“Forgiving pocket-cavity long irons blending into blade-like scoring irons; a favorite combo of the era. Sits at the rung-2/3 line.”
Nike's 2011 combo iron used three distinct forged head designs within one set -- pocket-cavity 2-4 irons for launch and forgiveness, split-cavity 5-7 irons blending workability with stability, and pure blade 8-PW for maximum feel on scoring clubs. All eight were forged from the same 1025 carbon steel with dye-stamped, USGA-conforming X3X grooves, giving a consistent feel across three very different head shapes -- the harder engineering problem combo sets exist to solve. Trade press called it the most interesting set in Nike's 2011 lineup, and Tiger Woods was filmed testing a prototype during development, though he did not adopt it as his primary gamed set.
Multiple independent reviewers (MyGolfSpy, GolfWRX, PGA.com's Club Test) singled it out as a top performer among 2011 combo/better-player sets, and the Tiger Woods testing footage gives it documented tour pedigree -- but there is no evidence of an ongoing collector market or forum hunt for clean sets today the way there is for something like the Mizuno MP-32; it is a well-regarded set that was forgotten along with the brand.
Accomplished ball-strikers (low-to-mid handicap) who want easier-to-hit long irons without giving up blade-like short-iron feel and workability. High-handicappers should skip the blade short irons in favor of a full cavity or GI set like Nike's own VR Pro Cavity or VR-S.
Went up against Titleist's 712 CB/MB combo concept, Mizuno's MP-63/Fli-Hi combinations, and TaylorMade's Tour Preferred CB/MC in the 2011 better-player combo category. Press sources consistently date the VR Pro Combo's actual launch to the 2011 season.
A genuine combo-set forgiveness gradient: the pocket-cavity 2-4 irons launch easily and forgive mis-hits, the split-cavity 5-7 add stability without going full blade, and the 8-PW are pure blades offering feel and control but no forgiveness safety net. Scored at the set's overall midpoint, similar to a standard players' cavity -- easier long irons without sacrificing scoring-club precision, but a high-handicapper will still struggle with the blade short irons.
Calibrated across the whole catalog — a tour blade scores low here on purpose; it means control, not ease.
$150-280 for a clean steel-shaft 3/4-PW set in 2026 -- forged combo sets from this era hold value slightly better than pure cast game-improvement irons of the same vintage due to ongoing demand from better players, but Nike's 2016 exit from clubmaking caps upside versus an equivalent Titleist or Mizuno combo set from the same period. Premium tour shafts (Dynamic Gold, Project X) push toward the top of the range.
Reading is one thing — hitting is another. Book a bay and see the numbers for yourself before you buy anywhere.
