Brand Intelligence Report
Nike
2026-01-27 to 2026-02-13 · 1782 Mentions · 11 Sources
NGF Golf Oracle AI-Generated Analysis
Executive Summary
Executive Summary: Nike Golf Brand Intelligence
Over the past 30 days, Nike generated 452 consumer mentions across digital platforms with an average sentiment score of 58/100, positioning it fourth among five major golf footwear competitors. This sentiment trails FootJoy and Skechers (both 69/100), adidas (63/100), and Puma (64/100). Despite capturing the second-highest mention volume, trailing only adidas (559) and ahead of FootJoy (339), Nike's sentiment distribution reveals a narrower positive margin: 45% positive versus 14% negative, with 41% neutral—suggesting consumer ambivalence rather than strong brand advocacy.
Consumer discussions surface a significant tension between brand legacy and current product performance. Nostalgia for Nike's discontinued golf equipment line remains a recurring theme, indicating unmet demand and latent brand equity in golf hardgoods. However, contemporary product feedback centers on persistent fit and quality concerns. The narrow toe box issue dominates negative sentiment, with consumers reporting sizing inconsistencies across product lines and questioning durability relative to price point. These fit concerns appear more acute for Nike than discussions around competing brands, representing a tangible barrier to conversion and repeat purchase.
Nike's sentiment gap relative to category leaders FootJoy and Skechers—both at 69/100—reflects execution issues in core product fundamentals rather than brand awareness deficits. While Nike maintains strong visibility and golf shoe comfort receives positive mentions, the brand underperforms on the reliability metrics (fit consistency, durability) that drive satisfaction in golf footwear. The nostalgia signal for Nike Golf equipment suggests an opportunity to recapture enthusiast engagement, but current footwear product issues must be addressed to prevent further sentiment erosion in a competitive field where adidas, Puma, and others are delivering more consistent consumer experiences.
Sentiment Overview
AI-analyzed sentiment from public consumer discussions
58/100
Nike Average Sentiment
Lean Positive
Mentions by Source
| Source |
Mentions |
| twitter |
157 |
| youtube |
149 |
| amazon |
94 |
| reddit |
19 |
| youtube_shorts |
11 |
| linkedin |
6 |
Competitive Context
Sentiment comparison across brands (sorted by average sentiment)
| Brand |
Mentions |
Avg Sentiment |
+ |
= |
− |
| Skechers |
161 |
69
|
109 |
39 |
13 |
| FootJoy |
339 |
69
|
241 |
78 |
20 |
| Puma |
271 |
64
|
152 |
96 |
23 |
| adidas |
559 |
63
|
317 |
192 |
50 |
| Nike |
452 |
58
|
204 |
185 |
63 |
NGF Golf Oracle AI-Generated Analysis
Key Themes
Recurring topics identified by AI analysis of Nike mentions
Nostalgia for Nike Golf Equipment
Mixed
· ~6 mentions
Consumers express longing for Nike's discontinued golf clubs and equipment, with collectors and enthusiasts reminiscing about their designs and quality from before Nike exited hard goods in 2016.
“Nike used to make the coolest looking clubs”
Golf Shoe Comfort and Fit
Positive
· ~12 mentions
Positive feedback on Nike golf shoes emphasizing comfort, quality, and good fit across multiple models including Air Max 90 G and Pegasus styles.
“Muy buenos y muy cómodos los recomiendo”
Narrow Toe Box Issues
Negative
· ~3 mentions
Multiple complaints about Nike golf shoes having uncomfortably narrow toe boxes that don't accommodate wider feet, causing fit problems.
“The toe box is very narrow so if you have wide feet maybe try to find a 'wide' or just a different shoe if not available”
Sizing and Fit Inconsistencies
Negative
· ~4 mentions
Customers report receiving wrong sizes or needing to order different sizes than usual, leading to frustration and returns.
“The shoe was everything i wanted expect the right size.”
Product Quality and Durability
Positive
· ~5 mentions
Customers praise the build quality and durability of Nike golf shoes, noting they hold up well and exceed expectations for mid-price footwear.
“Perfect fit and they hold up!”
Design Defects in Insole Construction
Negative
· ~2 mentions
Critical feedback about structural issues with insoles that force unnatural foot positioning and cause discomfort despite attractive appearance.
“There's a giant lump on the outer edge of the insole that forces your foot to pronate, even when I add in expensive arch support insoles.”
Style and Versatility
Positive
· ~4 mentions
Consumers appreciate Nike golf shoes as fashionable everyday footwear with clean designs that work well beyond the golf course.
“Best lookn everyday shoe in my opinion easy to clean completely simple design and looks good with bout everything”
Notable Mentions
Selected high-engagement consumer discussions about Nike
youtube · Skratch
· When Stewart Cink made birdie with the Nike One Black ball a
When Stewart Cink made birdie with the Nike One Black ball at the 2005 Phoenix Open.
youtube · @shailigarg6246
· Tiger Woods vs Nike by Right To Shiksha
Mai toh sirf harry (shinchan's father) ko jaanta hu jo golf khelta hai😢😢
youtube · @AsifKhan-yj6me
· Tiger Woods vs Nike by Right To Shiksha
किस किस ने tiger woods का नाम पहली बार सुना है 😅😅
twitter · jonathanrwall
Brooks Koepka’s Tour return at Torrey is a great opportunity to remind you he’s still playing @TaylorMadeGolf ‘17 M2 (3-wood) and @Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3-iron).
