Nike getting out of golf?

[GolfSpy_APH]

Just now, BringerofRain said:

My personal favorite is the Nike slingshot irons followed closely by the sumo SQ 2. 
 

I always thought they would come back and release the irons again sell out Costco style but it doesn’t look like that’s happening. 

I was wondering if anyone was going to call out the slingshot irons!

[BringerofRain]

6 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I was wondering if anyone was going to call out the slingshot irons!

I remember the slingshots coming out when I was in high school thinking they were the mad dope. 

[Dead Solid Bogey]

I was way ahead of the swoosh on this. I nixed Nike gear of any type years ago.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

23 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

I remember the slingshots coming out when I was in high school thinking they were the mad dope. 

I have a buddy who still plays the Slingshots. I don't know that he will ever intentionally move on from them lol.

[KC Golf]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

What was the best thing Nike Golf ever made?

Clothing. Before Nike, the stuff you wore at a golf course was not very trendy unless you like retro clothing from the 60s and 70s.  Nike brought red shirts, black pants, and great looking golf cleats.

[BringerofRain]

55 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

I have a buddy who still plays the Slingshots. I don't know that he will ever intentionally move on from them lol.

I also have a buddy who still plays them and I watch him with envy in my soul. 

[Byrnzee]

4 hours ago, Old Joe said:

might be a clue over weekend with Tiger’s kid sporting Greyson as does TW “little brother”’JT. 

Greyson supposedly signed an apparel deal with Charlie Woods after Larry Fitzgerald welcomed him to the Greyson team via Instagram story. Will be interested to see if Big Cat follows suit if/when Nike dissolves its golf division

[Byrnzee]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

What was the best thing Nike Golf ever made?

I just saw this on my Instagram feed this morning, but these TW irons are some of the purest I've ever seen:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0x781SMX6c/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Now that's not saying anything about their performance or whether or not I could ever make solid contact with one of these butter knives, but that's neither here nor there 

I would probably have to agree with @KC Golf that apparel is the biggest improvement they've brought to the golf game.

[FrogginBullfish]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

What was the best thing Nike Golf ever made?

At least of what I've used from an equipment perspective, the Nike RZN Black golf balls were the best balls I've ever played and still are tbh.

Clothing/apparel-wise, the Nike TW polos were generally always a favourite.

[Owengeorge13]

https://rzngolf.com/
 

I read somewhere that the link above, rzn golf now makes the same exact golf balls.  

[PeterHenric]

IMO, Nike stuff was uninspired and didn’t perform very well in Most Wanted testing. Not a fan. 
lot of pro golfers gonna need to find new sponsors though. 

[No3PuttLaLa]

Nike is looking to license out their golf products. They do the same for wrestling, football accessories, etc. Not entirely abnormal, just a reallocation of resources.

They announced earnings last week with a grim 2024 outlook and allocation of $450M towards severances for employees. They are looking to cut $2B in costs over 3 years.

Their grim outlook to the street made the entire Footwear Brand market trend down on stock prices. In my opinion, the young consumer is looking for fresh, new brands and not the main stays as they have over the last 20+ years. Hence why you’re seeing brands like HOKA and ON trend upwards. 

 

[No3PuttLaLa]

Also found this article on Footwear News incredibly interesting. From $40M his first contract to over $200M in what may be his final contract, Tiger has helped catapult Nike golf to what it is today. 

https://footwearnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/footwearnews.com/business/marketing/tiger-woods-nike-contract-1203571150/amp/

[WYBob]

I heard from an extremely reliable source w/i the golf industry 2 months ago that Nike was selling or licensing it's golf soft goods business to Dunlop Sports (Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO/etc.) starting in 2024. Allowing Tiger's contract to expire would seem to add credence to that given he was the face of the brand. Regarding several other comments in this string- Nike never made anything, it's a marketing company. It subcontracted for the production of all its products. The balls were designed by Rock Ishii and mostly made by Bridgestone for example. Ishii san was at Callaway last I heard. Golf clubs were designed by Tom Stites and the guys at the Oven in Fort Worth and farmed out to manufacturers in China (and Japan for the really good forgings). Most of those guys were former Ben Hogan employees and now several are behind Artisan Golf also in Fort Worth. Mike Forsey was the principle architect behind the TW brand of shoes and is now the co-founder of Payntr Golf. There are too many excellent options to mourn the demise of Nike Golf.   

[Imaxwell]

I find this very hard to believe. At least for a complete pull out. Jordans are more popular than ever on a golf course. 

[Owengeorge13]

45 minutes ago, Imaxwell said:

I find this very hard to believe. At least for a complete pull out. Jordans are more popular than ever on a golf course. 

Interesting!  Maybe Nike/TW brand is out and Jordan brand is in.  

Edited December 28, 2023 by Owengeorge13

[ger21]

On 12/18/2023 at 10:43 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

What was the best thing Nike Golf ever made?

VR Pro Blades. If they were still making clubs, there's still be PGA Tour players using them, 12 years after they were released.

And their VR Pro LE woods were also top tier. Patrick Reed used one in his Masters win 2 years after Nike stopped making clubs, and Scottie used his until it eventually broke.

[FrogginBullfish]

19 minutes ago, ger21 said:

VR Pro Blades. If they were still making clubs, there's still be PGA Tour players using them, 12 years after they were released.

And their VR Pro LE woods were also top tier. Patrick Reed used one in his Masters win 2 years after Nike stopped making clubs, and Scottie used his until it eventually broke.

It was really just the Nike driver that wasn't that good.

[FrogginBullfish]

Jason Day is no longer wearing Nike. Could be the first indication they're dropping out of the sport. He'd been with them since 2016.

[StrokerAce]

WOW

A lot changing in golf this year

[FrogginBullfish]

[No3PuttLaLa]

Don’t forget Charlie was wearing Greyson at PNC. Maybe TW heads to Greyson?

[stephenmatt]

I love the Nike golf bags so I hope they do not stop making them.

[stephenmatt]

On 1/8/2024 at 11:58 AM, No3PuttLaLa said:

Don’t forget Charlie was wearing Greyson at PNC. Maybe TW heads to Greyson?

Does Greyson have enough money to even make this happen?

[BringerofRain]

17 minutes ago, stephenmatt said:

Does Greyson have enough money to even make this happen?

Greyson could give Tiger his own line and a percentage of all items sold. That would be my best guess how they get it done. 

[stephenmatt]

2 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

Greyson could give Tiger his own line and a percentage of all items sold. That would be my best guess how they get it done. 

They probably would give Charlie his own line, too. This would probably be a little extra incentive for Tiger.

[BringerofRain]

1 minute ago, stephenmatt said:

They probably would give Charlie his own line, too. This would probably be a little extra incentive for Tiger.

They could shark tank deal it. Give him equity in the entire company and a royalty. 

[No3PuttLaLa]

Looks like Taylormade will partner with Tiger on his new brand

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/it-looks-like-tiger-woods-will-be-wearing-this-new-clothing-line-next-time-he-plays/amp