DRIVER: Nike VR Tour (8.5°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike VR Pro Limited Editon (15°), SQ (19°) with Mitsubishi Diaman Blue Board 103 shafts
IRONS: Nike Forged VR-S Forged (3), VR Pro Blades (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100shafts
WEDGES: Nike VR (56°), VR Pro (60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER: Nike Method 001
BALL: Nike Tour D

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(Photo by David Dusek)

These are the clubs that Tiger Woods is expected to be carrying when he plays the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

DRIVER: Nike VR Pro (8.5°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike VR Pro Limited Editon (15°, 19°) with Mitsubishi Diaman Blue Board 103 shafts
IRONS: Nike Forged VR-S Forged (3), VR Pro Blades (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100shafts
WEDGES: Nike VR (56°), VR Pro (60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER: Nike Method 001
BALL: Nike Tour D

See-Try-Buy: Learn more about Nike clubs and schedule your fitting with GolfTEC or Golfsmith.

DRIVER: Nike VR Pro (8.5°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike VR Pro Limited Editon (15°, 19°) with Mitsubishi Diaman Blue Board 103 shafts
IRONS: Nike Forged VR-S Forged (3), VR Pro Blades (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
WEDGES: Nike VR (56°), VR Pro (60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER: Nike Method 001
BALL: Nike Tour D

See-Try-Buy: Learn more about Nike clubs and schedule your fitting with GolfTEC or Golfsmith.

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Tiger Woods played his last competitive round of golf on May 12, but leg pain forced him to walk off TPC Sawgrass after just nine holes.

Woods returns to action this week, and he will walk onto the course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, wearing a prototype golf shoe inspired by Nike Free running shoes.

Nike's Free running shoes, which are extremely flexible and light, are designed to replicate running in bare feet but provide some protection and traction. According to a release from Nike, Tobie Hatfield, whose group developed the first Nike Free shoes in 2004, worked with Woods to create the shoe.

“I love the feel of Nike Free for training, so I asked Tobie if it was possible to bring that technology to the golf course," Woods said. "It’s exciting to see a conversation like that come to life, and I look forward to wearing them this week."

The prototype shoe is designed to let Tiger's forefoot move more freely, which Nike says should allow him to transfer more power from his swing into the ball. Small heel counters provide some extra lateral support for the follow through.

The upper is made from polyurethane coated with a stretch fabric that is used in some of Nike's basketball shoes. A portion of the shoe's heel comes from recycled Nike Air Max units that have been melted into thread and then woven into a textile material. The shoe's outsole is taken from Nike's Special Field Boot that was designed for first-responders at emergency sites.

There is no word from Nike on when, or if, Tiger's prototype shoe will be made available to the public.

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DRIVER:  Nike Victory Red Tour (8.5°) with a Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 73x shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS:  Nike VR Pro (15°), SQ Sumo (19°) with Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 103g shafts
IRONS: Nike Victory Red Blades (3-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
WEDGES:  Nike VR Pro (56°, 60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER:  Nike Method 003
BALL:  Nike One Tour

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Paul Casey fell in love with a prototype of Nike's Method 001 putter after trying it at the company's test center in Ft. Worth, Texas. After convincing company brass to allow him use the club in competition, Casey dropped it into his bag at the 2008 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

It's never left.

In 2009, both Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover won major championships using a Method prototype, and last year Tiger Woods started sporadically using one too.

But for a lot of golfers, the $250 price tag attached the Method putters was simply too much to fork over. Nike aims to change that with the release of the Method Core line of putters, which have a $129 sticker.

Like the original Method putters, the Method Core line features a unique polymer-groove technology that Nike says gets the ball rolling on the greens faster. However, while the grooves are cut into the face of the Method putters, Nike designers set the grooves of the Method Core putters in an insert.

Essentially, the technology is the same: the grooves are partially filled with a polymer for soft feel, but the unfilled lower portion of the grooves grab the ball and get it rolling.

Nike says the original Method putter starts the ball rolling a touch faster, but not by much. The company also says that the Method Core putter should give a softer feel than the original Method because the grooves are housed in the insert.

Method Core putters will be available in three blade models and two mallets, and all will come with a Black Nickel finish that reduces glare. None of the designs are shockingly unique, and in fact, all five will look familiar to many golfers.

Look for the new Method Core putters to start arriving in pro shops by early March.

