Nike Air Jordan IV Golf Shoes
The Jordan IV. One of the most iconic model donned by His Airness during his career, and easily a top-10 silhouette from decades of the most significant signature shoe line in the history of footwear. Some may remember the “bred” colorway being worn to hit “The Shot” in the 1989 NBA Playoffs against the Cavaliers. (Not to be confused with the “Last Shot” against the Jazz in 1998 – wearing XIVs. And stop trying to say he pushed off. Just stop it.) Naturally, a perfect fit for the golf course! Jordan’s classic sneaker models have translated well over to the links as quite popular optionsfor amateurs to Tour pros alike over the past few years. The latest are the Air Jordan IV golf shoes.
The Looks
Out of all the Jordan golf shoes since Nike started releasing the signature models, the IV most closely resembles its basketball origins. The III comes in at a very close second. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the other signature models, but the “4” and “3” look the closest to the originals. While released in multiple colorways, Nike produced three original colorway releases for the Jordan IV in a golf shoe. The “breds” (black/red) pictured here, the white/cements, and the white/military blues are original colorways from 1989. These three are by far the highlights of the golf versions of the IV variations. I appreciate the use of a “microsuede” like the original bred colorways, too. The only thing I’d like to see different is for Nike to have used the “Nike Air” logo on the back rather than the Jumpman.
PS. I try to act like that Nike Air/Jumpan issue doesn’t really bother me, but the sneakerhead in me gets FURIOUS about it.
Comfort Level
If you have experience with the Jordan III golf shoe, the Jordan IV has a fairly similar feel. It has more of a mid profile so will not sit on your foot like a typical low-top golf shoe. Will it be “no-show” sock friendly? Eh, probably not as “mid top”. That said, a decent ankle sock (shout out Kentwool) and you’re good to go. I would put the footbed at a nice medium. Somewhere happily right between firm and pillowy, not unlike the original IV basketball shoe, which by the way is a favorite streetwear shoe of mine. Remember, the Jordan IV was one of the first shoes to feature a “visible Air-Sole unit” to add more cushion in the step.
The only other thing I would point out with the Jordan IV golf shoe is its breathability. They aren’t the most breathable shoes in the world so they can get a bit toasty if that’s something that bothers you. Personally, I’ll have no issue wearing these on a regular basis in Summer 2022.
On-Course Performance
Honestly, I’m just flat out going to copy and paste the performance section from my AJ3 review. Both shoes are pretty identical in this area. The Jordan 4 golf shoe is a comfortable shoe with a stable platform and plenty of grip. I’m perfectly comfortable wearing the Jordan 4 for long periods of time with no issues. As much as people are probably dying to criticize these shoes for being “a statement first, a golf shoe second,” they still perform really well as a golf shoe. The Air Jordan IV is a great golf shoe and I will turn to it repeatedly.
Final Thoughts – Nike Air Jordan IV Golf Shoes
While Jordan golf shoes are by no means my first choice for the golf course, I continue to thoroughly enjoy the fact that Nike keeps releasing different models and colorways of some of my favorite sneakers of all time. True, they’re expensive and far from traditional, but they also feel like a great change of pace when it comes to golf. So even though I may not choose them every round, it’s fun to grab a pair off the shelf that gives me “90s Chicago kid” nostalgia for the day. Even better, they actually perform well as real-deal golf shoes and I can still play my best game in them.
I for one excited for the same reasons you mentioned. Comfort and performance with all the style you could ask for. A nice mid fit with full leather uppers.