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Nike is getting out of the golf equipment business

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Nike is getting out of the golf equipment business. An announcement posted today on the company’s website said Nike “will accelerate innovation” in its golf footwear and apparel business, while transitioning “out of equipment — including clubs, balls and bags.”

“We’re committed to being the undisputed leader in golf footwear and apparel,” said Trevor Edwards, President, Nike Brand. “We will achieve this by investing in performance innovation for athletes and delivering sustainable profitable growth for Nike Golf.”

The release made no mention of what the company plans to do with its current tour staff, players paid to use Nike golf clubs and wear its footwear/apparel.

Nike’s current PGA Tour staff is headlined by Rory McIlroy (a four-time major champion, and the No. 4-ranked golfer in the world) as well as budding stars Brooks Koepka (No. 17 in the Official World Golf Rankings) and Tony Finau (No. 80 in the OWGR), who were both signed to endorsement deals this year. Tiger Woods, Michelle Wie, Jhonattan Vegas, Russell Henley, Paul Casey, Kevin Chappell, Seung Yul Noh and Patrick Rodgers are also current endorsers of the company.

Before the release, Nike made steep discounts to its line of Vapor Fly metal woods, which launched without fanfare in late 2015. The drivers, which were selling between $349.99 and $499.99, were reduced to $149.99 each. Fairway woods and hybrid prices were also slashed to $99.99 and $89.99, respectively.

See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Nike’s decision in our forum.

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129 Comments

129 Comments

  1. Lloyd

    Aug 9, 2016 at 5:02 pm

    Rory & tiger will return to Titleist no doubt about that one & as there Nike two big names others will probably follow PXG will grab a few – callaway might grab the cheep ones who no one wants or Taylormade as they have a habit of signing every Tom dick & Harry strange as there in the same boat & adidas is struggling to find a buyer

  2. Matt

    Aug 8, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Who cares about nike they will survive as a brand and will flourish like it has always done since 1971. They made a mark in the industry look at all the wins with tiger and every other player who won with there products ; clubs, balls, bags, etc…they made good stuff no better or no worse then any of the other companies that dominate this industry..the sad thing is all the employees loosing their jobs. That’s it period.

  3. KK

    Aug 6, 2016 at 6:19 pm

    Bet Rory thinks differently about growing the game when those Nike checks stop coming.

  4. kolfpro

    Aug 6, 2016 at 2:54 am

    You are just lovely!!!

  5. Andrew

    Aug 4, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    My whole life I’ve heard, “fix your swing not your club.” Or, “so its always the arrow and never the indian huh?” Now Nike decides to not make golf clubs and all of the sudden they have terrible products? Play what works best for your game. Forget what anyone else says.

  6. 300 Yard Pro

    Aug 4, 2016 at 3:58 pm

    Tiger’s exit from golf has brought down the entire industry. LOL

  7. jgpl001

    Aug 4, 2016 at 3:22 pm

    I never bought a Nike club, but they were not all that bad, especially the recent stuff – TW blades, Engage wedges looked really good

    As a Titleist/Mizuno diehard I couldn’t handle the bright red, luminous green and blue woods, and all that Nike volt nonsense

    Cobra have gone down the nonsense road of tacky clubs, bright orange, yawn, etc.

    Cobra you are next and I doubt either will be missed

  8. BeerandGolf

    Aug 4, 2016 at 2:11 pm

    I love my vapor fly pro irons. I play well with them. I don’t have face tattoos.

    • RedX

      Aug 4, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      yet

      • kolfpro

        Aug 6, 2016 at 2:47 am

        One more time … Trollin’ … Trollin’ …Trollin’ … kept those comments coming … Rawhide!!!

  9. ShootersTour

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    As a custom Club-Maker and Fitter I have one word,… Yay!!!!!!

  10. James Bond

    Aug 4, 2016 at 9:01 am

    No surprise here. They hardly had any inventory to begin with and their truly good clubs sold out quickly or were made available in limited quantities online. When Miura did their forgings and copied Titliest designs, they made good clubs. After that, it was all marketing and flashy colors. Poor Nike 2017 thread will only have this to discuss now instead of all the “orange” hype they were discussing previously. Bunch of children.

