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

[JGalls]

I would LOVE this long neck. It's been the one putter I've been searching for and probably the only putter that could give my long neck Tour Odyssey a run..

[attachment=2492797:image.jpg]

[J13]

Nike has so many nice putters but they rarely get released to the public. It doesn't make sense.

[ws6]

[quote name='Switch' timestamp='1415653532' post='10425347']
Bag chatter wear from walking 18 holes since new. [attachment=2492321:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1415653521.611659.jpg]
[/quote]

I'm buying a set, and bead blasting them right away.

[charles79]

So from what I've been told by the customer service department at nike golf, and 2 different experts in metal plating and finishing, the metal underneath the pvd finish is raw 1025 carbon steel and will most likely rust and dent significantly once the pvd is removed. Sooooo, if the pvd is removed, then a protective coating, ie chrome or satin chrome, would have to be applied afterwards.

[wldchld22]

[attachment=2493157:image.jpg][attachment=2493159:image.jpg][attachment=2493161:image.jpg]

[Masse1369]

I was assuming it was raw underneath. It will look cool after they get used a lot. Plus it is easy to clean rust off a golf club. Just throw them in a "The Works" bath every couple of months if it gets too heavy for your liking.

[swizbeatz]

[quote name='Masse1369' timestamp='1415710571' post='10428559']
I was assuming it was raw underneath. It will look cool after they get used a lot. Plus it is easy to clean rust off a golf club. Just throw them in a "The Works" bath every couple of months if it gets too heavy for your liking.
[/quote]

Are we talking about under the black section? You think it's going to look good to have a small section on the back that's raw and rusts while none of the rest of the club does? Crazy

[Switch]

Here is an some info from The Hackers Paradise regarding a set they had that experienced similar problems:

 

 

 

 

OK, so, the bottom pic is of the final finish. I had a good talk with the Nike guys about what we saw with the review set and they immediately wanted to see the rest of the pictures, turns out this was a concern with the pre-production irons. There were about 30 sets, one of which THP got for review, essentially there was one coat of PVD on them as opposed to 6 or 7 on the production run of irons. They have taken the production run and really tested the finish extensively (bag shake test, its a dolly cut off at the top with a bag strapped on and a ton of irons, hooked to a motor and it shakes the heck out of it for HOURS to simulate YEARS of bag wear) and they stated they have no problem saying that it will hold up fine.

 

Cookie and I got the sets which were fit to us out on the course and we both kept eyeing this as we wee pulling clubs from the bag, I can already say I visibly can see the finish difference and there was NOT the wear like I saw with the early set. It will be a relief for some I know, and yet there are others who were hoping it would strip off easily. Its PVD so good luck with that, it would take some serious things to remove it.

 

I'll have more performance thoughts tonight, and I know Cookie is out playing with them right now so I'm sure he will chime in as well.

[SwooshLT]

[quote name='wldchld22' timestamp='1415694454' post='10428269']
[attachment=2493157:image.jpg][attachment=2493159:image.jpg][attachment=2493161:image.jpg]
[/quote]


That Covert 2.0 Performance looks SICK!

[ThunderBuzzworth]

I want so bad to just order a new driver today but I know I should wait until I can hit everything. The Flex is on my short list to try. I cant imagine waiting until spring but I suppose I have to...

[Splyt]

I'm having the same problem and my season is basically over. I had to muster up lots of will power not to grab one of the 913 demos when I was at GS recently.

[cliche]

Here is an some info from The Hackers Paradise regarding a set they had that experienced similar problems:

 

 

 

 

OK, so, the bottom pic is of the final finish. I had a good talk with the Nike guys about what we saw with the review set and they immediately wanted to see the rest of the pictures, turns out this was a concern with the pre-production irons. There were about 30 sets, one of which THP got for review, essentially there was one coat of PVD on them as opposed to 6 or 7 on the production run of irons. They have taken the production run and really tested the finish extensively (bag shake test, its a dolly cut off at the top with a bag strapped on and a ton of irons, hooked to a motor and it shakes the heck out of it for HOURS to simulate YEARS of bag wear) and they stated they have no problem saying that it will hold up fine.

 

Cookie and I got the sets which were fit to us out on the course and we both kept eyeing this as we wee pulling clubs from the bag, I can already say I visibly can see the finish difference and there was NOT the wear like I saw with the early set. It will be a relief for some I know, and yet there are others who were hoping it would strip off easily. Its PVD so good luck with that, it would take some serious things to remove it.

