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McIlroy puts Nike Vapor Pro driver in play at the Ryder Cup

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GolfWRX readers have been talking about it since photos surfaced here a few weeks ago and now it’s official. World number one Rory McIlroy debuted Nike’s new driver, the Vapor Pro, at the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland. It’s risky to change equipment before a prestigious event, but McIlroy proceeded blast the ball down the middle off the first tee, hitting arguably the best drive of anyone in morning fourball matches.

The driver features a pear-shape, black crown with Nike’s bright “volt” color in the cavity back and Compression Channel. The Vapor Pro is designed to produce a penetrating flight, tour-launch with low spin and added speed across the face.

“The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was how hot it was,” said McIlroy. “Then, I found that I could really control the flight and work it both ways on the golf course. I saw added ball speed on the monitor and am getting 10-15 yards more distance on the golf course this week.”

The Vapor Pro driver includes three key technologies: Nike’s new FlyBeam reinforced Covert Cavity Back design, a re-engineered Compression Channel and FlexLoft 2. All of these are vital to the golf athlete in achieving the ultimate in hitting their window of distance, speed and launch conditions.

To elevate performance, we added FlyBeam technology to the Covert Cavity Back to focus energy into the variable-profile Compression Channel and NexCOR face,” said Nate Radcliffe, Director of Engineering. “This is the first time we have created a driver where the face and channel are measurably more flexible than the body.”

The FlyBeam construction stiffens the Covert Cavity in the back of the club, while the Compression Channel, with variable compliance, accentuates the spring-like effect across the face. Cohesively, the two work together to focus, store, and return impact energy to the golf ball for shots struck at all points on the face.

“This is the first time we have measured higher modal frequencies in the rear portion of the club than the front. This means impact energy is concentrated in the channel and face which tunes acoustics and maximizes energy transfer. This effect drives the increases in ball speed we are seeing in athlete and robotic testing,” added Radcliffe.

FlexLoft 2 allows the golf athlete the functionality of five lofts and three face angles within 15 different settings. The new, improved system is five grams (30%) lighter without compromising function. The redistribution of mass creates more stability, better launch conditions and faster swing speeds. Another benefit of FlexLoft 2 is its forward and backward compatibility. Golfers with previous generations of Covert can use shafts with the original adaptor in the new head or vice versa.

The 460cc Vapor Pro driver will be available on January 30, 2015.

Nike Vapor Pro

Availability:  January 30, 2015
Specifications:  8.5° – 12.5° loft; Mitsubishi Diamana S+ Blue Board 60 shaft; RH/LH: R, S, X flex
MSRP:  $479.99

 

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51 Comments

51 Comments

  1. Pingback: MeandMi | RORY MCILROY

  2. Pingback: RORY MCILROY | Meandmi

  3. stripe

    Oct 3, 2014 at 10:50 am

    Rampant commercialization at this years Ryder Cup. Just one big commercial for the golf industry. Getting worse every year.

    • dot dot

      Oct 3, 2014 at 10:53 am

      Yep, just going to keep getting worse, the trend is becoming the norm.

      • bradford

        Oct 7, 2014 at 8:26 am

        Even posing as two separate people, you fail to provide an example. This thread is not the Ryder cup–and you should expect that a golf forum would be full of equipment junkies, with writers catering to them. Fact is, there was no more “Rampant commercialization” of the actual tournament than any other year.

        • dot dot

          Oct 8, 2014 at 9:35 pm

          disagree

          • stripe

            Oct 8, 2014 at 10:09 pm

            Don’t bother answering Bradford, his deal is to be annoying and disagreeable. Remember the old internet saying “don’t feed the trolls”

          • stripe

            Oct 8, 2014 at 10:10 pm

            Remember we are the same guy.

          • bradford

            Oct 10, 2014 at 12:12 pm

            You ARE the trolls…I just don’t mind feeding them, especially when they’re so bereft of a clue they need to create a second fake name to back themselves up. Perhaps you should add a third, maybe THAT guy will be worth talking to.

          • dot dot

            Oct 14, 2014 at 1:16 pm

            This Bradford guy that keeps responding is creepy.

  4. Pingback: Vapor Unveiled - The Golf Shop Online Blog

  5. Ballzo

    Oct 1, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    Put pink and purple polka-dots on the top, neon green on the bottom, Gigantic gold swoosh, a red shaft and a yellow grip. If its longer and straighter……I’ll pay for it and play it.

  6. JEFF

    Oct 1, 2014 at 10:52 am

    LAME STUPID ASoNINE……. who cares what he plays? General public will never get close to what these over paid sissies play. Why care? why drool? golf is the next new dumb reality show!

