To coincide with the recent British Open golf tournament, major winners Rory McIlroy and Jason Day both wore Nike’s new Aeroreact apparel line, specifically created for golfers. Given the changing climates that golfers can face, especially in the U.K. and Ireland, the overall goal of the new clothing line is to reduce the need for outfit changes on the golf course due to weather.
The Aeroreact is a lightweight fabric that Nike says it has engineered to adapt to changes in a golfer’s temperature and can adjust throughout a round of golf. This is combined with what Nike is calling Zonal Cooling which it claims creates a better body temperature regulation in both warmer and cooler conditions for a golfer. It works through the shirt’s yarn which can detect moisture and can tighten, depending on the conditions, to maintain warmth for an athlete.
At the British Open tournament, McIlroy sported the new Nike Aeroreact polo, while Day wore the Italian polo shirt design, which according to Nike had been custom made in Italy specifically for the American golfer. In total, the 21 Nike-sponsored golfers at the competition had the choice to use the new Aeroract clothing line.
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Nike first launched its Aeroreact clothing in 2015, specifically for runners and it was developed by the Nike Explore Team (NXT) sport research lab. However, its Aeroreact golf apparel range launched at the start of this year and Day first wore the new apparel at a tournament in January in Hawaii.
In a press release to support its launch in January, Day said: “It has been exciting to learn about smart fibers that react to my body’s temperature in different environments. With Nike Aeroreact technology, I don’t have to make any adjustments.”
To support the launch, Sky Sports broadcasted an event from London titled the “Nike Golf Club LDN” following the end of the British Open. Both McIlroy and Day, in Aeroreact clothing, captained two teams of 10 younger golfers in a competition in which the teams scored points by hitting a number of targets, including giant balloons.
Last year Nike decided to stop manufacturing golf clubs and balls, yet currently, the brand has the biggest market share of golf apparel in the U.S. Meanwhile, the second-last golf major of the year, held in Southport, England, was won by Jordan Spieth, a brand ambassador of Under Armour.