The Nike Distance Series (NDS) are aimed at introducing more affordable clubs, which still stand up to the company's reputation for producing sports equipment of the very highest quality. These are the perfect clubs for the first time golfer, players who love the game but can't always find the time, or for the consumer who feels baffled by an endless stream of rhetoric on a spec sheet. "The reasoning behind the production of the NDS was to ensure that we weren't alienating even the smallest proportion of the golf club-buying public," said Tom Stites, Nike Golf's product creation director. "The Nike Distance Series is ideal for buyers who are looking for a name which they know they can rely upon and is associated with quality, as well as a product that won't break the bank." The NDS irons incorporate a simple notch weight progression system based on the same manipulation of center of gravity or CG that has made Nike's Slingshot Irons so popular and easy to play. The result is a full range of affordable irons that will still help beginners and high handicappers find their way from the tee to the green. The long irons have a larger notch to increase the heel and toe weighting, allowing for greater forgiveness. The short irons have a narrower notch, raising the centre of gravity to increase the workability and avoid ballooning. With a wide sole and progressive offset, the irons are constructed from 431 stainless steel, which is more malleable and has a softer feel.