The driver Rory McIlroy will be hitting a million yards... 2015 Nike Vapor Flex

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Nike won't be the only ones shifting to a bit of an as much tech as you're willing to pay for model this season, and so it's not the least bit surprising that all signs point to 3 distinct versions of the Vapor Driver. The early images showed both a fixed hosel driver (possibly a smaller Tour/Pro model), and an adjustable model that looks like the natural evolution (as natural as anything Volt-colored can be) of Nike's cavityback driver technology.

I suppose that is reasonably compelling, but the most interesting of the 3 models is the upcoming Vapor Flex Driver, which features its own version of cavityback technology along with Nike's new Flex Flight Module.

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From a technical standpoint, the Flex Flight Module is a flippable 15-gram weight, which can shifts the center of gravity 2mm front to back. That equates to 1° of loft and roughly 300 RPM of spin. While it's not discussed in the video, moving the heavy end of the module towards the rear should, along with increasing launch and spin, increase MOI as well.

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It's fairly well-observed that equipment companies have a fondness for debuting new gear at big tournaments (those less-than-two-handfuls of events that people actually watch in any meaningful numbers), and so there's a reasonable assumption to be made that Nike saw an opportunity, and twisted the arm of their only Ryder Cup staffer to get some airtime for the new model.

It certainly wouldn't have been foolish, and you are a cynical bunch.

The prevailing perception is that manufacturers almost always push their staffers to put the new stuff in their bags as quickly as it's released. That definitely happens from time to time, but in this case, multiple sources have told me that it was actually McIlroy who pushed Nike to get the new Vapor Pro driver on the USGA list ahead of schedule, specifically so he could put it in play at Gleneagles.

This is Rory's choice. He wants it in the bag.

“The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was how hot it was. Then, I found that I could really control the flight and work it both ways on the golf course. I saw added ball speed on the monitor and am getting 10-15 yards more distance on the golf course this week.” - Rory McIlroy

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Availability: January 30, 2015
Specifications: 8.5° – 12.5° loft; 460cc, Mitsubishi Diamana S+ Blue Board 60 shaft; RH/LH: R, S, X flex
MSRP: $479.991

1. MSRP is never the same as retail. Actual street price will be under $400.

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