Limited-edition Ping Slam PLD Zing 2 dropping before 2023 U.S. Open

To celebrate Curtis Stange’s win at the 1988 U.S. Open, Ping is offering 88 commemorative Zing 2 putters.

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In the days leading up to the 2023 Masters and PGA Championship, Ping released 88 limited-edition PLD putters to honor the winners of 1988’s first two major champions, Sandy Lyle and Jeff Sluman, who both used a Ping putter to earn their major victories. Now, just a few days before the start of the U.S. Open, Ping is set to drop the third commemorative putter in the Ping Slam family, the PLD Limited Zing 2 that honors Curtis Strange’s 1988 U.S. Open victory at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

In a release, Ping executive chairman, John A. Solheim, said, “We’re really enjoying celebrating the ‘Ping Slam’ and reliving some wonderful memories from 1988, Curtis’s thrilling win at the U.S. Open was soon followed by the U.S. Women’s Open champion using a Zing 2, giving us wins at both national championships that summer. The next year, Curtis won the U.S. Open again with his Zing 2. That was a remarkable run for the Zing 2 and secured its place in Ping’s putter history.”

Ping PLD Limited Zing 2 putter
The Zing 2 has a distinctive, curved back flange and thin topline. (Ping)

The 88 commemorative PLD Limited Zing 2 putters are each milled from a block of 303 stainless steel and have a short slant-neck hosel. There is a distinctive curve to the back flange, with extra mass in the heel and toe areas that create more perimeter weighting and stability. The original Zing 2, which was first released in 1984 and was cast instead of milled, is nearly identical to the original Zing putter in appearance, and both putters became classics that still look at home in modern golfers’ bags.

“A lot of what we did back then is still critical to our putter designs today, so we went to great lengths to maintain the subtleties of each model while giving them the precise details and strikingly clean, premium appearance made possible through the milling process,” Solheim said.

The 88 PLD Limited Zing 2 putters will go on sale Tuesday, June 13 at 2 p.m. Eastern and cost $990 at pingpld.com. If you want one, act fast, because the previous Ping Slam putters sold out in a matter of minutes. On December 5, Ping will offer 35 complete sets of the PLD Limited Ping Slam putters for $4,990.

Father’s Day Gift Guide: Best golf gifts for less than $100

Get dad the perfect golf gift this Father’s Day without going over your budget.

Father’s Day is less than two weeks away which means it’s time to order dad’s gift if you want to ensure you’ll have it by the 18th.

We’ve already found some of the best overall gifts, gifts for the serious golfer and personalized gifts but what about gifts that won’t break the bank? Look no further because we’ve got you covered.

Apparel, tech, accessories and more, we’ve curated a list of items that are sure to bring a smile to dad’s face while leaving your wallet unscathed.

Not finding something dad will like? Check out some of the best polos, shorts, hats, sunglasses and more to piece together dad’s new favorite golf outfit.

Callaway releases ‘Night Mode’ versions of the Paradym, Paradym Triple Diamond drivers

The Paradym and Paradym Triple Diamond Night Mode drivers will be available in 9 and 10.5-degrees.

Callaway released the Paradym, Paradym X and Paradym Triple Diamond drivers in early January, and since that time, those clubs have been used by stars like Jon Rahm, Sam Burn, Chris Kirk and Si Woo Kim to win on the PGA Tour, and now Rose Zhang used one to win in her LPGA debut.

A key technology in the Paradym drivers is a 360-degree carbon fiber wrap that encircles the middle of the head and is made using forged pieces of carbon fiber. Callaway gave it a deep navy color, but now for golfers who love all-black clubs, Callaway is releasing Night Mode versions of the Paradym and Paradym Triple Diamond.

Like the standard versions, the Paradym and Paradym Triple Diamond Night Mode drivers feature faces that are designed using artificial intelligence (AI) to help maximize ball speed across a larger portion of the hitting area. Using triaxial carbon fiber in the crown and forged carbon fiber in the sole reduces weight by 44 percent. That allowed Callaway designers to redistribute weight in the Paradym Night mode to a 15-gram sliding weight in the back of the head that helps players create a draw or fade bias.

Callaway Paradym Night Mode
Callaway Paradym Night Mode driver. (Callaway)

In the Paradym Triple Diamond Night Mode, Callaway added a weight screw behind the leading edge to pull the center of gravity position forward, which lowers spin, decreases the launch angle and increases ball speed.

