Nike CCi Forged Irons Review
Posted May 11th, 2007 by Jeff Smith
Built with better players in mind, Nike's CCi Forged were fashioned for feel, workability, and a piercing trajectory.
Nike has been in the iron business for a while now and have had the chance to release a few generations of clubs. While Nike doesn't have the long history of other club manufacturers, they are producing some very good equipment, some of which is used by the best players in the world.
Stewart Cink and K.J. Choi have in their bags Nike's new CCi Forged irons. Built with minimal offset, a thin topline, a high level of workability, and the classic forged feel, these irons are a good complement to their cast counterpart.
Can their performance match the slick brushed-steel look? I have had a chance to give these clubs a whirl for the past several weeks and I'm ready to send their report card home in the mail.
Design and Technology
Nike golf has been in the equipment business for long enough to explore design and carve out a niche. The golf club market-share war is hard-fought, so when Nike entered the fray they entered into battle with entrenched companies with loyal fans. Leveraging the "Nike" name alone wasn't enough - Nike needed to deliver solid products.
The CCi irons take their name from what Nike is calling a "Composite Cavity Insert". This insert, low and stretching from heel to toe along the back side of the club, "enhances forgiveness and feel" according to Nike. Unlike a traditional blade iron, which has more mass positioned midway up the iron-head, the CCi positions more weight toward the sole. Nike engineers are counting on the lower center of gravity to aid players in getting the ball in the air quickly.
The tungsten and composite insert can be clearly seen from behind. Seen here, the 3-, 6-, and 9-irons.
These CCis are forged from 1025 Carbon Steel and are designed to provide pleasing feedback. This softer metal is meant to transfer vibrations better than a cast iron, though debates are still hot whether the actual creation process matters these days.
According to Nike, the forged CCis have a "CNC Milled Face for more predictable distances and shot patterns." Several putter makers have used CNC milled faces to ensure a more uniform surface, which in turn produces a straighter roll. Nike incorporated this technology into the production of the CCi Forged iron. While I think it is a nice touch, I couldn't tell you if a non-milled CCi Forged would be any less predictable or accurate. I can tell you that the milling marks are visible if you take a close look at each iron's face.
The CCis are available right- or left-handed and with Dynamic Gold steel shafts in regular, stiff, and extra-stiff. The stock DG steel shafts are designed for players seeking a low, penetrating ball flight. They come stock with ribbed Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.
Appearance
After having the CCi Forged irons in my bag for a while, I must say I really like the look of them. They are understated, set up wonderfully at address, have a sexy and traditional boxy toe, and minimal offset.
Truth is, these irons look better in person than they do in pictures. My initial impression (before seeing them in person) was that they were little more than Ping S59 look-alikes with a garish sole insert and over-the-top Nike branding, but the sole insert and branding blend in more in person and the look grew on me.
The CCi's glare-busting brushed finish is divine. This satin/brushed look is different enough from other irons on the market to make this a unique attribute. The brushed finish complements the extremely thin topline to provide an incredibly uncluttered, simple look at address.
If it's beauty behind the ball you're after, these will do the trick. They are thin, sexy, and clearly for good players.
Performance
My initial impression was that the CCis had a bit harsher feel than Titleist forgings I've played (the 804.OS and 690.CB), but the feel grew on me. Unlike Cody, who reviewed the Cast CCi irons, I really came to enjoy all that the CCi Forged offered. They provide a good deal of feedback - it's just different - a bit firmer and harsher - than what I was used to. In fact, I played Titleist Pro V1s during testing, so I was definitely expecting a mildly softer feel with these clubs and that ball.
The CCi's sweet spot is smaller than "players irons" with a more generous cavity - my Titleist 690.CBs seem a touch more forgiving than this offering from Nike. Perhaps that's as it should be - the CCi Forged is more muscleback than cavity-back, after all, but you will want to be a more consistent ball-striker to get that flush feeling frequently. I got the general impression that the butter feel is a groove or two further up the clubface than I'm used to.