    • bradford

      Oct 1, 2014 at 11:44 am

      You MAY not make a lot of friends in here…
      Overpaid? We, as the golf fans, pay them–just like football fans pay to watch fat guys in tights, NASCAR fans pay to watch Rednecks all drive the same car in circles, Baseball fans pay to…. well, I’m still not sure what they pay for.

  7. dot dot

    Sep 30, 2014 at 8:47 am

    @Bradford Thank you for admitting you were unable to back up your statements. You are a truly a gentleman. It was the proper think to do. Kudos.

    • Brandon

      Sep 30, 2014 at 10:41 am

      I’m pretty sure people have stopped acknowledging you.

    • bradford

      Oct 1, 2014 at 11:16 am

      My statement was that you were an angsty little man, and you’ve backed that up FOR me, so thank YOU.

      • dot dot

        Oct 2, 2014 at 8:21 am

        You do understand that you are just angry with yourself,right. The thought that you are being combative about an observation is truly telling.

  8. dot dot

    Sep 28, 2014 at 10:07 am

    This just shows what the Ryder Cup and golf in general has become. It’s not about playing with the equipment that gives you the best chance of winning for your country it’s about how much will you can get paid to play the latest released equipment. Forget national pride it is now all about money. Prize money is insignificant during the season. What the players endorsement contract is worth is all that matters.

    • cally golfer

      Sep 28, 2014 at 2:16 pm

      Lol 5&4 win over fowler I agree fowler must have switched his driver before the match against rory…lol piff

      • dot dot

        Sep 29, 2014 at 9:06 am

        I think you missed the point of the comment. I was addressing the commercialization of Ryder cup not Rory’s match. I always try to make my comments simple to understand, it’s baffling to me how some still require an explanation.
        Signed
        Exasperated with a an aura of disbelief.

    • bradford

      Sep 29, 2014 at 10:20 am

      This is only true for about 5 guys…and I saw almost no branding on the Ryder cup. I respect your right to rebel against the ways of the world, but do it with data. What actual event in the Ryder Cup made you feel this way? Don’t forget that this conversation isn’t actually part of the Ryder Cup…

      • dot dot

        Sep 29, 2014 at 12:23 pm

        See picture of Rory swinging his driver in the articles photo. That’s branding right there. New Driver comes out, Rory is swinging it, that generates press.
        That’s all I’m referring to. Nothing else, no additional data needed. It’s a comment not a homework assignment.

        • bradford

          Sep 29, 2014 at 1:23 pm

          ok good then, so you admit there’s really nothing backing it up. Good, cause it’s a generic garbage statement and if it WERE a homework assignment you’d get a C. Should be an F, but everybody gets a C now–

          I was very pleased that there was no blatant branding at the Ryder cup this year. I think it helps keep it pure.

        • bradford

          Sep 29, 2014 at 1:25 pm

          and again–this photo you refer to ALSO isn’t the Ryder Cup, nor are the “press” they generate.

          • dot dot

            Sep 29, 2014 at 2:53 pm

            LOL My comment would get an A- from the GWRX review staff.
            You really took my thoughts way to seriously. It was an observation. Just because it’s a statement you didn’t like does not make it garbage. Blatant branding was rampant at the Ryder Cup this year. The fact that it didn’t register with you may be something for you to be concerned about. Powers of observation and all that.
            By the way please document the branding you didn’t see. I need to see data proving that there was less branding this year than in years past. Let’s go your assignment is due. Ready Set and GO.
            See how silly that just sounded asking you for documentation and data in a website comment.That’s how you looked when you asked for backup on an observation. I hope I have helped you and that you can learn from this.

          • bradford

            Sep 30, 2014 at 7:07 am

            Again, just because you’ve said something is true doesn’t make it so. You’re clearly an angsty little rebel, aren’t you? That’s ok, the idea of enjoying something for what it is comes with maturity. You’ll get there– until then-hate on. You’ll learn.

    • Nigel

      Oct 1, 2014 at 9:12 am

      I agree with what I think you’re saying….. basically golf is now being used for a lot of advertising. But like others have said, this is just the nature of the world with every single sport and every way of life. It just is what it is… and what it is is that this Driver will be in my bag next Spring.
      Don’t underestimate that these players are exactly like the rest of us and want the latest, newest looking clubs and be the first to use them etc. We’re all human.

  9. Golfwb

    Sep 27, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    The person that said he has been working a lot with people on launch monitors lately. Don’t you think he has been working with them since he went pro or got with nike?
    He is not swinging the club well this week, an it’s abvious.
    The switch might have been bold, but a lot on wrx know that it’s not the club and one can still be confident. If I got fit with something that I knew was made for me, I would go out 100% with it.

