Monday, November 5, 2012

The New Nike VR_S Covert Driver - Golf's First Cavity-Back Driver

Nike Golf's latest two announcements give TaylorMade Golf a run for their money in the industry "buzz" category. First, the announcement of the signing of the current #1 ranked golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, to an estimated $200 equipment contract gives them a notable stable of golfers including the current #1 golfer in the world and Tiger Woods as a platform to promote their products. Next, the recent new driver announcement makes history by for the first time bringing high-speed cavity back technology to a driver that conforms to USGA and R&A Rules.

Cosmetically, Nike's latest product pops in a sea of black drivers with its red topping, just as was the result of the white R11 and subsequent RocketBallz metal woods by TaylorMade. The all-white swoosh is a nice touch, too.

Its three proprietary technology platforms: High Speed Cavity Back; FlexLoft adjustability; and NexCOR face, combine to create unprecedented distance, control and forgiveness.

In addition to dramatically enhancing performance, the VR_S Covert wow-inducing design and engineering also simplifies the consumer’s retail experience, since the FlexLoft adjustability system allows for the driver to easily be changed to any loft and any face angle at any time. This creates 15 different options in one single club to meet the various swing characteristics of golfers.

“With the VR_S Covert we have created a game changing piece of technology that has already begun a growing industry buzz,” said Rob Arluna, Nike Golf’s Global Golf Club Business Director. “It is visually exciting, it feels and sounds amazing and, most importantly, it creates powerful results with a high degree of control. Golfers and our Nike Golf Tour athletes are going to have a lot of fun with this driver.”

The High Speed Cavity Back in the VR_S Covert is a technology used in irons and now brought to drivers, fairways and hybrids for the first time by Nike Golf. This technology leads to more stability at impact, which delivers more energy to the ball, resulting in more distance and control. The Cavity Back is only visible from the sole view but is covered and hidden underneath by the crown to be more visually and pleasing at address - hence the name VR_S Covert. By incorporating this new hidden geometry into the driver, Nike Golf engineers have been able to move the weight of the club to the heel and toe of the golf club, raising Moment of Inertia (MOI) to increase forgiveness and add even more distance to off-center shots.

Nike Golf’s FlexLoft is a simple pull, turn, and push/tighten mechanism that allows for an intuitive adjustment system. The patented Dual Axis adjustment allows golfers to choose their loft and face angle independently of each other by decoupling loft from face angle. This all leads to better ball flight for more distance as well as enhanced workability. This easy to use system gives the golfers 15 different options to suit their game and course conditions.

The NexCOR face technology featured in the VR_S Covert line is designed to deliver faster ball speed and longer shots from a wider area of the face. NexCOR creates more speed at impact by employing a variable face thickness that moves the sweet spot higher from the heel of the club to the center high, where most golfers are likely to make impact.

The VR_S Covert driver will be available in golf stores throughout North America and Europe on February 8, 2013 and in the rest of world starting on February 15, 2013. The driver will be offered in two models, the VR_S Covert Tour and VR_S Covert. The VR_S Covert Tour is 430cc and features a deeper face and a fixed weight screw. The VR_S Covert is 460cc and has a wider breadth. Both models will come with Mitsubishi Rayon’s new Kuro Kage shafts that are produced with higher carbon fiber density for superior control and power.

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