True to form, contact off the center of the clubface results in a harsh, clanky feeling. That's simply the matter of the beast - these aren't game-improvement clubs. A game improvement club will mask misshits - the CCis will not. If you catch it way out on the toe, you'll lose distance and your hands will buzz. I enjoy a club that lets you know when you're not getting center contact, and a forged and more blade-like club tells you where your swing is. That makes it tough to get away with poor swings - something that even I appreciate as a bogey golfer. Of course, conversely, you're rewarded for sweet-spot contact with that pleasing forged feel.
I'm not a big shaper of the golf ball, but I can conjure a low cut from time to time if I'm trying to punch a shot around some trees. I did this easier with the CCis than I'm used to with my own clubs and did so much, much easier than with any game improvement clubs I've played or tested. My attempts to work the ball in any direction were, swing issues aside, reasonably impressive. The clubs are responsive and don't seem to fight to correct sidespin.
For example, one time I had driven the ball right on a dogleg par four and bent the ball around the corner to just shy of the green with a seven iron. That was fun. These clubs will give you the versatility to move the ball in any direction if you've got the swing in your arsenal.
The CCi's low center of gravity can be seen in this toe view, offering workability with a little forgiveness.
Nike promises a piercing ball flight with these CCis. They do have a very nice trajectory and produced a piercing flight that was, on average, a little lower than the Titleist 690.CBs I regularly play. Based on that, Nike's promise of a piercing flight is true.
While the CCi Forged's ball flight was a little lower than I'm used to, I didn't lose anything in the spin department. The ball stopped within three or four feet on greens with the middle irons (6, 7, 
and within one or two feet with shorter irons. I generally play on softer greens out here on the West Coast, which helps, but I would expect these clubs to perform as well as most in the spin department. Given their lower trajectory, they still stopped as quickly as my 690s. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that CCi lofts are closer to traditional than many new iron offerings. Combined with the lower center of gravity, these clubs will still get in the air, but they'll do so with a static loft measurement on the pitching wedge measuring 47° and 21° on the 3-iron. Thank you for reasonable lofts, Tom Stites!
The CCi's short irons matched the look and general feel of my wedges and were great for bumps and runs, chips, and pitches in the scoring zone. I love a more blade-like iron for creative/feely shots around the greens and for punching out from under trees, so the CCi Forged fit the bill and performed admirably.
Understated from below, the CCi's sole strikes a balance between bounce and width to play well for diggers and pickers alike.
I believe these clubs will complement a "picker" more than a "digger." If you're accustomed to taking beaver pelts out of your course's fairways, the CCi Forged may not have enough sole width to keep you from digging to China. While the CCi Forged irons do have a thinner sole than my 690.CB irons, the bounce is a degree or two greater than the 690.CBs. In other words, I didn't notice a substantial difference in performance compared to my regular irons if I hit them marginally thicker than I should have.
The CCis sliced through rough quite easily. They are not a miracle club out of the deep stuff (no club is), but they perform much better than game-improvement irons manage to do. This is a very clean and low profile iron which is a tremendous help when you're hacking out of the hay.
Specs and Pricing
Nike's CCi Forged irons have Dynamic Gold shafts by True Temper installed stock in regular, stiff, and extra-stiff. Golf Pride Tour Velvet ribbed grips come stock. Loft, lie, and offset, as mentioned before, are quite traditional:
Club Loft Bounce Offset ---- ---- ------ ------ PW 47° 9° 0.080" 9I 43° 8° 0.080" 8I 39° 7° 0.080" 7I 35° 6° 0.095" 6I 31° 5° 0.110" 5I 27° 4° 0.125" 4I 24° 3° 0.140" 3I 21° 2° 0.155" 2I 18° 1° 0.170"
You can purchase the Nike CCi Forged Irons at Edwin Watts Golf for $899.99.
Conclusion
I believe that Nike has produced a great set of clubs in the CCi Forged irons. They look great, are quite workable, produce a piercing ball flight, have crisp turf interaction, and offer a good amount of feel on both partial and full shots. These irons do what irons should do in the hands of a golfer who appreciates a player's iron.
