Here it is the Nike Sumo..like it/hate it

[The Saint]

The power of Nike Golf's geometry has led the way in taking the moment of inertia (MOI) in clubhead design to its highest level, it has made the award winning SasQuatch (SQ) driver by far the winningest driver on the 2006 PGA Tour - and now it's gone squared.

With today's announcement of the new square shaped SasQuatch SUMO² driver and the new SasQuatch SUMO driver, Nike Golf once again leads the way by elevating golf club design and creation to revolutionary and radical new levels. Nike Golf is the first to make it cool to be square.

From Bob Weeks Column

Sumo? Whistler? Nike? Accuform?
OK, I know there are few new ideas about golf products these days, but Nike has launched a new driver that looks quite familiar.
The Nike Sumo and Sumo ² are square-headed drivers and, according to the Swoosh folks, "the geometry in driver design has gone square to deliver the highest MOI in golf."
Now I immediately thought of one and only one thing when I saw this . . . the Accuform Whistler.
Accuform, you will recall, was the great Canadian club manufacturer known for its outstanding quality. Its irons were loved by many top PGA Tour players including Davis Love and Joey Sindelar.
But near the end of the line for the company, it came out with a square-headed driver known as the Whistler that didn't do very well at all.
What's interesting about all of this is that the designer of that driver was Tom Stites, now the director of product creation for Nike.
Of course the reason the Whistler never met with any success is really more to do with the lack of marketing dollars than the quality of the club. In fact, that was one of the real reasons the Accuform never survived; it made great clubs. That was a time when Ely Callaway was turning the golf business on its ear with his marketing prowess.
That won't be a problem for Nike, which not only knows how to market but also how sell. What might be interesting is to see if they can convince any PGA Tour players to use the club. Accuform hired a noted agency to try and convince someone “ anyone “ to use the Whistler but the pros ran in the other direction when they got a look at the club.

[Marcos]

If Tiger would have played Accuform clubs the company would be succesfull today.
As much as i hate to admit Nike advertising is pure genius.When i see the add with Tigers slow motion golf swing i have to change my underwear after.(or diaper depends on the day)It is simply inspiring.Now back to the new Sumo,looks fine to me will try to hit one and see .

[little brit]

I think that the club has evolved enough in stages so that it will be acceptable now. It looks ok to me. Like the sasquatch they seem to have tried to disguise it's shape somewhat using colour.

[Golfbum]

Using that driver would be like taking the UGLY BETTY to the dance! A snowball would have a better chance of surviving in hell, before that thing would ever be in my golf bag. I don't care if Woods hits it 350+ all day. That club is just downright UGLY!

If you are interested in one, I might be able to find a WHISTLER at FGO and paint it yellow and grey for you! Price would be a lot better than what Nike is going to soak people for that block of metal!

[Hacker]

I'm with Golfbum on this one - not a freaking chance!!

[Eldred]

Wow, the only fitting vehicle to haul this monster around is a Pontiac Aztek...

[3Jack]

I have one of those Wendy's burgers, umm, I mean Accuform Whistler's, in my garage!

[jvincent]

Is there a picture of what it looks like at address? I don't suspect it will look any better, but that's the view that matters.

[fireice]

From GolfWrx.com:
Address


Definitely interesting shape, we'll have to see, I haven't even tried the SQ.
Great marketing once again from Nike.

[Kilroy]

That is butt ugly.
Like any ugly club, it will start to look good to you if you hit it well.

[EO26]

There are 2 versions of this club comming out:
http://www.iseekgolf.com/news/10525

[Txxxxxxx]

I'm sure the engineering behind it is great, but in my opinion, if the club looks horrible, not many people are going to jump on the bandwagon just because Tiger hits it.

[Golfbum]

I'm sure the engineering behind it is great, but in my opinion, if the club looks horrible, not many people are going to jump on the bandwagon just because Tiger hits it.

My thoughts are the same. If it does not look good to me then I would not have any confidence in it. Of course that could change if every drive was dead straight and long. But just looking at it now, uhhhhhhhhhhh NO THANKS NIKE!

[jvincent]

There are 2 versions of this club comming out:
http://www.iseekgolf.com/news/10525

Damn that Sumo^2 is ugly. The Sumo SQ is more traditional and I could see some people playing it. Not me though.

[fireice]

The SasQuatch SUMO doesn't look as fugly as the SasQuatch SUMO².
Thanks for the link EO26

[LobWedge]

There are 2 versions of this club comming out:
http://www.iseekgolf.com/news/10525

It's like Jeckyll & Hyde. I like the look of the rounded model. I hope that Nike does a continuation of the ad where Tiger was trying to squeeze "Frank" onto the head of the Ignite 460. I bet they could come up with some funny stuff for the Sumo Squared model.

[mcgoo]

It's beautiful, they will sell millions. It has symmetry.

[hoolio]

Did Nike hire Craig Stadler into their R&D department? It looks like someone tossed a Foreman Grill on the bottom of a Shaft.

That being said, if this thing can grill up a dog or two while I'm at the green putting, you can mark me down for at least 1. Now I just have to wait for Taylormade to slap a mini-keg on the bottom of an Aldila NV and I'm good to go.

[Eldred]

I've seen this somewhere before, it usually has a little sign that says
"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.."

[LobWedge]

Here's an interesting twist. The Sumo Squared was designed by the same guy who designed the Accuform Whistler all those years ago, legendary club designer Tom Stites.

I'm wondering if Nike had to wait for a patent to expire...

[jvincent]

How long do you guys figure before one of these circulates through Geoff's bag?

[Ginker]

Def. the ugliest thing I have seen.. Word is Callaway will bring out a sqaure FT driver aswell this year.. Interesting to see if they last..

[LobWedge]

How long do you guys figure before one of these circulates through Geoff's bag?

He's looking for anything possible to help his game. He probably already has one on pre-order.

[LobWedge]

Def. the ugliest thing I have seen.. Word is Callaway will bring out a sqaure FT driver aswell this year.. Interesting to see if they last..

I believe it's the FT-5.

[LobWedge]

Oops! Apologies, it's the FT-I that's the square one. Here's a link to golfwrx.com for pics. Thanks to golfwrx for letting us look.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44155

[spackler]

Should be FT-U for UGLY. Will be interesting to see if the MOI drivers catch on like the MOI putters. Ugly is beautiful if it works.

[covanant]

Yup,thats really fugly! But...what does a square head have to do with moi?
Moment of inertia is mainly thickness and spring affect of the driver face is it not?
Any gurus out there care to explain?

[Txxxxxxx]

Yup,thats really fugly! But...what does a square head have to do with moi?
Moment of inertia is mainly thickness and spring affect of the driver face is it not?
Any gurus out there care to explain?

I was wondering the same actually.....

[Joelmtl]

To each his/her own. I happen to like the looks of the SQ squared from the address position. Looks like it has POWER!!! Like it's a Mack truck ready to barrel through anything in it's way.

[jonf]

That ain't ugly...it's pug fugly. I don't care how well it hits the ball, when I puke on it and my ball every time I set up at address, I'm pretty sure it becomes a penalty for putting a foreign substance on my ball.