History of Nike
1985. We discovered Orwell was wrong and Big Brother wasn’t watching us. Back to the Future came out and we all wanted DeLorean time machines. Austrian rock singer Falco records “Rock Me Amadeus.” We drank New Coke. We spit New Coke out.
And Nike Golf breaks into the Tour by signing its first golf athletes: Seve Ballesteros, Peter Jacobsen, and Curtis Strange.
Sure, Nike Golf already started by building a business plan and being somewhat successful with their shoes — namely the “Linkster.”
That’s right. Remember that badboy? Lace flap and all…
Years go by, and Nike continues its golf invasion through apparel and clothing options through the ’80s and makes a big step with their Supreme Cabretta leather golf glove in 1989.
The ’90s. TV commercials. Their shoes get AIR. Gore-Tex shows up for the first time in a golf shoe, and Nike takes over the sponsorship of the Hogan Tour. They choose a clever name: The Nike Tour. 1994 rolls around, and head covers and towels start sporting the “swoosh.”
Then 1996 brings eBay, Ask Jeeves, and a promising young amateur named Tiger Woods to the scene. Nike signs him — and seeks to put him in some sweet Nike stuff. Nike does its job by inventing innovative golf shoes that really start being taken seriously by the golf market. Tiger does his job by destroying his competition at the 1997 Masters — and winning in a custom-made Nike shirt that flies off shelves immediately afterward. Nike golf balls show up in 1998, gently clicking off the adept club-hackey-sack prowess of Tiger in television ads.
A new millennium. A slew of Tiger wins. Nike shoes pass Etonic and become second only to FootJoy. The Ignite Driver shows up. Slingshot Irons arrive. Tiger continues to dominate. The Nike One Black and Nike One Gold drop into the scene, as does the Ignite 460cc Driver.
2005: Nike prays to some kind of marketing deity, and miracles happen. Tiger not only wins, but wins with ridiculous style — even producing a “miracle chip” that rolls his ball over an unbelievable distance and through a disgusting break, stopping by the cup just long enough for the camera to zoom in on the Nike Swoosh on Tiger’s ball… and dropping in.
2006: Nike leads the Tour in driver, irons, and fairway wood wins — 16 wins by 9 different players — and (yawn) becomes the #1 golf apparel brand globally. Not to lose momentum, Nike produces the first square driver and causes yet another stir.
Current day. Tiger’s still around. Nike still powers out sweet products like the SQ MachSpeed Irons and the Nike One Vapor golf ball.
Why Nike?
Pure innovation with style. Do they come up with unique concepts? Of course. Do they seek to do more than just capitalize on trends? Indeed. Nike has consistently met the needs of athletes over the years and have proved the same to be true in the sport of golf. How to hit farther, more accurately, and be more comfortable (whether it be cooler, warmer, or drier) in any condition.
And they let you look good while doing it.
Nike produced a good product — but as you can read from my brief history and as we know from what we have all witnessed, they struck Nike Platinum when they found Mr. Woods. Tiger changed the history of the game and exploded its popularity — and Nike came along for the ride.
Read all of our Nike Golf product reviews below:
I have to come clean: I've never been a big fan of the MachSpeeds. They have improved them, though. Both the square and round ones have bigger faces with more aerodynamic shapes. Nike has dialed down the extreme shape and made it a bit sleeker.
The round ...
I will say that Nike has improved this driver over last year's model. The face is larger, and the shape is sleeker. Having said that, it's like saying Toyota improved the Corolla. It's still a Corolla.
And like a Corolla, this club will get you from ...
Nike drivers (going all the back to the Ignite) have really hot faces. The ball explodes off the face better than any other manufacturer I've seen.
This 2011 VR Pro is the second generation of this driver whose claim to fame is the compression channel at the bottom. ...
Dear Santa,
Remember me? I’m the one that promised you that if I got the Sky Caddy last year, I’d quit throwing my clubs and fix all my divots and ball marks. And for the most part, I stuck to our deal. Surely you can understand me losing my temper last ...
Why do I get the feeling Michael Jordan is behind these Nike Dunks? These are not your grandfather’s golf shoes!
The days of humping around the links in stiff, heavy leather golf shoes are over. I remember having to tape up my feet because they were so badly blistered from trying ...
As the race for more distance in golf continues to rage on, Nike has entered another driver option into the market. The SQ Mach Speed Driver with its sleek black head is a take-off the original SQ design from a few years ago. The basic idea behind the SQ series ...
The name of the Nike Victory Red Forged VR Split Cavity irons is a mouthful to say, if nothing else. In all seriousness, though, these are serious golf clubs for serious players. Made from 1025 Forged Carbon Steel (read: soft), these irons are precision forged and then ...
It's hard to believe the sand wedge was invented less than 80 years ago. Look at the plethora of wedges available now (regular, gap, sand, lob) and the materials they are made in (steel, copper, bronze, and titanium). Not to mention the lofts, lies, and bounce angles, ...
