GolfWRX First Looks of the Nike Sumo Squared!

[mr_divots]

Tiger's been making upwards of $80 Million every year for the last 10 years. He doesn't "need" the money exactly...

[The Boom Bapp]

Aaaaaagghh the eyes,,,,protect the eyes!!!! ;) :yess:

 

Did Nike run out of ideas in head design. Never would I play this club just by the way it looks but if it perorms, who knows. :diablo:

 

If I recall correctly, I have seen this thing before in my garage, it's called a SHOVEL!!! :)

[vincenti]

Looks like Fred Flintstone Driver to me.

 

He he heh ... ;-)

[hacker17]

I can't wait for one! :diablo: :yess:

[nikeguy]

That looks A LOT like the Slingshot hybrids.

 

This club HAS to work. You cannot release a club like this if it does not perform.

 

 

this looks like the SQ2 not the very square one everyone is talking about. Cool to see a pic though.

 

 

I doubt very seriously that Nike will ever put out something as bad as the C4. I think it's a little early to make a prediction like that considering basically no one has tried it.

 

 

There are plenty of robot tests out there, and many of them do hook and slice sings and heel and toe hits. But most are only a swing speed of 90 mph. I still haven´t found a robot test tha nike didn´t do quite good in.

 

I wonder if they still use the face wraparound in the sumo, so there are no weld lines on the face. Wouldn´t surprise me if they don´t... nike talk a lot of crap, I have an interview with Tom Stites saying that carbon crowns aren´t worth it, minimal amount of gain because of the extra weight that goes into the glueing etc. He also claimed that using shape to alter CG was better than using weights, and I can´t see how that is. The reason the SQ has such a small face is because they filled up the cc quota with the deep profile... weights could have been better. And also with this square design.. it looks radical because of the shape, but it´s just the same thing that Cobra are doing with the splitted weights in the back. I think Nike make a solid product, but they´re talk is even better then their walk. Having a wickedly shaped head with stuff like "powerbow" and "max bla bla" is much more catchy than a smaller head with weight pads inside.

 

I´m sure this driver will have a very high MOI, but I hope they also have a large face... so the high COR area is large to. Making a huge "sweetspot" required both a high MOI and a large high COR area, and also a large area of ideal spin(especially for fast swingers), the square shape takes care of MOI, and the carbon crown and shape gives a low CG for good launch... they just need a large face....

 

how large is the face of this thing... up there with a cobra??? Does it say Beta Titanium face.. or nexti??

 

I think it´s the ugliest driver I´ve seen(the color scheme gets me more than the shape), but I don´t care. What goes long and straight will go in my back.

 

 

OH MAN AM I IMPRESSED.....That has got to be the coolest looking driver ever.....You can tell theres some engineering involved in that thing and as an engineer I gotta appreciate that!

 

I have been wanting to pick up a normal SQ to shaft up with a 757 to compete against my SQ tour/diamana but now I will wait for this. It is way more pleasing to the eye then the normal SQ.

 

Cant wait to hit it at the PGA show in jan.!!!

 

GO NIKE.....

 

 

It may be ugly, but its got the power of geometry...squared, whatever that means.

 

The stupidity of that slogan makes me not want to try it. I wish I could use geometry to make my car go, I'm sick of paying for gasoline.

This Driver is as Ugly as any driver ever made...Looks do not indicate performance(Hi-Bore). This driver is very long and straight and performs much better than the SQ or SQ Sumo. The Idea is that MOI is increased by moving the Weight to the Corners of the Driver. MOI is the Trend in Golf and this Driver has a ridiculously high MOI. MOI=Stability=Forgiveness=Longer and Straighter Shots.

The SQ Sumo has a Lower and Deeper CG because the Power Bow is lower than the original SQ. This driver is more traditional looking.

I think poeple will be surprised at the performance of these products, The Fort Worth Guys know what they are doing and this product will be a huge surprise to people who doubt the performance and playability of this product. Golf Digest in the November Issue talks about MOI and the USGA proposed Limit. They specifically say...Composite and Moveable weights do not affect ball flight and trajectory like changing the Geometry of the club itself. That is why we have the Hi-Bore and the G5 Hybrid becuase by changing the shape of the club you can positively effect ball flight and performance. These are 2 great companies and they have decided that Geometry is the way to go not moveable weights. Cobra is also going to the MOI story on products due to the performance benefits of increased MOI from Drivers to Putters.

[martineli69]

My Nike rep just came over and I got to see the Sumo2 in person... Let me tell you, ITS SHOCKING :diablo: ... The experience of seeing in it in pics is completly different than seeing it in realy life and swinging it... It feels like it creates a lot of drag... Unfortunatedly I wasn't able to hit it, they are not available for demo yet...

