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Need advice Nike 97

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sat, Jan 18 2014 11:25 PM

  fmagnets:

  Save your credits and buy some L61 Nikes instead. They perform much better with the L97 Nike irons than those L81s you´ve got. The irons out-perform the R11s by quite a margin when using these balls.

  A few rounds under my belt later, and all that is left for me to do here is to say thanks to fmags.  Just done 18 at Beth in low winds, and whilst no lucrative RG (LOL) that's no matter for this basic test.  Over 18 holes importantly this:

  

  The L61 ball teamed with the L97 Nike VRs works perfect for my game.  I can work the ball just like I did the L81 really.  Some fine tuning remains but that's all it is-  and that is fun now everything works. Will try a few RGs soon now that I have confidence in my equipment again.

  fmagnets:

  NB. I personally only use the L81s for the par 5 course, where the greater length from the tee and stopping power with the long irons outweigh the few wtf shots that are generated.

  Thanks also for this tip:)

• MainzMan 9,591 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 12:05 AM

  I tried the Nikes for 2 rounds during the last free rental and was less than impressed with them.  Certainly not impressed enough to buy credits in order to have them so waited until I earned enough free ones.

  And I have to say, even playing with the L33 Cally ball, they can do things the R11 just can't manage.  For instance, BPB #7, pin cut front right.  With the R11 I've never cleared the bunker and stopped short of the hole, several feet, if not yards, past every time.  However, my first try with the Nike 3 iron, granted a slight head wind but only 3-4 mph, I dropped it just over the bunker and it stopped a few feet short of the hole.  Very impressed with that result.

  Had a similar thing on Whistler #1 yesterday.  This is a hole where going for the green in 2 needs a bit of head wind to get the ball to stop but not enough that the green is out of reach.  With a cross wind the Nike 3 iron landed the ball on the green and it stopped level with the hole, several feet away sadly but that was because I missed the ding late.

  I get the odd wtf? shot that lands 20 yards short but have a big stash of these balls so will use them up before trying something else.

  My opinion is they are worth it, you just have to get used to them and learn how much spin to use. 

  They won't change your game overnight. 

  Not for the better anyway.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 12:49 AM

  I have played with both for awhile now and I find they both outplay the other depending on course/course conditions for me....

  I am used to BPB so I used the nikes for extra spin on #5 and accuracy on #7....avg distance to pin 5.5ft., 6.3 ft, 6.5 ft.....also better on back 9.

  The nikes don't work for me at Olympic or STA(higher winds/inconsistent distances)...shot 2 27's on front nine at Olympic less than 6.3 avg to pin w/ R11's....

  I play with one set awhile then back to the other depending on course and wind...

   

  At Oakmont I play with a White/Red tipped cane and Dark Sunglasses and my scores reflect how appropriate these accessories are.....

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 10:12 AM

  fatdan:

  nikes don't work for me at Olympic or STA(higher winds/inconsistent distances).

  Interesting all the different things people see.  I am not seeing that here.  Certainly there is an adjustment playing the Nikes in a wind compared to the R11s, but seems consistent now with the L61 ball.

  fatdan:

  I play with one set awhile then back to the other depending on course and wind...

  My issue just sounds so way more basic than yours.  Beth and RSG all 18 (not an RG but for this test good enough I think) dist to pin of around 7 feet at both with the L61 ball.  Had I been using the L81 ball I would have been lucky to get 20 feet overall at each. Can only state what I see hoping that it may help somewhere.  For me the L81 is simply unplayable with the Nike mid irons at least.  My 53 at Beth and 54 at RSG could easily be getting on for 73 and 74 with L81 ball.  Just trying be constructive...As say grateful to Fmags for the advice on the L61s.  Any poor scores, as will happen, I can only blame me with the L97 Nike Irons teamed with the L61 ball.

   

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 10:28 AM

  MainzMan:

  My opinion is they are worth it, you just have to get used to them and learn how much spin to use. 

  They won't change your game overnight. 

