A non-sneaker head tries on some J’s
When you imagine the perfect golf shoe, the last thing that comes to mind is a pair of Air Jordans with golf cleats. Basketball shoes have no place on the golf course! Don't be so quick to judge, the Air Jordan 13 Nike Golf Shoe may just be one of the best I've tried in years.
The navy and white 13’s are just the latest limited Air Jordan Golf release by Nike, and even though the 13’s lacked the hype of models like the Air Jordan I Nike Golf Shoe, they sold out in less than an hour. Only a few years ago, His Airness and company were the only ones with Jordan Golf shoes. Then came the tour players, like Keegan Bradley, Jason Day and Pat Perez. Now, if you're quick enough, you can snag some on launch day, or pay premium on the secondary market. I scored a pair on the Nike website the morning of the release, however, they were available on some select retailers (like TGW) and Nike’s app, Nike SNKRS. The excitement of snagging the shoes within minutes of them going live was pretty exhilarating.
Leading up to the release of the 13’s I researched the best ways to score Air Jordans on their launch day, so I wouldn’t be scalped by resellers on eBay or GolfWRX after they sold out. The consensus, if you don’t have a shoe connection or the possession of a bot to snipe the release, was to follow Nike on twitter, sign up for tweet notifications, create a nike account and put your morning on hold. For me, it worked. Not knowing what to do about size, I decided on 11, placed my order and got back to my day.
Unboxing the 13’s my first impression was “there’s no way these are going to be comfortable.” I slipped them on and that notion immediately went out the window. Imagine your feet being slipped into a warm, form fitting marshmallow. They are soft, cushy and an all around dream to wear. While earlier Air Jordan Golf releases seem to use the Nike Free Tiger base, these look similar to the Lunar Control 2 shoes. In fact, the shoe feels like a hightop version of the Lunar Control 2 Nike Golf Shoe, arguably one of their best golf shoes.
My first round with them was at Black Jack's Crossing at Lajitas Golf Resort and while they were certainly comfortable, I didn’t really have expectations for performance on the course. High-tops are popping up in golf these days, but I don’t have much experience with them. However, on the range, as I warmed up, the idea that I’m wearing basketball shoes fades away. In fact, the extra support of the shoes, seemed to give me a little more stability than I’m used to, and, dare I say, a little more power in my base.
At $185, the Air Jordan 13 Golf Shoes are underpriced. They're better than any of the recent premium TW nike offerings and are one of the best feeling shoes I've worn. However, with the white inner and outer, they are definitely not every day gamers and certainly not walkers. Fit wise, the Air Jordan’s will vary from shoe to shoe. I wear 11 to 11.5 in Nike shoes and while the 13’s are a comfortable fit at 11, the 1's were uncomfortably snug at the same size. If you’ve been on the fence about the Air Jordan craze, they’re comfortable enough for me to say jump on the band wagon. Final thought: A+ for days on the cart, but leave them in the locker room when you want to walk and/or when it's wet.
Reviewer's note: These shoes were purchased by the reviewer at retail.