 

I'll have more performance thoughts tonight, and I know Cookie is out playing with them right now so I'm sure he will chime in as well.

sorry if this has been answered before, but is the black color strayed on metal or is the black bit plastic?

[Switch]

PVD finish on black metal. Not plastic. Sounds like the issue has been fixed and I have a pre-production set likely.

[PapaJohick]

It is not a plastic piece. It is just a PVD coating.

[swanry30]

was able to finish my thoughts after our family being down for a week with the flu

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1090685-the-oven-golfwrxs-nike-vapor-driver-experience-trip-recap-and-reviews-on-page-1/#entry10279383"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1090685-the-oven-golfwrxs-nike-vapor-driver-experience-trip-recap-and-reviews-on-page-1/#entry10279383[/url]

i also had a chance to play the new irons this weekend and will be adding a quick recap and comparison pictures to my custom split cavities...

[wldchld22]

Awesome write up. I've been fighting a cold for two weeks. Being sick this late in the season is rough

[Pure745]

I posted this in my WITB thread, but thought I would add it here too.

 

I got invited my a friend at my club to play in an annual SCGA tournament that supports youth golf in Southern California. I was very excited to be invited after finding out who was rounding out our group :) Quite a few head pros from various clubs were playing in the event which was a foursome event where each person played their own ball out, the best two scores (gross and net) were counted aggregate. We had no shot at net, but ended up winning the gross. Al Geiberger was the guest speaker for the night, and being in Paul's group was also pretty special, having two guys who had shot 59's in PGA events and hearing the respect they had for each other was really cool.

 

This was our group:

 

 

The Nike irons performed really solid on a tough track I have never played. Distances and spin were well controlled and I was -2 through 15 and finished with 2 bogeys to shoot 72. I hit the ball well enough to be in the 60's but the greens were so tough that I had to hit a lot of birdie putts really defensively. I have really been able to hit a variety of shots with these clubs, a few times were to escape trouble and navigate out of rough and still give myself a putt for birdie. The greens at the club we played were small and undulating, so controlling spin and trajectory was very important. I am very impressed with the Vapor Pro's, they are really earning a spot in my bag.

[Switch]

Pure745,

Do you think the VPC will rust where you took the black finish off?

[wldchld22]

Pure that's awesome! I think it says a lot that you played your Ryder cup thing and the Goydos event with relatively new irons.

have you noticed that even higher shots tend to hold in the wind very well? Still playing ProV1x in any of these rounds?

[Pure745]

[quote name='wldchld22' timestamp='1415742098' post='10430997']
Pure that's awesome! I think it says a lot that you played your Ryder cup thing and the Goydos event with relatively new irons.

have you noticed that even higher shots tend to hold in the wind very well? Still playing ProV1x in any of these rounds?
[/quote]

Irons perform very well in the wind. There was a pretty consistent swirling wind yesterday, the irons tend to hold their lines really well. Still playing the ProV1x, probably won't change balls for a while. The Nike ball is way too firm for me. Goydos made a couple comments of how far Nike has come, I really try not to talk about equipment too much around him, but it was cool to hear a guy like him make a comment like that.

[bruinmw]

Pretty cool experience. That's so cool that you got to play with Paul Goydos. Great to hear that the irons performed so well under tough conditions. And cool that Goydos made the comment that he did about Nike.

[wldchld22]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1415761526' post='10432535']
[quote name='wldchld22' timestamp='1415742098' post='10430997']
Pure that's awesome! I think it says a lot that you played your Ryder cup thing and the Goydos event with relatively new irons.

have you noticed that even higher shots tend to hold in the wind very well? Still playing ProV1x in any of these rounds?
[/quote]

Irons perform very well in the wind. There was a pretty consistent swirling wind yesterday, the irons tend to hold their lines really well. Still playing the ProV1x, probably won't change balls for a while. The Nike ball is way too firm for me. Goydos made a couple comments of how far Nike has come, I really try not to talk about equipment too much around him, but it was cool to hear a guy like him make a comment like that.
[/quote]

One thing that I noticed with mine is that when I try to "step on" a shorter iron instead of taking more club I get a higher launch and lose some distance. However, that extra muscle is usually rewarded in the longer irons. I was wondering if this was more the DGPro shafts or the heads. Wondering if you or any other ProC players have noticed this.

