191 replies to this topic

[monkeynaut]

So, this whole rumor about Rory and Nike is hitting a fever pitch. While it may or may not happen, the question occurred to me: Will this have ANY impact on my buying?

I have no Nike Clubs and only play their balls when I find them in a bush.  I don't wear Nike shoes or shorts or shirts. No Nike cap.  No Nike bag or glove.
The only Nike gear I ever wear has nothing to do with their golf line.

This is after years of representation by arguably the GOAT.  Even before the hydrant, Tiger didn't influence me to buy Nike.
So, even if Nike dumped tons of cash to bring Rory to Nike, would I be more inclined to by their golf gear?
I'm thinking no.

I don't think the problem is Rory or Tiger.  I don't think it matters who plays them.  There are other brands that might peak my interest with the right endorsement.
Although I don't like TMAG, Dustin makes me at least look in their direction and try something out.
Bubba peaks interest in Ping.  Phil makes me interested in Callaway.

But I'm not sure it's in Nike's best interest to spend big cash on Rory.  As I mentioned, Tiger hasn't done it for me.
I actually, get a sense that Tiger succeeds in spite of Nike.  I will likely feel the same about Rory.

Am I alone?
Are there any of you who would be more likely to play Nike with Rory, as opposed to Nike with Just Tiger?

Edit: Poll Added

Edited by monkeynaut, 25 October 2012 - 10:09 AM.

[tembolo1284]

Tiger didn't make me buy Nike clubs and neither will Rory.

Tried a couple clubs. I liked the look of them...but just didn't feel right.

[Jamboy72]

Won't make any difference to me, but many posters on this board are not the representative majority...I'll be very interested to see what comes of this...

[Johnny]

No

[TheBigSmooth]

No.

[golfbum9]

No person- pro or otherwise influence my decisions.

[hogans71]

Not in the least...

As much as I've stuck with the same brand of irons for nearly twenty years, I've used numerous other brands to fill the rest of my bag over that same period. Just what comfortable with- regardless of who uses what...

[jnradioactive]

nope

[lumberman2462]

It won't make me buy anything....but no endorser makes me buy something for golf.  Nike Golf's sales were pretty low before Tiger came along and although it's been a while since I looked at the numbers - he had an impact.  For the last 10 years all of the kids at my club have been eaten up with Nike stuff.  Call it age 8-to-college age.

I don't know anything about using celebrities/athletes for marketing - but my assumption is that if it didn't work - someone would have stopped doing it a long time ago.

Look at Ricki Fowler - one tour win and half the kids at any golf course are all decked out like Sunkist Orange.

[Vindog]

negative.

However that answer has nothing really to do with whether or not Nike should/shouldn't spend a bunch of cash on Rory, for advertisement purposes.  The name of the game in advertising is (among other things)  to stay visible.

[Thrillhouse]

Nope, no tour player is going to get me to buy any club.

Honestly at this point Nike has a stigma in my head because although they have brought out some good clubs they have brought out so much crap that I look at it with my nose turned up.

A Nike club would have to be abnormally good and waaaay better than anything else on the market to make it to my bag at this point. No matter if they have rory, tiger, or another prodigy named after a jungle cat I don't even know about yet.

[Vindog]

Thrillhouse, on 22 October 2012 - 02:06 PM, said:

Nope, no tour player is going to get me to buy any club.

Honestly at this point Nike has a stigma in my head because although they have brought out some good clubs they have brought out so much crap that I look at it with my nose turned up.

A Nike club would have to be abnormally good and waaaay better than anything else on the market to make it to my bag at this point. No matter if they have rory, tiger, or another prodigy named after a jungle cat I don't even know about yet.

So you've heard about Marvin "Ocelot" O'Grady?  He really knows how to play the lynx.


nyuk nyuk nyuk

Edited by Vindog, 22 October 2012 - 02:10 PM.

[Thrillhouse]

Vindog, on 22 October 2012 - 02:09 PM, said:

Thrillhouse, on 22 October 2012 - 02:06 PM, said:

Nope, no tour player is going to get me to buy any club.

Honestly at this point Nike has a stigma in my head because although they have brought out some good clubs they have brought out so much crap that I look at it with my nose turned up.

A Nike club would have to be abnormally good and waaaay better than anything else on the market to make it to my bag at this point. No matter if they have rory, tiger, or another prodigy named after a jungle cat I don't even know about yet.

So you've heard about Marvin "Ocelot" O'Grady?  He really knows how to play the lynx.


nyuk nyuk nyuk

Googles "ocelot"

[psd]

None whatsoever

[nbg352]

I would never play their clubs. I've tried them and never found a one I felt good about.
Don't like their balls. They don't feel right and They fly wrong.
I would say that in my closet I have  about 30 Nike golf shirts, a couple of 1/4 zip pullovers and one pair of Nike golf shoes. I love the clothing, especially the shirts. It just works for me. And, while I have red Nike shirts and black Nike pants, I never wear them on Sunday, because I don't want anyone to think that any tour player has influenced my choice in brand selection.

[Llortamaisey]

He will not make me buy anything Nike golf related. If I see him rocking some fresh Nike kicks in those streets, I'd definitely cop'em.

[bscinstnct]

I say

YES!

I am TW fan but have no Nike clubs, some shirts.

With Rory, since he is known for iron play, the best really, I will look at Nike and be very interested in what he plays if he signs.

These 67s are getting to be too much work...

[OldGolfer87]

No

[deasy55]

If his signing coincided with them releasing some good equipment for once, then yes.

