Jordan ADG 4 Review

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried:

Jordan ADG 4 spikeless golf shoes. The Jordan ADG 4 is one of the few golf shoes produced by NIKE/Jordan Brand that’s designed specifically for golf. Most of the Swoosh’s other golf silhouettes are lifestyle models-turned golf shoes.

How much thought did Jordan put into the ADG 4? Let’s find out.

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers. Air Jordan fanboy with some (albeit a small amount) hope that the ADG 4 is decent.

The Deets

• Fourth iteration of the Jordan “All Day Golf” shoe
• Full-grain leather construction
• Iconic Elephant Print details on molded heel cup
• Spikeless traction
• React cushion midsole
• Retails for $185

Jordan ADG 4 Golf Shoe Review

If you’ve followed us for a while, you’re aware that most NIKE golf shoes don’t score well when put through our rigorous testing process.

Often I equate this performance (or lack thereof) to brand focus on storytelling and cosmetic design, rather than actual golf.

However, right off the rip, there are two or three tells that give me a little hope that Jordan Brand put some thought into the actual on-course performance of the Jordan ADG 4.

Let’s talk a little more about where this good-looking golf shoe impressed me and where its shortcomings were too big to overcome.

Three Convincing Wins

The Jordan ADG 4 has three specific design elements that I really love. The first is the molded heel cup. Besides looking impressive, the TPU heel cup provides fantastic lockdown and lateral stability. When laced properly, this heel cup acts as a barrier to stop your heel from bleeding out over the footbed.

The quick translation? Stability in the heel to prevent you from twisting your ankle. I’ll call that a win.

The next thing I was really impressed with was the full-grain leather construction. Man, does this shoe break in well. The leather upper started out soft and got softer as I continually wore the Jordan ADG 4. Being made of real leather, the upper is also extremely easy to clean. Plus, the leather provides some semblance of water resistance thanks to its natural properties.

That’s win No. 2 for those of you who are counting at home.

The third detail that really stood out to me is the last. One huge gripe in the past has been the narrowness of NIKE’s golf shoes. While the Jordan ADG 4 is not wide by any stretch, it’s easy to see (and feel) that the shoe was built on a wider last. This makes the shoe feel more stable and more comfortable.

A small win is still a win.

Two Disappointing Defeats

As with any golf shoe, nothing is perfect. The Jordan ADG 4 has two big shortcomings that you should consider if you’re looking to buy a pair.

Despite the wider last and comfortable fit overall, the React foam midsole was lackluster. It started off feeling really good (React is one of my favorite foam-based cushions, after all) but it started to bottom out after time. My thoughts? The midsole needed some more beef, more girth … more React. In this case, there just wasn’t enough React to provide the super-comfortable ride I’ve come to expect from NIKE’s mainline foam.

More disappointing than the cushion was the traction. Dry conditions proved to be good but the wet conditions really started to take a toll on the rubber sole. I would have liked to see a more multi-directional and multi-dimensional traction pattern, perhaps with a slightly more stout rubber compound, too.

Stuff to Love, Room to Improve

Is the Jordan ADG 4 worth considering as your next golf shoe? I’ll let you decide. Overall, I’d say Jordan Brand has shown some growth, evidenced by their obvious work to create a functional golf shoe.

The Jordan ADG 4 shows they can get it right. In any case, the shortcomings here aren’t deal-breakers in most cases, especially if you ride more than you walk.