But like Woods shrugging off a double-bogey, Nike are staying firmly in the present. "For one thing," says Mike Francis, Nike's general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, "it's interesting because Tiger is so big that he still resonates, even when he's not playing. For six weeks after the US Open, people were still talking about him and writing about him. At Southport during the Open there were banners in the crowd with Tiger on them, even though he was 3,000 miles away. That is a real testimony to what he has achieved.
"But while that's happening, it's all relating back to us and the brand. Obviously Tiger's absence has a big influence on the game, but from Nike's perspective it hasn't had a major impact."
Francis further tenders that Tiger's absence can actually work for Nike, by throwing a little more limelight on some of the brand's other successful golfers. Nike's latest marketing campaign is to bill the company as golf's ‘Winningest', a harrowing term devised to describe the breadth of golfers who have recently been victorious with the swoosh.
"We've actually been touting Winningest for two years," he adds. "Basically, we're trying to do a better job at shouting that we at Nike Golf are more than Tiger. If you look at US PGA Tour stats we have had an incredible number of winners above and beyond him. This year alone on the PGA Tour we've had six different players winning a total of 10 times; Anthony Kim has won twice, we've had two Majors in Tiger and Trevor Immelman; at the Open we had Kim, KJ Choi and Paul Casey all finishing well up there. Elsewhere Richard Finch has won twice, as has Suzann Pettersen. We've had more driver wins and more irons wins than any other brand, and we're a close second in ball."
For Francis, having consumers see players win with Nike equipment at the highest level has been one of the key stepping stones to building an authentic golf brand, and one that can compete with the established hierarchy; Nike Golf is still only 10 years old.
"That's the foundation that Nike's been built on," he says. "And we are now at a point where our clubs are winning week-in, week-out against some established, traditional brands. As of now we have eight players in the top 50, seven in the top 26 and 12 in the top 100. These numbers give us the credibility we require. And these players are going to play clubs that help them win because the money they're playing for is that significant."
Which brings us to Nike's new iron range, the VR, which stands for Victory Red, and replaces the CCi. Rumours abounded of the red element representing Tiger's Sunday so-called power colour, but, in an echo of the Winningest mantra, Francis denies it.
"VR is based on owning victory," he states simply. "The clubs are aimed at better players who thrive on winning, and the marketing is around capturing the imagination by owning victory. The marketing is around victory."
There are three Victory Red irons in the new family. The forged TW blade, already put into play by Casey and Masters champion Immelman, is perhaps the most Tiger Woods-influenced Nike product to date, though
his input was long before his enforced lay-off. The irons feature Tiger's own Centre of Gravity spec, a design that aims to give the user the shot-shaping options of the man himself.
"I like the new VR Blades because of the consistent feel throughout the bag," says Woods. "I can shape the ball both ways, change my trajectory, do whatever I need to do to hit the ball closest to the hole." He is intending to use these irons on his return to the fairways, though he already used the 60-degree lob wedge en-route to winning this year's US Open.
Elsewhere there is a Forged Split Cavity and a Cast Full Cavity. The former is a traditional-looking club with a topline and sole only a little thicker than the blade, and a touch more offset. Weighting sees a central sweetspot
join the peripheral weighting. The club aims to offer forgiveness without compromising shot-shaping.
The 431-steel Full Cavity Victory Red offers a softer feel to standard 17-4 steel and more shot-making assistance. The face's bottom is progressively thicker than its top, lowering the centre of gravity for a high launch. Weighting boosts MOI while the thicker sole and topline are designed to add confidence.
The trio will be available from November, but Francis knows that all the tour endorsement in the world is worth nowt if the clubs don't enjoy a smooth passage into retail.
"We have to cement the link between pro tour and golf club," he insists. "That's why we've invested in sales this spring; we've added six more people to our UK Sales force. We have also split sales activity in most of our regions into footwear/apparel and equipment.
"It's vital we win over the trade, which means establishing strong relationships with pros and off-course shops, and doing the things that help them connect with the consumers. That means things like demo clubs, and marketing that truly resonates with trade and consumers. It's a process that takes time, but we've been growing for the last three years, so we seem to be winning in that regard."
Marketing remains one of Nike's strongest suits, thanks in part to its ability to bring all product categories together under a single brand. Indeed, while most other companies are known for their drivers, or their wedges or shoes, Nike Golf remains hard to categorise.
Even the perception of being a brand for the younger player is offset by Nike's inclusive apparel collections, ranging from the high-end, traditional Tiger Woods Platinum, through the sports specific Tour Collection to the Border range, with bold colours and a slimmer fit.
"When you think of Nike across all sports, you might possibly think footwear," says Francis. "That's the Nike heritage. But as regards Nike Golf there is no one product we are known for. We've actually done consumer studies; it is almost eerie how even the perception is between clothing, footwear, clubs and balls.
"We see that as a huge benefit. The beauty of the situation is that we can leverage the brand, the swoosh, in and out of any of those categories. As we further authenticate ourselves, it's all under the same umbrella. Look at our athletes; they are head to toe in the swoosh with no competitor logos. It's a clean look that promotes the entire brand."
And it's a look that appears firmly set to remain prominent on the world's tours - even in the absence of Nike Golf's talisman.
