Written By: Tony Covey
A Full Set
You probably saw the Nike MM Proto 2-iron that Rory McIlroy used to win The Open Championship.
At the time, most of us assumed the MM Proto was a one-off driving iron not too dissimilar from TaylorMade’s Ultimate Driving Iron. It turns out Rory’s 2-iron was really just the beginning.
Nike staffer Thorbjorn Olesen posted a pic to Instagram yesterday which basically let anybody who was paying attention know that the Champion Golfer of the Year’s 2-iron would soon be joined by a 3, 4, 5…you get the idea. The MMProto is a full set of irons.
Gone in 60 Seconds
The MMProto irons go on sale August 4th, and here’s my prediction, they’re going to sell out…and fast. If you want them, you better show up early because there’s not a doubt in my mind that demand will exceed supply.
That’s right…Nike…blades…sold out. FAST!
I’m calling it right now.
Only 40 Sets
Yeah, I probably should have led with the fact that only 40 sets of the MMProto irons will be available to the public.
You want exactly what the pros play? Here ya go.
Each of the 40 sets will be laser engraved with Nike’s the Oven logo, and will be individually numbered.
Buyers will be able to work one-on-one with a Nike Golf expert to get your specs dialed in, get you sorted out with the shaft and grip of your choice, and if you so choose, some custom stamping and paintfill as well.
Your clubs will be meticulously inspected before they ship to you.
What’s the Catch?
As with all things golf industry-related, there’s sure to be some frustration. The 40 sets are all right-handed. They’re available to US residents only, and there’s a limit of one set per person.
Also, they’re $1500.
Unspecified other restrictions may apply, and Nike reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time.
More to Come?
Even I’d hate to venture a guess as to whether or not Nike would release a non-Ovenized version of the MM (no longer proto) to the masses. I hear a fair amount of grumbling from guys about Nike not offering a full set of true blades, but realistically, blades are nobody’s top seller.
It’s very possible that enough for the tour guys, plus 40 sets for the rest of us is the right number, but you never know.
If nothing else, this is a clever and cool way to all but guarantee you can get people to pay a little attention to your brand, while moving product with relative ease. It’s not unrealistic to think that this small batch, super-limited, custom release thing will eventually be a part of every golf equipment manufacturers arsenal.
Save the Date
In case you missed it the first time. Irons go on sale August 4th at 10AM Eastern Time at Nike.com only, and it’s suggested that you follow @nikgolf on Twitter for additional launch details.
jeff
10 years ago
Ron, AWOL, there’s nothing wrong with starting a sentence with and. It’s discouraged in Elementary school writing class because it’s a bad habit to start every sentence wih and. That’s only because when you start every sentence with and your writing will read like a toddler talking. The talented or educated writer can start a sentence with whatever he likes. And you better believe it. It’s called artistic license. Or simply choice. Just as releasing only 40 sets of irons is a brilliant business decision because we’re still talking about it. Ron- Nike does sometimes grip their clubs with bad grips, but that doesn’t mean Nike Golf as a whole is a Greedy dumb rich idiot company, it’s a remarkably successful business model. Look at the rise of Nike Golf sine 1996. You really think they’re dumb?