The Best Shoes at the 3M Open and Pro-Am
No weeks on the PGA TOUR provide better golf shoe content than those with pro-ams preceding them. The 3M Open and its pro-am were no exception, providing an eclectic mix of golf shoes that I’m excited to share.
Golfers (especially those on Tour) generally are so vanilla. Not every golfer has the confidence to pull off a floral Tony Finau fit. On the other hand, celebrities and athletes do have that confidence. They are less worried about fitting a mold so they tend to break out some shoes that you may not see on the pros.
For today’s edition of Spy Kicks, I’ll be guiding you through some of the best shoes worn by Tour players and celebrities at the 3M Open.
Let’s get it!
Jason Day in the NIKE Air Max 90 G
While Day hasn’t been lighting up scoreboards (or scorecards) as of late, his choice of golf shoes is noteworthy.
Enter the NIKE Air Max 90 G. Sound familiar? The Air Max 90 is one of the more iconic NIKE runners. As the name suggests, it was introduced in 1990 as the follow-up to the extremely successful Air Max 1. Interestingly, the Air Max 90 name didn’t come until later. It was first known as the Air Max III.
Fast forward to the present day. NIKE is the king of hybrid golf shoes. Just like that iron-fairway wood crossover in your bag, a significant portion of NIKE’s golf line consists of a similar crossover: casual sneakers turned golf shoes.
As somewhat of a NIKE fanboy, I love the idea of classic NIKE sneakers being retooled to perform on the golf course. But looking cool comes at a price. The NIKE Air Max 90 G doesn’t have the best traction. Speaking from experience, NIKE spent more time focusing on the sneaker’s aesthetics, not performance.
Despite this, I still find myself gravitating towards the model when I’m picking between the multitude of golf shoes that are taking up my wife’s closet space.
Larry Fitzgerald in the Air Jordan 1 Low G
So we meet again, old friend. Last week, we saw Tony Finau rocking the Air Jordan 1 Low G. This week, he’s passing the Air Jordan torch to Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. Fitz is quite a stick. From what I can gather, Fitz carries around a 9 or 10 index and has the shoe game to match his stellar play. The triple-white Air Jordan 1 Low G he threw on for the 3M Open Pro-Am is stunning.
Last week, I mentioned that Finau’s Air Jordan 1 Low G pair wasn’t a retail model. Good news! You can buy the all-white Air Jordan 1 Low G right now! If anything, the all-white model has been the least popular colorway so you shouldn’t have difficulty finding a pair.
Rickie Fowler in the PUMA PROADAPT Alphacat
Don’t get me wrong, I love PUMA—but their shoes don’t move the needle much in the wow-factor category. However, seeing Rickie Fowler in the PROADAPT Alphacat has made me rethink my stance a little bit.
Maybe it’s the fact that we no longer have to endure Fowler in the PUMA high-tops he used to rock but the sleek, sexy-looking Alphacat is giving off some great vibes. In our testing for the Best Spikeless Golf Shoes of 2022, the Alphacat scored top-10 finishes in stability and comfort.
PUMA has really made an effort to up their golf shoe game and I’m here for it.
Brandon Matthews in the adidas ZG21
adidas shoes have scored pretty well in our recent testing, including the ZG21. I’d consider the ZG21 the takedown (or more budget-friendly) version of the flagship TOUR36022.
But just because you’re paying less doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sacrificing performance. The adidas ZG21 finished sixth in our testing for the Best Spiked Golf Shoes of 2022. It scored well in every category, making it what I would consider a solid all-round choice.
I know, I know … that’s not why you came here. I’ll let Harry give you the technical rundowns on performance. I’m here to show you the cool factor. For the adidas ZG21, the fact that the longest player on the PGA TOUR is tied to it gives me a reason to add it to my list. Just imagine the force this guy is putting into the ground through those all-white ZG21s. If they’re good enough for Brandon Matthews, they’re good enough for me.
Roger Steele in the NIKE Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%
Before this week, I had no idea who Roger Steele was. But, boy, that changed as soon as I saw what he was wearing at the 3M Open Pro-Am.
The NIKE Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT% is as good-looking as it is comfortable. Again speaking from personal experience, how NIKE implemented the REACT cushion, coupled with the two Air units, makes this shoe so much fun to wear.
Steele, a golf influencer and business owner, was spotted rocking the “Back Home” colorway of the Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%, similar to the Zoom Victory Tour 2 we saw Rory so elegantly wear in his near-miss at The Open.
If we learned anything from last week, I’m a sucker for unique colorways so, naturally, Steele and his eye-catching sneakers had to make my list of the best shoes I saw this week.
BUY Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT%
That’s A Wrap!
Did any of my picks catch your eye? Be sure to leave a comment and let me know of which of these golf shoes you are a fan. Whether you’re playing off scratch or just starting the game, a fun pair of golf shoes always makes the game more enjoyable.
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