When Nike decided to pull the plug on golf club manufacturer in 2016 no-one expected some of the best players in the world scurrying around years later in an attempt to find replacement sets for the irons they've now worn out. But that was the reality, leaving some thinking did it come too soon? Golf was a tiny cog in the Nike machine but was there still significant business to be done? Wonder if they're regretting it now Tiger Woods is back in the winner's circle? Guess we'll never know.
Ironic too maybe that their last line of irons was the best in the eyes of many professionals and amateurs alike. The Vapor family of irons had it all. Stacks of rack appeal, with a technology story to match and most importantly, Tour use and acceptance. There were three models in the Vapor family. The standard Vapor was for the game improver - a bigger headed model with a low CG and wide sole for better turf interaction and consistency of strike.
There was also the Vapor Pro Combo. The Pro Combo story from Nike was sone of their most successful. A progressive set of better player irons with help in the long irons, with the top line and sole tapering off into the mid and short irons to deliver increased feel. If you see a set of Pro Combo irons when browsing second-hand Nike irons, be sure to snap them up.
Finally, the Vapor Pro irons were more than a concept they were a new technology story - hollow-headed long irons for maximum forgiveness and distance. A pocket cavity in the short irons for high launch and stopping power. And a straight shallow cavity in the short irons for shot-making creativity. All wrapped in a fantastic black PVD finish and professional profile.
Preceding the Vapor range, was the Victory Red family. Nike was the goddess of Victory and Red, is the colour one Tiger Woods wears on Sundays - it writes itself. The models followed the same path as the Vapor family that followed it.Speaking of Tiger Woods, he was using Nike clubs when he won the majority of his now 15 Major titles. The precision accuracy of the VR TW Blades (which we still see from time to time) setting him up for many birdies on Saturday (he called it 'Moving Day') and his Sunday charges to victory.