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At the last tournament Tiger Woods played across the pond, the 2010 British Open, he surprised a lot of golf fans by using a Nike Method 001 putter instead of the trusty Scotty Cameron he'd used to win 13 of his major championships. Woods explained that he'd always had trouble putting on slow greens, and he felt that the Nike putter would help him handle to greens at St. Andrews more effectively.

The experiment lasted three days, and Woods switched back to the Scotty Cameron putter for the final round.

This week at Celtic Manor, as he and his teammates prepare to defend the Ryder Cup, Woods has been spotted not only using his heel-toe weighted Scotty Cameron putter (left in photo), but also a Nike Method 003 putter, a mid-size mallet (right in photo).

We'll have to wait and see which putter makes its way into Woods's bag on Friday.

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(Photos: Jon Super/AP Photos)

After a disappointing 1-over 73 on Saturday that included three three-putts and a handful of near misses for birdie, Tiger Woods said his new putter wasn’t the problem.

"No, no," he said when asked if his new flatsick was the reason for his uncharacteristically poor putting day. "I just need to have better speed."

However, when Woods turned up on the practice green Sunday morning, his new Nike Method 001 putter was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Woods stroked practice putts with his trusty Scotty Cameron for Titleist Newport 2 putter, which he used in 13 of his 14 major wins. Ninenty-nine putts — Woods' total number of putts in the first three rounds with the Method putter — was apparently enough.

Woods had raised eyebrows this week when he said he’d be using a Nike Method putter at the British Open. Woods, who had been using the Scotty Cameron putter since 1999, said he made the switch because he always had trouble on slower British Open greens. Woods didn’t say it was a permanent switch, only that he thought the Method putter would help him this week.

"This putter does come off faster with the new groove technology," Woods said when explaining his switch to the Nike putter on Tuesday. “I've had to make very little adjustment in how hard I'm hitting it compared to if I had my older putter. That's something Stevie and I have been talking about over the years together, is what can I do on slower greens? I always seem to struggle on them and can't wait to get to the fastest greens that we play on Tour."

Through three rounds Tiger has taken 99 putts, including two three-putts on Friday and three three-putts on Saturday. — Mike Walker

See-Try-Buy: Learn more about Nike and Titleist clubs and schedule your fitting with GolfTEC.

(Photo by Angus Murray/GOLF)

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Tiger Woods has been using the same Scotty Cameron Newport putter since 1999, winning 13 major championships with it. But Tiger confirmed in his press conference on Tuesday that he is making a switch this week at the Open Championship.

Woods said that this week he is going with a Nike Method 001 putter. It is the same model Stewart Cink used to win the 2009 British Open at Turnberry and Lucas Glover used to win the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage.

"I have always struggled on slower greens," Woods said. "This week I have not had to make that much of an adjustment because the ball is coming off the face a little quicker."

Woods's Method 001 was built to match the specifications of his Cameron putter, with an identical lie angle, single alignment dot on the head and a Ping grip.
 
But according to Rick Nichols, Nike Golf's tour field manager, the putter has the standard loft for a Method putter, 2.5°. That's about 1° less loft than Woods's Cameron putter.

Nichols also said that Woods has given Nike input on the Method putters since their inception almost two years ago. In fact, he said that Tiger's back-up putter—to be used if his Cameron was damaged—has been a Method 001.

The grooves in the face of the Method putters are partially filled with a polymer to soften feel. However, the exposed metal area within the grooves is designed to grab the ball and get it rolling on the ground more quickly.

"I've always been tempted to change my putter on slower greens," Woods said. "I've always experimented with other putters throughout the years, but I never put one in play."

Until this week.

In the video below, Tom Stites, Nike Golf's director of product innovation, explains the technology behind the Nike Method putters.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The original asking price of the Titleist irons currently for sale on eBay that were supposedly used by Tiger Woods in 2000-2001 was $250,000. After what Tiger Woods said in his press conference Tuesday, don't be surprised to see that price drop considerably.

"He may have my set of irons, but they are not from those tournaments," Woods said. "They are in my garage."

Woods said that he didn't know where the clubs that are for sale came from, but, "The sets that I won all four major championships with are in my house."

Woods later clarified his comment by saying that he changes iron sets every nine months, and that he has both sets of Titleist irons he used to win the 'Tiger Slam.'

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Before getting on a plane this morning and flying from New York to Jacksonville, Fla., for the Players Championship, I bought a Mega Millions ticket. The grand prize is up to $266 million, and if I my numbers hits, I'm going to quite my job (sorry boss) and buy a Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California like the one Ferris Bueller wrecked.

