Nike Golf, 3 wins in one day! Where is the Marketing?

[IowaChop]

Woods, Ames and Wie. 4 out of 5 events if you count Cook on the champions tour last week. I am not a big fan of Nike equipment. In fact I have never used any Nike equipment. Is it me or does Nike not do that much advertising? I have seen ads for the Str8 fit driver, but that is about it. I see numerous ads for titleist, taylormade, and callaway. I just think Nike could probably do a better job of marketing their equipment. Maybe they don't need to. I not sure how many average joes actually play anything nike. I have played with 1 guy in the last 3 years that plays Nike and he was head to toe with their stuff.

[kennay92]

Woods, Ames and Wie. 4 out of 5 events if you count Cook on the champions tour last week. I am not a big fan of Nike equipment. In fact I have never used any Nike equipment. Is it me or does Nike not do that much advertising? I have seen ads for the Str8 fit driver, but that is about it. I see numerous ads for titleist, taylormade, and callaway. I just think Nike could probably do a better job of marketing their equipment. Maybe they don't need to. I not sure how many average joes actually play anything nike. I have played with 1 guy in the last 3 years that plays Nike and he was head to toe with their stuff.

down here,just about every single time i go to the course(multiple courses), ill see at lest 1-2 people with a sasquatch driver.

[uttexas]

five wins if you count Kim in the Kiwi event.

Nike's philosophy in most sports appears to be to endorse players/teams. Look how many college football and basketball teams have a swoosh on their jerseys. Do you ever see Nike ads for football shoes, no, but you see plenty for Underarmor.

[NormH3]

why advertise? The avid golfer already knows what these people use. You did and you don't even use Nike.

[WUTiger]

Nike has strong online presence. The Golf Galaxy, Golfsmith and Golf Discount sites all pop with Nike products.

The local Sports Authority also carries quite a bit of Nike clubs, mainly the Victory Red full cavity and Slingshot irons, and the Sasquatch and Sumo stuff.

In my neighborhood, both Golf Galaxy and a non-chain golf shop carry a solid assortment of Nike wedges. I've been looking at the 50º GW and 60º LW in the SV Tour series.

Golf Discount featured the Nike Golf Tiger Woods Junior 6 Piece Golf Set at center screen on its home page.

Tiger Woods is Nike's star, and a fair number of pros play Nike gear and are winning tourneys - as IowaChop noted. Nike's current iron and iron-hybrid sets were originally priced from $500 to $1,000. The price points appear to vary from midrange to upper-quarter of market. Major price cuts - in the 40% range - are appearing for Slingshot 4D, the SQ Sumo, and SQ Sumo2 Hy models.

This is a good post. Nike is not one of the three brands I watch, so maybe you all can fill me in. Would be interesting to learn how Nike structures its "marketing mix."

Also, some of the local golf courses use Nike clubs as rentals.

[deronsizemore]

Woods, Ames and Wie. 4 out of 5 events if you count Cook on the champions tour last week. I am not a big fan of Nike equipment. In fact I have never used any Nike equipment. Is it me or does Nike not do that much advertising? I have seen ads for the Str8 fit driver, but that is about it. I see numerous ads for titleist, taylormade, and callaway. I just think Nike could probably do a better job of marketing their equipment. Maybe they don't need to. I not sure how many average joes actually play anything nike. I have played with 1 guy in the last 3 years that plays Nike and he was head to toe with their stuff.

I like their golf clothes, but not a fan of their clubs.

Maybe they figure having the number one player in the world and arguably the most known person on the planet playing their equipment is all the advertising they need?

[dragonflyin]

Whatever it is that Nike does or doesn't do, it is still running the most effective marketing campaign in recent history. For it to enter the fiercely competitive golf equipment market a dozen years ago, and now becoming a fixture along with other top-tiered companies, it is commendable.