  10. Desmond

    Sep 27, 2014 at 6:59 am

    Vapor Pro is the Better Players Driver. I’ll avoid it and demo the other two models. MOI! MOI!

  11. Larry

    Sep 27, 2014 at 1:56 am

    Lets see number one golfer in the world, been working with this new driver sense June…do you think maybe he has some of the best “Club Fitters” in the world helping him get the club fit right???? What does this say to all the high handicap players out there thinking getting fit for a new driver is really going to be worth the trouble???? answer ZERO. Play with what you like because that is the way you make the clubs work for you. Fitting golf clubs (for amateurs for sure) is not anywhere near a perfect science….your swing on Monday is not your swing on Wednesday otherwise your a single digit handicap….is that most of us????

  12. Rwj

    Sep 26, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    The manufacturers run high profile players.

  13. ed

    Sep 26, 2014 at 4:29 pm

    If you think this is busy, does anyone remember a couple drivers that TM put out a year back…R1 and RBZ Stage 2 ring a bell?? Now that is BUSY

  14. Billy

    Sep 26, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    Retail is $399, same as Cover Tour 2.0.

    Heads up.

  15. God5peed

    Sep 26, 2014 at 11:51 am

    “The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was how hot it was,” said McIlroy. “Then, I found that I could really control the flight and work it both ways on the golf course. I saw added ball speed on the monitor and am getting 10-15 yards more distance on the golf course this week.”

    I think he is reading from the same advertising script for every driver that has ever been made.

    • Ral

      Sep 26, 2014 at 1:06 pm

      I’d like to see the CT and COR measurements on his club.

      • Cole

        Sep 26, 2014 at 1:54 pm

        Why? What would that do for you? The COR is as high as they can get it. If baffles me that people really think to themselves, “Man, I wonder what the COR on this driver is…” Like they really know how COR is measured. It’s going to vary between club heads, maybe you’ll get lucky and the one you buy from Dick’s is slightly above! Ridiculous.

    • jack from Omaha

      Sep 26, 2014 at 3:12 pm

      Rory helped the US by playing with that new Nike driver today in the Ryder Cup. I don;t believe he hot more than 5 fairways in 2 rounds.

      Great decision Rory!!

      The US Team thanks you.

      Dumb, dumb, and dumber!!!!!

      Why on earth would you ever change driver the way you owned your previous driver? Dumb, dumb, dumber!!!!

      • Ponjo

        Sep 28, 2014 at 5:14 pm

        Haha Jack. 9 under for 14 holes says it is working for the heir to the throne 🙂

  16. gvogel

    Sep 26, 2014 at 11:30 am

    McIlroy might have piped it off the first tee, but he took himself out of the 18th hole with a very poor drive to the left.

    When one is the number one driver of the straight long ball on the planet, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to change.

  17. Don

    Sep 26, 2014 at 11:06 am

    I don’t really mind this club like I have with their past products. Looks kinda cool actually. And if the swoosh is really that distracting it isn’t anything that a jiffy marker can’t fix. Or use spray paint. Isn’t that what Tiger did with his Titleist driver when he switched over to the swoosh?

  18. chad ryan

    Sep 26, 2014 at 10:43 am

    it still looks like a half eaten kiwi fruit……which doesn’t make me want to buy it….but it does make me hungry

  19. cb

    Sep 26, 2014 at 10:25 am

    starting to like Nike’s stuff but unfortunately I saw my first problem with this driver. do whatever and put whatever color you want on the bottom of the club. But on the crown there is too much going on. it might have been fine with out the neon swoosh but you dont want something that will cause you to watch the club going back and not the ball

    • B

      Sep 26, 2014 at 10:55 am

      Completely agree. The swoosh on the crown I can tolerate, not so much the carbon pattern.

      • JJ

        Sep 26, 2014 at 12:29 pm

        Couldn’t disagree more. I am a Titleist/Ping fanboy all day, but the carbon looks awesome…in fact I think the crown is the most aesthetically pleasing part of the driver…

      • yolomcswag

        Sep 26, 2014 at 4:16 pm

        same here. love the swoosh, carbon just makes it weird

    • John

      Sep 26, 2014 at 3:05 pm

      if you’re watching the club go back in your backswing, and something like SLIGHTLY lighter shades of grey that you might not notice in the sunlight is enough to distract you, I think you need to be in the market for something other than new golf clubs.

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Equipment

Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.

However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.

“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”

Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.

Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.

Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.

One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play with an additional degree of loft to help dial in his desired launch.

We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!

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Whats in the Bag

Zac Blair WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3 (14 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution V1 X

Utility: Titleist U510 (3)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85 X

Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), Miura MB-001 (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 58-08M @57, 60 @61), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (52-M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 X

Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

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Whats in the Bag

Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX

3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX

Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

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