The acronyms are flying with golf club designations these days, and the Nike CPR fits right into the mix. CPR = "Clubs for Prevention and Recovery." Kind of catchy, really. On the one hand, they are designed to prevent you getting into trouble, but if you do, ...
If you live in a rainy climate, having a golf rain suit is an indispensable necessity. Many rain suits are bulky, heavy, and difficult to keep in your bag for those unexpected shower emergencies. There is an alternative, though, in the value rain suit category -- what ...
Oh man. These are fast. Like faster than fast. And fast in a good way, not like a Vin Diesel movie. They really pop the ball so it flies high and lands soft. These irons allowed me to really hone in on ...
Here's a sweet ball to play -- and it fits right along with my aversion to Nike. Let me be clear, though. I never allow a brand to skew my thinking into blind acceptance. If you doubt me, read my betrayal review of the Nike ...
My dad was a really great guy. Dependable. Faithful. Solid. Trustworthy. Not given to frills or crazy expenditures. He was... frugal. Some called him just plain cheap. But he was (and still is) my dad, and I love him.
The Nike IC 20-15A ...
Ok, I cheated a little bit on this one. Sorry, but it's true. I'm not a southpaw. So the idea of me trying to swing a Nike Slingshot Hybrid is a dumb one. However, I have tried the *ahem* normal Slingshot Hybrids -- and while I ...
Before we start, I know. It's Nike. One of my brands that I tend to favor. However, after the disaster with the Nike Lady SlingShot HL, I was quite skeptical. Added to this is the strange look of this new "Uniflex Powerbow" style. It just looks funky, folks.
The ...
I have a confession to make. I feel like a Benedict Arnold writing this review. I'll tell you why. I have a few brands that I'm a total nerd for: Apple, Verizon, and... Nike. Whenever there is a Nike product, I'm a little biased -- ...
I am tired of playing my old man’s irons that he bought when Ford was still in office. When I hit a golf ball it feels like I am driving a railroad tie into the ground. Since I’ve been working on my swing, I feel like I ...
This is the putter that won Charl Schwartzel the 2011 Masters. Well, not this exact putter -- Charl still has that one -- but this same model. If you missed it, let me get you caught up. All Charl did was manage to birdie ...
I'm very familiar with the Nike Ignite models. I still carry a Nike Ignite driver in my bag, even though the club is six years old. I should know better -- six years is a lifetime when it comes to golf technology. I ...
I'm not a huge fan of these Nike Slingshot irons, although they do have some cool technology. I think the turnoff for me is the "Slingshot" printed on the back of the cavity. It looks kind of "Walmart-ish" to me.
Having said that, if you can get ...
I've jumped on the bandwagon of these adjustable drivers, and I think they are especially helpful to beginners and ladies. This Dymo 2 Driver is a great driver for the price. I can't believe that you can buy an adjustable Nike driver for this cheap. Although ...
This Nike Lady SQ Machspeed driver is one of my favorite drivers for ladies and beginners (and especially lady beginners). The Machspeed is square to raise the MOI of the club. In addition, it is aerodynamic and adjustable.
Let's start with my favorite part: the adjustability. ...
The bright colors are in now on the golf course. I’m not sure how it started, but the rule now seems to be: the louder, the better. Have you seen what John Daly has been wearing lately? I can’t roll with his style yet, but I do think guys like Ian ...
This is my new favorite golf shirt. I'm not one for sporting the logos of popular golf brands like Titleist or Callaway. (Not unless they are paying me.) I'd much rather brandish the colors of my favorite sports teams. And I'm a diehard Rockies fan!
I ...
Well Nike is consistent with these Machspeeds. From driver to 3 wood to this hybrid, they are all very square-shaped. The whole idea is to make the clubs more aerodynamic for faster swing speeds. I think this makes more sense with the big 460cc driver, but ...
This is the sweet looking Nike Victory Red Fairway Wood. I'm a big fan of the design of this club. The shape is traditional. It is the classic pear shape, which makes it look ...
You just stumbled across my secret weapon! Shhh! Don't tell my golf buddies. These guys show up to our tee time wearing some crazy, ugly cotton socks. One guy who shall remain nameless rarely even bothers to match his socks. (Unfortunately he beats me ...
"You likka da Juice, ay?? Da Juice is good, ay?" This is a reference to an old Saturday Night Live skit (not a congressional hearing with Mark McGuire).
These Nike balls are really juiced up and go a long way. This is a hard 2-piece distance ball ...
Vroom Vroom. You're looking at a Ferrari. This bad boy looks like it can really go, too! The question is: can you handle it?
Let's take a closer look. The ball really jumps off of the face of this driver. The high MOI combined with ...
The brilliant marketers at Nike are playing to your conscious with this Karma ball. In fact, the packaging of these golf balls is made with 50% recyclable material. With most of us golfers being a superstitious lot, it is brilliant. Simply BRILLIANT!
