Equipment

Nike Golfs New Patent – Data Collecting clubs

Published

14 years ago

Sep 12, 2012

GolfWRX

Just saw this come across my news real on Bloomberg. Nike Patent to Give Golfers Edge With Data Collecting Clubs…

2012-09-11

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By Matt Townsend

Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) — Nike Inc. wants to make improving your golf game easier.

The world’s largest maker of sporting goods obtained a patent Sept. 4 to put data-collecting sensors in golf club heads to improve personalization. In one scenario, the analysis of a swing is shown on a display screen embedded on the back of the club’s head. That would make getting fit for golf clubs faster and more precise, the company said.

“Custom fitting is outdated, and can be inaccurate,” Nike said in documents posted on the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office’s website.

While most fitting is done indoors on a hard surface, the new club would allow golfers to measure a swing out on a course, which would garner more accurate data, Nike said.

Nike has been integrating digital technology into sports equipment as a way for users to measure and improve results. It also increases the time consumers spend with the brand, which can increase loyalty and sales. The company this year introduced a wristband that tracks daily activity and shoes equipped with sensors that can record such metrics as how high a basketball player jumps during a dunk.

Mary Remuzzi, a spokeswoman for Nike, declined to comment on the patent and when such products might come to market.

The Beaverton, Oregon-based company also received a patent last week for a data collection system that places sensors and transmitters in shoes that automatically track the distance and time of a run or walk. The data would then be shared with the user by sending it to a mobile device or computer.

Marketing Potential

Beyond measuring performance, there is also marketing potential. In one example, a person walks into a store and the shoe sensor tells the salesman the kind of sneaker, the shopper’s identity and how long he or she has worn the shoe.

Advertising based on that data is then shown to the person wearing the shoes through an in-store terminal or is sent to a mobile device.

The system may also allow Nike to offer promotions based on how much the shoes are used. In one scenario from the patent document, a person buys shoes and registers for a contest that offers a prize if they run 100 miles in a month.

Revenue from Nike’s running category surged 32 percent to $3.7 billion in its fiscal year ended May 31st, while golf rose 10 percent to $726 million. The company’s total revenue was $24.1 billion.

While golf equipment has become more sophisticated, including balls designed to cater to a player’s strengths, fitting is largely a trial-and-error process, Nike said.

Radar System

This patent would remove that uncertainty by using accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure as many as 100 data points to record such measurements as the angle of the club face, Nike said.

Nike obtained a patent last month for a computerized radar system that places sensors on soccer balls and other equipment as a way to offer data analysis for team sports. It may be able to track two soccer players at the same time with sensors on their shoes as well as the ball to measure how well they pass to each other.

Other products in Nike’s digital sport unit include a watch that can track location, distance and heartbeat and a video game workout for Microsoft Corp.’s Kinect for Xbox 360.

Nike fell 0.3 percent to $99.78 at 11:36 a.m. in New York. The shares had gained 3.8 percent this year through yesterday.

via Nike Golfs New Patent – Data Collecting clubs – Tour and Pre-Release Equipment – GolfWRX.

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

20 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.

Joel Thelen

Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.

First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.

Mitchell Meissner

Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

20 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

20 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.

@Lamosteve began:

Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine

Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”