  Exactly. If you're rocking with R11's then you won't see an immediate difference, certainly not in a few rounds or a rental period. The more you learn what they can do under actual competition conditions, the better they get. 

  There's a lot to be said for the type of player you are, too. If you're the exact, by the numbers type of player you're going to have a different opinion of how these irons play. If you're more like me and MKG where you "feel" the game you'll be impressed. These irons play well to that mindset. They dropped my average over a point since they came out and I'm not doing anything different with the way I play, the birdie putts are just closer now.  :-)

• skccvb 799 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 10:50 AM

  Some folks do not have any issue with the Nike97/Nike81 combo- i find that on high wind rounds, it is imperative to hit into the wind as well as adjust more for wind movement with the higher spin ball. As YJ suggested= I am a more feel player and that works for me.

  The bonus comes when a mis-hit requires a 'drop n stop' shot from a difficult lie- then the added spin can be a lifesaver- but like most things u trade-off and compromise somewhere along the line. For what it is worth- the 81 balls can hit n roll like any other when not using the prodigious spin with 97 irons- but you cant call on massive spin at will with any lesser ball. But, ya it is more challenging the harder the wind blows- lol

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 10:51 AM

  YJ, very good point about us "feel" players.  I lack the self-discipline to take notes and/or use charts and scales, but have the utmost respect for those who do, and have benefitted greatly from their advice via forum posts and chats.

  I'll throw this in as one that felt pretty good, just got my 12th (and longest) HIO using the Nike 3-iron and the L71 Nike ball in the monthly at BPB:

  BPB #3... HIO 240 yd 3-iron, 3/4 backspin

   

   

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 11:12 AM

  Feel is a good point, but it's for precisely that reason why I am at such a loss as to the issue with the L81 I was seeing.

  Yes I have charts, but I very much have always felt my shots winding the spin / power up or down in a feel way.  Now R11s teamed with the L81 ball I could do that wind or no wind and felt comfortable.  With the R11s the L81 ball won out just for me over the L61 ball - personal stuff.

  Now don't get me wrong about the L33 Cally ball user as I can see how that teamed with the new Nikes is a rock solid combination.  I tried a couple of rounds and hard to go far wrong.

  Personally I don't prefer the L33 Cally as I lose the few yards off the tee (whatever difference that really makes), but even more I feel my putting I think.  Personally I like to miss a little to hold lines having already moved the marker and so on. The slower meter of the L61 / L81 ball helps me there.  I can fully see how a ding style putter would not care so much.  Now here what we term feel is a personal thing as well, and so a ding putter would say they feel to, and I accept very valid for them, just all personal. 

  I am no top player of course but a 53 at Beth, and then rapidly after a 54 at RSG says I am not totally crap either.   I see huge differences in the performance of the L81 compared to the L61 when I play, and don't understand it.  

  Some good players I know don't see it at all I accept (reasonable dist to pin / 1 putts not all from BPBF9 players).......Don't get it, but the L61 ball works with the Nikes for me so all good.

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 11:42 AM

  Jim, I understand exactly what you're saying.  I putt the same way, usually only dinging straight putts, which are few and far between...mostly it's move the marker and try to miss ding slightly to hold the line, as you say.

  Next batch of balls I'll probably give the L61 a go, as I greatly respect your experience and advice, along with that of fmagnets.  I'm baffled as to why I seem to do better with the L71 than the L81 ball, given the only (seeming) difference is meter speed.  Who knows if it's a line of programming code, a glitch, or my own expectations and reactions.

  I suppose it's a good thing we all seem to love a mystery and trying to solve it...

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Sun, Jan 19 2014 2:46 PM

  Jimbog1964:

  My issue just sounds so way more basic than yours.   My 53 at Beth and 54 at RSG

  I think the difference is you play more consistent which results in better scores, your shooting 53-54 and I shoot 58-61....I shoot a lot of real good for me 26-27 front 9's but lose focus on the back 9, my errors and simple distractions not vem...

  for what it's worth I've been using the lvl 61 nike ball for 4-5 months and it is the best ball for the money they have in my opinion...but I have never bought 600 credit balls....