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Nike ONE Platinum Review

April 13, 2009 / Posted in Amateur, Marketing/Advertising, Reviews

Strong but spendy performance for better players who want a ball that really bites

 

With golf balls, often you trade performance and feel for distance and durability. Nobody likes compromise. If Nike set out to make one ball that does it all, they came close with the 2008 Nike ONE Platinum.

 
Decent durability combine with good length, outstanding spin and a soft feel for a great all-around premium performance ball for the better player. Apparently players with slower swing speeds won’t enjoy the same benefits from this ball.

 

I have experienced good, not great, distance with the ability to quickly stop approach shots on the green. Occasionally, full wedges will reverse back off the green due to too much spin, as the ONE Platinum has one of the highest spin rates on the market, according to publications. As a result, you need to take this into consideration when going for front hole locations. Nothing is more frustrating than hitting a great shot only to have it come back off the green, and that is one, um, drawback to the ONE Platinum. Players who regularly impart a lot of backspin may prefer the ONE Black or another brand instead. If you have a big hook or a severe slice the high spin could make it worse.

 

However, the high spin rate really makes this ball stand out around the greens. Crisp pitch shots, flops and bunker escapes can really be controlled with a short hop and stop. You can have confidence that an aggressive pitch or chip will grab the green.

 

All of this is as advertised. But, one area that I found the ONE Platinum to also excel was in the wind, specifically crosswinds. Whether the spin or dimple pattern is why, I’m not sure, but a well-struck shot was often only minimally affected by crosswinds, enabling you to avoid modifying your aim much in blustery conditions. Really surprising performance from this ball in windy weather.

 

This is an excellent all-around ball. Yes, it is expensive at more than $40 per dozen in most shops. If you don’t have deep pockets or you are a high handicapper who loses many balls during a round, the ONE Platinum is probably not a good choice for you. However, playing a premium performance ball has helped me lower my scores in recent years. I recommend the ONE Platinum for better players (single digits and low teens) who don’t impart much sidespin on full shots, and who specifically want to pinch and control the ball when trying to score around the greens.

 

I have not yet tried the new 2009 Nike ONE Tour, ONE Tour D or ONE Vapor balls, but if they are similar to their recent brethren then I’m optimistic about their performance.

 

-Corey

 

 

Corey Grice is an avid single-digit player in the wet Pacific Northwest where balls plug. He finds and tests almost as many golf balls as he loses.

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