BEAVERTON, Ore. (August 11, 2009) - The highly anticipated introduction
of Nike Golf's new METHOD putter today satisfied the curiosity generated
by the Nike Golf prototype putter that is already responsible for two
major championship titles and three other Tour victories worldwide. It's
proven
on the PGA Tour. It's proven technology.
The much talked about putter also represents the emergence of yet
another ground breaking innovation from Nike Golf's Research and
Development center, The OVEN. The Nike METHOD follows on the same
game-changing trail blazed by square drivers and adjustable drivers,
which were also created and developed at Nike Golf's Fort Worth-based
facility.
Inspired by the philosophy of the "scientific method," the OVEN's team
of designers and engineers combined steel and polymer in multiple ways
before discovering the unique polymetal groove technology. The
revolutionary and visibly distinctive polymetal groove technology is
influential in creating a faster forward roll after impact for the kind
of accuracy and consistency that is demanded by Tour professionals.
While most traditional steel faced putters start the ball with backspin
causing the ball to initially bounce a little higher, the Nike polymetal
groove technology starts the ball with forward spin to minimize bounce
and keep the putts on line.
Used as a prototype putter by Nike athletes Lucas Glover and Stewart
Cink when they won the 2009 U.S. Open and The OPEN Championship,
respectively, the new Nike METHOD will officially be available in the
market on February 1, 2010, with limited, special edition quantities
becoming available starting on November 1, 2009.
Since switching to the Nike METHOD, U.S. Open champion Glover's
putts-per-round ranking has significantly improved from 116th in 2008 to
T39 in 2009.
"This putter has made all of the difference in my game," said Glover. "I
attribute a lot of the success I had atBethpage to my putting. I give a
lot of credit to Nike for coming out with such a great product."
Paul Casey, who was the first player to win with the Nike METHOD this
year - twice on the PGA European Tour and once on the PGA Tour -- has
improved 43 spots in his putts per round ranking.
"I fell in love with this putter the first time I putted with it," said
Casey, who first put it in his bag last fall. "You can really feel the
difference in how the ball comes off of the face and you can see the
difference in how it rolls. It's really helped me with my confidence on
the greens."
The Nike METHOD has a flowed-through low-durometer polymetal groove
technology that dampens impact vibrations for soft touch, while the
interspersed milled steel face maintains audible feedback for proper
distance control. A multi-material face starts the ball on a positive
spin that is faster than both a milled steel putter as well as putters
with a polymer face insert.
"It's quite rewarding to see our athletes succeed with our products,"
said Tom Stites, Director of Club Creation for Nike Golf. "We knew we
had something good when we watched how our athletes reacted to how their
ball rolled after impact."
For increased Moment of Inertia (MOI) and added stability, a ported
polymetal groove technology allows 30 grams of internal weight to be
excavated from the face and body and relocated to the perimeter.
In addition to Glover, Cink and Casey, Nike athletes Justin Leonard and
Stephen Ames also switched to the new Nike METHOD putter.
The new Nike METHOD putter ($249.99) will be available in five models,
four of which are blades and one is a mallet.
Blades: METHOD 001, METHOD 002, METHOD 003, METHOD 004
Mallet: METHOD 005