 

It is very big and to describe the shape as unconventional is a strech, but let me tell you, after holding the club in my hands for about 10 minutes, I got over the first impression shock and actually got used to it... Kinda like going from blades to cavity back (but on a bigger scale)...

 

The shaft is a diamana top half gray/silver and bottom half bright yellow... Probably for tv and pics advertisement... you WILL know when someone is hitting one of these puppies...

 

The rep said that Justin Leonard already has one of those in his house and the "test drive" went really well down in their research facility in Texas...

 

The face is bent and it does not have any weld points...

 

I guess we shall wait and see... 2/1/07 is the release date, but I'm sure we will have some reviews here well before that :yess:

 

Cheers and keep GOLFWRX like it is... #1 BABY!!!

[stage1350]

Based on the tee marks on the sole, I'm calling nasty slice.

 

 

 

I'll reserve judgement until I hit it. I didn't think I'd ever play FT-3, but it's in the bag (for now!) so there's always a possibility.

 

I would think that the extreme footprint would lead to a shallower face. With thinner walls and composites, the OEMs need to come up with a super high MOI driver that actually has a "traditional" profile.

 

I'm sorry to say, the last Nike driver that I thought looked good was the original forged Blue drivers.

[nikeguy]

Based on the tee marks on the sole, I'm calling nasty slice.

 

 

 

I'll reserve judgement until I hit it. I didn't think I'd ever play FT-3, but it's in the bag (for now!) so there's always a possibility.

 

I would think that the extreme footprint would lead to a shallower face. With thinner walls and composites, the OEMs need to come up with a super high MOI driver that actually has a "traditional" profile.

 

I'm sorry to say, the last Nike driver that I thought looked good was the original forged Blue drivers.

I took part in a Event(Member Guest) and the 2 drivers were available for People to Hit. Our Group got to hit the drivers during our round. The Product performed better than the Original SQ and was recieved by many funny comments like..."It looks like a platapus" but the same guy tried to buy the Driver after hitting the club. This is definitley something that will take getting used to but by all accounts but the Driver is a Rocket and corrects bad swings with the stability of the head. One guy in my group really swings at the club very hard...(around 125mph) and he was able to control the head and kill the ball.

My personal opinion of the Driver is that it is UGLY but it is amazing to hit and extrmely hot off the face.

[hacker17]

I have a feeling that the headcover is going to be very difficult to get on this thing.

[TuffKukae]

I have a feeling that the headcover is going to be very difficult to get on this thing.

 

nah easy...

[hacker17]

So, do balls go farther if you keep the clubhead warmer with those heated headcovers?

[sandy]

Doesn't look as "different" as the Ping TISI did when it was introduced. And as we all know that went on to be a very popular driver. With Hi Bore and SQ already it isn't that revolutionary a shape. Don't think it looks half bad. On the other hand the CCI irons retain Nike's devotion to "tarting" up an iron (follow exactly in the tradtion of the first pro combos). Splits and today's blade would have been great. Next thing we will see is an ugly bulging hollow iron----opps that already been done.

[TheReptilia]

Hmmm, WTF Are these "Cheating" Clubs as i'd like to call them clubs are getting too easy to hit and is not making the customer make any changes in hes own swing, I understand yes everybody deals with unperfect shots yes but you can't settle if you have a bad swing and have your clubs deal with it, Because its you that swings the golf club and not the other way around

[expunge]

I FEAR CHANGE..WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO CHANGE..WHY CAN'T IT ALL STAY THE SAME....OH GOD..NEW THINGS...

 

You'll buy 9000 dollars worth of irons, wedges and drivers but you call this ugly. I bet 90% of you are closet lovers of this thing. "YOU HATE IT? I HATE IT...why? Because you do". Ahhh. I see.

 

I like it, I like nike stuff. I'll hit it and if it helps my game, why not pick one up.

[rok78]

At the very least this will be a great "test" for the industry, to see if the market is ready for such a radical design. I wouldn't be surprised to see other companies hold off on their MOI designs until after this releases to see if there's any room for such an odd looking driver in a crowded market place. But with the limits the USGA is placing on the driver, radical moves in design/materials were the next place to go with technology.

[tpariff]

Can you imagine the fear and trepidation of the guy who designed this club and presented it to the Nike brass as a new product? That guy had huge stones to actually create a square driver.

 

That said, I don't like the looks. And since I play with my eyes open, I'll pass on it and keep to the more traditional Titleist and TaylorMade offerings.