[Switch]

The wear I experienced on the black PVD application due to bag chatter was because I somehow got a pre-production set of irons that only had 1 coat of PVD versus 7 on the production sets. I have contacted customer support, and they are resolving the issue for me. This is my first Nike club purchase, and I am excited about what I am seeing from the performance and feel of these VPC irons. Hats off to Nike for their exceptional customer service on this issue. They could have easily pushed me back to Golf Galaxy to handle as a return through them, and they chose to deal with this directly. Shows to me they are serious and some of these new product offering appear to back it up. I show no brand loyalty and have a mix of clubs in my bag that earn a spot. Never though Nike would be in there.

[minteq]

[quote name='Switch' timestamp='1415808364' post='10434445']
The wear I experienced on the black PVD application due to bag chatter was because I somehow got a pre-production set of irons that only had 1 coat of PVD versus 7 on the production sets. I have contacted customer support, and they are resolving the issue for me. This is my first Nike club purchase, and I am excited about what I am seeing from the performance and feel of these VPC irons. Hats off to Nike for their exceptional customer service on this issue. They could have easily pushed me back to Golf Galaxy to handle as a return through them, and they chose to deal with this directly. Shows to me they are serious and some of these new product offering appear to back it up. I show no brand loyalty and have a mix of clubs in my bag that earn a spot. Never though Nike would be in there.
[/quote]

Glad to hear they are taking care of you, Nike CS has always been great to me.

[swanry30]

I added some brief notes from my round last weekend with the VAPOR PRO COMBO irons. It was very cold and wet - so the review is not detailed. Check it out here...

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1090685-the-oven-golfwrxs-nike-vapor-driver-experience-trip-recap-and-reviews-on-page-1/#entry10279383"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1090685-the-oven-golfwrxs-nike-vapor-driver-experience-trip-recap-and-reviews-on-page-1/#entry10279383[/url]

[golferoz]

[color=#282828]>if you like a players cavity - look first to the VAPOR PRO not PRO COMBO[/color]

[color=#282828]Thanks for the writeup(s) swanry. Can you explain this observation? Is the Pro Combo too big?[/color]

[hayzooos]

[quote name='golferoz' timestamp='1415994711' post='10447601']
[color=#282828]>if you like a players cavity - look first to the VAPOR PRO not PRO COMBO[/color]

[color=#282828]Thanks for the writeup(s) swanry. Can you explain this observation? Is the Pro Combo too big?[/color]
[/quote]

I'll second this question and add this:

[i]>the improved sound is quickly negated by the "splat" of water between ball and club face[/i]

[size=4]Not sure how you can give accurate feedback with water on the club face[/size]







[size=4]bro[/size]

[swanry30]

[quote name='golferoz' timestamp='1415994711' post='10447601']
[color=#282828]>if you like a players cavity - look first to the VAPOR PRO not PRO COMBO[/color]

[color=#282828]Thanks for the writeup(s) swanry. Can you explain this observation? Is the Pro Combo too big?[/color]
[/quote]

It's slightly too big for me, but the performance is great.. Think AP2 as opposed to CB like size and forgiveness with Nike technology.

[quote name='hayzooos' timestamp='1415995010' post='10447635']
[quote name='golferoz' timestamp='1415994711' post='10447601']
[color=#282828]>if you like a players cavity - look first to the VAPOR PRO not PRO COMBO[/color]

[color=#282828]Thanks for the writeup(s) swanry. Can you explain this observation? Is the Pro Combo too big?[/color]
[/quote]

I'll second this question and add this:

[i]>the improved sound is quickly negated by the "splat" of water between ball and club face[/i]

[size=4]Not sure how you can give accurate feedback with water on the club face[/size]







[size=4]bro[/size]
[/quote]

The sound is really improved over the previous model when you are playing in normal conditions. In Texas they sounded great. When you are playing on a wet course almost any iron will sound the same with water between the ball and face

[Pure745]

Well, I hit the 915 today and have a BBA DBD on the way.. hoping the Flex arrives soon

[cocolamb22]

[quote name='Pure745' timestamp='1416116347' post='10454433']
Well, I hit the 915 today and have a BBA DBD on the way.. hoping the Flex arrives soon
[/quote]

What were you initial thoughts Pure? D3 I assume? Interested to hear your input..