuss how the company has evolved from early prototypes to millions of shots tracked and insights that are helping golfers play better.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 97: Wyndham Clark
Episode 97: Wyndham Clark Jun 25, 2026 1451 Shane and Marty are joined on the pod by last week's U.S. Open champion, Wyndham Clark. They discuss all things Shinnecock, including sleeping on the lead, insights on crucial shots, and all the details of his winning Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset putter.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 96: Erika Larkin
Episode 96: Erika Larkin Jun 4, 2026 1911 Shane and Marty are joined at the Proving Grounds by Golf Digest Top 50 golf teacher and PING Brand Ambassador, Erika Larkin. They discuss how she got into the game, her teaching philosophies and how her partnership with PING came to be.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 95: Your Questions Answered
Episode 95: Your Questions Answered May 14, 2026 1948 In this episode of the PING Proving Grounds podcast, Shane and Marty catch up on their tournament golf and take time to answer questions submitted by listeners. They touch on elements of equipment design and offer insights that golfers can take to their next fitting to help them build out their bag.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 94: PING’s Commitment to Women’s Golf
Episode 94: PING’s Commitment to Women’s Golf May 6, 2026 2277 Shane and Marty are joined at the PING Proving Grounds by Stacey Pauwels, PING Vice President and granddaughter of PING Founder Karsten Solheim. They dive into the impact of Karsten’s wife, Louise Solheim, PING’s longstanding commitment to women’s golf, and the new G Le4 family.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 93: Trackman (Feat. Fredrik Tuxen)
Episode 93: Trackman (Feat. Fredrik Tuxen) Apr 28, 2026 3092 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 industry from equipment research and development, to the fitting environment and golf instruction. They cover the creation of Trackman, how it’s used at the PING Proving Grounds, and the future of the technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva
Episode 92: G740 Irons
Episode 92: G740 Irons Apr 15, 2026 1722 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 in the super-game-improvement category. They cover the new sole design, material innovations that have led to improvements in the sound, feel, and performance of the iron, and the new AWT 3.0 shaft.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i

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