Nike Equipment

[iacas]

Justin wins in his second week with Nike gear, yet many think Nike's kind of an inferior company. How they still think that - Tiger wouldn't sign with an inferior company, regardless of price, I have to believe - is beyond me, but that's the rap.

What do y'all think? Nike's got an impressive list of touring pros in their pocket, and it seems to grow every week.

Titleist is still the #1 ball in golf. For how long? Will the Ignite begin to challenge TaylorMade for tour dominance? Will Nike buy a putter company so they have more to offer than the "Blue Oz"?

[gas_can]

Justin wins in his second week with Nike gear, yet many think Nike's kind of an inferior company. How they still think that - Tiger wouldn't sign with an inferior company, regardless of price, I have to believe - is beyond me, but that's the rap.

Anyone who honestly thinks that Nike's got inferior equipment is out of their mind. They started off getting Tom Stites from Ben Hogan who's a darn good club designer. I'd rate their forged products on par with any from Titleist and Mizuno. Their lead golf ball designer Rock Ishii pretty much killed the wound golf ball with their Tour Accuracy line. As you said, the one area they do need to improve is their putters, but it's very difficult to compete against independent houses such as Scotty Cameron, Bettinardi, and Rossa.

I don't know if they'll ever replace Titleist and TM from their positions of dominance, but I do think they'll take a big chunck out of their leads. They make a great product, and for some reason they're perennially underrated by traditionalists for some reason.

[bobkin]

Tom stites is one of the best and most respected designers in the business. I dont have any idea how nike got such a bum rap!

[iacas]

Tom stites is one of the best and most respected designers in the business. I dont have any idea how nike got such a bum rap!

Player haters?

[bobkin]

That might be the best explanation i've heard!

[TomG]

Has Stites been at Nike from the beginning? For some reason, I feel like he hasn't. If he hasn't, that is probably why they got a bum rap in the beginning.

In terms of not being popular, I think it is mainly because they're drivers have not been too successful and really, when you think about it, the best way to make headway in the industry is to have a significant tour presence, a great ball, and a great driver....and until the last year or two, they haven't really had anyone but Tiger.

They are a young company in terms of equipment, in my mind, they are doing pretty darn well for they're age.

[iacas]

The funny thing is I hear that people hate their shoes. Blisters and all kinds of stuff. Lots of people I've read won't ever buy a pair of Nike golf shoes ever again.

WTF is up with that?!

[TomG]

Actually, I agree, the shoes have ripped my heels apart.

On another club-note...I am surprised Leonard used Titleist blades. The Nike blades are pretty good, and let's be honest, how different can they really be from the Nike's, why didn't he just use them?

[iacas]

On another club-note...I am surprised Leonard used Titleist blades. The Nike blades are pretty good, and let's be honest, how different can they really be from the Nike's, why didn't he just use them?

Why didn't he just use Titleists when? I'm not sure I understand what you mean. He's a Nike staff player... so he uses Nike gear. Before that it was Hogan (and a Titleist ball).

[gas_can]

The funny thing is I hear that people

I absolutley

love Nike's shoes. I've got four pairs: Air Excel Lites which I practice in, a pair of SP-6 which I walk in all the time, and I just picked up two pairs of Dri-fit tours which I've loved so far. I've worn Nike shoes pretty much my whole life, so perhaps I was predisposed to liking them. But now, the only company that could make me switch is if New Balance came out with golf shoes as comfortable as my beloved 991's.

[iacas]

I absolutley

I spent about eight hours walking around (and hitting balls) in some

bite shoes today for a review I'm going to be doing. They were very comfortable. I'd almost wear them to bed as a test if that would prove anything.

[TomG]

Erik, your "in-the-bag" post on Leonard, you list that he used Titleist blades in his Hope win. I'm thinking, why didn't he just use Nike blades (the clubs he is actually being paid to use)? If he is going to make the leap and take his Hogan blades out of the bag, why not just go right to the Nikes, rather than fooling around with the Titleist blades? They really aren't that much different (Titleist blades and Nike blades).

[iacas]

Erik,

Uhhh, oops. I copied and pasted the format from an older "Winning Gear" post and missed changing "Titleist" to "Nike."

So, my mistake, not Justin's. Thanks for pointing it out. D'oh!

[Ben]

Justin wins in his second week with Nike gear, yet many think Nike's kind of an inferior company. How they still think that - Tiger wouldn't sign with an inferior company, regardless of price, I have to believe - is beyond me, but that's the rap.

You know, I've never had a pair of Nike shoes in my entire life. I know they are a good company, and like mentioned, have a ton of atheletes signed to endorsement deals. But something of Nike just doesn't feel right to me, and I can't really explain what it is? Perhaps its the big, corporate feel of it all? This huge, world-wide, super sports company. I probably won't ever use their clubs nor hit their balls.

The new Nike One commercial has a ton of big names though. And like posted, with Justin swtiching and winning right away, there is certainly something to be said for that. I just can't figure out how someone could switch from being a Hogan man, to Nike? That's crazy!

[iacas]

Hogan and Nike: kinda opposites in as many ways as you could think, huh?

[TomG]

Hogan and Nike certainly do seem to be different companies. I think Leonard likes the idea of being viewed as an athlete. He ran in a marathon several years ago, yada yada...

[DBake]

I have had two pairs of Nikes one pair was very good and the other was crap, blisters above my heels. I am looking at the Adidas Tour Metal for next season.

[iacas]

I have had two pairs of Nikes one pair was very good and the other was crap, blisters above my heels. I am looking at the Adidas Tour Metal for next season.

The Tour Metal kinda got lost in the shuffle what with the Tour 360 coming out. I got major blisters from the Tour Metal, but the 360 was a little better.

Adidas shoes just don't fit me terribly well, I guess.