First Hit: Nike Vapor Pro irons

For nearly 10 years, Nike athlete Tiger Woods tested blades with a tungsten weight in the toe. This moved the centre of gravity more into the middle of the face by offsetting the weight of the hosel. Inspired by the idea – and Tiger’s feedback – the CG position in the Vapor Pros has been shifted to mimic Woods’ irons, by repositioning more weight towards the toe. 

Nike call this Modern Muscle and say this reduces vibration overall, which creates a better feeling and sounding iron. They also improve energy transfer and as a result, are said to be 1.7 yards longer than the VR Pro Blades they replace. 

The forged Vapor Pro irons feature a slightly longer blade length in the long irons with one degree of added bounce to add forgiveness through the turf. Precision-machined, third generation X3X grooves on a forged 1025 carbon steel chassis allow golfers to control spin and shot-to-shot consistency, while narrow sole widths make it easier to hit from less-than-ideal lies. 

Thin top lines and straight leading edges with minimal offset offer the ultimate in alignment and shot-shaping workability. The Vapor family of irons feature the satin chrome finish for glare reduction and optimal alignment across all models. 

TG Equipment Editor Joel Tadman took them for a hit at the Nike Performance Fitting Centre at Archerfield Links, East Lothian – watch the video above. 

Details: Available January 31 in steel shafts only. RRP: £699.99.