by Bang Average Golf’s Curator of Forgotten Flatsticks and Surprise Brilliance
Before Ping were shaping legends like the Anser or dishing out buttery bronze Zings, there was the AYD (as in “Aim Your Direction”). It was Karsten Solheim’s first-ever putter design, crafted before Ping was even Ping.
And if you’ve never heard of it, that’s fair. It looks like something your Grandad welded together in the shed after three pints and a chat with Isaac Newton. But this weird little unit launched a revolution. Literally. Because it was the first putter to ping.
THE LOOK: Simplicity Wears a TuxIndustrial Revolution in Blade Form
Let’s not pretend: the AYD is ugly. It’s a heavy, L-shaped block of utilitarian metal bolted onto a shaft, with all the elegance of a crowbar in a church window. The head’s wide and square, the heel-shafted hosel is unapologetically crude, and it looks more like a tool than a putter.
But that’s the thing – it was a tool. It didn’t ask for attention. It demanded results. And in that department? It delivered.
THE FEEL: The Original PING
This is where things get interesting. Because while it looks agricultural, the AYD was the first putter ever designed to deliver consistent, audible feedback. That distinct ping you hear on contact? That wasn’t an accident. Karsten engineered the sound to give golfers a cue on quality of strike.
And while the feel is far from soft (think firm handshake from a bricklayer) you get a response. Miss the centre, and you’ll hear it. Hit it flush, and it sings. Literally. It’s the putter equivalent of a tuning fork.
THE PERFORMANCE: Pure Function, Zero Flair
This wasn’t a putter for fussy stances, arcing strokes, or Tour pros agonising over loft. It was a point-and-shoot weapon for golfers who wanted roll without fuss. It was stable, heavy, and had just enough toe hang to work with a modest arc.
What it lacked in finesse, it made up for in straightness and forgiveness. You didn’t finesse putts with the AYD—you asserted them. It was as if Karsten said: “Just aim. And strike. The putter will do the rest.” And weirdly? He was right.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Golf history nerds who want to feel like they’re part of golf’s great origin story
Straight-stroke players who want mass and simplicity
Anyone who values feedback and structure over feel and fluff
Blokes who’ll happily play a two-ball with a sand iron and an opinion
IN A NUTSHELL
Is it beautiful?
In the way a vintage tractor is beautiful—rugged, real, and built for work.
Does it work?
Shockingly well, especially if you like your putters no-nonsense and full-bodied.
Why does it matter?
Because it’s the godfather. No AYD = no Anser. No Ping. No modern putter tech. This was the blueprint.
BANG AVERAGE VERDICT
5 out of 5 pioneering pings. The AYD isn’t just a putter, it’s a piece of golfing history that still holds its own if you’re brave (and curious) enough to bag it.
Disclaimer: Using the AYD may lead to an unexplainable rise in confidence, unsolicited golf history lectures, and a strange desire to machine your own clubheads.
