The Nike SQ Machspeed driver, often nicknamed “Sasquatch” due to its large clubhead, represented a significant departure from traditional driver design in the early 2000s. This club featured a distinctive square clubhead designed to maximize the moment of inertia and forgiveness on off-center hits. The unconventional shape aimed to provide increased distance and accuracy, especially for golfers with higher handicaps. The square head design inspired several copycat designs and the “Sasquatch” nickname rapidly gained popularity among golfers and the media.
This club design marked a shift towards larger, more forgiving drivers. It offered increased confidence at address and provided a noticeable performance boost for many golfers. The “Sasquatch” also helped popularize the use of composite materials like carbon fiber in driver construction. This innovation offered lighter clubheads and allowed for greater manipulation of weight distribution within the club, further enhancing its performance characteristics. Its introduction influenced the evolution of golf club technology and design that continues to this day.