The Paradym and Paradym Triple Diamond Night Mode drivers will each cost $699 and be available in 9 and 10.5-degree versions and come standard with a Project X HZRDUS Black GEN4 Night Mode shaft and Golf Pride New Decade MCC Black grip.

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[afflinkbutton text=”Pre-Order Paradym Triple Diamond Night Mode” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/QyJj2z”]

Winner’s Bag: Viktor Hovland, 2023 Memorial Tournament

Check out the clubs that got the job done at Muirfield Village.

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A complete list of the golf equipment Viktor Hovland used to win the PGA Tour’s 2023 Memorial Tournament:

DRIVER: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees), with Fujikura Speeder 661 TX shaft 

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Viktor Hovland’s driver” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/75be63″]

FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X shaft, Ping G430 (21 degrees), with Furjukura Ventus Blue TR 8X shaft

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Viktor Hovland’s fairway wood” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/LXDaNa”]

IRONS: Ping i210 (4-PW), with KBS Tour V 120X shafts

WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50 degrees adjusted to 49, 56 degrees adjusted to 54.5), Ping Glide 2.0 (60 degrees), with KBS Tour V 130 X shafts

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Viktor Hovland’s wedges” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/zNjgKm”]

PUTTER: Ping PLD DS 72 custom

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Viktor Hovland’s golf ball” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/KjxK6a”]

GRIPS: Golf Pride MCC

We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Father’s Day Gift Guide: 13 great golf gifts for dad at PGA TOUR Superstore

Check out these 13 Father’s Day golf gifts from PGA TOUR Superstore

Father’s Day will be here before you know it so take the time to pick out a perfect gift for dad.

Whether your dad is a scratch golfer, a true beginner or somewhere in between, PGA TOUR Superstore has exactly what you need to make this Father’s Day one to remember.

Gift dad a big ticket item like a new driver, putter or set of irons. If you’re on a strict budget, PGA Tour Superstore has gift guides to keep you in line with gifts under $50 and $100.

Get dad something he’ll be excited to use! With thousands of pieces of golf equipment, apparel, accessories and more at PGA TOUR Superstore, you’re sure to find a gift dad will love.

TaylorMade releases the Stealth Black game-improvement irons

In April, TaylorMade dropped the P•790 Black irons and the clubs were a hit on social media. Now come the Stealth Black irons.

The vast majority of irons for both accomplished players and intermediate golfers come in a silvery-chrome finish. However, starting about a decade ago, manufacturers began to release some irons in darker tones, often applying a PVD finish (physical vapor deposition) on top of the steel to give it a black or nearly-black look. Apparel companies have known for years that black is slimming, and golf equipment companies realized that many players prefer the look of black irons because they are not only unique, but black finishes make clubs look smaller in the address position.

In April, TaylorMade dropped the P•790 Black irons and the clubs were a hit on social media.

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Now TaylorMade is releasing the Stealth Black irons, a dark-finished version of the game-improvement clubs the company released last season.

Like the P•790 Black irons, the Stealth Black irons have been given a PVD finish that the company claims is strong and durable, but with play steady usage and play, it can wear down and fade over time in the hitting area and on the sole.

TaylorMade-Stealth-Black
The Stealth Black has a polymer black piece on the back that saves weight. (TaylorMade)

From a performance standpoint, the Stealth Black irons are identical to the standard Stealth irons. TaylorMade designed the hollow-bodied head to have 450 stainless steel faces to flex efficiently at impact for increased ball speed. But instead of making the back of the head using steel, TaylorMade gave the Stealth Black irons a polymer cap that covers the back section. It’s strong and supportive, but lighter, so more of the head’s overall weight is lower in the club. That helps to drop the center of gravity location and encourage higher-flying shots.

The 4-iron though 8-iron have a Speed Pocket slot to allow the lower portion of the face to flex more easily on thin shots, and an internal polymer piece that TaylorMade calls an  Echo Dampening system reduces excessive vibrations to improve sound and feel.

TaylorMade Stealth Black
The hitting area of the TaylorMade Stealth Black is slightly less dark, to help golfers frame the ball more easily at address. (TaylorMade)

The TaylorMade Stealth Black irons come standard with black KBS Max MT shafts and black Lamkin Crossline 360 grips. They are available in 4-iron through Attack Wedge (49 degrees) and a set of seven clubs will cost $1,199.99 in stores and on taylormadegolf.com.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Stealth Black irons at PGA TOUR Supestore” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/Or1X7n”]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Stealth Black irons at TaylorMade” link=”https://imp.i366014.net/4Pd3Xo”]

Sam Bennett signs endorsement deal with Ping

The three-time All-American at Texas A&M has turned pro and has a multi-year agreement with Ping.

Sam Bennett, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion who shot 68-68 in the first two rounds of the 2023 Masters and finished T-16 this year at Augusta National, is making his professional debut Thursday at the Memorial Tournament.

The three-time All-American at Texas A&M has been using Ping golf equipment as part of a NIL deal with the Phoenix-based manufacturer, but the company has announced it signed Bennett to a multi-year agreement.

Bennett, 23, won several events while playing for Texas A&M and was the 2022 Player of the Year in the SEC before winning the U.S. Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club last summer.

“I’ve been playing Ping equipment since my junior golf days, and my relationship with their team during that time has been a big reason for my success,” Bennett said in a release. “said Bennett. “I’m very confident in my equipment, which allows me to go out and focus on winning tournaments. I’m excited to begin my journey as a professional knowing PING will be with me every step of the way.”

2022 U.S. Amateur
Sam Bennett holds the Havemeyer trophy after winning the 2022 U.S. Amateur at The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey. (Photo: Grant Halverson/USGA)

By finishing fifth in the PGA Tour University standings, Bennett has status on the Korn Ferry through the end of this season. He can also accept sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events.

Bennett is expected to continue playing 14 Ping clubs, including a G430 LST driver, G430 Max 3-wood, a G425 hybrid and iBlade irons. Bennett plays Ping’s Glide Forged Pro wedges and a PLD Oslo 4 putter.

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Best sun protection gear for golfers in 2023

Stay cool on the golf course all summer long with our list of best ways to beat the heat and protect yourself from the summer sun.

Summer is here which means its time to prepare for the hottest and sunniest days of the year.

No matter if it’s 80 degrees, 120 or somewhere in between, you need to have sun protection to avoid sunburns, UV damage and even skin cancer.

John Hopkins Medicine recommends applying water-resistant sunscreen with no less than 30 SPF to exposed skin every two hours. They also recommend using a lip balm that has 15 SPF. Applying sunscreen before you tee off and when you make the turn is a good habit.

With many brands making breathable long sleeve shirts and pants, opting to wear sleeves/pants can save you from overexposure over the course of the golf season.

Check out some of our favorite products to keep you safe in the sun, all summer long. Be sure to check out our favorite sunglasses and hats for the 2023 golf season to keep you looking and feeling cool.

Woods and irons used by PGA Tour players ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green

See the woods and irons being used by golfers ranked in top 10 in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green

We are two weeks removed from the PGA Championship at Oak Hill and there are two weeks to go before the game’s best players descend upon Los Angeles Country Club and battle it out for the season’s third major championship, the 2023 U.S. Open.

At this point, every player’s game needs to be sharp as the championship season continues, and while there is no substitute for making putts, avoiding big numbers and creating scoring chances comes from being effective off the tee and from the fairway. The players listed below – the golfers who are currently ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green – are the best in the business when it comes to ballstriking, and many of their names have been on the first page of leaderboards all season.

As a reminder, strokes gained measures how much of an advantage or disadvantage a player typically has over the field, measured in strokes. A positive number means the player has an edge over the average golfer, while a negative number means the golfer is giving away shots. Strokes Gained: Tee to Green includes all non-putts, so it includes a player’s shots off the tee, from the fairway and shots hit from around the green.

See who is on the list and what drivers, fairway woods, hybrid and irons they are using.

Father’s Day Gift Guide: Best personalized golf gifts for dad

Nobody is quite like dad, so get him something personal…that he will actually use on the golf course.

Father’s Day is right around the corner which means it’s time to get your orders in if you want to gift dad a custom gift.

Believe it or not, the world of customizable golf gifts is much larger than just golf balls. We’ve found golf bags, accessories, apparel and more to help you knock your gift(s) out of the park this year.

If you’re looking for more, we’ve got you covered with a full Father’s Day list as well as our favorite golf shoes, polos, hats, sunglasses, and more. Looking to make a big ticket purchase? Check out our reviews of the Callaway Paradym, TaylorMade Stealth 2, the Titleist TSR line, and others to make sure you get dad a club he’ll love.