If you are in the market for a player's set of irons, I encourage you to try the Nike CCi Forged irons. They strike a good balance between a blade and a cavity-back iron. You may, like me, find that they fit your eye both at address and in the bag.
These irons have nothing to worry about: the report card is clean and full of high marks.
Feedback
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Posted 11 May 2007 at 2:16pm #
Jeff, thanks for the review. I agree they are a very pretty looking club and they do look better in person than even in the pictures, to me look is important. I feel that it helps you with confidence if you're swinging a pretty looking iron.
I play the Nike Pro Combo Tour and love them, I'm glad to hear that the next generation Nikes are living up to expectations.
Posted 11 May 2007 at 4:05pm #
Jeff,
I have found these clubs to be very buttery, predictable and confidence inspiring. I used to play the pro combo tours and I these feel softer than the pro combos did.
In the bag, these irons are easy to fall in love with. They grew on me visually every time I take them out.
Anyone considering these, should stack them up against any club, and odds are, they will win out based on performance, look and feel.
I compared them to the Mizuno MP60's, Callaway X Forged, TM r7 tp's, and MacGregor 675's (which are incredible)...
Nike is in the bag
Seth
Posted 12 May 2007 at 9:04am #
I note you didn't compare them to the pro combo tours, which they are obviously replacing.
The pro combo irons were a major disappointment that have put people off Nike irons in Australia. Nike are very rarely seen at amatuer tournaments here.
Sounds like these are a better offering, but not sure if they'll kick Mizuno, Hogan and Titleist irons out of the bags of low markers.
Posted 13 May 2007 at 7:31pm #
Stohn Smythe,
Since i have played both, to me they are VERY different irons. Without knowing the technical fine points, they seem like they are constituted of different metal...
The pro combo tours set up well but felt too hard for my liking.
A friend who plays Hogans says the Nike unseat his Hogan Apex's. The reaction from NON nike players when they hit my clubs is "WOW, Nike finally got is completely right"....
Comparison... The new CCI's are clearly a different category of iron. They are world class in terms of feel.
Seth
Posted 15 Jun 2007 at 1:27am #
i'm trying to get my tour card and am in the pgm program now. i just picked up these cci forged irons (switched from titleist 690mb) and i have to say that they are some of the most quality built clubs i've ever seen. before i hit them i mesured their lofts and lies; i had to do a few bends to get them all into "standard" specs, but nothing more than two degrees either way. other than that they are great clubs. i urge players with a low to mid handicap to give 'em a try. but remember what walter hagen said, "3 of them and 1 of those still equals par."
Posted 28 Jun 2007 at 9:01am #
Hi There
I have been reading these reviews with interest. I have been the proud owner of a set for the last 2 months. They replaced my MP 60's. I have used the MP32's as well and can honetly say (from a historic mizuno freak) that these are far superiror. I am a decent golfer, and have lost 1.2 off my handicapp since buying these. The feel is awsome and the flight is ideal for use with the long irons.
I find many decent golfers think they have to use a Mizuno/Titleist blade, for whar reason I am not sure. They may look good, but this is not the only consideration for the mid single figure golfer. These will really help you be more consistent in the 3,4 irons. The nike blades are just the most unfirendly clubs going, and these are what I would describe as a direct replacement for the MP60 and TM Muscle backs.
Ross
Posted 20 Jul 2007 at 8:00am #
[...] very pleased with how forgiving the Adams Idea a3 Hybrid Irons were. I had just finished reviewing Nike's CCi Forged Irons when I started playing Adams' a3 Hybrid Irons and the difference between the CCis and a3s is [...]
Posted 06 Aug 2007 at 3:17pm #
Hi.
Just wanted to add my two cents to the positive comments above.
I've been a long time Mizuno and Titleist iron user and tried a demo set of these irons out of curiosity.
I won't bother with the detail as it's all laid out above but I was very impressed and think Nike have really come of age with these clubs.
Anyone in the market for a players' cavity back should give these a very serious look and that's coming from someone who is far from being a 'Nike fan'.
eggy
Posted 24 Aug 2007 at 6:21pm #
I just got these irons and I couldn't ask for anything better. They look great at setup, have workability, and a predictable distance. If you have a hdcp. between 0-10 and are looking for an easy to hit, softer feeling forged iron I recomend you to try these.
