Professional Golf 2024 & 2025

[Orikoru]

I think that there's still some duff kit knocking about, even at the pro level.
Greg Chalmers (aussie, decent player) tells an amusing (in hindsight) story about how truly terrible the Nike club deal he signed was. I think the driver was particularly terrible.
PXG drivers got a terrible knock when they first came out, I seem to remember their pros really struggling with them.
Hey ho, it'll be interesting to see how it pans out. Penge's game seems suited to the PGA tour venues, hopefully he does well.

I think Anthony Kim said something similar on a podcast with Shiels. Basically that he signed with Nike for the dollar dollar but the equipment was trash, and he lost considerable yards on the course.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I think Anthony Kim said something similar on a podcast with Shiels. Basically that he signed with Nike for the dollar dollar but the equipment was trash, and he lost considerable yards on the course.

Nike clubs were so bad that Tiger won 13 majors with them, Cink and Duval won the Open, Immelman and Schwarzl won the Masters, Glover won the US Open and Rory won the Open and USPGA with them

Anthony Kim was so bad with them he won 3 tour events.

Absolutely terrible clubs though

I’d also argue one of my favourite sets of irons I’ve ever owned for feel and looks as well. Plus the Driver I had went miles and straight.

 

[Orikoru]

Nike clubs were so bad that Tiger won 13 majors with them, Cink and Duval won the Open, Immelman and Schwarzl won the Masters, Glover won the US Open and Rory won the Open and USPGA with them

Anthony Kim was so bad with them he won 3 tour events.

Absolutely terrible clubs though

I’d also argue one of my favourite sets of irons I’ve ever owned for feel and looks as well. Plus the Driver I had went miles and straight.

I'd have to find exactly what he said to be fair - maybe it was the ball rather than the clubs. Tiger of course had a special version that was made by Bridgestone didn't he.

Ok, I've just Googled it - it was the ball he hated, plus he didn't rate the driver - he reckoned he lost 30 yards off the tee because of those two things together. He did say the irons were good though.

Anthony Kim Explains Nike Equipment Struggles In Early Pro Career | Golf Monthly https://share.google/ZLuSmgUAQiypflI1t

 

[pendodave]

Nike clubs were so bad that Tiger won 13 majors with them, Cink and Duval won the Open, Immelman and Schwarzl won the Masters, Glover won the US Open and Rory won the Open and USPGA with them

Anthony Kim was so bad with them he won 3 tour events.

Absolutely terrible clubs though

I’d also argue one of my favourite sets of irons I’ve ever owned for feel and looks as well. Plus the Driver I had went miles and straight.

Think how much they'd have won with decent sticks...

Chalmers suggested that rather than rolling back the ball to combat distance in the pro game, they should just all have to use Nike drivers
In all seriousness, clubs can obviously have characteristics which suit some players but not others. Maybe their drivers were really spinney, or not spinney at all. Some pros will have swings that work with them, others will lose distance or control of the ball (or both).
Remember those Taylor Made drivers (SLDR, loft up!), they had so little spin that they went miles if they were delivered perfectly, but just fell out of the sky if not. Yet the TM staff players had to use them for a season whether they liked them or not.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Think how much they'd have won with decent sticks...

Chalmers suggested that rather than rolling back the ball to combat distance in the pro game, they should just all have to use Nike drivers
In all seriousness, clubs can obviously have characteristics which suit some players but not others. Maybe their drivers were really spinney, or not spinney at all. Some pros will have swings that work with them, others will lose distance or control of the ball (or both).
Remember those Taylor Made drivers (SLDR, loft up!), they had so little spin that they went miles if they were delivered perfectly, but just fell out of the sky if not. Yet the TM staff players had to use them for a season whether they liked them or not.

I listened to that Podcast and did chuckle at it that a tour pro couldn’t use a driver I loved .

Really like Greg his honesty and wit come across well. The drivers were definitely hit and miss , could tell if they were low spin or not but my 10° SQ Sumo was a weapon. Had a Diamana shaft, sounded like a frying pan but my god it flew miles. My dad could never hit it though so maybe it was just one of those you either love or hate it clubs.

Their quality was terrible toward the end and the covert series was horrific.

 

[BubbaP]

While I understand the pgat seeing an opportunity & furiously back peddling on their own ‘ban sanction’ to provide a re-entry route for one of the ‘gang’ (to the point of tailor-making the criteria around his achievements & other potential targets)

It’s still a bit of a kick in the teeth to others who were banned & for me the tours credibility takes another hit

This seems pretty accurate

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

The biggest jump in tour average driving distance was the year after Nike stopped making equipment.

To be fair, Nikes better player irons and wedges were top drawer.

 

[Slab]

BBC reporting the other 3 are staying put on LIV for 2026

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@BubbaP that is very funny . My favourite, inevitably, is the GoT reference, number 5

 

[sunshine]

Think how much they'd have won with decent sticks...

Think Mickelson said something to that effect about Tiger and his nike equipment

 

[sunshine]

The nike irons used by tour players were pretty popular. Loads of players kept using them after their nike equipment deal expired. Fleetwood was one I believe. Koepka is still using his nike 3 iron, must be over 10 years old. I think they all ditched the nike drivers asap.

 

[wjemather]

Nike's irons for better players were good, but those for everyone else were extremely inconsistent - some were just impossible to use as they produced 20+ yard distance dispersion from minimal differences in strike.
Some of the fairway woods were ok but pretty much all the drivers were awful, particularly the later ones.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The nike irons used by tour players were pretty popular. Loads of players kept using them after their nike equipment deal expired. Fleetwood was one I believe. Koepka is still using his nike 3 iron, must be over 10 years old. I think they all ditched the nike drivers asap.

When they were developing the irons for Woods they i believe the first to use tungsten

My first of irons where Nike Ignites

 

[Imurg]

I remember watching a few Nike players at Wentworth...
I don't know if it was the irons or the ball but the noise was twice as loud as the other brand players....

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I remember watching a few Nike players at Wentworth...
I don't know if it was the irons or the ball but the noise was twice as loud as the other brand players....

You sure it was irons they were hitting, My Nike blades had barely any sound and they were buttery smooth.

The Drivers and woods on the other hand, I’ve set off quieter explosives. Those things should have come with ear protection.