Nike Golf to stop producing equipment and focus on apparel

Nike has announced that its golf division will move away from producing equipment

Nike has announced that its golf division will move away from producing equipment such as golf clubs, balls and bags and instead focus on expanding its golf footwear and apparel ranges.

“We’re committed to being the undisputed leader in golf footwear and apparel,” Nike brand president Trevor Edwards said in a statement.

“We will achieve this by investing in performance innovation for athletes and delivering sustainable profitable growth for Nike Golf.”

No timetable was given for the transition.

The announcement follows Charl Schwartzel decision to leave Nike Golf, moving to Parsons Xtreme Golf just before last month’s Open Championship.

1984: Back to the start when Nike introduces its first ever line of golf shoes, for those of you old enough you might recall one called the Turnberry.

1985: A year later and Nike secured their first tour player, a certain Seve Ballasteros.

1996: Not Gazza’s goal but a certain Tiger Wood had just signed pro and put pen to paper on a $40 million contract with Nike.

1996: Tiger Woods turned out to be quite good and Nike launched their first Tiger Woods shoes.

1997: Tiger turned out to be very good winning the Masters by a record 12 strokes.

1998: 14 years after it all began Nike introduces it first line of golf ball, with four different versions of the Precision.

1999: Glen Day became the first player to win on Tour using a Nike ball.

1999: Who remembers that famous TV commercial featuring Tiger juggling a golf ball with his wedge?

May 2000: Titleist’s loss is Nike’s gain as Tiger announces he is switching to a Nike ball.

2000-01: Woods accomplishes the “Tiger Slam,” a pretty good endorsement for Nike Golf

July 2001: Duval, playing Nike Forged Blades in The Open, becomes the first player to win a tournament using Nike clubs.

January 2002: Nike took centre stage at the PGA Show as it introduced its first clubs:

February 2003: Woods’ main rival, Phil Mickelson slams Nike saying Woods “has inferior equipment. Tiger is the only player who is good enough to overcome the equipment he’s stuck with.”

April 2005: Woods sinks his miracle chip shot at the 16th hole of the Masters. The ball hangs on the edge of the cup, Nike logo fully visible – a PR departments dream come true – before tumbling in for a birdie…

2006: Woods signs another extension with Nike, with probably another pay rise.

January 2013: It all went quiet for a few years until Rory McIlrry agreed a reported 10-year, $200 million deal with Nike.

June 2016: The grey horizon appeared after Nike announced that sales in its golf division fell 8.2 percent to $706 million making it the company’s worst performing major category

August 2016: Rumours had been doing the rounds over the summer but it was finally confirmed on August 3rd when Nike confirmed it plans to “transition out” of golf equipment – the end of an era…