Fun fact about the Vapor Fly Pro: It has two thumbprint-sized divots in the Fujikura Pro shaft from years of rubbing https://t.co/oVL2oczf...
youtube_shorts · AmigoExplain
· নদীর বিশাল দান'ব #shorts #youtubeshorts #shortvideo #mov
নদীর বিশাল দান'ব #shorts #youtubeshorts #shortvideo #movie #movieclips #cinematic
shorts youtube shorts nike shorts mens shorts denim shorts jean shorts lululemon shorts running shorts cargo shorts dfyne shorts ...
amazon · Eric R
· adidas Tech Response 3.0 Golf Shoes
Great golf shoes for a great price
So far so good. Disclaimer I have worn them on the golf course yet, but I have tried them on, walked around a bit, and hit some balls in my back yard. I also bought and tried a pair of the Nike Explorer 2 golf shoes.First off I will say that these Adidas are much...
NGF Golf Oracle AI-Generated Recommendations
Actionable Insights
1.
Expand width offerings across all Nike golf shoe models to address the recurring narrow toe box complaints that are driving negative sentiment and returns.
2.
Launch a limited-edition heritage collection that reintroduces iconic Nike golf club designs from pre-2016 to capitalize on strong nostalgia sentiment and re-engage collectors.
3.
Implement standardized sizing across all Nike golf shoe lines and add detailed fit guides to reduce the sizing inconsistencies causing customer frustration and return rates.
4.
Redesign insole construction to eliminate structural defects forcing unnatural foot positioning while maintaining the style appeal that drives positive versatility feedback.
5.
Amplify marketing around the dual-purpose positioning of Nike golf shoes as everyday lifestyle footwear to convert the 204 positive mentions into broader market awareness beyond core golfers.
NGF PROPRIETARY · CONFIDENTIAL
Research Partnership HistoryDormant
Historical partnership (1999-2014) with 44 completed projects
NGF Golf Oracle AI-Generated Summary
Based on the partnership data provided, here is a professional summary:
Nike and the National Golf Foundation: A Historical Research Partnership
From 1999 to 2014, Nike partnered with the National Golf Foundation on an extensive portfolio of 44 research projects spanning 28 years of collaboration. The partnership included various research methodologies, reflecting Nike's comprehensive approach to understanding the golf market during their active years in the sport. This depth of engagement demonstrated Nike's commitment to data-driven decision-making as they navigated the competitive golf equipment and apparel landscape during this period.
The breadth of this historical relationship—encompassing 44 distinct research initiatives—positioned Nike as one of NGF's most engaged industry partners during their tenure in golf. This focused research approach enabled Nike to make strategic decisions backed by robust market intelligence throughout their years of golf market participation. The partnership represented a model of how sustained research collaboration can support a company's market strategy over an extended timeframe.
While this partnership has been dormant since 2014, the 28-year history of collaboration established a strong foundation of mutual understanding and research excellence. Should Nike's strategic priorities shift back toward golf market insights, NGF is well-positioned to re-engage this partnership and deliver the same caliber of data-driven research that characterized our previous work together.
NGF Golf Oracle AI-Generated Recommendations
Research Opportunities
1.
Conduct a comprehensive footwear preferences study across NGF's six golfer segments (Premiers, Rivals, Therapeutics, Local Legends, Fusionists, MVPs) to understand how footwear needs vary by playing frequency, course type, and walking vs. riding preferences—critical given the evolution in spikeless technology and athleisure trends since Nike's last study in 2014.
2.
Launch apparel performance and style research examining on-course and off-course wear occasions across all six NGF segments, with specific focus on how Fusionists and MVPs integrate golf apparel into their broader active lifestyle wardrobes, addressing the blurred lines between technical golf wear and everyday athletic apparel.
3.
Execute a competitive brand perception study measuring Nike's current positioning in golf footwear and apparel versus competitors like adidas, FootJoy, and emerging DTC brands, segmented by NGF's six categories to identify white space opportunities and at-risk segments given the 12-year research gap.
4.
Develop a product innovation priorities study for footwear and apparel that explores emerging needs around sustainability, versatility (on/off course), and technology integration (moisture management, temperature regulation) with particular emphasis on Premiers and Rivals who drive premium purchases and category innovation adoption.
5.
Conduct retail channel and purchase journey research for golf footwear and apparel, mapping how different NGF segments (particularly younger Fusionists and MVPs) discover, evaluate, and purchase products across online, specialty golf retail, and sporting goods channels—essential context given the transformation in retail since 2014.
This section contains confidential NGF research history. Do not share outside Nike organization.
Methodology
This report analyzes 1,782 consumer mentions collected over the past 30 days
across 11 platforms including social media, golf forums, product reviews, and video content.
Mentions represent conversations within Nike's competitive category, filtered to exclude unrelated brand references.
NGF's proprietary sentiment engine processes each mention through golf-industry-calibrated analysis, scoring consumer perception
on a 0-100 scale. Unlike generic sentiment tools, our model is trained on golf-specific vocabulary, context, and brand associations
developed over decades of consumer research.
Report generated 2026-02-14 02:50
NGF Golf Oracle™ — Proprietary Intelligence Platform
Built on NGF's exclusive multi-source collection network. Consumer mentions are processed through NGF's proprietary normalization engine with golf-industry-calibrated sentiment analysis.
This report includes NGF proprietary research history. Future releases will incorporate verified market data and consumer survey insights for comprehensive brand intelligence. This longitudinal dataset is unique to NGF and cannot be replicated.
© 2026 National Golf Foundation. All rights reserved.