    • Undershooter30

      Aug 4, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      Someone making fun of others for their equipment choices and bad mouthing a company that just had to lay of tons of people. I think its you who sounds like the child big fella.

    • Realist

      Aug 4, 2016 at 1:26 pm

      Yes, lets make fun of people who can’t afford “nice” golf clubs. Nike did one thing, and one thing well; made affordable quality clubs for beginners, intermediates, and Tiger Woods. You must be a real hoot to hang out with (sarcasm)

  11. JThunder

    Aug 4, 2016 at 7:10 am

    The problem with Nike in the golf club business is echoed by all the “MBA” remarks on this thread and every other Nike thread on Golfwrx. They are an enormous corporation whose “business model” knows and accepts nothing but enormous profit ($1 shirt made by a kid selling for $55), and “constant growth” (double profits for shareholders, lower cost and higher profits, layoff employees while increasing sales, bigger yacht each year for the execs). These are the fallacies of modern business fueled by the takeover of the professional MBA, and the total collapse of any conscience in corporate business.

    I could care less about anything that happens to Nike as a company. I am truly sorry for all those who are losing their jobs because of poor business practices, and hope they find work asap. Of course, Nike won’t be adding to “golf participation” while they’re increasing unemployment, will they? Likewise, all these companies and the corporate world in general needn’t wonder why most people aren’t spending any money. They don’t have it, and what they have, they are terrified to spend, because modern business practice means no one is safe (unless you already have millions and it ISN’T in the stock market!)

    Meanwhile, people delude themselves that people are moving away from golf because rounds take 5 hours instead of 4. Get a grip.

    Oh, and Tiger is done, full stop. You want to get Millennials excited, start making a bigger deal about the crop of excellent players we’re now enjoying.

    • Milo

      Aug 4, 2016 at 9:15 am

      Well said my friend, couldn’t have said it better myself.

    • RosePalmer

      Aug 4, 2016 at 9:29 am

      Having been in the corporate world for 35+ years, your comments are exact. Well said!

    • Joseph

      Aug 6, 2016 at 9:53 am

      Sadly, you hit it spot on. As a lawyer of 40 years for big companies, our idea of capitalism is Wall Street and CEO’s doing anything to goose quarterly profits to enhance share price and workers and customers be damned. The bean counters rule and any division of a conglomerate like Adidas, Nike or you name it are quick to point out that clubs and balls are not profitable, compared to shoes and rags. Too much capital invested, too many employees, too much inventory and not enough ROI. Dump it they yell and so it is dumped.

  12. Realist

    Aug 4, 2016 at 6:31 am

    Nike has made a few clubs extremely well. I am a die hard Ping guy, but the Engage wedges and the Method Mod series putter are some of the best in the industry for the price. I just sold my scotty cameron and picked up a Method Mod for $60. A perfect combination of milled face with a touch of insert feel. Sorry to see these guys go as they were pivotal in getting younger poorer golfers a d*mn fine set of clubs for cheap.. But its a tough industry when the country has been in a recession since 2008.

    • Brian

      Aug 4, 2016 at 8:51 am

      The country hasn’t been in a recession since 2008. A recession is a period of 2 quarters of negative GDP growth.

  13. Gig

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:32 am

    I love free agent time…. this is awsome

  14. SB

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:30 am

    Tiger -> PXG
    Rory -> Titleist
    Koepka -> Titleist
    Casey -> Callaway
    Finau -> Callaway
    Henley -> Titleist
    Duval -> …
    Wattel -> Callaway
    Vegas -> Callaway
    Fleetwood -> Srixon
    Rodgers -> Callaway
    Wie -> Titleist
    Molinari -> Callaway
    Oleson -> Srixon

    • Brian

      Aug 4, 2016 at 10:46 am

      What, nobody will go to Ping or Mizuno?

    • a4

      Aug 4, 2016 at 12:11 pm

      They’re all going to use Taylormade, and you know it

      • 300 Yard Pro

        Aug 4, 2016 at 4:02 pm

        Taylormade is cutting back too. They will be next to die. It will be Callaway, PING, Titleist.

    • Cornfused...

