Nike Method 001 Putter

Blade Putter

The Method 001 was Nike's answer to the classic heel-toe blade, and it arrived in 2010 as the face of a putter line built around one idea: get the ball rolling faster. That idea lived in the face. Nike filled the milled grooves with a softer polymer material, a system they called Polymetal Grooves, so the aluminum-ringed face gripped the ball at impact and cut down on skid. You feel a slightly firmer, clicky response off the face, and the ball tends to start end-over-end sooner than it does off a smooth-faced blade.

Shape-wise this is a straight Anser-style blade. Plumber's neck, heel-toe weighting, a compact head that sits square and asks you to aim it yourself. It hangs full at the toe, which tells you most of what you need to know about who it fits. This is a putter for a golfer whose stroke swings on an arc and who wants the head to release through the ball rather than stay square.

Fifteen years on, the Method 001 is a used-bin find rather than a shelf item, but it holds up. The polymer grooves were a real bit of engineering, not marketing, and a clean example still rolls the ball as advertised. Just know going in that this is a feel-and-feedback blade, not a miss-forgiver.

Design

The headline is the face. Nike machined grooves into the insert and packed them with a lighter polymer, leaving a ring of aluminum around the outside. The stated goal was to grip the cover and reduce backspin and skid at impact, so the ball settles into its forward roll quicker. Practically, that shows up as a firmer, more audible strike than a soft-milled steel blade and a roll that feels like it hugs the green off the face. Everything around the face is traditional. It's a milled blade with heel-toe weighting and a single sight line on the flange for alignment, no extra dots or wings. The plumber's neck and full toe hang set it up for an arcing stroke, and the compact footprint keeps the MOI modest, so off-center hits give you clear feedback instead of hiding the miss.

Who It's For

• You have an arcing stroke and want a putter that releases through the ball, since the full toe hang works with that motion rather than against it.
• Feedback matters more to you than forgiveness, and you'd rather feel exactly where you struck the face.
• You like a firmer, faster roll off the face and don't mind the clicky sound the polymer grooves produce.
• You aim the putter yourself and prefer a clean single sight line over a busy alignment setup.
• You're hunting a proven used blade and want the Polymetal face tech without paying current-model prices.

Technology

About Nike

Nike brings a distinctive approach to putter design, focusing on quality materials, precision manufacturing, and performance-driven engineering.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Polymetal Grooves on the Nike Method 001?

They're milled grooves in the face filled with a softer polymer, surrounded by a ring of aluminum. Nike's aim was to grip the ball at impact and reduce skid, so the ball starts rolling forward sooner. In practice you get a firmer, clicky feel and a roll that gets end-over-end quickly.

Is the Method 001 a toe-hang or face-balanced putter?

Full toe hang. Balance the shaft on your finger and the toe drops straight down. That makes it a fit for a stroke that swings on an arc and releases, not for a straight-back-straight-through motion, which wants something closer to face-balanced.

Who should play the Method 001 blade?

A player with an arcing stroke who values feel and feedback over maximum forgiveness. It's a compact heel-toe blade, so mishits tell on you. If you strike the center consistently and like knowing exactly what happened at impact, it suits you.

Does the Method 001 feel soft or firm at impact?

Firmer than a soft-milled steel blade, with a bit of click from the polymer grooves. Some golfers love that crisp response and audible feedback, others prefer a duller, softer thud. Roll a few before deciding, since face feel is personal.

Is the Nike Method 001 still worth buying used?

Yes, if you want an arc-stroke blade and can find a clean one. Nike left the putter business, so these only exist on the used market now, but the Polymetal face was real engineering and holds up. Check the face insert for wear and the grooves for grime before you commit.

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