Posted 12 Sep 2007 at 1:00pm #
At the moment I am looking at the nike cci irons, I am a 7 hcp and
I really like the look and the feel of the cci irons if any one can help with there experiences with the cci irons I would be most greatfull.
Posted 21 Nov 2007 at 3:53pm #
thanks for the report, these irons are simply immense!! i love them, i ooze with confidence everytime i use them, best irons on the market for a good ball striker!
Posted 14 Dec 2007 at 1:49pm #
i purchase these irons recently and they are the best irons that i have tried. they are the best looking irons i have seen and go the best where ever struck.
Posted 06 Jan 2008 at 3:50pm #
i have just changed to a set of cci's from mizuno mp32's, and as good as the mp32's are the cci's are even better!! The feel is just as good and i am hitting them further. 10/10
Posted 16 Jan 2008 at 10:34pm #
i changed to these irons from playing ping I3's and WOW, what a difference... when i was shopping for new irons i tried mp32s, mp60s, mp57s, callaway x-forged, and taylormade r7 tours, and none of them even compared to these for me. they are deffinately not a game improvement club, but for the low handicapper they are just about the best thing going.
Posted 08 Mar 2008 at 4:05pm #
I have these irons in my bag and they have the most incredible feel and look, i would recommend these clubs over any other club. I wasn't sure at first because i had heard bad reviews about nike irons in general, but i thought i should try for my self, i fell in love with these clubs straight away.
not only do they look and feel great but they have really improved my game, don't let the blade look fool you they are a very forgiving club. A definite 10/10 from me
Posted 10 Mar 2008 at 11:28pm #
I hit the cci's today they are going in the bag , unreal . I think if you can hit a 3 iron in any set set you can hit the whole set , soft great feed back to a low handicapper . i'm amazed and i thought nike was just hold on to Tigers wins to sell club . welcome to the club. try em you'll lovem.
Posted 07 May 2008 at 12:57pm #
Love these irons and bought a set today... Can't wait to play them as they are top notch in the looks and playability departments...
Posted 18 May 2008 at 12:42am #
I hit these clubs only at the golf shop and my first impression was very good. I talked with some of the folks at the shop and they said these are for those players who are pretty advanced and not for someone with a 10-15 handicap. Wanted to get people's feedback on that. They mentioned the Titleist AP2 are a bit more forgiving. I really like more of a blade look and not these big bulky cavity back.
Posted 19 May 2008 at 10:01am #
Personally, I do not miss any more shots with these irons that I used to with the nike slingshots... plus, these irons seem to make me concentrate on good ball striking ... Just MHO..
Posted 15 Jun 2008 at 2:30pm #
Hi,
I'm a 43 year old 1 handicap player in the market for a new set of irons. Everything in my bag is Titleist so I was "hoping" i'd love the AP2 - my current irons are Titleist 735.cm.
Contenders included Ping S-59, Mizuno MP-57, Titleist AP2 and the Nike CCi Forged.
I really wanted the Titleist to be the ones however the feel, flight and control of the CCis' just blew me away. They swing light, the balance is fantastic, the narrow sole feels like a hot knife through butter.
These are the best irons I've ever hit... Can't wait for them to arrive.
Posted 23 Jun 2008 at 10:13am #
Hi Jeff.
Bought the CCI's on saturday just because they look great.
Hit 25 balls on the driving range around midnight that evening (in Iceland where the sun does not go down in June = 24 hours per day of golfing if you want to).
Teed off at 07:30 on Sunday morning on ODDUR just outside Reykjavik and played to my handicap with just these 8 beauties and a 25 year old "no brand" putter in my bag (no wedges and no driver or woods).
These irons gave me SO much confidence.
Great !!!
Posted 04 Jul 2008 at 3:40pm #
Hi Jeff.
