Equipment
Spotted: Nike “MM Proto” Irons
Earlier this month, Rory McIlroy posted a picture of a Nike’s new “MM Proto” 2 iron on Instagram that, according to a Nike representative, was a collaborative effort between McIlroy, Tiger Woods and club engineers at The Oven. McIlroy went on the win The Open Championship with the club in his bag.
Today at the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, we spotted Seung Yul Noh testing out a full set of Nike “MM Proto” forged irons. Although we don’t have any information on technology or design, the in-hand photos suggest they are Nike’s new line of forged, blade-style irons.
Check out our photos of the new irons below.
Click here to see more photos and read what members are saying in the forums
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the new MM Proto iron photos in the forums.
- LIKE2
- LEGIT1
- WOW3
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
The year was 2012. Gangnam Style ruled supreme, its infectious beats and ludicrous horse-riding dance moves hypnotizing us with their stupidity. Everyone was talking about the Mayan calendar, convinced that the end of days was near. Superheroes soared on the silver screen, with the Avengers assembling in epic fashion. Katniss Everdeen survived The Hunger Games. And the memes! The memes abounded. Grumpy Cat triumphed. We kept calm and carried on.
In much the same way that automotive enthusiasts love classic cars, we at GolfWRX love taking a backward glance at some of the iconic designs of years past. Heck, we love taking iconic designs to the tee box in the present!
In that spirit, GolfWRX has been running a series inspired by arguably the greatest fighting game franchise of all time: Mortal Kombat. It’s not “choose your fighter” but rather “choose your driver.”
Check out some of the standout combatants of 2012 below.
View this post on Instagram
Nike VRS
Often harshly critiqued during its years releasing golf equipment (right, Phil Mickelson?), Nike’s tenure in the club-and-ball business gets a gloss of nostalgic varnish, with many of its iron and putter designs continuing to attract admirers. Among the company’s driver offerings, the 2012 VRS — or VR_S, if you will — drew high marks for its shaping and toned-down appearance. The multi-thickness, NexCOR face was no joke either.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway’s first foray into moveable weight technology (married with its OptiFit hosel) did not disappoint. With a carbon fiber crown, aerodynamic attention to detail, and variable and hyperbolic face technologies, this club foreshadowed the tech-loaded, “story in every surface” Callaway drivers of the present, AI-informed design age.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Cleveland Classic 310
Truly a design that came out of left field. Cleveland said, “Give me a persimmon driver, but make it titanium…in 460cc.” Our 2012 reviewer, JokerUsn wrote, “I don’t need to elaborate on all the aesthetics of this club. You’ve seen tons of pics. You’ve all probably seen a bunch in the store and held them up close and gotten drool on them. From a playing perspective, the color is not distracting. It’s dark enough to stay unobtrusive in bright sunlight…Even my playing partners, who aren’t into clubs at all…commented on it saying it looks cool.” Long live!
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Titleist 910
While there’s no disputing Titleist’s “Titleist Speed” era of drivers perform better than its 2010s offerings, sentimentality abounds, and there was something classically Titleist about these clubs, right down to the alignment aid, and the look is somewhere between 983 times and the present TS age. Representing a resurgence after a disappointing stretch of offerings (907, 909), The 910D2 was a fairly broadly appealing driver with its classic look at address and classic Titleist face shape.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
TaylorMade RocketBallz
The white crown. The name. You either loved ‘em or you hated ‘em. TaylorMade’s 2012 offering from its RocketBallz Period boasted speed-enhancing aerodynamics and an Inverted Cone Technology in the club’s titanium face. Technology aside, it’s impossible to overstate what a departure from the norm a white-headed driver was in the world of golf equipment.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Ping i20
Long a quietly assertive player in the driver space, Ping’s i20 was more broadly appealing than the G20, despite being a lower-launch, lower-spin club. Ping drivers didn’t always have looks that golfer’s considered traditional or classic, but the i20 driver bucked that trend. Combining the classic look with Ping’s engineering created a driver that better players really gravitated toward. The i20 offered players lower launch and lower spin for more penetrating ball flight while the rear 20g tungsten weights kept the head stable. Sound and feel were great also, being one of the more muted driver sounds Ping had created up to that time.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
GolfWRXers, let us know in the comments who “your fighter” is and why!
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/29/24): Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Krank Formula fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft.
From the seller: (@well01): “Krank formula fire 10.5 degree with AUtoflex SF505. $560 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
- LIKE1
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Rory McIlroy WITB
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X
Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3 Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour
Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x Buy here.
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s WITB in the forums.
View this post on Instagram
Shane Lowry WITB
- Shane Lowry what’s in the bag accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 70 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Buy here.
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X
Irons: Srixon ZX Utility (3, 20 degrees) Buy here, Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4, 5) Buy here, Srixon ZX7 Mk II (6-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X (3), KBS Tour 130 X (4-PW)
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID) Buy here, Cleveland RTX Full Face (58-8) Buy here.
Shafts: KBS Tour Wedge X Black
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Z Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV Buy here.
