Nike debuts Forged T-40 Fairway Woods

BY iseekgolf.com | 24 Jan 2003

Nike Golf and master club maker Tom Stites were striving for a high level of playability on both the PGA Tour and at the public course just around the corner when they set out to create forged fairway woods. The result is an innovative club head design promoting ease, accuracy and distance.

Nike Golf’s T-40 Fairway Woods (SRP: $279 graphite/$229 steel), introduced to the industry at the Fall PGA Merchandise Show, will be available for the general public in Oversized and Tour styles on February 1, 2003.

“The T-40 design ‘s easy-launch capability is the key. It combines length and accuracy, whether you’re in the fairway or the rough, " said Mike Kelly, Category Business Director for Nike Golf clubs. “With theTom ‘s help, we’ve created clubs that produce the launch angle, speed and spin rate that are ideal for fairway woods but that can be hit from practically any surface or environment.”

The key element of the T-40 series is the 40-gram Tungsten plug sole insert. While other fairway woods have featured up to 35 grams of tungsten, Nike has developed a design that allows for extra weight low in the club head, which contributes to optimal lift and shot trajectory.

Needing less space to provide the same weight as steel, the Tungsten insert frees up room for more weight around the perimeter of the club. Combined with a larger face, the result is a more forgiving club that provides greater distance and accuracy.

Nike ‘s unique camber sole design was created to ensure optimum trajectory, so golfers can hit the ball long out of the rough or a divot, but won’t experience the pop-up effect of other fairway woods.
The Oversize T-40 head is blue to match Nike Golf’s forged driver series and is slightly larger and more forgiving than its Tour counterpart. The Oversize T-40 comes in 3,4,5,7 and 9 woods, with lofts ranging from 15 to 23 degrees. The Tour T-40 series, with smaller heads that many professional players prefer and a distinctive grey color, feature a strong 3 (13-degrees) and regular 3 (15-degrees), a 4-wood (17-degrees) and a 5-wood (19-degrees).

Both the Oversize and the Tour are available with the Nike Graphite Shaft or the Nike Speed Step Steel Shaft. The Nike Graphite Shafts, lightweight with torsional resistance, are reinforced with a smaller tip diameter (.335 of an inch) for enhanced feel. The Nike Speed Step Shaft is 30 percent lighter and 14 percent stronger than standard steel, helping to create greater club head speed for more distance.

A Women’s Nike Graphite Shaft and left-handed set-ups for men and women are available in the T-40 Oversize 3, 5, and 7-woods.

Source – Nike