I am a young golfer looking for a new set of irons. I never really had a Very good set of irons, (set of VERY old Mizuno's) but I really like my clubs. Thank you for the tips on some of these irons that I have been looking at it helps with my shopping
Posted 07 Jul 2008 at 1:47am #
Im a young golfer with all nike clubs except for wedges[titliest vokey's]my current irons are nike ignites and there good but now that im getting better with my 11 handicap and im looking for more real clubs . I looked at the reveiw and the cci cavity backs to see if people liked them and since there half the price of the forged i thought nice good deal. I know they look better but your review also made them sound great .on the other review the guy said he lost distance with the cci cavity backs and people were going off on him on how it didn't matter any one find any loss distance in the forged
Posted 07 Jul 2008 at 1:49am #
nice review im definitly going to rethink about getting the cci cavity backs.
Posted 18 Jul 2008 at 9:43am #
Hi,
Someone was asking about the feedback related to that these clubs are only for the very advanced players.
I started golf year ago and have played 23 rounds in total during thist tome. I have dropped my handicap to 25.6 with these irons, and I say they work ok with me as well.
-Rookie.
Posted 18 Jul 2008 at 11:10pm #
I tried these irons at golftown and first hit was sooooo soft and the result was sweet I hit a 6 iron and it went 175 and thats the carry with a swing speed of 76 not that hard of a swing for me. I tried the cci cast irons with stiff graphite shafts and it went 200 with the 6 iron so the graphite was huge in distance.
Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 9:15am #
I love the CCI Forged Iorns Soft lots of feed back. For a forged club it is forgiving what i mean by that is it is more forgiving than other forged culubs that i tried at golf town. 6 iorn 175 cary and 190-206 with roal. this is huge for me my normal 6 iorn shot is about 160 with roal other clubs (founders).
Posted 03 Sep 2008 at 7:14pm #
I'm 33 years of age from Ontario, Canada and I am not a professional player by any means, but I do shoot in the mid 80's most of the time. Having used an old pair of TNT players clubs for nearly 8 years, I decided to treat myself to a nice new set of clubs. Although I hear nothing but "Oh, forged irons are for pro's", blah blah blah, Two people on two different occasions at a store called Golf Town recommended them, as the CCI's are a little more forgiving than other forged clubs. The main reason I decided to purchases these was for the style and feel. I'm not a fan of these oversize iron heads that seem to be the new trend with players irons. I prefer something sleek and very minimal to look at. I'm not a fan of the deep cavity look at all. I find them very distracting. I don't see the back of these forged clubs whatsoever. I purchases these clubs early August of 2008 and I've enjoyed them very much. I purchases a brand new SUMO 5900 Driver, SUMO 3W and a nice new Slingshot II bag to compliment my new CCI irons. I'm going to have this set for many years to come.
Posted 04 Sep 2008 at 2:55pm #
i play with nike nds iron and i tried at my friends titleist ap 2 the other day and there great but i wanted to no if i can play aswell with the cci forged iron anyone can reccomend me anyhthing if you do email me at wing_ting_ere@hotmail.co.uk
Posted 08 Sep 2008 at 9:48pm #
wow, im 13, and i have a 12 handicap. i have the swing of a pro, but the putting of an amateur. i need a set of nice blade irons, and i was considering the cci's or the cg1's. which one do u think is better? email me at vongtwo@aol.com if you have an answer. thanks
Posted 05 Oct 2008 (6 days ago) at 8:11pm #
I am 51, a 2 handicap, and just returned from the CISA Ryder Cup tournament in Alton, Illinois. I have the forged CCI irons, and love the feel, the ease to work the ball, and the ability to score with them. I shot 72 the second day on a course that I had never seen before, at around 6500 yds. I had them bent 2 degrees stronger to have the same yardage per iron as my mizuno's. I will probably try and change the shafts to 5.5 rifles this winter, but love the heads. If scoring is where your game is at.... then this is the club! Highly recommend them.... dan
Posted 06 Oct 2008 (5 days ago) at 10:45pm #
I am 16 and started playing golf a year ago. My average score is mid to high 80's. I currently have graphite shafted game-improvement irons, and am practicing working the ball. I have been wondering whether I will be able to effectively use a set of players irons, any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks,