The Oven: GolfWRX's Nike Vapor Driver Experience (trip recap and reviews on page 1!)

[bjackson]

Flex fairway woods are deeper than the speed fairways woods.

[j.a.]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413604321' post='10308415']
The ball that registered 181.8 was probably about the 4th best ball I hit with the Flex. I know 2 of them had to have cracked 182, which is really high for me. The results translated to the course as did the ball flight I was seeing during the Trackman session.

[/quote]

OMG!

I better return to the Putters forum as my driver has been out of my bag for the last 10 rounds

[j4m4k1d]

Does anyone know if Nike are still using the .335 hosel for the hybrid adapters or have they gone to a .355/.370 for them this time around? Was such a shame you couldn't put a hybrid shaft in the old pro hybrids.

[Lesmond]

Does anyone know if Nike are still using the .335 hosel for the hybrid adapters or have they gone to a .355/.370 for them this time around? Was such a shame you couldn't put a hybrid shaft in the old pro hybrids.

 

Flex is: .355

 

 

Speed is .370

[liquidtension]

I was really interested in the flex hybrid but I might pass because I can use my favorite shaft because its .370 tip. Womp Womp

[J13]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413604321' post='10308415']
[quote name='J13' timestamp='1413603058' post='10308343']
[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413598331' post='10307991']
[quote name='J13' timestamp='1413596670' post='10307857']
does the flex have the graphics on the crown like the others? i dont see it but maybe its just the camera
[/quote]

It does have the same graphics. Not very noticeable at address, if at all. I think you will find the Flex model pretty intriguing.. I haven't seen a driver that has been this low/low for me in a while.

[quote name='csiachos' timestamp='1413597670' post='10307943']
I am very interested in the Flex as I'm a huge Vr Tour guy, and also the performance fairways. I am currently trying to decide between the Covert Performance tour issue and Covert 2 Performance. Tour issue better off the tee by far but much harder to elevate.
[/quote]

Go with the Flex. The Flex fairway wood was based off of Rory's "tour only" model, strong lofted VR LTD.. basically the same exact footprint + adjustability is what is now the Flex version. I'm 99% sure I quoted that right
[/quote]

Thanks i'm actually glad it has the graphics I think the crown design is tastefully done. And Im already intrigued by the Flex model especially after reading your brief rundown of the numbers you were getting. Look forward to more reviews and if I make it to the PGA show this year i will be banging on it at demo day.
[/quote]

Picking up 2 mph over my SLDR setup told me a LOT. There was a little bantering with the Nike guys the night before we hit, we'll just say that I didn't expect the SLDR to be beat The ball that registered 181.8 was probably about the 4th best ball I hit with the Flex. I know 2 of them had to have cracked 182, which is really high for me. The results translated to the course as did the ball flight I was seeing during the Trackman session.

There's a lot to cover, my writeup will probably be done on Sunday.
[/quote]

A properly setup SLDR is hard to beat but if your getting 2mph more ballspeed, it's more forgiving, and it feels better then it's hard not to be all in. 181.8 / 182 is MOVING IT brother I look forward to hearing how it fairs at your home track even moreso then what it did at Nike. My favorite way to test a driver is playing at my club and seeing where it puts me on the course. I know my landing zones and misses so that is the true test. Flightscopes/Trackmans are great for setting up the big dog but it has to perform when you stick a peg in the ground and $$$ is on the line.

[drbonesvt]

[quote name='bjackson' timestamp='1413597167' post='10307901']
[quote name='drbonesvt' timestamp='1413596766' post='10307873']
[quote name='Sakman' timestamp='1413596421' post='10307843']
[quote name='bjackson' timestamp='1413514245' post='10303151']
[quote name='drbonesvt' timestamp='1413512559' post='10303001']
Nice pictures and info by the participants

Question : the builds which where completed at the Oven, its a tour facility, the fairway equipment they built for ya'll, where the heads measured like Tour Issue stuff?
[/quote]

Rory's driver he used at the Ryder Cup was pulled from a box full of stock product. There is no such this as "Tour Issue". No pixie dust. No special testing. What you buy at retail is what professionals are using on tour.
[/quote]

Keep it up @bjackson...that kind of lip may get you banned until 2035
[/quote]

Jesus Christ , all I asked if the heads where measured, not the tour vs retail debate
[/quote]

T'was sarcasm from my friend Sakman
[/quote]

Gentlemen ; My bad My bad, I didnt want to be the genesis of the "tour vs retail" debate and be de railer of the thread. A horse that has been well beaten

[chickenpotpie]

Maybe I missed it, but what's the release date for the drivers?

