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SPY PICS! – Nike VR (Victory Red) Driver
Posted September 15, 2009 by GolfSpy X
Nike VR Driver (Sole)
Nike VR Driver (Heel)
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Nike VR Victory Red Str8-Fit Tour Driver NEW 8.5 Stiff US $243.50 (10 Bids) End Date: Monday Mar-22-2010 9:24:46 PDT Add to watch list |
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(56) Comments
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September 15th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I was a big nike fan, i mean BIG. but i started to branch out because the stuff they were making wasn’t appealing to the eye and wasn’t good enough to make up for it. these drivers only push me further and further away. i’d wish they would make some more traditional looking drivers, that they would learn from taylormade and titleist. i also hope their players iron this year look better but i doubt they’ll come out with a player set seeing how last year they came out with two. Bottom line, i don’t like them.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Too busy for you Chris? Any suggestions on what type of head you would like to see?
September 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
oh yea, the head is extreeemley small for some reason. i thought you guys made a mistake in the title. i don’t think people will like them.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
can you guys get any pictures of new nike irons
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:12 am
I think the driver looks great. I have never understood why people care about the back of the clubs on irons or the bottom of the club on a driver. If it looks good at address who cares. i would venture a guess that Nike has a reason for each component and I think for the first time I would at least give it a try.
October 17th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I have the Nike VR forged split cavity irons and I love them. I hit them twenty yards farther than the Callaway X-22’s and the Titleist AP1 and AP2. I also have the new DYMO tour Str8 Fit driver in 9 degree and I hit isfarther than the TM R9, Callaway FT9, and Titleist 909D. I used to play with Callaway irons and drivers and since switching to Nike, I have lowered my handicap to 1. I will definitely get my Nike Rep to order me this one.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Well I would agree with you except on the irons. The split cavities are a terrible iron. In independent testing they came out as one of the worst irons of the year along with the blades.
January 14th, 2010 at 8:51 am
I’m a Nike staff player and PGA Professional and have to disagree very heavily on these irons being terrible. I have a combo set make-up of split cavity 3, 4, 5 and blades in 6-pw and find their performance, playability and feel to be second to none. Don’t always believe what you read, try them out and I’ll guarantee you will change your mind.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Thanks for your comments PGA. Although I have tried them out and disagree with you on the blades portion of the set. We and many others have tested these irons head to head with other similar irons in the market and the blades while they feel pretty good on center hit they performed very poorly on slightly off-center hits. This is one reason most people that play them go with the split cavity with the 3,4,5 which you do not see as much with lets say a Mizuno blade.
September 15th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I think that this is far and away the best looking driver Nike has ever produced. It reminds me of the early Sasquatch Tour… back to a traditional shape, AWAY from the square… but it’s got really clean lines. Love the trenching around the sole of the club. Almost looks like they’re framing it as a cup-face, even though it’s most likely a one piece clubhead. I don’t care much for the “STR-8 fit” aspect of the club, but I think this is a runaway. Possibly the best looking club of the year from ANY manufacturer.
Love it!
September 16th, 2009 at 7:20 am
I agree Chris…I like the lines. Dont like the paint on the crown but we will see how it plays on the range. From the emails we are getting not many people liking it though.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
That big red channel on the underside is just not good looking to my eye. Very creative design, but there is no way I would game this club. The sole also reminds me a bit of the Callaway Hyper X (http://www.wallophandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/hyper_x.jpg) which I thought was a cheap and poorly made driver. Top view looks fine enough, but I like my clubs to look a bit more simple and sleek. I know some of the best players in the world play NIke, but as soon as I see that “swoosh” on the club, it just turns me off completely.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:25 am
I hear ya Parker. I always test the Swoosh sticks but none stick around in my bag. But I will definitely give this one a shot.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Very nice. Im a huge nike fan, and almost my entire bag is Nike. Im still playing the Sasquatch 4950 driver, which i love. The look at address on this one looks fantastic. Not a big fan of the straight fit because i feel it take an element of the game out of play but if they come out with a non-straight fit model this will most likely be my next driver.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I love the look of the club, but have a couple questions/issues. First, is the lack of the alignment aid on the top and the somewhat glossy finish. Second, what skill level is this club meant for? And lastly, is there any improvement on the face technology of the club versus the Sasquatch and Sumo drivers?
September 16th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Will be learning more about this driver this week. Supposed to have a test session with it Friday. We will see.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I think with all the emails and comments about not having an alignment aid might make them think twice about that. And in regards to the technology. They say the Compression channel makes the sweet spot larger on the face. I would have to see some slow-mo video to see proof of this. When watching how a driver head compresses and changes shape at impact I do not feel this would be of any assistance.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
There is just something about this driver I do not like. I can’t put a finger on it, but I just don’t like the looks of it.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Figured it out yet CJ?
