Equipment
Nike to release limited quantities of RZN Proto for $60 per dozen
Want to try the new Nike golf ball that Rory McIlroy and Charl Schwartzel have used to win European Tour events in back-to-back weeks? All you need is $60 (plus tax and shipping) and the willingness to check this link over and over again starting tomorrow.
While the golf balls don’t yet have an official name or a release date, Nike did spill the beans on what makes the next-generation RZN golf balls different from the predecessors.
Benefits (From Nike Golf’s website)
- Softer RZN for more spin and better touch around the green
- Lighter RZN core and heavier outer layers yields higher MOI for more stable flight through the wind
- Spin-optimized coating allow for increased greenside spin and control
- Four-piece construction and urethane cover gives you tour-level feel, performance and control
When these balls are officially released, expect them to cost roughly $45 per dozen, which is the typical price of Nike’s flagship tour ball.
Related
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.
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
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”
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Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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Pete
Dec 6, 2015 at 12:02 am
Reload golf balls at Walmart. 24 dt-solos for $15.
ShankMaster
Dec 5, 2015 at 10:54 pm
NIKE is laughing all the way to the bank,,,,,,,,,,, “out of stock” bet they hit eBay for 4 times the price.
patrick
Dec 4, 2015 at 8:18 am
Just what the game needs… someone looking 10 minutes for their lost prototype ball.
Big Dog
Dec 3, 2015 at 7:10 pm
http://shop.srixon.com/product/96617.15008.35954.1110454.1110454/10054312/_/Z-STAR_Tour_Yellow
Bert
Dec 3, 2015 at 6:04 pm
I’m always hearing about golf’s demise and how we should feel so sorry for courses who can’t or are just barley making it. I recently played a very prominent course in Florida which stays very busy. They’re doing well, but what got to me was how they gouged the golfer. Located away from a big box store or a Walmart, they take advantage of the golfer in need of golf balls charging $17 for a sleeve of Pro-V1’s. Ok that’s only $68 a dozen and they feel comfortable charging this amount; in my opinion they should be ashamed but of course they aren’t. For me I’ll ensure I never make the mistake of cleaning out my bag and car trunk and forgetting to place a few balls back in the bag. I’ll also remember the next time I hear whining abut how the industry is suffering, I might think I know why. Perhaps $60 a dozen plus golf balls, $500 drivers, and $300-400 green fees at some courses, resort courses that overcharge based on their season, courses that don’t tell the golfers the greens are punched or top-dressed, and last of all magazines that rate courses highly based on their advertisement dollars. This may be reasons some golfers have driven elsewhere.
john
Dec 6, 2015 at 10:09 pm
golf keeps trying to find the magic fix, unfortuantely millenials can’t stand to be doing the same thing for 4 – 5 hours. Charging $20 or $20000 for a driver makes no difference.
birdeez
Dec 3, 2015 at 2:18 pm
i use my money for better things….like lighting my cigars
James
Dec 3, 2015 at 4:56 am
Check back often, unless you are in the UK where it lets you buy them now for some reason.
$60 for 12 balls….. MADNESS!!
Chuck D
Dec 3, 2015 at 1:45 am
$60 for 12 eggs?!! Get outta here with that nonsense!!!
Reeves
Dec 2, 2015 at 5:02 pm
Witch golf ball manufacture is actually making this ball? Doubt it is Callaway or Taylormade, maybe Bridgestone? All three have ball plants in the United States making premium balls…
cgasucks
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:02 am
I know for sure that Nike doesn’t have their own ball facilities, and Bridgestone (when they made Precept balls) made their balls for Nike when they started and I think they still do till this day…
Dj
Dec 3, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Bridgestone no longer makes Nike balls.
Jacob
Dec 7, 2015 at 3:46 pm
I think they do still for Tiger… (insert smart remark)