Let's take ...
He's back! Where you at, Tiger Woods fans? Here is the 2010 Victory Red Tiger Woods logo hat. Although 2010 may be a year Tiger wants to forget, I think the golf world will always remember this crazy one.
No, this hat does not come ...
Nike is certainly not going to be left out of the super game improving market. Thus, I introduce you to the Nike SQ Machspeed irons. These irons are big, forgiving, and long.
The Machspeed's claim to fame is its new face weld and thin stainless steel ...
This is the ball that Tiger Woods plays. Obviously it's Nike's premium Tour Ball. Let's take a look at the construction.
The ball is a 4-piece ball. The core is progressive to increase the velocity, control excess spin, and improve feel. There is a "Power ...
I like this Nike One Vapor for almost all golfers. It will not break your bank, and even better players will appreciate the feel and control of the ball. And HOLY COW is it long. Let’s take a look.
The Nike One Vapor is a good compromise between those rock-hard distance balls ...
This is Nike's Tour distance ball. This is the brother of the Nike Tour ball, only it goes further with less spin off of the tee. Let's take a look at the construction.
The Nike One Tour D is a 3-piece ball designed with distance in ...
Well, you found them. This is what the kid plays. By kid, of course I mean Tiger Woods. He not only plays these -- he gave his input to the Nike engineers who designed them. But can you handle them?
I assume you already ...
So you want to play Tiger Woods' irons, but you don't quite have Tiger Woods' game? These irons were made for you.
No, they are not for beginners - more for better players that want a tour-quality golf club, with a little bit more forgiveness than those hard-core blades ...
Check out this DYMO² Str8-Fit Driver... Dymo stands for "Dynamic MOI" and the STR8-FIT technology is an adjustable fitting system that gives you eight different clubface lie angles.
Let's start with the MOI. This driver has a rear "PowerBow" which gets thicker as the loft increases from 8.5 ...
Golfers consist of all shapes, sizes, abilities, and swing speeds. Whatever your ability, you should employ the best technology to get the most out of your game. That means using the correct driver, the right woods, the irons, the putter – right down to the golf ball.
You ...
2009 US Open Champion Lucas Glover has these Nike CCi irons in his bag. They're the most inexpensive irons I've seen that an actual PGA pro plays.
CCi stands for Composite Cavity Insert. The cavity back design makes the club a bit more forgiving than the typical ...
Yes, you are looking at a 2-iron! And no, this is not the History Channel. These things are just about obsolete these days (which is why you can buy one for only $30.) The 2 iron has gone the way of the type writer, the Betamax videocassette, ...
Hey kids! That's right; you are looking at Tiger Woods' Wedge. The very wedge that he hit on the 72nd hole of the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines. Of course you remember it set up his 5-foot birdie putt that forced an 18-hole playoff with Rocco ...
Check out these cool Nike golf shoes. I like the sporty look of these shoes. Let's take a look under the hood.
First of all the" Zoom" in the Nike Zoom is a lightweight extremely responsive cushioning. Nike makes the padding super thin, which brings your foot closer to ...
Here's a comfortable, inexpensive golf shoe from Nike. I really like this Nike Air Tour Golf shoe because you are getting a lot of shoe for a low price.
The shoe is very sporty looking, all black with a grey swoosh. The full-grain leather is extremely comfortable and gives ...
Tiger Woods has worn this shoe. No, not this specific shoe -- you get a brand new one -- but this particular model. It has a laser-etched logo on the heel to commemorate Tiger's tenth-year anniversary of his first major.
This shoe is a great buy because it's a ...
This is a great looking golf shoe. You can get it in all black or all white. It is from Nike's 2009 Air Max line.
The Air Max technology takes Nike's old standard Air Technology and adds extra impact cushioning. This is Nike's attempt to counteract ...
Here's a sturdy golf shoe by Nike. The look of this shoe doesn't knock my socks off, but it is a tour quality shoe that is very durable and waterproof.
I live in Portland, OR, where rain and mud are typical conditions. A lot of golf shoes advertise that ...
This is a comfortable golf shoe by Nike. Since this is an older model, the Nike Mens Air Tour TW is a great shoe for the price. Let's have a "look-see" at all the great qualities of this shoe.
As I already mentioned, the best thing about this shoe is the ...
Come on, is Tiger really different than the rest of us?
I mean really. He puts his pants on one leg at a time, right?
Of course, they are custom tailored black-Gaberdine-perfectly-hemmed-rich-guy pants. Of course, they are disposable in the fact that he probably only buys them, wears them once, then throws ...
I'm one of the unlucky ones.
I have to wear glasses. It didn't start until later in life. Some of you know how it is. Others don't.
Some of you are like me and have to decide how you are going to shade your delicate pupils from the harmful UV ...
| CURL error code = 6. (Could not resolve host: rest.ebay.com) |