September 15th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I like it a lot wish it was a little more traditional but a step forward from the dymo models. Btw it looks like they used orange paint fill on a victory RED club lol
September 17th, 2009 at 8:55 am
It a a gradient red in person.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Nike continues to push the boundaries of decency with their designs. There is so much going on with this club, it just seems too noisy. As a golf retailer, I have to love the idea of the Str8-Fit feature. As a golfer, I think its a shortcut that should not be taken. I would not expect to see this in Tiger’s bag any time soon. Look how quick he went away from the VR irons. Maybe this club is the best they have done. But shelf appeal is probably 80% of getting consumers to buy the thing. Nike should think about that more.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
:\ looks pretty small and i dont like how there is no alignment aid and i want a Non str8 fit driver please.. if they think they are getting 500 for this piece they can think again
September 16th, 2009 at 5:46 am
I was always a supporter of Nike since the Ignite 410 driver.I later went on to play the SQ Tour but the new stuff’s look is off. Having been in the business I have heard that this driver is the one Nike is betting on. It is supposed to be a very high performing driver. I will give it a try.
September 16th, 2009 at 6:31 am
i used to have a PUD with nike and would never use their drivers. this club is a perfect example why!
September 16th, 2009 at 8:00 am
It seems to me that the cosmetic appearance of a driver now counts for a huge amount. I am actually not offended by this club but I am always on my guard when a club is trying so hard to look good. No alignment mark is a problem. Have never put a Nike in the bag – like the more traditional shaped head. Be interested if there are different versions of the head.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Not many people diggin’ this driver but it is amazing how much can change if it performs.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am
I f i had to guess i would think the Channel on the sole is functional. the function: reduction of spin and also helpful in flight control. i guess we will see. cant wait to hear about your range time with this creature.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:00 am
It is actually supposed to compress to I assume allow the face to flex more which would make for a larger sweet spot in theory…but in reality I dont see the face compressing enough to also compress this channel and then rebound quickly enough not to cause some other major issues.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:09 am
as far as looks being to busy since when does the sole of the club affect playability. the crown looks like it is traditional shape which i thought was the cry when Nike came out with the SQ models. well cant please everyone. now i havent seen the Machspeed at address bu the sole is different from the sumo 2 designs. i guess we will see who jumps on it.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:32 am
have to agree, not very appealing to the eye from the bottom. Top lines look very traditional though. But it all comes down to performance. I would use a shovel if it performed.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
its supposed to be victory red, why is it orange? anyway, it looks like a cheap nike knock off. the dymo is nice, but what is this nike?
September 17th, 2009 at 9:04 am
The color looks red to me in person.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Ok, but it still looks cheaply made, yo would expect better from nike
September 16th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
My big question is Did they do anything about the sound, I can’t stand the noise they make now
September 17th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Have not hit it yet…when I do I will be sure tell you guys about the sound.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Who cares how a driver looks, I care about the performance only. I would be curious if Nike will start trying to provide better shafts with their standard drivers. I used to play a Nike Sumo 2 – 5900 and it’s performance was Good. I want great, so I have left Nike. I found a Nickent 4DX and shaft combo that is pure gold to me.
I would bet once Tiger starts playing this club, the sales will sjyrocket. I never understand this, but seems like people want to be just like Tiger and they think $300 gets them there. Oh well.
Nice pics.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Okay I give…..what does the COMPRESSION CHANNEL do? Plus the crown wiuld do better to have an alighnment aid….maybe a swoosh? I play the old Sasquatch Tour and that club is money. I have hit the newer SQ series. It’s not bad, but the look with Power Bow Technology was just butt ugly. The Dymo is anice club, but the finish on the standard Dymo is just poor compared to the STR8. The STR8 is a very good club, but the fit and finish where the shaft/adapter meets the head is poor at best. Nike to needs to ditch the COMPRESSION CHANNEL and just do a better job. They are the largest sporting goods comapny in the world.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:30 am
any news on release date and/or price? been looking for a new big dog
September 17th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Looks like a Nike driver – flashy
September 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
If a p;ayer likes “Fancy” perhaps this is a “Big Dog” for them! For My mind, I still prefer to use my proven “Vintage” drivers!! @0 pcs.,with lofts that range from 8* to 10.5*. All will work well when used properly and “feel is developed” for each club!! The persimmon units will carry to max 270yds., the metals to 285 to 290 yds. for me. Thats good enough to suit my fancy, so why get any more. My original Stan Thompson Metal #1 Ginty is one of my favorites and it can be played off the “Deck” all day long!! at your service,JWH
September 18th, 2009 at 11:57 am
only good thing is it has a st8 fit hosel…looks very ugly
September 18th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Myspy,
What’s the verdict? Did you get to hit it? Sound? Feel? Shaft? Price? Come on MAN, I am on the verge of buying R9 woods, but I want to give a near full Nike bag a chance! Please, post it soon!.
