Nike Golf Takes Tiger Woods Signature TW '15 to New Level with Flyweave Innovation

Nike Golf and Tiger Woods are relentlessly focused on pushing the sport of golf forward. Together they are powering modern golf by driving product innovation beyond expectations.

Symbolic of the modern spirit is the new TW ’15 shoe, Woods’ latest signature golf shoe and the first to feature Nike’s breakthrough Flyweave technology in the upper.

The TW ’15 is the latest collaboration between Woods and Tobie Hatfield, Nike Senior Director of Athlete Innovation. Woods debuted their first project as a prototype at the WGC Bridgestone in 2011. Since then, each iteration of the TW-series has featured a Nike Free-inspired outsole while consistently raising the bar for what athletes should expect from a golf shoe.

Woods and Hatfield have raised the bar again with the TW ’15 by integrating Dynamic Flywire into a Flyweave upper with a Nike Free outsole. The result is a golf shoe that provides the ultimate level of stability, fit and flexibility.

“Nike keeps answering the bell every time I want to push the envelope,” said Woods. “The new Flyweave technology provides even more stability and support for my foot, and when you pair that with the Free-inspired outsole, I noticed I can push off the ground better and finish my swing with power.”

Flyweave enables the creation of a one-piece upper that is woven to provide great strength-to-weight support where it is needed most based upon the demands, or movements, of the sport. While strong and supportive, Flyweave is also incredibly lightweight and flexible.

Nike debuted Flyweave in a basketball shoe in 2014. Even though the dynamic movements of a basketball player’s feet are different from those of a golfer, both require stability and a natural range of motion.

“Tiger epitomizes power,” said Hatfield. “His power starts with natural motion which begins with unleashing the foot from the ground up. Flyweave gives you that flexibility coupled with support.”
Due to the lightweight Flyweave technology and the golf-specific Nike Free-inspired outsole, designers were able to make the TW ’15 ten percent lighter than the previous model.

THERE’S ALWAYS BETTER

The Nike Free-inspired outsole gets a few updates to offer athletes a golf-specific natural range of motion. Woods provided detailed feedback to help designers create an outsole that is 3mm lower than the TW ’14 to maximize ground feel and longer contact with the ground.

An updated process for creating the outsole optimizes the flexibility of the shoe, another request from Woods. Combined with four replacement spikes, Hatfield utilized Integrated Traction in the toe area of the shoe to offer more flexibility to help Woods harness the full power of his swing without sacrificing traction.

ATHLETE INSIGHTS

More of Hatfield’s aesthetic design inspiration was based on Woods’ personal love of diving and spearfishing. His first sketch of the shoe featured star-shaped traction, similar to a starfish.

“That reminded me of Tiger’s love to spearfish and be underwater,” Hatfield said. “Adding the sea elements allowed another part of Tiger to live in the design of the shoe.”

The traction elements in the toe are shaped like octopus beaks, while the rubber in the tip and the heel are inspired by shark scales.