Otherwise no.

[Vindog]

bscinstnct, on 22 October 2012 - 02:39 PM, said:

I say

YES!

I am TW fan but have no Nike clubs, some shirts.

With Rory, since he is known for iron play, the best really, I will look at Nike and be very interested in what he plays if he signs.

These 67s are getting to be too much work...

Just don't expect them to work

In firm and fast conditions

lulz

[nitram]

No

[theslflash689]

Neither of those guys are the reason I play Nike. I play the irons because they fit me the best, and because I hit them the best. I play Nike Golf balls because I have had my best rounds with them, including some tourney wins. I wear their clothes because my roots are from basketball, and the basketball culture is swarmed by nike gear. So I carried it over to golf.

Edited by theslflash689, 22 October 2012 - 03:03 PM.

[superman912]

I would have said no, but just the other day while waiting for some clubs to dry at GG, I picked up a used VRs with a project x 6.5 to try on the LM. It has a tiny head and it looked good at address. I was hitting bombs with it, but I thought damn, it's a nike club and walked out with my titleist clubs in hand.

[bscinstnct]

Vindog, on 22 October 2012 - 02:42 PM, said:

bscinstnct, on 22 October 2012 - 02:39 PM, said:

I say

YES!

I am TW fan but have no Nike clubs, some shirts.

With Rory, since he is known for iron play, the best really, I will look at Nike and be very interested in what he plays if he signs.

These 67s are getting to be too much work...

Just don't expect them to work

In firm and fast conditions

lulz

My baseline for putting is zero.

I invented the 4 putt.

When I get over a putt, I think "get OUT of the hole" and it always works.

My parters give me 7 footers rather than witness this disturbing train wreck. My putting is like listening nails on a chalkboard.

So, no matter what putter Nike makes, I can do no worse!

[hayzooos]

Not in the least. I don't think any player has any influence on what I play. However, there are usually quite a bit of good feedback posts on this site from various OEMs and I'll read the majority of them. I'll try out some clubs just because of the reviews on here and I'll see if it suits me. For some odd reason, the only mfg I won't even test out when looking at the used rack (or BST here) is anything made by Nike. I haven't had a TM club in my bag since I can remember (probably the original Rescue) and I'll even give those things a shot now and then, but Nike? No way.

And I have no idea why...

[irlgolf56]

I'm a fan but eh.. no.

Didn't make me want to buy Titleist and won't make me want to buy Nike. I don't know (or really care) what clubs most pro golfers use, I don't see how it's relevant to an amateur like me.

[Skaffa77]

No...but then again, Those who are knowledgable about the products tend to be less influenced by the endorsement.  It makes sense.  You likely already know what you want or like and will be less likely inclined for an athlete's association to sway your purchase.

WIth that said, there is a larger, less avid population who might continue to see the same brand on TV and build a subconcious recognition of the brand so that there is greater level of comfort with the purchase.  If the brand is lucky, that subconcious association may even get associated to victory or achievement and reinforce a thought that the equipment is superior.

In my mind, an endorsement deal rarely equals an immediate sensation to make a purchase. There are those rare occasions when it happens, but most often, I find that a successful sporting good endorsement brings brand or product recognition whether it comes from a marquee athlete (TW, Jordan) or have a large roster of professionals (TM & the white driver craze).  In either scenario, the product and/or brand gets more TV time where people may see the brand or the equipment.

Long story short...if Rory is added to the Nike stable...it's not necessarily because Nike thinks everyone will buy their gear because Rory is playing it.   It's possible that he just adds more TV exposure time for the average consumer to see the Nike logo and to legitimize in their head that it is quality gear.

Edited by Skaffa77, 22 October 2012 - 03:53 PM.

[Sean2]

No.

Never bought anything based on who plays what.

[Ajit]

If Nike want to target the Golfwrx audience they need to start some threads in equipment section about their 'new low spinning, high launching monster'.

Nike's marketing has long been geared around having the top guys in whatever sport. It's served them pretty well.

[highdraw69]

the short answer to the OP's question is: No. I don't think I've ever tailored a club choice (or even apparel choice) after an endorser. But the question got me to thinking about my current golf gear...I literally own hundreds of clubs -- and that is just the main focal point of my golf gear;

SIX iron sets (3 of which are brand new, i just don't see a need to hit them)
over 50 wedges (half of which are new--OK, i freaked out at the groove rule and stocked up)
at least 15 drivers
probably 20 FW/hybrids
10+ putters

not ONE golf club is a Nike; however, i have 5 pair of Nike golf shoes, and several pair of Nike TW pants & shorts (i defy anyone to say another clothing line made better quality pants/shorts at the price point than the Nike TW line from 3 years ago--the newer stuff, not so impressed)

so, i seem to have a built in bias against Nike clubs (the only thing i've tested and liked was the muscle-back irons from a couple years ago); altho i'm a dye-hard titleist golf ball guy, i seem to remember having my funnest round of the year this season playing the Nike 20xi (or whatever their new premium ball was)...i had 5 birdies, including three 2s on par 3s in a big tournament to win a bunch of money and prizes

while a rory signing might not steer me toward nike, it does seem like i ought to give the clubs more of a chance, because the apparel and shoes are VERY nice, and it's hard to spit venom on a ball that won me hundreds of dollars this summer

OK...i'm gonna change my mind...if Rory puts a full Nike bag in play and kicks butt, I'm probably gonna at least think about putting the Nike stuff to a test...

Edited by highdraw69, 22 October 2012 - 04:32 PM.