The Nickent name may not be as well known to most as say Titleist, TaylorMade, or Callaway, but those familiar with the brand can tell you they make products that performs at a high level, with a price tag that’s often less than the more familiar names.

Nickent hybrids are the most played utility club on the Nationwide tour, and remain very popular on the PGA circuit as well. In fact, lat year, Ángel Cabrera carried a Nickent 3DX DC Ironwood with him as he was winning the US Open at Oakmont. If Nickent clubs are good enough to win The Open, I’m guessing they’re good enough for your bag.

As we’ve already seen, 2008 may very well prove to be the year of customization. Nickent will join Callaway, and TaylorMade in offering an interchangeable shaft system (Nickent calls it IST). Nikent, however; has raised the bar, announcing that their IST system will be available not only for their 4DX Evolver driver, but also for 4DX Evolver woods and hybrids as well. While I have no doubt the other guys will join them before the year is over, for now, Nickent offers the most complete interchangeable shaft system in the industry.

Drivers

As I’ve already mentioned, the big news from Nickent on the driver front is the new IST system on the 4DX Evolver. The head on the Evolver is essentially the same as last year’s two time Nationwide Tour winning 4DX. Nickent did have to reduce volume by 6cc to accommodate the new hosel design. Minor modifications aside, the 4DX Evolver is the same high-MOI club from last year, and is suitable for players of all ability levels.

The 4DX Evolver driver will be available with a single shaft, or with in a combo pack that features both the UST V2 and UST V2 high-launch shafts. Nickent is indicating that you will be able to the 4DX with any available shaft for $399. The UST package is expected to run $479.

If the Evolver isn’t your speed, Nickent has also announced the 4DX SuperMag. For this new driver, “Mag” means Magnesium. Nickent has engineered the crown of this new driver out of Magnesium, which weighs half as much as Titanium (which is still used in the face). If we’ve learned one thing this year, it’s that reducing the weight in places like the crown, and hosel, allows manufacturers to place more discretionary weight lower in club face. For every rule, there is an exception, and the SuperMag is that exception.

While the SuperMag is still a reasonably high MOI driver (Nickent puts the number at 5300), Nickent didn’t reallocate all of the weight savings to the sole. Instead, they just left it out altogether. Why would they do that? By using Magnesium in the crown, and not replacing the weight elsewhere, Nickent has created a head that weighs only 195 grams. When you pair the lightweight head a super-light SR3 Lite shaft, you’ve got a design for massive clubhead speed, which as we all know, translates to more distance.

The one other advantage to Magnesium over composites used by Callaway and others, is that acoustically speaking, the Magnesium crown produces a much more pleasant sound at impact. Nickent describes it as a “clink” vs. a “dull clunk”. If you heard last year’s Nike SUMO, or pretty much any Callaway Fusion driver, you know what I’m talking about.

The 4DX SuperMag will retail for $379. If the SR3 shaft isn’t to your liking, you can swap it out for a UST Proforce V2 for no additional charge.

Woods

There really isn’t much to add on the woods front.  For those not ready to make the leap to Evolver technology, the standard 4DX fairway is still available.

Hybrids

Not unlike Adams, Nickent has quietly, for several years now, been making some of the finest hybrid clubs anyway.  I’ve already talked about the tour-proven 3DX DC, but there are plenty more choices from Nickent.

All the indications I’ve seen suggest that Evolver technology will be available in the 4DX hybrid series; which includes the 4DX Utility and the 4DX Ironwood.

Both feature titanium crowns bonded to a steel face.  The titanium dramatically reduces the weight compared to the 3DX Series.  Both models also feature Nickents XW Inserts, which offer the same benefits as TaylorMades MWT, without the hassle of having to adjust the weights.  The XW Insert (common to all 4DX clubs), also help to eliminate the harsh feel associated with off center, and other types of misshits.

The 4DX Utility is designed to replace your fairway woods.  It’s available in lofts comparable to your 3 (including a strong option) – 7 woods.   The 4DX Utility retails for around $199

The 4DX Ironwood, like most hybrids, is designed to replace your long irons, although with Nickent, you don’t have to stop there.   With a ridiculous 16 lofts to choose from (1-iron though 6-iron, with strong options for 2-6) you should be able to find a 4DX Ironwood to fill any hole in your bag.   The4DX Ironwood retails for around $180 (graphite)

Irons

Nickent is offering up bundles of irons for 2008.  It’s really quite an accomplishment considering Nickent is generally regarded as a smaller player in the market place.  This years offerings include an ultra-game improvement set for beginners, 2 cavity back sets, and forged blades for better players.

The 4DX CB (cavity back) irons read like a middle-handicappers dream.  They feature a thin topline, and what Nickent is calling “Just the right amount” of offset.  The 4DX CB represent an entirely new head shape for Nickent.  The perimeter weighted 4DX CB includes a 20g, tungsten polymer insert, which helps the golfer launch the ball high.  The XW insert positioned directly behind the face improves feel by reducing vibration.

Nickent has replaced the traditional 3-4 irons with 4DX Ironwoods, making the 4DX 1 of 3 mixed sets from Nickent this year.

Retail price for the 4DX CB Irons is $599 (steel)

The 4DX Pro Combo irons are the replacement for the 3DX Pro irons.  Nickent describes these new irons as  having blade styling with a forgiving cavity back design.   The head design features a straight leading-edge, minimal offset, and a thin topline.  Like the CB model the Pro Combos have an XW insert in the club face.  Also like the CB model, the 3 & 4 irons in the Pro Combo set have been replaced by 4DX Ironwoods.

