Karsten Solheim
| Karsten Solheim | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 15, 1911 Bergen, Norway |
| Died | February 16, 2000 (aged 88) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Cause of death | Parkinson's disease |
| Resting place | Hansens Desert Hills Memorial Park Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Monuments |
ASU Karsten Golf Course Tempe, Arizona (1989) Karsten Creek Golf Course Stillwater, Oklahoma (1994) |
| Nationality |
 Norway United States
|
| Occupation | engineer, inventor, executive |
| Known for |
PING golf clubs Solheim Cup |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Crozier Solheim (b. 1918) (m. 1936–2000, his death) |
| Children | John Solheim, Allan Solheim, Karsten Louis Solheim, Sandra Aiken |
| Parent(s) | Herman A. Solheim Rogna Kippen Solheim |
Karsten Solheim (September 15, 1911 – February 16, 2000) was a Norwegian-born American golf club designer and businessman. He founded Karsten Manufacturing, a leading golf club maker better known by its brand name of PING, and the Solheim Cup, the premier international team competition in women's golf.
Born in Bergen, Norway, to Herman A. and Ragna Koppen Solheim, the family emigrated to the United States in 1913, and settled in Seattle, Washington, in its Ballard neighborhood. Herman was a shoemaker, and Karsten graduated from Ballard High School in 1931 and enrolled two years later at the University of Washington, with aims at becoming a mechanical engineer. Due to family financial hardship during the Great Depression, he withdrew from UW after his freshman year and then worked in the family shoe shop.
Upon the outbreak of World War II, he resumed his engineering studies via University of California extension courses and joined the defense industry, working at Ryan Aeronautical in San Diego. After the war he initially worked as a salesman, but then returned to engineering with positions at Convair and General Electric.
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