Ping PLD Putters Review

Ping PLD putters are a premium CNC Milled family, designed with input from the world’s best golfers.

Ever since 1959 when founder Karsten Solheim introduced the brand’s first 1A putter, Ping have been building a heritage of creating unique, individual flatsticks for the game’s very best players. Through working with those who excel on the dancefloor, the company has accumulated a ton of know-how in and around creating the best putter for the game’s very best players.

Over the years these one-off designs have been developed, prototyped and fettled in Ping’s Putter Lab (the brand’s PLD marquee stands for Putter Lab Design) at the global HQ in Phoenix, Arizona, before each has been precision CNC Milled for their intended owner.

And it’s that lab with its super talented designers and engineers that tour pros like Viktor Hovland, Joaquin Niemann, Bubba Watson, Tony Finau and Cameron Champ have all turned to for the opportunity to develop a unique flatstick to suit their personal eye.

With PLD putters having accumulated more than 20 tour wins in the last two years, Ping reckon now is the perfect time to bring all their Putter Lab knowledge and know-how to the golfing public, and they’re doing it in the form of a new family of super-premium PLD putters. Here’s their story.

What you need to know about the Ping PLD putters

Forged and Milled

Each PLD model is first forged from 303 Stainless Steel then precision CNC Milled to its final shape. From start to finish each head spends four hours on the mill, the process ensures an exact replication of dimensions from one head to another. A deep aggressive milling pattern (AMP) on the face gives a surface texture developed with tour player input to optimise sound, feel and roll.

Matte or satin?

Each of the four heads comes in either a Matte Black or Satin finish. Choose the Satin finish (Anser 2 and DS 72) and your putter will come with a traditional chrome plated steel shaft. The two Matte Black models come with either a matte black graphite (Anser) or matte black steel shaft (Prime Tyne 4).  

Black out

As standard, all four models come with a blacked out Ping rubber PP58 grip, other Ping options will be available through a proper fitting and custom order.

Meet the Ping PLD putter models

Ping PLD Anser putter

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Slight arc | Headweight: 350g

The Anser shape is as old as the hills, it’s been copied a million times over but this super stealth version is an absolute beauty. Thanks to having no sightline, this model will suit players who use the length of the putter blade to align squarely at their target.

If that’s not you, you’ll probably find this model a bit intimidating, but the Anser 2 will be a great alternative. Joaquin Niemann won the recent PGA Tour Genesis Invitational whilst playing this model. Perfect for slight arc strokes and players who like to feel they release the putter through impact.

Ping PLD Anser 2 putter

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Slight arc | Headweight: 350g

The Anser 2 head has a little longer blade length (than the standard Anser) and its body gives the impression of having more straighter edges and a less curved bumper shaping.

Over the years Bubba Watson has been a big Anser 2 fan, and currently has the new PLD Anser 2 in his bag.

We reckon a majority of players who’ll be attracted to the two PLD blades will favour this head over the standard Anser, and our thinking comes down to the addition of a sightline. Most players need the additional guide for setting up not just squarely to their target but also to show the ball is sitting in front of the centre of the face too. Perfect for slight arc strokes and players who like to feel they release the putter through impact.   

Ping PLD DS 72 putter

Toe hang: 0° – Face Balanced | Stroke type: Straight | Headweight: 365g

Viktor Hovland has forced his way into the world’s top three using a PLD DS 72, his though is un-plated (without a finish), so it has rusted over time. The model is very much a traditional blunt back mallet (so its back edge is parallel to the putter face) with a wide topline, single sightline and golf ball width cavity back.

We love the obvious milling marks on the back, they give an excellent texture change between the different areas of the head, class and simplicity really doesn’t come any simpler form than this. A great choice for straight back and through strokes.

Ping Prime Tyne 4 putter

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Slight arc | Headweight: 360g

Cameron Champ has been a big Tyne 4 fan over a few years (recently though he’s been spotted with a 2021 Fetch putter in his hands) and Ping have worked hard with him on perfecting this MOI fang shape.

A short slant hosel means you get toe hang, so the model can be a good fit for players switching from toe hang blades in the search of a more forgiving putter. We like how the single white sightline and prominent golf ball width fangs heap focus on the impact area, which is great for golfers who hit a lot of putts away from the center of the face.   

Ping Anser D

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Slight arc | Headweight: 365g

A fresh take on the enduring Anser, the winningest putter of all time. Designed with tour pro input as a hybrid between the classic blade and a mid-mallet with its added forgiveness, single white alignment line contrasting against the matte-black head, and a deeper (“D”) profile. More mass in the head helps stabilise the stroke and assists in delivering more consistency.

Ping Anser 2

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Slight arc | Headweight: 350g

The matte-black head contrasts against the short, single white alignment line to draw the eye forward, eliminate distractions and make aiming easier. Differs from the classic Anser with its longer, slimmer profile that appeals to the eye and inspires confidence at address. Shares the Anser’s heel-toe weighting to provide stability and forgiveness.

Ping Oslo 4

Toe hang: Mid | Stroke type: Strong arc | Headweight: 375g

A favoured mallet shape of tour pros, the highly forgiving Oslo is equipped with an Anser 4-style hosel to make it a good fit for strong-arc stroke types. The full-length alignment line contrasts with the matte-black head to form an appealing address profile and draw the eye forward. Contoured ballasting cascades to a cavity floor with subtle etched lines that assist in confident aiming.   

READ NEXT:
– Best Putters 

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Ping PLD Putters (2022)

Ping PLD Anser putter

RRP: £399

Toe hang: Mid   Stroke type: Slight arc   Headweight: 350g

Loft: 3° (+/- 3°)   Lie angle: 20° (+/- 4°)

Ping PLD Anser 2 putter

RRP: £399

Toe hang: Mid   Stroke type: Slight arc   Headweight: 350g

Loft: 3° (+/- 3°)   Lie angle: 20° (+/- 4°)

Ping PLD DS 72 putter

RRP: £399

Toe hang: 0° - Face Balanced   Stroke type: Straight   Headweight: 365g

Loft: 3° (+/- 3°)   Lie angle: 20° (+/- 4°)

Ping Prime Tyne 4 putter

RRP: £399

Toe hang: Mid   Stroke type: Slight arc   Headweight: 360g

Loft: 3° (+/- 3°)   Lie angle: 20° (+/- 4°)

Stock grip for all models: Ping PP58 Blackout

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