However, I think it has been rather conservative with using Tiger as a marketing tool for its equipment. Partly because Tiger seems to be a traditionalist with his club selection. The new VR (designed by him apparently) irons didn't last very long in his bag. Tiger going back to his Nike Forged Blades must have been a snag in Nike's hopes of selling the "clubs that Tiger uses". Wonder if Tiger will use the VR driver consistently when it releases.

[meenman]

When I first started playing I was head to toe Nike and then I smartened up a bit;)

I did actually play once as a walk on and the 3 guys I was paired up with all had Sumo drivers

[pingman]

I like their golf clothes, but not a fan of their clubs.

this is true, i mean, why advertise your product when tiger does it for you? i've played with numerous people who swing almost all nike clubs, idk, they don't feel right to me, but then again, i'm not a big fan of nike...however, that new method putter looks interesting. but IowaChop is right, i was lucky to come across the new putter since nike doesn't run too many ads.

[ControlJunkie]

Maybe it's just me, but on The Golf Channel, I see tons of Nike advertising, to the point that it can be annoying. And this is coming from someone who plays a lot of Nike equipment, and wears mostly Nike clothes on the course. But to the OP's point, yeah, with a week like this one, I'd find it hard to believe they dont use it to their advantage very soon. Shhh, gotta keep this conversation quiet before we give the marketing people any ideas!!

To be honest, all of the advertising from all of the OEMs drive me nuts, with two exceptions - 1) Bridgestone commercials with that Freddy Couples and that unbelievably hot brunette, and 2) The Titleist commercials with Scott Van Pelt and Di Stewart. She's gorgeous too, but the accent just tops it off.

Of course the most annoying might be that TM commercial with Faldo. I wont get started on that one...

[kleraudio]

LOL "Its like a little rocket" (english accent)

Anyways, wanna hear something crazy, Tiger doesn't play Nike clubs at all! The clubs "say" Nike on them and have the swoosh logo, but they are not Nike's, they are Mizuno blades!

I dont wanna get into it, cuz its a long explanation, but Tiger uses Mizuno blades with Nike logos on them.... Actually, Nike "made" them, but they are the same metal, forging process, everything Mizuno right to Tiger's exact specs.

And Im not being a jackass, this is true stuff.

[nike_golf]

Nike golf has come a long way in just the past few years. I had to bite the bullet on my driver though. The TM R9 is a solid driver. It replaced my Sumo. Other than that, I wouldnt give up my wood/hybrids/irons/wedges for any other different kind of club......

Plus, honestly, I like looking good and matching my stuff up on the course, and Nike suits me fine all the way around in those regards (clubs, clothing, bag). Plus, in my area, Nike is not popular on the courses, and I like to be different!

[nike_golf]

LOL "Its like a little rocket" (english accent)

Who feeds you this crap?

Tiger had a part himself in designing the Victory Red series. It's very possible Tiger's irons are custom made (by Nike), but don't say they're Mizuno irons, because thats not true.

[ControlJunkie]

LOL "Its like a little rocket" (english accent)

Ok, dude, you can't believe everything you read over at WRX. Who told you that? Was it Mr. Mizuno himself, or maybe even Miura himself called you up to give you that "inside info". Please refrain from spreading this foolishness in the future.

[microcrayfish]

Uh oh another "Tiger doesn't actually use Nike" discussion...

[kleraudio]

LOL you guys are cool...

Im just saying though

[Mr Taylormade]

nike paid titleist a few years ago to put the nike logo on provs. dont have to do that anymore.
its a bit of a turnoff for nike that tiger uses a scotty but they are tha best putters in the world :)

[sean_miller]

I must be living in an alternate universe - there are non-stop ads where Tiger Woods uses Nike and designs clubs for Nike (and a lot of Grey Goose spots). To actually see him on the course might prompt the question, "Does Tiger use Nike? I thought he used all "TW" equipment - whatever that is."

Can I go to my local Honda dealer and get a car even remotely similar to the ones they race? Who cares.