      Aug 4, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      I don’t see how any of these players aren’t going to switch to Taylormade. Especially the likes of Brooks Koepka and Rory who left Titleist. I don’t see many from Nike going to Titleist.

      • Joseph

        Aug 6, 2016 at 9:59 am

        Because Adidas owns TaylorMade and they are going to dump their club business like Nike did. It makes peanuts compared to their rags. Whoever buys it is not going to spend $$ on marketing, R&D and surely not on sponsoring lots of tour pros who likely do not move their needle. In short, Tiger created the market for Pro’s to make lots of money with club sponsorships. The era has ended with a thud because there isn’t enough money in the club business at this point in time.

        • nm

          Aug 6, 2016 at 11:16 am

          How are they not moving the needle when they have had the #1 driver for 16 years straight??? Nike should buy TM and called it NikeMade

  15. Bigboy

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:16 am

    About time.
    Never did well outside of the USA.

  16. BigBoy

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:10 am

    About time.

  17. Adam

    Aug 4, 2016 at 1:01 am

    The bad part is, they’re not even the leader in shoes and apparel. Their shirts are way too expensive and of horrible quality and their shoes aren’t much better.

    Do I like the style of most of their apparel? Yes, but am done buying it until they step up their game.

    • Cornfused...

      Aug 4, 2016 at 1:16 pm

      Their shoes are the best in the industry BY FAR. Footjoys are stiff and take time to set in, and they are the best outside of Nike. UA is terrible, Adidas is great if you have a narrow foot, Ecco has no comfort. I put on Nike shoes and they are comfortable from the get go. I also have tried many of the clothing companies and have to say that the apparel is industry leading too. I’ve never had a problem with anything Nike has done, soft goods, for golf. The problem has always been the clubs.

      • andy c

        Aug 4, 2016 at 6:36 pm

        nike’s are super narrow, idk about you but fj actually makes a 15 wide that fits. If it were nike id have to buy 17 triple wide.

      • Adam

        Aug 5, 2016 at 1:31 am

        Kind of agree on the shoes but it’s preference in terms of fit. In my experience, it’s not the comfort that sets them back but the fact their stuff is so cheaply made and doesn’t last.

        Their polos wear down after only a few washes. Unless I’m doing it wrong, their collars flatten out VERY quickly and look terrible after not a very long time

        • GetRichorTyTryon

          Aug 9, 2016 at 2:04 pm

          Completely agree with you! Bought their FI Impact 2 shoes for $120 bucks. In less than 1 month the sole is coming off. When I finish my swing the sole folds underneath. Great if I want to be an inch taller on my finish. Style and comfort aren’t the issues. Durability is. Same thing happened with Lunar Control 2 in a short period of time. You truly are not getting what you pay for.

      • GetRichorTyTryon

        Aug 9, 2016 at 2:36 pm

        With all the quality issues I’ve had with Nike shoes…Can you elaborate on what makes UA terrible in your experience? Aesthetically their shoes are on point in my eyes but come with a pretty steep price tag.

  18. Milo

    Aug 4, 2016 at 12:47 am

    Maybe Rory will make some cuts now but I doubt it.

  19. Mad-Mex

    Aug 4, 2016 at 12:46 am

    Any bets how log before PXG follows Tour Edge, Scratch, Ben Hogan, Wilson, MacGregor, Cleveland, Powerbuilt and Adams into obscurity or the discount bin? Cobra is hanging on by a thread,,,,

  20. golfraven

    Aug 4, 2016 at 12:36 am

    Actually I am not surprised and kind of expected it since they should have not started with clubs in the first place. Never liked their clubs, performance and look wise. Would be interested to see where Rory, Tiger and Co will end up playing – Titleist again?

  21. Matto

    Aug 4, 2016 at 12:21 am

    Wo wo wo. Back up a minute……Nike made golf clubs?

  22. steve

    Aug 3, 2016 at 11:59 pm

    Nike equipment was middle of the road performance wise. Then golf is contracting, then in a contracting market they make clubs for 30yo and under. Their colors were very like it or hate it and it was hate it. They tried to make golf cool and golf isnt cool. It is reserved. There marketing was very weird, to take a small market and make it smaller

  23. Ryan Barath

    Aug 3, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    Its a sad day because people talented people lost their jobs. The golf equipment business is a tough one and when your the new kid its always tough. PXG has done well by focusing on a niche but NIKE just never found its way.

    Its never good too have this kind of thing happen in any industry. I will say that the 2014 PC’s were some of the best irons i ever worked on from a pure quality perspective.

  24. Scott

    Aug 3, 2016 at 11:04 pm

    Now Rory will start winning again once he re signs with Titleist.

  25. Awesome

    Aug 3, 2016 at 10:45 pm

    Awesome!
    Now we get to see McIlroy and Eldrick get to use Taylormade! Yeehaw! Haha

  26. Rick

    Aug 3, 2016 at 10:42 pm

    What bugs me although I love to play the game is these golf club makers keep releasing new irons every 6-9 months. I was looking into buying my first set when I had saved enough the new & improved irons came out. Same with drivers, Once I made my purchase 6 months later a new set from same maker with new motto saying more distance. It made me second guess my new clubs. I believe that is what’s killing the sport & why TM is being dropped by Addidas. Don’t get me started on how much it cost to take the lessons & the rest of the equipment needed to start playing. Oh and the green fees w/cart for a round of golf.

    • Car

      Aug 3, 2016 at 10:53 pm

      Do you second guess your car purchase? Because they come out with new cars every year. Your new Honda Civic still ain’t gonna help you pick up chicks

      • Someone

        Aug 4, 2016 at 8:34 am

        Cars aren’t typically ‘new’ every year. they keep the original foundation and change small things each year. On average it was every 4 years before a major body overhaul, however things change.

        • tzed

          Aug 4, 2016 at 9:27 am

          Right. Kinda like golf clubs. Incremental changes that over 4-5 years look substantial. Innovation. Ping clubs change every 2 years, but if you look over a 6-8 year period, the change is performance is pretty big.

    • Prime21

      Aug 4, 2016 at 12:35 am

      Waaaaaaaaa! Either man up or walk away, but don’t cry about it on a public forum.

    • MaxClubheadSpeed

      Aug 4, 2016 at 1:28 am

      You don’t need to play the latest model clubs. The pros don’t upgrade all the time and they get them for free.

    • Someone

      Aug 4, 2016 at 8:33 am

      They were flooding the market to make their prospectus for the quarter higher. Which helped them keep their profits and company value high, but totally ruins the game for players like you and I. As I’ve posted in other threads, the big companies really should focus on putting lessons/learning centers with their equipment and stop flooding the market. When you walk into stores, the ‘used clubs’ are taking up about the same space as the latest new clubs and it’s ridiculous to think that a store will keep up it’s profit margin with that kind of ratio. It’s the same with electronics. There’s no real disposition system for the old clubs so there’s no value of the company to take them back/recycle them give you a huge discount on a new set of irons. If their focus was responsibility and not profit, it would be a different story. The golf club wastelands just grow each year. You really want to make money? take all these old/used clubs, break them and take the tungsten weights out of them. That will be of more value than anything else. But anyhow, that’s the reason they flood the market and that’s why Adidas dropped TM because it’s hurting their marketshare/value.

      • pvisser

        Aug 5, 2016 at 7:53 am

        as long as people keep buying the supposedly “latest and greatest” they will keep making them. If that ruins it for you, it is because you believe the advertising hype.

      • mark

        Aug 11, 2016 at 1:40 pm

        How does a company making and put clubs on the market to make money (how terrible) ruin the game?

    • pvisser

      Aug 5, 2016 at 7:27 am

      New clubs come out often and all those gullible consumers who believe the hype that they have to have the latest every time keep buying them. And because they keep paying, the prices stay high and get higher every time so new players (who of course want the latest as well) can’t afford it and have to settle with “cheap” clubs, which won’t give them instant birdies and 300+ yard drives…and give up. Golf is difficult for most of us – work on it.