[cota0429]

[quote name='chickenpotpie' timestamp='1413641005' post='10309467']Maybe I missed it, but what's the release date for the drivers?[/quote]

Feb 1st

[chickenpotpie]

That's disappointing. I'd rather get fit for a driver now at the end of our season in MI when I have my swing working, than try to figure it out at the beginning of a season, after a 3 month layoff. I hope more OEMs will follow Callaway's lead here. This release definitely has my attention, which is saying something, as id written Nike off for about 4 years now.

I guess the good news is that by June there will be some for sale in the BST, plus a ton more reviews.

[csiachos]

When can we preorder?

[blink3665]

Did everyone have 100+ SS that went? I range from 92-97 (normally the low end, unless I step on it). I know that slower SS generally means seeing less distance gains. Will any of the Vapor lineup help us high handicappers (19) / low SS to get more distance and consistency? (Before I get flamed, i'm not looking for a magic bullet. However, I will take help when I can get it.)

[cota0429]

[quote name='blink3665' timestamp='1413645282' post='10309697']Did everyone have 100+ SS that went? I range from 92-97. I know that slower SS generally means seeing less distance gains. Will any of the Vapor lineup help us high handicappers (19) to get more distance and consistency? (Before I get flamed, i'm not looking for a magic bullet. However, I will take help when I can get it.)[/quote]

We are looking for that extra 10 yards...Well maybe not Pure

[station2station]

Did anyone ask Nike "Why February?"

[DTown3011]

[quote name='liquidtension' timestamp='1413623640' post='10308893']
I was really interested in the flex hybrid but I might pass because I can use my favorite shaft because its .370 tip. Womp Womp
[/quote]

It's extremely easy to sand the tip of a .370 hybrid shaft to fit in the .355T hosel. No worries there.

[North Shore Golfer21]

[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1413650851' post='10310017']
[quote name='liquidtension' timestamp='1413623640' post='10308893']
I was really interested in the flex hybrid but I might pass because I can use my favorite shaft because its .370 tip. Womp Womp
[/quote]

It's extremely easy to sand the tip of a .370 hybrid shaft to fit in the .355T hosel. No worries there.
[/quote]

Nike also recommends for the hybrid adaptor taking any .335 wood shaft and tipping it 2". You could go 80g .335 shaft and tip 2" and you have more shaft options.

[Beastmode Broker]

 

 

 

man look how huge that heel/hosel area looks - I don't care how light it is, there is some MASS there wow

MUCH prefer the glued version

[ThunderBuzzworth]

Tai,
Did you feel as though the Flex was far more forgiving than the SLDR? do you think the major factor in the higher BallSpeed was higher SS (smaller head) or were your swing speeds the same with both the SLDR and Flex? I look forward to your full review so I won't ask any more in depth questions until I read your full coverage.
Have you hit the 915's yet?

[SwooshLT]

[quote name='ThunderBuzzworth' timestamp='1413652494' post='10310103']
Tai,
Did you feel as though the Flex was far more forgiving than the SLDR? do you think the major factor in the higher BallSpeed was higher SS (smaller head) or were your swing speeds the same with both the SLDR and Flex? I look forward to your full review so I won't ask any more in depth questions until I read your full coverage.
Have you hit the 915's yet?
[/quote]

Great questions. .....not trying to speak for Tai but pretty sure he has hit the 915 series. ..

[SwooshLT]

Listen. .....sleep is overrated! Get those summaries up would ya? I kid, I kid

[Farrow]

[quote name='North Shore Golfer21' timestamp='1413651969' post='10310081']
[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1413650851' post='10310017']
[quote name='liquidtension' timestamp='1413623640' post='10308893']
I was really interested in the flex hybrid but I might pass because I can use my favorite shaft because its .370 tip. Womp Womp
[/quote]

It's extremely easy to sand the tip of a .370 hybrid shaft to fit in the .355T hosel. No worries there.
[/quote]

Nike also recommends for the hybrid adaptor taking any .335 wood shaft and tipping it 2". You could go 80g .335 shaft and tip 2" and you have more shaft options.
[/quote]

Please tell me by "Nike recommends" that you didn't hear this from anyone at the oven or on an oven trip. That is like throwing a bandaid over your jugular being sliced. The hybrids having a .335" adapter is just pure laziness on Nike's part. They just use the same adapter for all their adjustable clubs instead of manufacturing a separate size for the hybrids.

