The new forged clubs from Nike Golf are designed specifically as a progressive set for the better player, company technicians say.
The longer irons, from Nos. 3 to 6, feature a pocket cavity that is made to promote a higher trajectory, so approach shots from those sticks land more softly on the greens. In an effort to provide preferred sound and feel as well as to promote greater forgiveness and increased ball speed, Nike engineers also added polymer, which they frequently refer to as “shotmaking gel,” to the club pockets.
As for the shorter irons, from 7 through pitching wedge, they employ a so-called split cavity for a more penetrating, precision ball flight, with a profile similar to a blade at address.
The entire VR Forged Pro Combo iron set features the latest version of Nike Golf’s high frequency X3X grooves, for optimal spin on shots both long and short coming into the greens. It also boasts the new DG Pro from True Temper as its stock shaft, with various weighting, step patterns and overall bend profiles.
“Our tour athletes wanted higher ball flight and better gapping in their long irons,” says Tony Dabbs, Nike Golf’s global product director for golf clubs. “We added the polymer to create a tour-caliber set with long irons that are easier to hit, and players still see the profile they want at address without compromising on look, feel and sound.”