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
- LIKE16
- LEGIT1
- WOW1
- LOL2
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK1
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Team McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
Rory McIlroy WITB Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (45 inches) 3-wood:...
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
-
19th Hole1 week agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
-
19th Hole1 week ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Bradley
Aug 18, 2014 at 3:25 am
AB
Stan
Aug 6, 2014 at 2:14 am
Dear God….they’re beautiful….
Kevin
Aug 5, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Do these new Nike irons include the steroids?
marcel
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:15 am
emulation Mizuno Diamond shape… id stay away from Nike… Bridgstone rules them only anyway
TheJuice
Jul 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm
I haven’t felt this way about looking at a club since I first saw the Cobra Amp Cell Pros. I waited for them, purchased them and have loved them since they first came out. Damn it, I feel like that again!!!!
bradford
Aug 1, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Wasn’t that just last year?
MLH44
Jul 30, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Glad to see Nike coming out with new forged blades, but in regard to looks these pale in comparison to the VR Pro blades. Not even close and I luv my Vr Pro blades. I wish we knew what type of carbon steel they were forged out of. Other than feel the only thing that could possibly get me to part with the VR Pros is distance. With traditional blades you typically give up 10 yards in return for control. Who cares about 10 yards when the Vr Pros are darts. However, if these were 10 yards longer than the VR Pros…difficult not to consider the putting up $1,000 cause you know that’s how much these sticks will cost. Would like to see the trajectory figures as well. Get us some data WRX
Tom Duckworth
Jul 30, 2014 at 6:37 am
Nike is growing on me. These are the best looking irons I’ve seen from them yet. Looks like a lot of help in the toe. I hope they stick with the satin finish too. I would love to see what these feel like.
Robert
Jul 29, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I hate to say it, well really I don’t, but Nike is quickly becoming my favorite club manufacturer. Their recent stuff has been top notch. I know the swoosh has it’s detractors, but you can’t argue with the performance of their line-up. The 2.0 woods and irons are truly great clubs. Now if only I could play blades!
Tom
Jul 29, 2014 at 9:26 pm
The more loft , the more the toe surface area increases, interesting.
Mike
Jul 29, 2014 at 8:57 pm
It’s like a reverse mp-64, maybe a little higher flight with the weight lower? I like em!!
Matthew Bacon
Jul 29, 2014 at 6:41 pm
Wow, those look great!
Evan
Jul 29, 2014 at 11:35 am
Excellent looking modern players iron. Home run for Nike on this one, just hope they don’t go putting tacky badges all over it.
steve
Jul 29, 2014 at 10:18 am
I know it is petty, but the swoosh is annoying
W
Jul 29, 2014 at 10:42 am
Yeah, It’s in the wrong place, it should be on the heel, and smaller, and unpainted. That would have been cleaner
Chris
Jul 29, 2014 at 12:38 pm
It may be annoying, but it’s also probably a part of their marketing for these. People will see the Nike guys gaming these and if they win with them, people will want to buy them. Gotta let them know it was the iron with the giant black swoosh on the toe.
BcavWecllh
Jul 30, 2014 at 11:01 am
But you won’t see it as well on TV! Besides, you can’t see it from the playing position.
CJ
Jul 29, 2014 at 10:08 am
If I wasn’t in love with my s55’s I would give these a try but I highly doubt that they can get rid of my ping babies.
Pingback: Spotted: Nike “MM Proto” Irons | Spacetimeandi.com
Jack
Jul 29, 2014 at 6:51 am
Beautiful! Not ground breaking, but a good change in direction for Nike. Agree with other posters that it’s very ‘asian’ looking. I’ve seen many similar type asian style blades. Looks like a blade but has some CB qualities.
Nath
Jul 29, 2014 at 5:20 am
Looks like I need to hold off buying those mb’s
goatee
Jul 29, 2014 at 3:49 am
from Seung-ryol Noh? gorgeous.
W
Jul 29, 2014 at 3:25 am
Winner.
cody
Jul 29, 2014 at 12:07 am
very asian inspired.
cody
Jul 29, 2014 at 12:09 am
looks like a titleist 695 iron that went to a Japanese design class.
MHendon
Jul 28, 2014 at 11:36 pm
I like a little more square toe but over all these are some nice looking sticks.
Tony Lynam
Jul 28, 2014 at 10:01 pm
Nike is really starting to come around.
NB
Jul 28, 2014 at 8:43 pm
buttersticks
snowman
Jul 28, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Those look good; doubtful I’m good enuf to game ’em…..Perhaps a forged cavity back offering as well?
kess
Jul 28, 2014 at 8:33 pm
I’d buy those. Gorgeous.
cdvilla
Jul 28, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Nike making Miuras… I like it.
bradford
Jul 29, 2014 at 9:51 am
Lol, what goes around comes around. A company can use whatever forge they’d like, so it’s very possible Miura is making these, especially in the prototype phase. I’d love to hear you could buy Nike designs and have them crafted at Miura