1959 was the birth of the Ping 1A putter. It was invented by Karsten Solheim and was the first putter sold by the company. The 1A was a revolutionary putter that modernized the design and incorporated scientific principles to improve accuracy and forgiveness. Solheim, a Norwegian immigrant and mechanical engineer, started PING as a garage business after becoming frustrated with the putting equipment available at the time. The company's name comes from the sound the putter makes when it hits the ball.