Tiger Woods
Unveils New Nike One Ball
June 10, 2003 - Today, at his U.S. Open press conference Tiger Woods
unveiled the secret behind the prototype ball from Nike Golf that he
has been competing with the past month - a three-cover golf ball construction,
the first performance ball of its kind on Tour. Nike Golf will introduce
the new construction at retail next week under the name Nike One.
In his quest to create the perfect ball - long off the tee, wind boring
and controllable from the fairway, with extraordinary responsiveness
around the green - Nike Golf's lead golf ball engineer Rock Ishii discovered
that by combining three covers of varying width and material composition
with an incredibly hot core, near-perfection could be attained. In short,
the Nike One is arguably the most complete golf ball ever created.
 "It's
aptly named because this is the one ball that does it all," said
the world's No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods who also worked with Ishii on his
first ball technology switch - to the solid core Tour Accuracy TW in
2000.
Ishii solicited Woods for feedback on the new construction design during
the developmental stages of the Nike One, which resulted in Woods' adoption
of the new ball as a prototype.
"Rock continues to deliver and impress. Nike Golf and Rock have
created something revolutionary, a complete performance ball for everyone
who wants to raise the level of their game."
Uncovering the Nike One
Over the past four years, golf ball technology has evolved from a primarily
wound-ball construction to the solid core/two piece construction to
the double-core/four piece construction. The features typically resulted
in a ball that was relatively long off the tee or responsive around
the green but no one had created a ball that could benefit golfers at
the highest levels of performance at both ends of the course.
"That Holy Grail, if you will, has always eluded engineers,"
said Stan Grissinger, Category Business Director for Nike Golf's golf
ball division. "We think the Nike One is as close as anyone has
come to reaching perfection, and that ideal is now only slightly out
of reach."
Throughout extensive R&D studies, Ishii determined that by meticulously
varying the layers or covers surrounding the core he could induce different
reactions from the ball when struck, and thus he opened the path toward
the creation of a perfect ball.
Last fall, at about the same time Nike Golf introduced its hottest
core to date, Ishii settled on a combination of three covers that, when
applied to the new core, worked in concert to provide optimum results.
It's the first ball with three covers that is designed to respond to
swing speed and club angle to maximize distance and regulate spin. In
layman's terms, the Nike One is designed to react based upon where the
golfer is at on the golf course.
Breaking down the Nike One
Core:
Nike Golf's proprietary blend of highly responsive polybutadiene that
supplies explosive distance - variations popular in Nike Golf's Super
Series and TA2 golf balls
In Tiger's words - "A faster core for longer distance."
Inner Cover:
Designed to transfer maximum energy to an extremely hot core for high
velocity
In Tiger's words - On drives, fairway woods and long irons shots: "You
want to generate maximum power to the center of the ball. The inner
cover transfers energy to the core for great distance."
Middle Cover:
Designed to control approach shots with target accuracy and reduce sidespin
to minimize mis-hits
In Tiger's words - On middle iron shots: "You need to be aggressive
without sacrificing control. The middle cover is firmer, so the ball
responds for me with true accuracy."
Outer Cover:
Designed to enhance touch and increase spin, aerodynamically cut through
the wind for maximum carry, and last all day
In Tiger's words - On short irons and wedges: "You try to hit a
target, either to stop it or let it run a precise distance. The outer
cover isolates impact, creating excellent spin and feel."
Bringing Nike One to Market
While Woods will put the Nike One technology in play at the U.S. Open
this week, golfers will not have to wait long to get their hands on
the most complete ball we have ever seen. The first shipments of the
Nike One (SRP: $57/dozen) will reach retail locations in mid-June.
Golfers should check with their local on and off-course retailers to
determine who will have quantities available and when. It is anticipated
that some retailers will be establishing wait-lists to determine the
allocation of the first shipments.
The Nike One TW
Due to the expected requests for "the exact ball that Tiger Woods
plays," Nike Golf will make a version of the Nike One with Woods'
specifications in very limited quantities. The Nike One TW will give
Tiger fans the opportunity to tee up a ball with the same spec as the
World's No. 1 player.
The difference in the Nike One and the Nike One TW lies with Woods'
desire to play a ball that has a lower trajectory than what the average
golfer may play. The cover of the Nike One TW is slightly softer to
enhance Wood's creative short game and the spin rate is slightly higher.
The end result of the Nike One is a ball that flies higher than what
Woods uses in competition but responds comparably from the fairway and
around the green.
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