      Buy 3 – 5 year old clubs – you save heaps of money and still have very good clubs. The only thing I think may be a recent worth wile innovation are these speed slots, but then I am not sure how many more yards you really get from them. The rest is same old, same old: moved weight to sides allowing thinner face and more turf stability blah blah blah. Sounds like my 10 year old Titleist 755s with the “vibration dampening chip to improve sound and feel”. Well, on one of my most used clubs (7i) I noticed one day that the chip had disappeared. Didn’t notice a thing. Unless new clubs give 25 or more yards on average I would not bother. Too often I read yardage gains are bugger all.

      Sorry to see Nike stop making clubs – I quite like the look of them, they tend to get good reviews and they are sharply priced. Might see if I can get my hands on a set before it is too late to replace my 10 year old clubs, or get a wood or hybrid or so.

      • John

        Aug 6, 2016 at 4:37 pm

        +1 My 20 year old Hogan irons work great.
        New driver every now and then, and fresh wedges vey now and then pretty my hakes care of it, if you are a serious player. Recreational folks don’t even need to do that. The guy I take lessons from (a former fringe tour player) says equipment is about 10% of the equation, and he feels most guys are focusing 90% per cent of their off course time on the 10%. That would include most people in this forum. Take lessons, practice and golf will a lot less work. Hard to convince people of that. Nike, TM et al are all about the opposite. We have the magic bullet! Buy our stuff, longer,!straighter! etc. People are finally calling bs and in some respects that may be positive for golf.

  27. Sam H

    Aug 3, 2016 at 10:06 pm

    If the clubs/courses can make golf affordable for the melancholy youth, maybe golf courses and young golfers can grow together. I’m in favor of shortening the courses as well. The muni courses in NJ can play as long as 7,000 yards. Really?

    • Joshuaplaysgolf

      Aug 4, 2016 at 8:46 am

      Play the right tees. Problem. Solved. I play from the tips at courses that measure 7100-7500 yards (Legacy, Heritage at Westmoor (which can stretch out to 7650), Broadlands, Riverdale, etc.), and if I don’t, I’m hitting driver, wedge. Driver, wedge. All day and it’s boring. That’s why they make different tee boxes, because a very low number of people can play courses that long effectively, and they make it so a wide variety of people and skill levels can play the same course. Put your ego away and move up.

  28. Dave

    Aug 3, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    Sorry to see this a lot of people going to be looking for work. Need to worry about them not the pros playing their equipment .

  29. matt h

    Aug 3, 2016 at 9:39 pm

    If the prices of clubs were cheaper it would help you could get a set at goodwill and there good forever

  30. Mo

    Aug 3, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    I remember Phil got into trouble for saying how well Tiger played considering the crappy equipment he had to use.

    • A Boy & His Golf

      Aug 4, 2016 at 7:33 am

      Phil was talking about Tiger using a steel shaft in his driver and a small head but I think it may have been a bit of a dig at Nike as well.

  31. 3PuttTerritory

    Aug 3, 2016 at 9:24 pm

    My slingshot OS are now collector’s items. I remember the first time I hit them. It sounded like someone threw a toaster down a flight of steps. Is it getting a little dusty in here?

    • COGolfer

      Aug 3, 2016 at 11:03 pm

      There has never been a club that sounds worse than the square SQ.

  32. KoreanSlumLord

    Aug 3, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    I only see Nike sticks in the US. Never in Japan or Korea- that is big no no. When I visit California, the fellas in jorts and drive Honda Civic with fart can mufflers play Nikes.

  33. gwillis7

    Aug 3, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    you know the club market is a tough biz to break into/make work when companies like nike (and adidas, atleast rumors) are jumping ship. And I am a nike fan, thought their equipment was fantastic…but will always struggle with purists and the titans of golf that have been there forever.
    I will say though that nike golf shoes are the best and love that they are doing retro shoes (air force 1’s, zoom 90’s) and jordan’s now…fantastic idea, and that is what they are best at, shoes and athletic apparel.

    • Scott

      Aug 4, 2016 at 9:11 am

      I am glad that they worked for you. Their shoes are too narrow for me. I thought that I was accurate with their clubs but they were not distance models. I hit the Fly driver 30 yards shorter than my Taylor Made R1. Now the R1 was fit to me and the Nike was my friend’s but I put a good swing on the Nike and it went nowhere. This was 3 years ago and I have not tried Nike since. If they have some nice irons that I can pick up on the cheep, I may give them a try.