The 4DX Pro Combo irons ship stock with Nickent exclusive, Nippon 1180 steel shafts, and retail for $799 (steel).

For those in need of Super-game-improvement irons Nickent has announced the 4DX hybrid iron set.  You can think of this set as Nickent’s answer to Cleveland’s Hi-Bore, or Callaways FT i-brid designs.  It features the same 4DX 3&4 Ironwoods that we’ve seen in the other Nickent sets, but the remaining clubs feature an entirely new design.

The 4DX hybrid irons offer the same launch and trajectory as the CB model, but are much more forgiving thanks to a bit of Nickent technology.  Rather than use a conventional cap backing, Nickent used a 5 gram piece of carbon fiber.  This allowed them to move an impressive 35 grams of weight to the lower part of the club head.  By now you should all be aware of the resulting benefits.

The other interesting bit of information about the titanium-faced 4DX hybrid irons, is the depth of engineering that went into determining club loft.  Nickent was able to lower the lofts in the longer clubs, without sacrificing trajectory.  The result is a perfect spacing between the clubs.

The 4DX hybrid irons retail for $799 (steel)

The last bit of iron news (sorry, no details yet on the 3DX RC) is the new for 2008 ARC Blade.  The quick story is that Nickent took the same ARC technology used in its wedges, and applied it a brand new blade design.  So what does that really mean?

Nickent has this proprietary green elastomer ARC (accelerated rebound core) technology that they put in their wedges to enhance feel.   The selling point to the ARC technology is that it can provide vibration reduction, while still maintaining a sold feel at impact.

What’s really cool is that giving a club an ARC injection results in a 7X weight reduction in the portion of the clubhead where the polymer has replaced metal.  This matters because it puts the bulk of the clubhead mass around the perimeter.  While this isn’t a unique idea within the industry as a whole, doing it in a blade is virtually unheard of.  What Nickent has designed is a golf club with the look and feel of a blade, with the playability of a cavity back.  Damn.  That’s impressive.

No word on pricing yet, but if I were a betting man, I’d go with $799.

Wedges

Nickent hasn’t announced any new wedges for 2008.  Last year’s ARC series doesn’t really require an update.  I let the cat of the bag about ARC when talking about the ARC blades, so there isn’t much more to add on that front.

ARC wedges are available in lofts from 50° to 60° in 2° increments.  Currently Nickent only offers one bounce option per loft, and only a single finish option (both of which are pretty limiting considering what Scratch Golf is doing).  Still, it’s nice to see a 62° offering.  In addition to the standard DynamicGold shaft, ARC Wedges are also available with Nippon 1180 shafts.

Putters

Following the success of the PIPE putter, Nickent is back with the PIPE II, with 5 new models to choose from.  If you’re unfamiliar with the original PIPE, its biggest selling point is its alignment benefits.  The 3 dimensional PIPE extension is exactly the diameter of a golf ball, and to my eyes gives the appearance of a golf ball rolling out of a tunnel.  The new models all feature a center alignment stripe, which make the PIPE even easier to align with your target (which is probably the hole).

If the alignment benefits aren’t enough to entice you to at least consider a Nickent PIPE II Putter, perhaps the aluminum face and AGT (alternate groove technology) insert will.  The AGT insert is designed to accomplish the same thing as TaylorMade’s AGSI+ insert; reduce skidding and bouncing, and get the ball rolling sooner.  Nickent bills the AGT insert as producing true roll, and soft feel.

Finally, the PIPE II features a tungsten plug for optimized weighting and high MOI.

The 5 PIPE II models include both mallet and blade designs, although truthfully, even if the head itself is blade shaped, the long PIPE extension pretty much makes all 5 models mallets.  If want a true blade style putter, you’re likely better off looking elsewhere.

Bags

Nickent offers stand, cart, and staff bags.  While I’m not blown away by any of them, the 14 way cooler bag looks like a solid offering.

It features a 14-way divider, large side pockets, and special accessory pockets for your phone or other valuables.  The big selling point is, of course, the built in cooler.  With enough space for 3 cans, it should hold you over for the entire round on your better days.  If things aren’t going well, it should at least get you to the turn.

Final Thoughts

I’m just going to come out and say it.  With only a couple of exceptions, I don’t like the look of Nickent’s clubs.  I’ve tried to hammer in the point that esthetics matter,  unfortunately, I don’t think Nickent has listened.  The cartoonish, bright green design of the 4DX woods and hybrids, are suited for a Nintendo game than for a golf bag.  The Pro Combo and CB irons, while technologically advanced, are reminiscent of TaylorMade designs from 7 years ago.  Simply put, there is a degree of refinement that just isn’t there.

That said, I’m a fan of the design of both the ARC wedge and the ARC Irons.  The green elastomer injection isn’t as off putting when used as an accent color.  They’re great looking clubs, and Nickent would do well to use similar principles in future designs.

The PIPE putters are what they are, and the design for better or worse, is there for a purpose, so I won’t nit pick.

While the quality of color pallets and other design elements are purely subjective, there’s no debate that Nickent clubs perform very well.  If esthetics aren’t a primary concern to you, you’ll want to look at Nickent when choosing clubs for 2008.  Although they aren’t the bargain they once were, they still offer quality equipment at slight-less-than-industry-average prices.