October 19th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Hey RedDog – hit them recently both the smaller and larger version…impressed with the numbers. I got a few extra yards but the shaft was not the same as my current model so not a apples to apples comparison. But I did like them…sound and feel was good. My spin rates were a little higher then mine but like I said the shaft was different. I would give it a shot RedDog.
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Nice driver. I own the original Sasquatch Driver and this could be my next driver when I have the money to afford it. But I just do not know about the Str-8-Fit though?
September 24th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I LOVE the combination of “techy” meats “traditional”…. I can see where the channel along the face lets them move weight. I also like how there is some look of a “V” going away from the face, also another point where they are shifting weight to the back to help with CG location. Now, turn this bad boy over and we get a “traditional” look from NIKE that hasn’t been seen in almost a decade….WOW, it has been that long huh?
My questions start here:
1.- How many CC’s are we looking at? I would love to see something closer to 410, 460 is getting a little out of hand
2.- What shaft/head combination are they thinking about?
3.- Will there be just one Premium Factory Installed alternative, or can we expect more? ProForce, Diamana, Voodoo….
4.- If this holds up to NIKE’s Driver standard’s… WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
September 28th, 2009 at 4:48 am
This looks like a driver for the better player due to the smaller clubhead. I was kinda expecting them to release a driver to match their iron sets…so I’m definitely looking forward to trying this out!
I’m a HUGE Nike fan and have the Dymo2 driver and 3-wood, the Dymo range look really good – both the sole and at address…I particularly like the matt crown.
…But I feel Nike let themselves down in the looks department here…especially since the VR irons look AMAZING! The club shape is actually quite appealing at address…but the sole looks horrific…they should have stuck with the classier styling of the irons!
However, as many people have already stated…and quite rightly so…the most important looks factor is how it is at address…in which case I have to give it full marks – and I can’t see why any of the “traditionalist” players would disagree…looks like a typical titliest at address to me…welcome over pros!
All said…I have been pretty impressed with the entire Nike range of late…so I can’t wait for this driver to be released…I will be the first at the pro shop to demo this!!!!!!!!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
This driver looks smaller than the current 400 to 460cc ones. I like the smaller size a lot, but the sole is busy and without an alingment aid, the top is rather plain. The black “heringbone” looking area behind the Victory Red logo near the back of the clubhead’s sole looks like the fake graphite decorations seen in Walmart clubs. I like the STR8-FIT hosel. I like the idea of putting a little swoosh on the top as an alignment aid. Do that, remove the “heringbone” section, and offer a 11.5 to 12.5 degree model for men with a R-flex shaft and this club would be more tempting to me than what the other major brands are offering.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Well they have a couple different models but yes this one is not 460cc.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Having seen this driver in person, I can tell you that it will be the best driver Nike has made yet! I also hate the gimmiky looking drivers, but this is definately not the case with this one. Even though the bottom of this club looks like it has a lot going on, which it does, at setup it looks amazing. In my opinion, Tiger will have this in his bag before the end of the year because they have a longer hosel epoxy version coming out also with a 380cc head specificly for Tiger.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:05 am
It looks acceptable from address…don’t get all crazy and say amazing. There are plenty of drivers that look much better from every angle…address as well.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Have you seen the TW version?
November 1st, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Almost as small as Nike’s pride. Lets go Nike pick it up eh.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
when will this driver be released to the public? personally, i love the new look. i will definitely add this driver to my bag along with the new method putter.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
It definitely looks smaller than the modern day drivers. we will probably see more companies start to make smaller driver clubheads due to this new groove rule for the pro’s. they will have to play softer balls which obviosly spin more than the firmer ones they use now. the spin rate is lower in smaller driver clubheads which is what the pro’s and top ametures will really need. the smaller head could also encourage people to swing more under control which will lead to more accurate shots. tiger is already using a smaller driver (380cc) i believe. if he does then definitely more will.
January 8th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Yea I like the looks of this new club. I’m going to give this a try on the range and if I like it; I’m getting one for sure. Just really appeals to my eye for some reason, I love the looks of this stick. Gotta hit first though and see what the feel and trajectory is like.