      • Scott

        Aug 4, 2016 at 9:13 am

        Correction for the WRX purists: Maybe it was the V driver, not the Fly. I can not remember. It was red.

  34. gwillis7

    Aug 3, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    you know the club market is a tough biz to break into when companies like nike (and adidas, atleast rumors) are jumping ship. And I am a nike fan, thought their equipment was fantastic…but will always struggle with purists and the titans of golf that have been there forever.

  35. DaveyD

    Aug 3, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    Could be some pretty good golf ball deals coming up, if you don’t mind hitting Nikes. I tend to use almost any ball I can get before I drown.

    • prime21

      Aug 3, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      Thank you for your post, it was quite meaningful. The next time you feel like sharing……….do us all a favor and don’t say a word.

      • DaveyD

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:51 pm

        I didn’t say anything. I typed, though. I’m glad you found it meaningful, however.

      • kolfpro

        Aug 6, 2016 at 2:39 am

        Trollin … Trollin …Trollin … kept those comments coming … Rawhide!!!

    • cwt

      Aug 3, 2016 at 8:17 pm

      True! Although for my part, I’ve been giving away any Nike balls I find, since I found it bothersome that Nike would try to force it’s way into the golf market by shear strength of size and the use of Tiger and Rory.

      That said, now that they are out, and all is right with the world again, I can see myself using their balls for a season, since each hit will make me very happy to see that Goliath was down by a tiny round object again. 🙂

      • Jacob

        Aug 3, 2016 at 10:50 pm

        Nike 20XIs from a few years ago are dead already. I dropped a 20XI and a TM TPX on my garage pavement and the TPX bounced a good deal higher.

  36. farmer

    Aug 3, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    So, you sign a couple of guys to zillion dollar contracts, gather some role players, and your equipment doesn’t fly off the shelves? Who knew?

  37. KK

    Aug 3, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    Tiger and Rory have had career declines after switching to Nike, especially the putters. Good riddance.

    • David Labbe

      Aug 3, 2016 at 7:12 pm

      Tiger has never won a major with a Nike putter…just saying.

      • adam

        Aug 3, 2016 at 8:42 pm

        sorry, but to say rory has had a career decline since switching to nike is a blatant lie, and entirely invalidates anything else you say, though nothing else you say is likely to be all that intelligent.

      • Kevin

        Aug 3, 2016 at 8:44 pm

        Small Sample Size. He has won 9 tournaments with NIKE putter in a span of 4 years of limited play. Thats pretty good. 2015 season doesn’t count because he shouldn’t have been out there playing.

  38. Steve P

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    What do you want to bet that Nike has its eyes on buying Callaway now?
    Phase out the Nike branded equipment that was never taken seriously by hardcore golfers…
    Then use their Nike billions of dollars to acquire the current #1 company in sales of equipment, and the #2 company in golf ball sales. Build the Callaway brand in equipment, balls, bags, and accessories and leave Nike for shoes and apparel. Bet it happens.

    • Matt M

      Aug 3, 2016 at 7:02 pm

      Wrong company right line of thinking. They will buy Taylor Made out, slap a swoosh on the equipment and make a mint since TM is doing so well equipment wise that is.

      • Cesar

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:07 pm

        Or why not just but a crapload of Acushnet stock and own Titleist?

      • Cesar

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:10 pm

        What about Acushnet? They could just but a lot of stock there and do exactly what you said but to Titleist.

      • Kerim

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:19 pm

        Tailor-made are owned by Adidas no?

  39. John

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    What happens to the Oven???!!

    • Mike

      Aug 3, 2016 at 9:24 pm

      What about all the folks that will be jobless?

  40. killerbgolfer

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:30 pm

    Nike made golf equipment?

  41. John-Michael Fawley

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    Guess I better hold on to my old method putter tight then. Where were the drivers, woods, and hybrids on sale at?

  42. Brandon

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:19 pm

    The Tiger bubble has burst. If Rors were smart he would go back to Titleist ASAP and start winning again.

