50 Words or Less
The Nike Vapor Fly hybrid is a long iron replacement with a lighter crown and lower center of gravity for greater distance.
Introduction
Nike‘s overarching goal with the recent Vapor Fly wood line was to create a lighter and thinner crown to increase club head speeds and give players more distance. With the Vapor Fly hybrid, Nike took this same concept and squished it into a “tour-proven” hybrid shape to try and give players a long iron replacement that was forgiving, long, and workable.
Looks
Like the rest of the Nike Vapor Fly lineup, the Vapor Fly hybrid has one of the bolder looks of any club on the market right now. The bold yellow Nike swoosh, bright blue patterned crown, and silver contrast top line make for a slick looking club. I like the silver of the face extending into the crown as it’s a nice frame for the ball and gives the club a little bit of a throwback vibe.
The shape is a more tour-preferred profile for advanced players. This is designed to make the club easier to work like a long iron and less like a small fairway wood. However, the club we tested was a 26º 5 hybrid and had a significant amount of offset.
Sound & Feel
The last time I hit a Nike Golf hybrid it had a very metallic “ting” at impact with a lot of trampoline feeling. I expected more of the same with the Vapor Fly hybrid, but what I found was exactly the opposite. The Vapor Fly hybrid felt very firm and solid with great response, and the sound was closer to a controlled “pop” than the “ting” from the past. If the solid feel is because of the Covert rail system designed to support the entire head at impact, then I’m officially buying in on that concept. When you deviate from the sweet spot, you’ll experience diminishing returns, but nothing horribly painful. All in all, the Vapor Fly hybrid feels like a well rounded player’s club.
Performance
My two big takeaways for performance with the Nike Vapor Fly hybrid are how easy the club is to hit and how good the turf interaction is. In a variety of different lies, I found it easy to make solid contact with the golf ball and the leading edge cut through the turf nicely. I found I could hit down on the ball without digging a deep trench (save for when I tried to test in some sopping wet conditions). The results were controlled high shots with soft landings.
As I mentioned before, the Vapor Fly hybrid cut through the turf nicely. I felt like I was really getting that compacting/cutting feel that trims away a thin layer of grass at impact. In longer grass, it didn’t feel like the club would twist or grab but would instead drive through and create a little heavier version of the previously mentioned feel.
Conclusion
If I’ve read it once, I’ve read it a million times that [insert brand here]’s hybrid is the ultimate long iron replacement but it never really seems to ring true. Hats off to Nike, I have to give them credit here with the Vapor Fly hybrid. This hybrid played closesr to an iron counterpart than most other hybrids I’ve hit. I’m not saying it felt like an iron, but in terms of the shot type, playability, and end result, it was pretty damn close to being a true long iron replacement.
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Bill plays Scott Readman Concepts putters and accessories.
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Was this review posted today as pure coincidence? Nike announced yesterday that they are exiting the golf equipment biz and will focus Nike Golf exclusively on footwear and apparel. That’s too bad really. I know Nike Golf has their fans and detractors alike, but fewer players in the equipment business can’t be a good thing for the game as a whole.
Btw you can get the Vapor line of clubs on the cheap right now since Nike is liquidating inventory.
Man, I will tell you 1 thing. I hit the Vapor Speed 2 Hybrid 260-280ish depending on lie and wind with a an average 220ish-240 yard carry. I just bought the Nike Vapor Fly #3 & #2 last night because they were on sale for $89 and I hit the #3 Hybrid what looks to be further than the #2 Vapor Speed I’m smashing past peoples drivers. My golf range is only 258 yards long and I’m almost carrying these clubs to the darn net. I CAN’T WAIT TO HIT THEM ON THE COURSE TODAY. OMG… PIERCING FLIGHT. I DON’T KNOW WHY I WILL NEED A DARN DRIVER BECAUSE I THINK I’M GOING TO BE 260-290’s WITH THIS #2 HYBRID.