Nike and the Cowboy Club(s)

Guess one could consider this part two to the story …

Spent 48 hours down in Texas recently courtesy of Nike Golf Canada where we were able to check out The Oven (see story here) in addition to learning a little about the 2010 lineup, meeting some cool folks, and yes getting a chance to demo Nike’s latest and greatest equipment.  From the plane to hotel, to the Oven, to the range, to the short game practice facility, to indoor short game fitting, back to the range, back to the practice facility, to the hotel, to the Cowboys Golf Club, back on a plane.  And, yes, I think we stopped to eat a few times.

On the topic of equipment, during a round at the Cowboy Club (only pro sports themed golf course in North America) we were able to put all of the technology we had learned about the day before into actual play.  Theory into practice so to speak, and though the swing and touch were more than a little a rusty, the products looked good and performed extremely well.

Just a few of the newest clubs on display and in the bag while in Texas.

The driver in my bag was a str8-fit VR as was the fairway metal and hybrid.  All were equal parts forgiving and considerably long.  And for those traditionalists more akin to that pear shaped appearance, these are going to look very, very good at address.  For me it is sort of like the aesthetics have finally caught up with the technology and the two are now working in unison.

I played the driver in the neutral position and found I could work it both ways (albeit at times in the not so apropos direction) but the fact that there are a whole lot of options a couple of wrench clicks away is appealing, especially for those who can use, prefer to use, or flat out need to use the str8-fit flexibility.  There is also a new ‘compression channel‘ built into the sole that effectively acts to compensate for off center hits and can best be described by the adding or tightening of springs on a trampoline.  The effect is felt the closer one gets to the edges.

On the iron side I decided to temper a little ego and forgo the blades this year for the forged cavity back option. And I can must honestly say that there was very little loss in feel while a fairly noticeable gain in forgiveness. The golf ball is not as soft as it once was and there really is becoming a more tangible performance gap between the desire for looks / feel and what one must sacrifice when not hitting it flush. But, say it is so – there is something for everyone as I was told that you are in fact able to create / order a split set should you desire.  Overall the irons were very solid tee to green and it was a Texas breeze to get the ball airborne.

The Method putter was one club I was really waiting to try (wasn’t everybody? – 2 Major Championships and more whispers than a CBS broadcast). The techno certainly seems, looks, and feels sound. Under testing I actually put an additional 1 degree of loft on the putts (my hands are a little behind the ball at impact) and Nike believes in a 4 degree optimum.  The loft really being what gets the ball up and out of its own impression on the green.  The Method putter employs a grooved face with polymer insert to grip the ball on the way up the face and effectively turn it over.  The creation of over-spin (top spin) gets the ball rolling forward (gyroscopic effect) faster which translates into the ball moving online with less ‘skid’ and or chance of getting offline.  We were told by the technophiles that this will result in some short term lag or distance control issues seeing as the strike will be truer.  Short term pain for long putt gain as the result should be a more consistent roll and better overall distance control.  And it is probably wise to get it fitted properly – as it is with all clubs nowadays.

My day with the putter was OK at best, but putting remains my giraffe sized achilles when it comes this game.  The stock putter was also a little on the longish side at 35″ (I was 33.5″ in testing).  Those two facts aside, there was definitely something going on between the ball and the blade.

I was never really too sure whether the previous days performance charts were simply extracting a placebo effect or if I was actually experiencing something truly revolutionary.  From a visual perspective, the ball did seem to be tracking and that, in itself, certainly adds an instant element of confidence.

Beneath my feet were a pair of AIR Zooms which to be honest I don’t really even remember changing into or out of.  And that’s a good thing.  Comfortable and light are a nice combination.

VR wedges were precise and and produce a lot if spin.  Isn’t it nice to play with brand new grooves (regardless of whether they are conforming)?  Much of my between-shot- time was spent picking the urethane out from between the grooves.

As for the golf course …

For those who are wondering about the Cowboys Golf Club – it was a unique experience.  Of all sports brands to have a themed course, Dallas certainly makes big blue lone star sense in Texas.  I’m guessin’ they sell a lot of merchandise.  The lay-out was interesting enough with an abundant amount of elevation changes and a lot more trees than I might have thought for a Texas layout, then again that may just be my own geographic ignorance.  Water came into play  just often enough and the sand was as thick and heavy as I’ve ever encountered. ‘Texas gold‘ the starter referred to it as upon also mentioning that it all had to be replaced just after opening seeing as the traditional weight premium white sand simply blew right out of the bunkers.  And the course did have some very steep bunkers – this I know first, second, and third hand.  Much of the course is dormant at this time of year which creates a desaturated type look and makes certain lies a little trickier.

Opened in 2001, the course is owned by Jerry Jones (he also owns the football team). The closest I got to an actual Dallas Cowboy was the name on our cart – each cart has the name of a football legend written in script on the side.  Someone had Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett’s cart and I am still certain they were just a little faster than us.  The football team had actually just lost a week earlier in the playoffs so the state was probably a little more subdued (more like in mourning) than what I’ll assume was normal.

Asides from The Cowboy Club:

• did see replica Super Bowl trophies in the clubhouse foyer (along with a lot of other pigskin paraphernalia)
• did not see any Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders (for those who I know will ask – and wonder)
• did notice that the putting green was shaped like a star
• did not find the middle of the fairway on the 4th hole where the big blue star was painted – it’s a pretty obvious target from the elevated tee (an ode to Terrell Owens I guess)
• did notice that even though Dallas is a Nike endorsed team, the range consisted of Callaway golf balls?
• did not not use every club in my bag regardless of what the yardage dictated – after all, I was getting a hands on a demo of the newest and coolest
• did teach the beverage girl how to make a Caesar (well, we decided on a hybrid Bloody Mary – I always forget we have so much and so little in common with our neighbours to the south)
• did not make a birdie all day and for some odd reason I had that Kid Rick - Cowboy Song - stuck in my head (so I listened to it via the iPOD on the plane)