    • Kevin

      Aug 3, 2016 at 8:46 pm

      Its not the clubs. He has won just as many majors with NIKE as Titleist. He needs to practice more and find some motivation

      • RedX

        Aug 3, 2016 at 10:32 pm

        You’re right Kevin. he doesn’t do well when he’s “loved up” – needs a break up to get his golfing mojo back – opposite of Sergio

  43. Ryan

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:18 pm

    Rory can go to Titleist/Callaway/maybe TM, but the only ego in the equip biz big enough to handle Tiger is PXG!

  44. Bram

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:12 pm

    And…… Buying Taylormade?

  45. desmond

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:12 pm

    Tiger, at least, moved the needle.

    Get Tiger Woods, Irons, Wedges…

  46. Howard

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    My uneducated opinion guesses that Rory jumps ship back to Titliest and Tiger starts his own brand of equipment.

    • Tom Wishon

      Aug 3, 2016 at 6:30 pm

      No disrespect intended at all, but Tiger or any other pro would be looney tunes nuts to want to get involved in owning or starting an equipment company these days. If they want a great way to lose money, that would certainly do it. The equipment industry is about at its worst business time in a very long time now because of so many key negative markers – fewer golfers, fewer participation, lack of interest to learn to play among the Millenials, and some OEMs are down significant double digits in club sales this year.

      And then there is the big one – all significant new clubhead design technology is used up, already been offered, or locked down by a USGA rule. There will never be any more new head technologies that can offer immediate improvement for all golfers. What companies are faced with is just repackaging old technologies to make them look new, or to create cosmetic buzz hype to make the club hos want it for image sake. The club business is not coming back to pre recession days unless something turns the whole economy around in a big way to bring about more people with money to spend on recreation. But even with that it is doubtful for golf because as long as a very high percentage of the 20-35 yr olds avoid golf as they are, that’s not a good sign for the long term future of the equipment business.

      • Nolanski

        Aug 3, 2016 at 6:45 pm

        Great insight Tom. Loved your book “The New search for the perfect golf club”.

      • Prut

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:11 pm

        The industry jumped the shark when TM advertised they added distance to their M2 irons by saving weight in the hosel.

      • KK

        Aug 3, 2016 at 7:17 pm

        Golf will continue to shrink until we do something to make the game faster and more fun. Replacing the 2-player golf cart with some kind of powered lightweight solo trike or cart is the key IMO.

        • COGolfer

          Aug 3, 2016 at 8:30 pm

          The golf cart does much more damage to pace of play than anyone would like to admit.

        • Kevin

          Aug 3, 2016 at 8:48 pm

          Golf Boards speed up rounds tremendously.

          • Ranchobob

            Aug 3, 2016 at 10:19 pm

            Maybe so, but I’d rather quit the game than ride one. Or a cart.

            It’s a walking game.

            • Uh huh

              Aug 3, 2016 at 11:05 pm

              I’d rather have lots of places to play and a healthy sport. If riding a device is what it takes, so be it.

            • SNBD

              Aug 3, 2016 at 11:53 pm

              Let me guess Ranchobob, you’re over 50 years old?? The “get off my lawn” attitude that your post screams is the exact reason why golf is a tough industry right now. I manage a golf course and young people (millennials) do not want to play golf. I’m not talking about the kids that get dropped off for “free day care” by their parents, I’m talking 21-35 year olds who have their own disposable income. You might think golf is walking only game, slim fitting/bright colored clothes, and 460 CC drivers are ruining golf, but one day the old farts will be dead and middle aged people would rather do anything else than play golf. That’s when this industry will really be hurting. I’m all for anything that makes golf more attractive for younger people!

            • Tim

              Aug 4, 2016 at 2:48 am

              Most public tracks in my area allow so many 5 somes that if you have 2 carts and a walker it is 5 hours plus guaranteed,and God Forbid you get behind 4 walkers because those are the ones who think because they carry their clubs and walk then they must play from the tips. And now every course is allowing carts right up to the greens and even on par 3’s….and what does management at the course say “Need every paid tee time or we will not be here long…

        • Morty

          Aug 4, 2016 at 12:20 am

          That was a remarkably stupid comment. Since college now teaches women it’s more fun to hate men than to ball e’m, there’s no car that’ll help you “pick up chicks.” Well, maybe a ’69 MG.

