As the biggest sports brands in the world have started converting their sneaker range into purpose-built golf shoes, very few have opted for a spiked outsole. The Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Gs, the Adidas Samba and Nike Air Pegasus '89 G are all built on spikeless examples as brands want to give golfers as much on and off-course versatility from a pair of the best golf shoes/sneakers. So, when the new Nike Air Jordan 1 Nu Retro G shoes arrived at my door with a spiked outsole, I was excited to try them out.
Styling-wise wise this is very much a Jordan Low 1 with a few extra details for this new version. You can see the Air Jordan logo has been embossed onto the side of each shoe, which is a new detail I'm less sure about. Some people I've shown the shoes to have loved it; others have thought it's made what is a clean silhouette a little too busy. I'm in the latter's camp and wish they'd just left the silhouette as clean as possible. It's subtle, though, so I don't mind that Nike has opted to add some detail.
I love this particular 'University Blue' colourway I tested it in, a homage to the UNC blue Michael Jordan wore during his time at college. If this is a bit keen for you, five other colourways are available for you to choose from, with a more subtle all-white or black/white available.
It was great to test a sneaker style with a spiked outsole for the first time. So often, the best casual golf shoes are all spikeless, so this was a nice change. I could instantly feel that the shoe had more stability and traction versus something like the Air Jordan Low 1 G. The whole shoe feels a little stiffer than other sneaker-style shoes, but this is in a good way. My foot felt more supported through the swing than on any other casual golf shoe, while the rubber heel design is effective, too.
Aside from the spikes, the makeup of the outsole is the same as on the Jordan 1 Low G I tested a while ago. The fact that you can take the spikes out of the Nu Retro means you effectively have a spiked and spikeless golf shoe as your fingertips here. You'll need to invest in a spike wrench to take the spikes in and out, but it's a nice touch that allows you maximum versatility from just one pair of shoes. That being said, this is such a low-profile shoe that I haven't felt the need to take them out. However, if you want to use them at the range or wear them outside of golf without the spikes on that option is available to you.
The fit is comfortable and secure, while the soft foam in the midsole offers good cushioning while walking. The upper is made from what Nike has called, 'a blend of real and synthetic leather.' I would suggest that the synthetic leather has very much won out in this battle as the shoe's materials feel a little cheap to the touch and don't have anywhere near the softness of a more premium shoe like the FootJoy Quantum, which has a super-soft leather upper. That being said, it's still fully waterproof and by no means uncomfortable - I just want to temper expectations about the quality of materials used throughout the shoe.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time testing the Nu Retros. The spiked outsole and overall stiffness of the shoe make it one of the best casual shoes for those who want extra support and traction. The fact that you can take the spikes out is a neat touch that adds great versatility, too. Sneaker heads will no doubt love this design, and it's been neatly executed by Nike.