 

I see this Nike Sumo going the way of the Cleveland HiBore. From what I see on the golf course and TV, the HiBore is doing very poorly. Vijay stopped using it, and I don't know anyone who plays one. They've already come down $100 in price at TGW.com, so it's obvious sales are slow. Technology can only go so far because of COR limits and proposed MOI limits.

[nikeguy]

At the very least this will be a great "test" for the industry, to see if the market is ready for such a radical design. I wouldn't be surprised to see other companies hold off on their MOI designs until after this releases to see if there's any room for such an odd looking driver in a crowded market place. But with the limits the USGA is placing on the driver, radical moves in design/materials were the next place to go with technology.

Great Point about the USGA and the Limits on Volume(460cc) and COR(.830) which only make companies explore other options to Lower CG to get these drivers to perform. That is where composite and moveable wieghts came into play(obviously) and by using lighter materials weight is positioned farther back to achieve the higher ball flight. MOI is the direction OEM's are going to achieve the "Holy Grail" in driver performance to make larger driver heads more stable while remaining light. Changing the Geometry of the Club you can redistribute the center of gravity lower in the club. This allows for a higher MOI due to the positioning of the CG lower and deeper in the club head. Increasing the MOI in the Driver makes the driver have a playability greater than the 460cc Limit. Nike currently has the 3 highest MOI Drivers in golf. Companies will not hold off on MOI designs if they have something that works. Performance will dictate the direction of future drivers not the Looks of them. Titleist has always said "They make clubs for better players only" and "Better players will not play a 460 driver but if they do we will not make one because were a traditional golf company". Titleist is the Epitome of Golf Tradition and they had to make a 460 driver for their TOUR PLAYERS. The 905 is a good driver. Like all of the radical driver Technology before they proved to be superior so people changed. Cleveland which is a great company and has a history of Excellent drivers in the recent past went with a Geometry story because that is the Future of golf. Like ROK78 said OEM's have to make radical moves in design/materials to improve club performance withing the Limits set by the USGA Besides what is wrong with Companies like Nike and Callaway and Clevlend taking chances on innovative products because we are the ones who benefit from all of this revolutionary technology. Just my 15 cents...

[slicer365]

NO DICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sigmamason]

remove the gray powerbow and people will have less to say. the 2-tone look is the turnoff to most people...

It will be interesting to see the test numbers for a focus group of golfers that run a gambit of handicaps. Might not get everyone on board, but if the numbers are there, and the looks are there...people will at least try it...if not, buy something else and move on...

[forgedcbuser]

i think it looks...neat? for lack of a better word :diablo:

 

has that power bar looking thing at the rear similar to the slingshot hybrid (which i think looks cool).

 

let's nickname this thing the J-LO driver...cause it's got alot of 'badunkadunk'

[Rabidpenguin45]

OMG!!!!! That thing is so square...

[czpana]

IF you dont like it dont buy it, you all wanted pics now you got them. enjoy.

[dannypharvey]

This driver is more traditional looking.

 

Compared to what exactly????

[nikeguy]

This driver is more traditional looking.

 

Compared to what exactly????

I was refering to the Sumo not the Sumo Squared.

[Gxgolfer]

Post edited by wishes of one contributor. The removal of pictures was not a Nike decision.

[rymack]

Looks like it should come from Pings UgLi group not nike.

[matt411]

sucks that nike says no initially to golfwrx.com, yet bombsquad has official pictures out of nike catalog.

[Gxgolfer]

I believe those were sales literature scans. We will have more pics and videos next week. Nike did not ask to take the pictures down. We did it to help protect our sources.

 

sucks that nike says no initially to golfwrx.com, yet bombsquad has official pictures out of nike catalog.

[NikeTaylormade891]

If I can hit it great, its cool with me. I like the look though

[emmeline]

Just finished meeting with my Nike Sales Rep earlier today for Spring orders and hit the new Sumos. I never liked the 06 Sasquatch (couldn't get comfortable with the set up position).

 

The new Sumo (traditional version) is similar to the 06 with a longer face to back measurement. The pronounced silver "ring" of 06 is now lower and more scooped (ala Hi-Bore). Felt OK, good ball flight, nothing great - nothing bad.

 

The Sumo (square version) was pretty amazing. It was incredibley ugly and incredibly loud. Launch angle and ball flight were great. As the Sales Rep informed me, it goes dead straight. It was very hard to move either way. After a few shots of getting over the looks and sound it was a pleasure to hit. Whether people will get over the looks is a different story.

 

The Sales Rep informed me that they were hoping for a 2/3 to 1/3 split in sales (trad vs square).

 

In addition - wedges looked great, new putter were good also.