An engineer for General Electric (he helped design the “rabbit ear” antenna on GE’s first portable TV), Solheim took up golf at age 42. He was frustrated with his clubs, so he turned his engineering skills to improving their design. He started Karsten Manufacturing in his garage, making a model out of popsicle sticks and sugar cubes.
The resulting iron made such a distinctive “ping” when it hit the ball he named his club line “Ping”, and the Ping clubs have been best-sellers since. He also sponsored women’s golf tournaments to support women in the game. Solheim died February 16 in Phoenix from Parkinson’s disease. He was 88.