Category: Nike Golf
legendary University of Oregon Track and Field Coach and one of his athletes, Phil Knight. The original plan was to import Japanese track shoes, but they soon began developing their own designs.
As Nike expanded into virtually every field of athletic endeavor, it was only natural that they also get into golf. And when Tiger Woods announced his presence to the world in a Nike ad in 1996, the company was on its way in the golf business.
Nike Shox Golf Shoes
Even with their classic look shoes, Nike golf shoes tend toward the athletic. And why not—the Nike empire was built on running shoes (before Jordan—remember those days?)
But with the Shox, they have abandoned all pretense of making the shoe look like traditional golf footwear. Take off the spikes and it would be at home on any basketball court or marathon in America.
What makes it look so untraditional are the five columns under the heel that provide the cusioning for the shoe. Nike says that the columns provide extraordinary responsiveness, stability and comfort. The Traction At Contact (T@C) outsole is designed to offer maximum grip with the Scorpion Stinger Spikes.
To keep your feet comfortable and dry, Nike uses its WaterShield Plus system, which includes a lining that draws moisture away from your foot, and an exterior membrane that repels wetness. The shoe comes with a two-year limited waterproof warranty 45-day limited comfort warranty.
I’ve had a lot of good luck with Nike shoes—they’re always comfortable and wear well. If you prefer a more athletic looking design, they are worth trying.
Nike Slingshot Hybrid
For this club, Nike took the successful principles of the Slingshot Irons and applied them to a hybrid.The resulting Nike Slingshot Hybrid made the Golf Digest 2006 Hot List.
Like the Slingshot Irons, the hybrid has a different—even strange—look. Golf Digest said that, from address, it looks a bit like an ashtray, and I have to agree:
Still, looks aren’t everything (at least that’s what I told all my former girlfriends). The strange slingback design moves 70% of the clubhead weight below the equator of the ball. That makes it easier to get the ball into the air from a variety of lies.
The club comes in versions designed to replace 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 irons.
Nike Sasquatch Reviews Wanted
Over the past few weeks, “Nike Sasquatch” has been one of the most searched-for golf terms out there. I’ve gotten hundreds of visits from people looking for a review.
No wonder. The Sasquatch is Tiger’s driver of choice, and it was the one used by Rory Sabbatini when he won the Nissan.
But as of yet, I’ve been unable to get my hands on one to try it out, so I can’t offer a review (are you listening Nike? You could send me one so I could do a review. I’d even send it back afterwards, if you wanted).
So I’m turning to you, gentle readers. If someone has had a chance to play with a Sasquatch, I’d appreciate hearing about it. Just click on the comments link below and leave a few words.
Nike Slingshot OSS
The weirdest looking club in golf has had an update. Lauded for its playabilty in its first incarnation, its the 2006 Golf Digest Editor’s Choice in the Super Game Improvement category.
The slingback moves the weight further back and lower, and the new cryo steel face is lighter and hotter. Twenty nine grams of weight have been moved away from the face to the perimeter and into a wider sole. The club also featues what Nike calls 3_D flow weighting, which essentially accomplishes what Callaway is doing with its Variable Face Thickness technolgy—it moves the weight around to optimize each club individually.
Nike Sasquatch Driver
The Nike Sasquatch Driver was the Editor’s Choice in Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List equipment review. It’s said to have the largest footprint (thus, Sasquatch, which is a Native American word for “Bigfoot") fo any current driver, which it achieves by having a head that’s as long front to back as it is heel to toe. This has alowed Nike to get a lower, deeper center of gravity without weights.
The wide, yet streamlined head is very distinctive, especially with its yellow soleplate.
