Why do the high-end Nike balls get so much disrespect?

[adamgoodman]

The Nike ONE Tour ball has been one of my favorite balls to play, but I have always heard such bad things about the high-end Nike balls from other people.

Don't be fooled by my obscene dedication to Nike clubs, I'll be very open-minded on this subject.

Where have you, or others found short comings in the ONE Tour, ONE Tour D, and any other high-end Nike balls?

[GaijinGolfer]

Distance.  Nikes dont get quite as much distance as do the high-end balls from other manufacturers.

[walfice]

I really like the tour d, it is a really good ball all round but the tour is probably the shortest ball I have ever hit with my driver, it just spins so much.  I have just played a few holes with the 2011 vapor speed and was impressed, it has a great feel good distance and very good control around the green.  Probably the best mid sector ball I have played, it's certainly up there with the NXT tour.

[bunkerputt]

I have no idea.  I read a study where they took shots from a robot hitting the best and worst balls out of the roughly 700 on the market and the difference was something like 10 feet.  It was put out by the guy who does the conformity acceptance testing for the USGA.  Get a ball that fits your game, is the right compression, and feels great to hit.  Mine was the Taylormade TP Red, but they don't make it anymore.

[mchepp]

I have heard the new 20XI ball is suppose to be pretty good.

[jamo]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Distance.  Nikes dont get quite as much distance as do the high-end balls from other manufacturers.

A little bit, yeah. I know this is a few years old, but this graph is pretty telling: http://www.golf.com/golf/features/flash/ballguide3.html

The One Platinum (and it's subsequent successors) didn't go far because it's spin rate was through the roof, but the One Black didn't go far because of other factors. It wasn't designed as well, I guess. What is really telling is that the PD Soft, one of Nikes distance balls, went shorter than Taylor Made's tour balls. I also find it a little weird that Taylor Made's tour balls are the longest of any- rock hard balls included.

[Jchuba03]

Personally I think that Nike Golf as a whole gets a bad rap. I think people look at Nike's massive ad campaigns and sponsored players and think that they just bought there way into the golf world (which I will admit they did), and there equipment is just garbage that is marketed like crazy. I bet alot of people wont even give nike clubs a chance, when in reality, they make some very good clubs.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by Jchuba03

Personally I think that Nike Golf as a whole gets a bad rap. I think people look at Nike's massive ad campaigns and sponsored players and think that they just bought there way into the golf world (which I will admit they did), and there equipment is just garbage that is marketed like crazy. I bet alot of people wont even give nike clubs a chance, when in reality, they make some very good clubs.

Of course Nike bought their way in with marketing and when they first came out not too many people took them seriously.  I have never thought of Nike as a golf equipment company and probably never will.  I love their golf apparel, but for some reason have never had an urge to try a Nike ball.  Part of that is brand loyalty because with everything being equal, I would opt for what I feel is a name when it comes to a premium ball (ie Titleist, Bridgestone).  I kind of have the same feeling about TM and Cally.  While I have played TM in the past and now have Cally woods, I don't think of either of them as ball manufacturers. But that's OK, because I never thought of playing Ram, Hogan, or Pinnacle balls either over Maxfli back in the day.

Part of it may be due to what I grew up with.  Equipment manufacturers that were big with my friends and club pros were Wilson, Titleist, and MacGregor.  I still think of MacGregor as a premium company even though it isn't even close to what is used to be in the late 80s (I would compare it to today's Mizuno brand).  Back then a guy with Wilson or Mac blades was no one to fool with!

But there is hope as this thread has alerted me to my prejudice.  I am thinking about going out of my comfort zone and trying a Srixon.  Maybe there will be a Nike ball in my future as well.  Naaaa, can't do the swoosh on a ball just yet.

[Jchuba03]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

Of course Nike bought their way in with marketing and when they first came out not too many people took them seriously.  I have never thought of Nike as a golf equipment company and probably never will.  I love their golf apparel, but for some reason have never had an urge to try a Nike ball.  Part of that is brand loyalty because with everything being equal, I would opt for what I feel is a name when it comes to a premium ball (ie Titleist, Bridgestone).  I kind of have the same feeling about TM and Cally.  While I have played TM in the past and now have Cally woods, I don't think of either of them as ball manufacturers. But that's OK, because I never thought of playing Ram, Hogan, or Pinnacle balls either over Maxfli back in the day.

Part of it may be due to what I grew up with.  Equipment manufacturers that were big with my friends and club pros were Wilson, Titleist, and MacGregor.  I still think of MacGregor as a premium company even though it isn't even close to what is used to be in the late 80s (I would compare it to today's Mizuno brand).  Back then a guy with Wilson or Mac blades was no one to fool with!

But there is hope as this thread has alerted me to my prejudice.  I am thinking about going out of my comfort zone and trying a Srixon.  Maybe there will be a Nike ball in my future as well.  Naaaa, can't do the swoosh on a ball just yet.

Haha It never hurts to at least try right? In all honesty I am not the biggest fan of Nike balls, I fell in love with the NXT tour. Most of Nike's balls seem hard and dont have great feel. With that said, I think that nike makes great woods, and there new lines of irons are gorgeous imo.

