Product Reviews


Nike Slingshot

Nike Golf Slingshot irons; Nike Speed Fit steel shaft in stiff flex and Nike Slingshot grip.

Manufacturer's Description
The Nike Golf Slingshot irons, designed by master craftsman Tom Stites and his design team, are the result of 10 years of development by Stites that produced over 200 prototypes. The irons feature a number of design elements that make the irons forgiving and easy to hit. Visually, one feature really stands out - a "bridge" that stretches across the cavity provides increased perimeter weighting and allows for mass to be strategically placed in each clubhead. The long irons have the weight positioned low, back, and in the heel making it easier to square the clubhead and get the ball airborne. Progressing throughout the set, the weight moves higher, closer to the face, and toward the toe reducing the club's launch angle and increasing the spin rate optimizing ball control. Nike Golf refers to this Slingback system as 3D Flow Weighting. The unique weighting also moves the clubhead's center of gravity back away from the face. This is referred to as Air CG which enables the ball to be launched higher making it easier to square the face at impact. The club's face features a lightweight "cold-rolled" Custom 455 Stainless Steel providing a more consistent molecular structure than clubs having a cast clubface. All the clubfaces are CNC-milled flat to within .002 of an inch and have engraved scoring lines to ensure consistent and predictable ball flight and spin rates. The irons also feature progressive offset for improved shotmaking and wide soles that minimize digging. Men's and Women's models are available in both lightweight steel and graphite shafts. MSRP - $799 for 3-PW in steel and $899 for 3-PW in graphite.

Information:
Test Location: Course, Driving Range
Reviewer 1 Info: 5'10" 155 lbs, Age 37, Handicap 1
Comparison Driver/Ball Used: Titleist DCI 762/Titleist Pro V1
Reviewer 2 Info: 5'8" 150 lbs, Age 40, Handicap 7
Comparison Driver/Ball Used: Traditional Tour Cavity/Nike TA2|LNG


Nike Slingshot Review:

Accuracy

Less-Avg-More
 
The Slingshot irons are above average in terms of accuracy. They have minimal offset for a game improvement iron making them very easy to align. They are easy to swing and the ball holds its line beautifully after being struck.
Distance

Short-Avg-Long
 
Long, very long. The ball jumps off the face much like it does on a fairway wood. It took a few holes to get dialed in on the new found distance.
Trajectory

Low-Avg-High
 
The Slingshot irons hit the ball higher than our current "player" irons. As a result, the ball comes down very soft and holds the green nicely.
Feel


Less-Avg-More

 

The Slingshot irons offer minimal feedback on where the ball is being struck on the face of the club. This will not appeal to most low handicap golfers but is consistent with other irons in the game improvement category. When taking practice swings, we noticed that the irons make a whistling sound due to the cavity design. This was noticed less when hitting golf balls during a round.

Forgiveness

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A strong point with these clubs. As forgiving as any iron on the market today. Again, they are easy to swing and shots get airborne quickly and hold their line.

Looks
The Slingshot irons have a thoroughly modern look to them. The first thing that is noticed is the bar that stretches across the cavity. The ends of the bar features "fake rivets" similar to those on the Forged Pro Combo irons. The bar has a mirror finish with the Nike "swoosh" displayed prominently as we have come to expect. The cavity also feature a visible progressive weighting system that transitions from low, back, and in the heel in the long irons to high, closer to the face, and toward to toe in the short irons. The irons have very wide sole that are constant throughout the set. From the address position, the irons have a fairly traditional look to them with a minimal amount of offset for game improvement irons. The toplines are thick but not overbearing as with some game improvement irons. The irons set up well at address offering a clean look.


Summary:
The Slingshot irons by Nike Golf complete the company's iron lineup by offering a game improvement model to complement the Forged Pro Combo and Forged Blade models. The Slingshots were easy to hit from the first swing and receive high marks for forgiveness, distance, and playability. Golfers used to the feel from forged or soft carbon cast irons will notice a harsher feel with the Slingshots. Mid to high handicap golfers will find that the Slingshots offer an easy to hit club with clean lines at address. Low handicap golfers might find the 2 and 3 irons of the set as nice replacements for their current long irons. All in all, we were impressed with the Slingshots and feel that they will do very well in the game improvement category. Additional information on all of the Nike Golf products is provided on their website at www.nikegolf.com.

 


 
 
 
 

 

 


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