DuPont and Nike Golf Collaborate to Reinvent Golf

DuPont and Nike Golf Collaborate to Reinvent Golf

DuPont has partnered with Nike Golf for a transformational golf ball core that adds distance, straightens shots and improves control, according to Nike test results.

The revolutionary new Nike 20XI golf balls showcase a breakthrough design which increases distance, speed and control.

The Nike 20XI ball features a lightweight core composed of highly engineered, thermoplastic resin formulated using DuPont™ HPF ionomer technology.

“DuPont has been the ideal partner for us on the 20XI ball.  They are the world leader when it comes to materials, science and innovation,” said Rock Ishii, product development director – Nike Golf.  “This collaboration between DuPont scientists and Nike golf ball engineers has resulted in the next revolution of golf ball development.”

Four years in the making, the new Nike 20XI ball design replaces rubber cores with a highly-engineered, DuPont thermoplastic resin developed specifically for use in golf balls.  This advanced core technology makes the new 20XI ball faster, and Nike’s new design makes it possible to achieve both greater distance and greater control.

“Collaboration is the catalyst needed to ensure DuPont science delivers a big impact to customers,” said Bill Harvey, president – DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers.  “Nike brought us their challenge, and together we were able to develop this new material. Golfers will be well served.”

“By working directly with golf ball design engineers, we can better understand how to transform their ball performance targets into property and performance targets for our materials,” said Jim de Garavilla, P&IP global technology lead for golf. “Having an intimate knowledge of customer needs, along with an intimate knowledge of our advanced ionomer technology platform, enables us to bridge the gap between customer needs and our DuPont material technology.

“It's exciting to work with a partner like Nike that is as committed to innovation as DuPont,” Jim said. “Over the last four years, Nike has been relentless in their effort and commitment to bring DuPont's higher performance, advanced thermoplastic ionomer resin technology into golf ball core applications.”

The 20XI ball is being played by touring pros and will be available in stores April 29.

View a 2-minute video of DuPont experts and Nike Golf talking about the golf ball development process.

Read the press release.

SOURCE