Nike Golf’s first line of golf clubs was released in 2002 and they have been on a mission to be on top. Every year they seem to release a club that one ups the previous line and this year is no exception. The phrase you hear most often with Nike is these clubs flat out perform. No exception to the clubs I’m going to review below. The VR_S Nike Covert Forged irons are a game changer, both for Nike and anyone who puts these in the bag. I usually don’t like to start reviews out with such a bold statement but everything about these clubs screams success.
Specs:
T he VR_S Covert Forged irons look to blow the consumer away with a player’s iron that is easy to hit, accurate and long. Nike Golf employs the NexCOR face which features variable face thickness that delivers faster ball speed across the face for greater distance and accuracy on off center strikes. The cavity back itself has a low, deep center of gravity which launches the ball high and keeps it straight.
Nike also found through research that most contact is between the center and toe side of the clubface. By moving the center of gravity more towards the middle of face and shifting the sweet spot, you find more success on these off center hits.
Another feature to these irons is the widened X3X grooves on the clubface. With the widened grooves you get the maximum amount of spin and that equates to longer carry, which is something that people struggle with when switching to a more player- esque iron. Nike’s goal was to decrease shot dispersion in the difficult lies with the long irons.
What does that all mean for us as amateur players?? Read on the find out!
Looks:
The VR_S Covert Forged can be summed up in one word, striking. In an era where tech and extreme designs reign supreme a lot of us struggle to find the balance between technology/forgiveness and sleek. The basic color scheme along with the traditional Nike Swoosh on the toe of the cavity creates a very pleasing look with still a very unique Nike touch. My words cannot do this iron justice and you have to hold one in hand and line it up to truly appreciate the engineering and design that went into this iron.
At address you have a very traditional iron which inspires confidence. You see a smaller top line that frames the ball nicely. The cavity has been the only design aspect of this club that’s seemed to split the golfers. I personally found it to be a breath of fresh air. The lines and simple wording lend to uniform design that is certainly more traditional than anything yet is packed with technology.
Feel:
If you’ve followed along with the review on the forum, the word I keep coming back to is industrial. The feel off the clubface is unlike anything I’ve hit before and finds a striking balance between soft and explosive. There’s a certain crack and sizzle that makes these so contagious to hit. You feel as if you’re slicing the ball in half on good strikes. If there is a club I can find that would even come close are the J40 DPC irons.
At address the ball and turf are the only things that should be fearful. As I stated above the ball is framed nicely and as you go into your swing everything feels as one. The iron head paired with the Nippon 950 GH shaft flows freely and you always know where the club is at. The looks scream smooth and the feel throughout the swing is no exception. I have never swung an iron as put together as the VR_S Covert Forged.
It’s extremely unique and even tougher to describe. Addicting and fun is the end result.
Performance:
Measured by 3 key areas, distance, forgiveness and accuracy I will go into some detail. Usually when making a purchase I like launch monitor data. However, for the purposes of this review I kept to a different approach. I played a course that I know my distances and kept the ball the same to see how these played out in real life situations.
Distance:
Before testing the VR_S Covert Forged I was gaming the Callaway XHP. Strong loft players irons are clubs that blend all the things I hold important to me. These irons have the distance of a Game Improvement iron with the looks of a Players iron. I played the 4i off the tee as my go to club on shorter par 4’s. There is nothing better than having a wedge in on a 350 yard par 4 when all you’ve hit off the tee is a 4i. The only club that struggled to keep up was the AW. I was constantly shorter than I should’ve been. While it was frustrating it was also very consistent so eventually I just ended up playing to it. You may not find a longer players iron.
Forgiveness:
All the way from the 4i down to the AW you can really feel the NexCOR face technology benefits. The longest iron I’ve carried (besides a 2i) is a 5i. Long irons are not as easy to hit and any mishit can be punishing. Nike spoke of moving the sweet spot to accommodate most golfers’ strikes and I can say first hand this was the case. Typically I will miss towards the toe and while these weren’t magic sticks I noticed my ball stayed much more online and I didn’t lose more than a club or so on off center strikes. Now when I talk off center I mean extreme toe strikes. The ones that ventured just a little off center were still rewarded and I have to tell you, I was extremely impressed. I’ve played forgiving players and I truly believe after my last round these outperform my previous sets. Never have I had as much confidence pulling a 4i to hit off a tight lie and with these irons, it’s now something I won’t back down from.
Accuracy:
I played my last set 3* flat so I was a little concerned about the ball flight of these when I first got them. I started with a slight fade and it has morphed into a high towering straight ball. I think after the initial adjustment period I have really found a rhythm. Even on off center shots the ball wants to go straight and it makes it very easy to take out one side of the golf course. You can work the ball and while I didn’t find it difficult with these irons I also am not the world’s best shot shaper. I can hit a ball high and I can hit a ball low easy but the left/right is a bit of a struggle at times. For my experience level I didn’t find these were hard to work when I pulled the shot off. Nothing but my swing prevented a worked shot. For my preferred shots I like to shape, these worked wonderfully and it was about as point and shoot as I’ve ever hit.
Pros/Cons:
Pros:
• Easy to hit long irons
• High ball flight throughout the set
• Forgiving players iron which limits distance and accuracy loss on shots off the toe
• Distance, accuracy and forgiveness all combined into one sleek package
• One of the most unique feeling irons I’ve ever had the pleasure of hitting
• Combines all the best aspects of distance irons with the accuracy and feel of a players iron
Cons:
• Fitting Cart Availability
As you can see from the list I had no performance cons to speak of. The price of these irons is right along with others in the forged category and it’s not as intimidating as it looks depending on the set make up you go with. I’ve played a forged GI iron before and I while I loved them they were missing the size and looks of the next iron I purchased. However that iron was missing the feel from the forged GI. Nike has found a way to combine all the best aspects of those irons and put it a sleek, forgiving package that is a top contender no matter what category you place these. I can’t speak highly enough of these irons and urge you to make these a consideration for your next set. The incredibly unique, powerful feel combined with the stunning in hand looks will not let you leave the store without considering these. As a good iron player who needs a bit of help sometimes, these will be staying in the bag for a very long time.
About Me:
I’m currently an 18 handicap who has been as low as 13 (last year). I play on the MGA Tour and my best round has been an 82 which was last year. My strengths are my irons and short game. I have so much confidence in my irons I now carry a 4i instead of a hybrid and use a 2i off the tee. My weakness is that I’m inconsistent off the tee with my driver at times. That has lead my handicap to rise but I’m to the point where I’m now turning that around and combine that with some improved putting, I’ll be in for the best golf year of my life.
From Mark Crossfield:
By Marc Gradillas