        • Square

          Aug 4, 2016 at 4:24 am

          This comment is spot on………Golf will continue to shrink until we do something to make the game faster and more fun. For this reason, I only play in FL from May until October when it’s hot as hell and I can play I in 2-3 hours.

        • kolfpro

          Aug 6, 2016 at 12:27 pm

          Still kind of pricey but maybe they will have them a course to rent: http://www.thegolfbike.com/

      • cgasucks

        Aug 3, 2016 at 9:13 pm

        You have a better chance of starting and running a company making typewriters than starting a golf equipment company…

      • RedX

        Aug 3, 2016 at 10:35 pm

        Love the work Tom. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

      • Rod C

        Aug 4, 2016 at 2:13 am

        I started playing golf in 1988 and Wilson, McGregor & Spalding were the heavy weights with Hogan, Titleist and Mizuno tacked on the edges. I remember at the time one of my friends had some weird looking clubs called Ping. Then the revolution began. Firstly with metal woods and cavity backed irons followed by the entry of marketing dollars. Companies like Callaway, Adidas/TMG and Acushnet took off and the biggest sports marketing daddy of them all Nike had to have a piece of the pie. It seems it hasn’t quite worked for them.
        I’m pleased they are existing equipment and I hope Adidas do the same. To me, the golf equipment industry is just maturing, getting rid of the hype. Look at the sport of tennis, Nike & Adidas stick to shoes and clothing and leave rackets to specialists. I think the golf industry is about to do the same.
        I think it will be exciting times. McIlroy, Casey & co will still be decked out in Nike gear but they’ll use maybe a combination of Mizuno, Titleist, Wilson, Miura etc. Hopefully these companies flourish and continue to produce good quality clubs that are lovely to play with and do not need to be replaced every six months by a later model with different coloured paint. Watch this space.

      • Greg V

        Aug 4, 2016 at 8:50 am

        Tom, excellent comment.

        Do you think that non-conforming equipment could,
        1. Make the game easier/more fun for beginners?,
        2. Provide a spark to the equipment industry?

        Personally, I am all for bifurcation.

      • tzed

        Aug 4, 2016 at 9:34 am

        True. Both Palmer and Nicklaus fell out of the golf club business. Remember PHD and Golden Bear irons? If they can’t do it then no pro can.

    • prime21

      Aug 3, 2016 at 7:47 pm

      You’re right, quite uneducated. SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

  47. Jeff

    Aug 3, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    I don’t know who would buy these turds anyways. Stick to golf shoes. Best in the business.

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Whats in the Bag

Russell Henley WITB 2024 (March)

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  • Russell Henley WITB accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX

Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S, @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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Whats in the Bag

Vince Carter WITB 2024 (March)

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  • The NBA legend was teeing it up in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am.

Driver: Ping G430 Max 10K (9 degrees)

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)

7-wood: Ping G430 Max (21 degrees)

Irons: Ping i230 (4-PW)

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50, 54, 58)

Putter: Ping

Ball: Renegade Mbu

Check out more photos of Vince Carter’s WITB here.

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From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations

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In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving irons currently on the market. WRXer ‘TheShark1’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons, saying:

“Currently gaming the Mizuno Pro 225’s but think I need more forgiveness in my irons. My well struck shots are real nice, but my mishits are not performing as good as I had hoped anymore. I really like hollow body irons so if I could find something more forgiving in a hollow body iron that would be great.

Open to any and all recommendations other than Ping. Can’t hit Ping irons at all.”

And our members have been sharing their best suggestions in our forum.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • AvidSwampThing66: “Another vote for the super forgiving and fast Paradym irons.   They look really good for being a GI iron.”
  • bobfoster: “I just went from MP20 MMCs to the new 245s in my scoring irons (just played my first round with them today). If you have a chance to try them, you might find them worth a serious look.”
  • vman: “Shoot me down, but spend the money on lessons.”
  • J_Tizzle: “i525s are great off the heel in my opinion.”

Entire Thread: “From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations”

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