To boot, most wood shafts only have a 3" parallel section and if you tip it 2" you're running the risk of having to sand down your shaft in the area it sees the most stress: just above the hosel.

Like I said, that is a bandaid fix and should never be used as a first or best option.

[ThunderBuzzworth]

Also guys... Did any or all of you notice a significant difference in feel, performance, forgiveness on the different settings in the flex? The reason I asked if Tai has tried the 915 yet is because I have not quite bought into the low and forward CG after a few fiascos this season with different drivers. I am happy to see that Tai went with the mid setting and not the forward setting iirc so that is a positive.

[wldchld22]

Low and forward almost always means a sacrifice in MOI because that weight being pushed up is almost always centralized. Or in he case of certain drivers, the weight can slide from one side to another.

The reason the moi is higher in covert was the cavity back. For all the laughing about the hole in the back it actually works. You get a weight forward driver with decent moi.

Something I forgot to re-ask was if Nike regrets not pushing compression channel or the weight forward thing sooner? Covert came before SLDR and compression channel was before a lot of others. Sometimes it feels like Nike doesn't believe in their own story.

[bushy007]

Didn't they say in the last Q&A that they couldn't get the cavity and the channel to work together the way they wanted? Might've taken a bit longer than expected.

Channel worked, cavity works, combination of the two is going to be awesome.

[cota0429]

[quote name='bushy007' timestamp='1413666249' post='10310841']Didn't they say in the last Q&A that they couldn't get the cavity and the channel to work together the way they wanted? Might've taken a bit longer than expected.

Channel worked, cavity works, combination of the two is going to be awesome.[/quote]

Because the speeds were too high...non conforming

[scottvw13]

So first round at my home course today with new driver, irons, and toe sweep 50 wedge hand ground.

20-30 gusting winds. 66 degrees. (NJ)

Stats:

Score: 73 (+1)
GIR:13
Fairways: 11 of 15

Considering the conditions, I was quite pleased with my ball striking today. In fact if I had putted just average, I'd have been under par. If, IF, IF. lol.

Driver impressions. Vapor Pro with Elements chrome tour spec 44"

One word.

SOLID.

In the tech sessions Nike told us that they worked very hard to stiffen the chassis of the driver. That was apparent today. No matter where on the face I hit it the ball seemed to jump off the face. Even heeled. One of the most consistent driver rounds I had all year. Especially distance.

But it wasn't the driver I was most excited about.

The irons.

Vapor PC 4-PW. Recoil Shafts.

I have played the VRS Forged for nearly 3 years now. I loved how forgiving they are, as well as long with consistent and predictable yardages.

The VPC are ALL of those things. Except now I can work and flight the ball like I never have before.

20+ winds today. I hit 4 knockdown shots and the farthest I was from the hole was 15 feet. Two birdies.

This was a clear weakness of my game before today.

I won't go any deeper so that I can save it for my review. But suffice to say I am VERY HAPPY!

[Pure745]

Nice round Scott! How was that wedge?

[scottvw13]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413670358' post='10311149']
Nice round Scott! How was that wedge?
[/quote]

Thanks my friend.

I wasn't going to get into that yet, but what I learned today was the GRIND is all that truly matters in a wedge. It needs to match your game.

Because my Taylor worked his magic for me.

Course was soft today and the extra bounce was really a benefit.

[GC70]

[quote name='scottvw13' timestamp='1413670521' post='10311165']
[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413670358' post='10311149']
Nice round Scott! How was that wedge?
[/quote]

Thanks my friend.

I wasn't going to get into that yet, but what I learned today was the GRIND is all that truly matters in a wedge. It needs to match your game.

Because my Taylor worked his magic for me.

Course was soft today and the extra bounce was really a benefit.
[/quote]
Nice round Scott, now let's see the full review and pictures!
PLEASE!

[GC70]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1413670358' post='10311149']
Nice round Scott! How was that wedge?
[/quote]
How was your round today? Review?