[max power]

The TP Black is a beast.  Longest ball I've hit, and tons of greenside spin.  I picked up some PD Softs the other day 'cause they were $12, and they performed really well.  One even produced a wind and dry fairway assisted 325 yard drive, and they checked up better than I expected from a budget ball.

Originally Posted by jamo

A little bit, yeah. I know this is a few years old, but this graph is pretty telling: http://www.golf.com/golf/features/flash/ballguide3.html

The One Platinum (and it's subsequent successors) didn't go far because it's spin rate was through the roof, but the One Black didn't go far because of other factors. It wasn't designed as well, I guess. What is really telling is that the PD Soft, one of Nikes distance balls, went shorter than Taylor Made's tour balls. I also find it a little weird that Taylor Made's tour balls are the longest of any- rock hard balls included.

[max power]

I have Wilson Staff and Macgregor blades, and probably shouldn't be fooled with.  Not because of my golf game...but I do what I can.  Nike is a solid golf company.  I had no desire to try a TM ball either until the glowing review here at TheSandTrap convinced to try out the TP Red/Black, and they're absolutely stellar.  Nike One Tours stopped on a dime even on dry Arizona greens during the height of summer, and my Nike SQ Dymo Str8-Fit is an outstanding driver.  I understand, I'm still partial to Wilson, MacGregor, and especially Titliest, but as far as I'm concerned the more golf companies the merrier.

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

Of course Nike bought their way in with marketing and when they first came out not too many people took them seriously.  I have never thought of Nike as a golf equipment company and probably never will.  I love their golf apparel, but for some reason have never had an urge to try a Nike ball.  Part of that is brand loyalty because with everything being equal, I would opt for what I feel is a name when it comes to a premium ball (ie Titleist, Bridgestone).  I kind of have the same feeling about TM and Cally.  While I have played TM in the past and now have Cally woods, I don't think of either of them as ball manufacturers. But that's OK, because I never thought of playing Ram, Hogan, or Pinnacle balls either over Maxfli back in the day.

Part of it may be due to what I grew up with.  Equipment manufacturers that were big with my friends and club pros were Wilson, Titleist, and MacGregor.  I still think of MacGregor as a premium company even though it isn't even close to what is used to be in the late 80s (I would compare it to today's Mizuno brand).  Back then a guy with Wilson or Mac blades was no one to fool with!

But there is hope as this thread has alerted me to my prejudice.  I am thinking about going out of my comfort zone and trying a Srixon.  Maybe there will be a Nike ball in my future as well.  Naaaa, can't do the swoosh on a ball just yet.

[Harmonious]

Living on a golf course, I probably have 10-12 dozen premium balls in my garage at present, all lost by others.  Because of this, I can and do play any and all brands.  I can remember taking several new (as in recently lost by someone else) balls out to compare.  They were a ProV1, and TM Penta and a Nike One Tour.  I hit all three off the tee on several different holes.  The Nike ball was consistently far shorter than the others, up to 10 yards shorter. Penta went the furthest.  I know when I strike the ball well, so it wasn't a case of mishitting the Nike ball.

To me, the Nike ball just does not compare with the other premium brands.  The official distance stats just confirmed what I had already discovered.

[ajschn06]

I know it's not a premium ball, but I think the Nike PD soft's are the best ball for the money.  I don't go through a ton of balls(1 per 18 holes is about average for me, I'll throw it out from being too beat up before I lose one) so most of the time I'll spend the extra money and get NXT tours, but I'm a big fan of the PD's.  IMO, unless your trying to make money playing golf, you have no need for a $40-50/dozen ball....

[xxsoultonesxx]

Originally Posted by ajschn06

I know it's not a premium ball, but I think the Nike PD soft's are the best ball for the money.  I don't go through a ton of balls(1 per 18 holes is about average for me, I'll throw it out from being too beat up before I lose one) so most of the time I'll spend the extra money and get NXT tours, but I'm a big fan of the PD's.  IMO, unless your trying to make money playing golf, you have no need for a $40-50/dozen ball....

This. I really liked the PD soft. None of Nike's other balls are appealing to me. I stick with Titleist NXT, NXT Tour, and Bridgestone e6. Those PD Softs are a killer deal, though.

[adamgoodman]

I don't really notice the supposed extra/less ten yards I'm getting off the tee from a Titleist ProV1 as opposed to the ONE Tour... It's not like my driver is the same exact distance every time I catch it (what I think to be) clean.

[saevel25]

Well ever since the someone gets beaten over the head by a nike 3 wood, people just get the wrong idea

I played Nike tour(d) all last year, pretty good ball, horrible if you have any sort of weak cut, the distance loss is insane. I am switching to Srixon this year.

[hero12]

I never really worried about distance balls, thats why I have no problem playing the nike one tour balls.  They spin a ton and are a lot of fun.  I will take my spin control over distance for atleast the next 40 years.

[max power]

For me the Nike One Tour was maybe 3-5 yards shorter (on a drive) than a distance ball or a TP Black/Red, but had tons of greenside spin and felt great off the putter.  For dry firm conditions it was a no-brainer.