Nike Air Jordan 12 Golf Shoe
Tinker Hatfield was responsible for designing every signature Air Jordan shoe of any consequence, except the 1 and 2. Which ones were his best work is of course up for debate, but the Air Jordan 12 (or XII if you’re doing it right) is one of them. Inspired by a 19th-century women’s fashion boot and the Japanese Nisshoki flag, the Jordan XII was released as a high top and the first model released under the Jordan Brand imprint of Nike. No swooshes anywhere except the shoe box. It was also the first Air Jordan shoe to feature a full Zoom Air unit in the sole. Of the original five colorways, the first was the white and black “Taxi” colorway pictured here – nicknamed based on the yellow, black, and white taxis found in New York city. Fast forward to 2022 and we finally have the low-top Air Jordan 12 golf shoe release!
The Looks
The Jordan XII is one of the most iconic basketball shoes of all time. While its biggest claim to fame might be when Jordan wore the “bred” (cool shoe-guy talk for black/red) colorway in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz earning this colorway the “Flu Game” moniker, the Taxi colorway is a classic. When you watched the Bulls on TV, the full grain leather white uppers and black leather mudguards were instantly recognizable.
The golf version has all of the same detail, albeit in a low top golf shoe. (The low top of the basketball shoe would not be released until an early 2000s retro.) The black leather mudguards have a faux lizard skin detail embossed in them. A closer look shows a pattern stitched into the white upper derived from the rising sun of the Japanese Nisshoki flag accompanied by gold metal lace grommets.
The tongues feature the signature Jumpan logo with “TWO 3” running down the length. On the heel/Achilles of the shoe, you’ll find “23” stamped in the rubber outsole. A nice little Easter egg of a detail is the heel tab saying “Golf – For the Love of 18” on it. The basketball version’s heel tab says “Jordan – Quality Inspired by the Greatest Player Ever”.
Does this shoe look somewhat out of place on a golf course? Yeah, maybe, but if you’re a big sneakerhead or Jordan aficionado, they’re pretty sick. I think it’s fair to say that you have to have a certain sense of taste to like them. It just so happens that I fall into that category and I love them. Hopefully, Jordan Brand/Nike will also release them in my favorite XII colorway – white/red “cherry”.
Comfort Level
If you have any familiarity with the Jordan XII basketball shoe, the golf version will feel quite familiar. One of the criticisms of the XII was always that it was a somewhat toasty shoe because of its extremely durable full grain leather. While being a low top alleviates that a little bit, the Jordan XII golf shoe is on the warmer side. The good news is it should keep your feet dry and hold up to the wear and tear of golf!
The padding of the sole is just like I remember it. Using Zoom Air with the carbon fiber midfoot “support shank” (a piece of carbon fiber supporting arch of your foot) gives you plenty of support and stability, but is soft and comfortable on your foot. I had no problems walking 18 holes in them. That said, they are somewhat bulky for a golf shoe. In my opinion, Jordan shoe fiends will have no problem whatsoever wearing them on a regular basis, but I can understand where the average golfer wouldn’t make these their first choice from a comfort perspective.
And because I know it will get asked, I’m pretty comfortable in saying these fit true to size.
On-Course Performance
Performance is somewhat relative to comfort with all golf shoes. Like I said above, if you’re an Air Jordan connoisseur like myself, the comfort level will be fine and even somewhat familiar if you have a history with the Air Jordan XII. In terms of general golf performance, your feet will stay dry in fairly wet conditions. I haven’t been fortunate enough to try them in torrential downpours yet, but the XIIs kept my feet dry in soppy and muddy pre-Spring conditions around Chicago.
A nice touch by Nike was giving the Jordan 12 golf shoe the same “herringbone” tread in the molded plastic bottoms just like the basketball shoe. That paired with the removable soft spikes makes for plenty of traction on all playing surfaces. The foundation was plenty stable and supportive under a fully aggressive swing.
Final Thoughts – Nike Air Jordan 12 Golf Shoe
The Air Jordan XII is one of the greatest Jordans of all time and that’s not up for debate. Since the inception of Jordan signature sneakers being made into golf shoes, it was only a matter of time until the XII was released. The low top profile is probably one of the most golf-friendly silhouettes of the entire lineage. Now that they’re here, I’m pumped and can only hope we see the aforementioned white/red and Flu Game colorways, but I’d also love to see the original Obsidians and playoff colorways as well. Take all my money, Jordan Brand. Is the Air Jordan 12 golf shoe the most ideal shoe for golf ever? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop many sneakerheads, like myself, from rocking this heat proudly on the course.
Hey, I have all colors available for the Jordan X11. I love them. The fit and feel are perfect for my game. My friend’s are all envious so I tell them to try a pair on you’ll fall in love.