But even if I won all that money, there is no way I would place bid on the Titleist 681 Forged irons currently available on eBay which Tiger Woods supposedly used to win his Tiger Slam in 2000-2001.

The seller, aphotoshop1, says Woods gave him the clubs and that they are still in their original condition. Each club (2-PW, plus a 56 and 60 Vokey Wedge) has a True Temper Dynamic Gold X-100 shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord grips. He is starting the bidding at $250,000.

Here's why I seriously doubt they are authentic:

1. Tiger Woods has an endorsement relationship with Upper Deck. On Woods' Web site, he Upper Deck logo appears as one of his sponsors, and he is listed as one of the company's official autograph signers. On Upper Deck's Web site you can buy Woods-autographed prints, golf flag and golf shoes. During last season's U.S. Open at Bethpage, Upper Deck sold the Nike Golf shirts worn by Woods during the first four rounds of the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

True, the clubs are not autographed, but why would Tiger Woods risk angering a sponsor and allow a company or person other than Upper Deck—which supported Woods throughout his recent sex scandal—to make money selling his memorabilia?

2. Players save clubs. Many Tour pros like to collect clubs, golf bags and other things they use over the years. Paul Casey recently told me that he's saved every set of irons he's used as a professional and has them in boxes at his home. Other guys have told me they collect putter headcovers.

While I'm sure that Tiger has given friends and associates golf-related gifts and mementos over the years, it's hard to believe that he'd part with THAT set of irons.

I asked an official from Nike if he thought the irons on eBay might be authentic, he laughed out loud. "No way," he said. When asked if he knew where the Titleist irons Woods used in 2000 might be, he said, "No, but I can tell you those aren't them."

Hey, is it possible that the irons for sale on eBay are actually Woods' old clubs? It's possible. I tried to ask Tiger today after his practice round but he walked away from the reporters on the ninth green and walked to the back practice range at TPC Sawgrass after his practice round with Jay Haas and Rod Pampling.

It's also possible that I'll hit the Mega Millions jackpot too.

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As he prepares to play in his second event of the season, Tiger Woods has changed the shaft in his driver. During Wednesday's practice round, he had a Mitsubishi Fubuki in his Nike Victory Red Tour.

At the Masters, Woods used a Graphite Design Tour AD DI.

In a tasty bit of irony, the Mitsubishi Fubuki shaft is also being used in the Callaway FT-9 Tour Authentic driver used by Phil Mickelson.

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(Photo by Scott Hallaran/Getty Images)

DRIVER:  Nike Victory Red Tour (10°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 83x shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS:  Nike SasQuatch Sumo (15°, 19°) with Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 103g shafts
IRONS: Nike Victory Red Blades (3-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
WEDGES:  Nike Victory Red (56°, 62°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER:  Titleist by Scotty Cameron Newport 2
BALL:  Nike One Tour

See-Try-Buy: Learn more about Nike clubs and schedule your fitting with GolfTEC.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Golf equipment aficionados study Tiger Woods's gear closely, so maybe a few noticed that the irons the game's No. 1 player is using at the Masters look a little different.

They are ... sort of.

Although he began 2009 using Nike Victory Red Blade irons, Tiger switched to an old set of Nike Forged Blades at the Memorial and continued to use those clubs for the rest of the season.

I asked him at the U.S. Open why he made the switch and he said, "I went back to an old set that I had played before and had some success with, so I went back to that."

But this week, the Victory Red Blades are back in the bag.

I asked Rick Nichols, Nike Golf's field tour manager, about the clubs.

"Some players have a custom grind, and he is playing a custom-grind VR Blade," Nichols told me shortly after Tiger teed off Thursday. "The topline, the sole, we do some custom grinding for some of the guys."

Nichols wouldn't get more specific than that, but Woods hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation on Thursday, so Nike has to think this set of irons may stay in his bag for a while.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Nike has several golfers in the field this week at the Masters. And each of them received some very unique gifts from the company on the eve of the tournament, including a green-and-yellow pair of Nike sneakers. Each player's first name was stitched on the back of the left shoe, and the last name was on the right. Below is a photo of the shoes given to Francesco Molinari.

But wait, there's more. Several players were also given a green track jacket with their name embroidered on the front. However, as past champions, Trevor Immelman and Tiger Woods were given white jackets. Above Immelman's name was a single star to symbolize his 2008 victory; there were four stars placed above Tiger's name to represent each of his wins.

Inside, discreetly screened into the back of each jacket, is an image of the famous oak tree that stands behind the clubhouse at Augusta National.

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(Photos by David Dusek)