Equipment
Nike to release limited-run MM Proto Irons
Nike’s MM Proto Irons, which have had blade-lovers drooling since being spotted at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational this week, will be released to the public on August 4th as part of a limited run, Nike Golf announced on Wednesday through Twitter. Only 40 sets, at $1,500 each, will be available.
Nike’s MM Proto forged blade irons have been tested by Seung Yul Noh and Russell Henley, and according to an Instagram post from Thorbjorn Oleson, he put them straight in the bag for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, along with engineers at The Oven and Nike’s R&D team collaborated over the past few years to develop these prototypes, according to the company. Although they were designed specifically for tour use, Nike is allowing 40 golfers to put them in their bag.
Orders for a set (3-PW), which are available in right-handed only, can be placed on Nike.com starting on August 4th (10 a.m. EDT/7 a.m. PST) and the offer will end on August 6th at 4 p.m. (PST). Each of the sets will be laser-engraved with individual numbering and The Oven logo on the hosel.
To make each set even more unique, a plethora of custom options, including personalized stampings, will be offered. By placing an order, the reservation also includes a one-on-one concierge service with a Nike club expert to ensure the club is made to the buyers’ preferences. Pictured below is the spec sheet of options.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about in-hand photos of the MM Proto Irons.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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JillianKnox
Aug 9, 2014 at 3:58 pm
They do this for money. It’s nike. They’re probably going g to do it for rory mcilroy putter the method 003. The putter doesn’t sell they may run it at 500 and say there’s limited amounts and really there’s a lot of them. But it while you can.
brian
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:16 am
It’s up… https://callme.nike.com/golf/
Jeff Trigger
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:12 am
Normally speaking, I’d be here to tell you how much Nike sucks. I have to admit, these are good looking irons. It also speaks volumes for technology, because they look pretty forgiving for blades, while the sole grind looks to allow for closed and open faces allowing for shotmaking. Would I spend $1,500 for clubs that will probably be available for 600 less in the spring, I don’t know.
brian
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:04 am
Looks like somebody slept in this morning…they’re late opening up the ordering.
Cold
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:14 am
I know, whats up! Lets get this going!
Cold
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:16 am
open!
Teekman
Aug 1, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Honestly if you get the custom options, you really are only paying a $200 premium which in my opinion is worth it, because since they are being made at The Oven you are sure to get the exact specs you wanted.
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Stuart
Aug 1, 2014 at 7:36 am
Can’t wait for nike to take Australia seriously and offer fitting but until they do mizuno it is
Neil
Jul 31, 2014 at 6:20 pm
All nike iron suck.i would not spend 1500 crap like these
Brick
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:22 pm
If you’re going to make these kind of comments, please do so with an appropriate grammatical approach to the English language so that the engineers at The Oven can make sense of it all….
Mae be yuh dezine betta ilon?!
bradford
Aug 1, 2014 at 9:40 am
I’m guessing you don’t have it to spend anyway, just a guess.
Nathan
Jul 31, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Are you kidding, 40 sets!!
How many of those are going to make it to australia??
Good on ya NIKE. Try 40,000 sets.
Disappointing . Everything else you make will be second rate compared to these irons, and that is definately not for me!!!!!!!!!!!
Now time to look elsewhere
Billy
Aug 3, 2014 at 5:09 am
These are made at the oven, Probably less than 20 people make clubs there.
Stop crying, Australia guy. These will come out in the Fall. Probably get to Australia sometime in 2017.
gogo
Jul 31, 2014 at 2:58 pm
1500 is a steal assuming I could sell them to some rich hack for double that on BST. These are too special to put into play.
cliff
Jul 31, 2014 at 3:22 pm
I don’t understand, what is so special about them?
Progolfer
Aug 1, 2014 at 8:05 pm
Haha totally agree cliff!!
Christosterone
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Its all about the process.
These are made in the tour department(oven) as well as having tour shafts with tour specs…
The tolerances on anything that is actual tour equipment are exacting.
And the build quality is exceptional.
cliff
Aug 5, 2014 at 10:26 am
I don’t buy it! You can keep them.
Andrew
Jul 31, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Something tells me that more than 90% of the people who buy these clubs probably aren’t good enough to use them.
Pazinboise
Jul 31, 2014 at 2:40 pm
That could be said about a lot of clubs…
Toddash
Jul 31, 2014 at 2:06 pm
That really sucks. I have $1,500 ready to drop on these bad boys if they offered a lefty set.
Andy B
Jul 31, 2014 at 1:54 pm
These will definitely be the next blade like release from Nike. Their current VR pro blades are now only $599 on Nike.com for 3-PW. This is just a chance to get a limited edition run of clubs actually made and designed in The Oven. They will release the exact same clubs or with minor graphics changes this fall or early winter. The only think I am interested in is seeing if Rory switches to whole set, AND IF Tiger will switch. I have a hard time thinking tiger uses anything different from his current style iron for the rest of his career, but you never know.
Chaff
Aug 3, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Yeah but it would be really cool to have a hand made set from the same guys who craft Tiger’s and Rory’s clubs.
ng
Jul 31, 2014 at 1:23 pm
golf is definitely getting cheaper.
cliff
Jul 31, 2014 at 11:46 am
Not a fan of the design. Think they are kind of ugly.
L
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:45 am
Everybody’s learning from the Japanese market, how it always only has a couple thousand units of the specials and thus the high price. Not bad for $1500 for a limited run. And only 40 of them! Great idea, Nike. I commend you on it.
bradford
Aug 1, 2014 at 9:44 am
This is just vintage Nike “Limited Edition” frenzy marketing. These exact clubs will be on sale to the public later this year for $999, just without the unique ID numbering. I don’t have a problem with it…people collect stuff–good for them. I’ll wait and try them out a few times and buy them at retail.
Teekman
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:19 am
Guess it’s time for me to get on the class fields and get selling!
Kyle
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:16 am
No thanks nike. We want the putter, not some irons you’ll release in 2 months anyways
Clemson Sucks
Jul 31, 2014 at 11:00 am
This!
steve
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:02 am
I bet this makes their retail lineup, just a way to make some hype and bring the price up
paul
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:02 am
Pretty cool looking clubs. $1500 for something that hangs on a wall is a bit much…
steve
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:04 am
If you get them for $1500 they go in ebay for $3000 right away.
brian
Jul 31, 2014 at 11:27 am
This may fetch $4k by the end of the auction. $500 per club is INSANE, but someone will pay it.
MHendon
Jul 31, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Yeah wish I had about 6 grand to blow, I’d buy four sets and make a killing on ebay.
Nigel
Jul 31, 2014 at 9:38 am
Dangerous game you’re playing here Nike…a limited run of beautiful irons. Look so nice that it may be tough to game them!! Sorry if I missed it, but any word on price?
Paul
Jul 31, 2014 at 10:28 am
It’s in the last line of the first paragraph…
Nigel
Jul 31, 2014 at 11:16 am
Well don’t I feel dumb. Thanks.
jedidiah
Jul 31, 2014 at 1:19 pm
you should feel dumb babe
bradford
Aug 1, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Get a room.
jedidiah
Aug 1, 2014 at 2:27 pm
join us bradford 😉