Ping signs ‘perfect staffer’ Austin Eckroat

Austin Eckroat, a four-time All-American at Oklahoma State, has joined Ping’s professional staff.

A member of this year’s winning U.S. Walker Cup team, Eckroat impressed in his first start as a pro, finishing seventh at the recent BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation.

According to Jeff Brown, the man in charge of player development for Ping, Eckroat, who was 13 when he first started working with Brown, is the perfect staffer.

“Austin has always been a delight,” Brown said. “Great character. Great personality. He’s optimistic about his game and his equipment.”

Brown said the first time Eckroat hit Ping’s iBlade irons, he called them “the best thing ever” and put them in play. When he hit Ping’s new Blueprint irons, he had a similar reaction, and did the same thing.

Eckroat has made steady improvement every year from his early junior days through his time at Oklahoma State. He understands who he is, Brown said, and how he plays golf. The No. 3 player in the first final PGA TOUR U Ranking, he also knows what he likes in his equipment, so Brown doesn’t think he’ll go down any rabbit holes searching for swing adjustments or a wildly different equipment setup.

In other words, Eckroat has found his “fingerprint,” according to Brown, or the DNA of what will make him successful as a professional. Now it’s Ping’s job to help and support him by meeting his needs.

“I related him to Mark James,” Brown said. “He would hit a club two or three times, and he would say, ‘OK this is great.’ And a month later it’s still in the bag. He knows right away. He’ll hit a driver well with a couple of swings and put it right in the bag.”

Speaking on the signing, Eckroat said, “I remember my first trip to Ping when I was 13 to experience a custom fitting. I was so excited to be there and extremely impressed with their entire operation. I got my first set of Pings that year, and they’ve been in my bag ever since.

“The company’s relationship with Oklahoma State is one of the reasons I wanted to go there,” he added. “I had the privilege of playing Karsten Creek Golf Club for four years under the guidance of Coach (Alan) Bratton, and I know that helped make me a better player. The equipment gives me confidence to play any shot with any club. … I’m known for my driving, and Ping drivers just keep getting better and better.”

Here’s a look at Eckroat’s setup:

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD GP 6 X

5-wood: Ping G425 Max
Shaft: Graphite Design

Irons: Ping Blueprint (2-9, PW)
Shafts: Project X

Wedges: Ping Prototype (50, 54, 59 degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Ping Redwood D66

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord