Nike Flyknit Golf Shoes Review: Racer, Elite or Chukka?

When it comes to sportswear innovation, footwear, in particular, no other than Nike would be the name to pop up in every sports enthusiast’s mind. In continuation of that reputation, Nike Golf Flyknit is the latest addition of footwear series from the master sportswear manufacturers for hitting the links.

Launched in 2012, and built originally for the marathon runners in the first place, the fashionable sneaker universe with the silhouette waves duly picked up the fondness of us golfers as well.

In this Nike Flyknit golf shoes review, we’ll look into the Racer, Elite, and Chukka, three of the elegant additions in the series, and discuss the cool features they bring along. By the end, I hope it’ll be easier for you to decide which one fits your bill.

Nike Flyknit Golf Shoes Review

Nike Golf Flyknit: The Concept

The bigger percentage of golfers will hardly wear a pair of high-tech golf shoes, no matter how well it serves. Similarly, there’s a group of golfers, who won’t wear golf shoes with sneaker-style. Yes, it’s true indeed, and even some pro-level golfers will agree to this fact.

The Nike Flyknit shoe series is a viable option for you only if you find yourself out of those groups. If your preference is something beyond aesthetic values, and you’re looking for a lightweight solution with better ankle support, this is the series of shoes you might want to check out.

Nike Golf has experimented with its Flyknit project before with the Flyknit upper. First appeared on a global sports event during Sochi Olympic, the Flyknit footwear had gone on to feature its Flyknit technology in other sports events in recent years. With the Swoosh bringing in the TPU yarn technology, the highly strong support fiber technology was implemented on the Flykint Elite and the Flyknit Chukka golf shoes back in June that year.

The tech aims at providing lightweight support with the precision weave allowing the targeted areas for better stretching and other supports. According to Nike, the concept had come out of- A runner’s shoe with a pleasant fit like a sock that goes virtually unnoticed. The breathability of these shoes is the assay mark of the upper knit.

Nike Golf has put all its effort to make the golfers feel more at ease, so the ever-growing number of new golfers who would want to try it out never falls back from this essential trend, while a much affordable price thoroughly justifies the whole concept.

Technology

Spending over a decade in search of a game-changer in the footgear industry, Nike had come up with its Flyknit technology back in 2012. It’s a highly strong knitted upper knitted with specialized ultra-light yarn. Debuted in sneakers, the Flyknit technology went on to be introduced to several fields including running, training, golf, soccer, basketball, and lifestyle.

Moreover, the technology had been introduced to reduce the excess waste that goes out to landfills. Built out of yarn, the Flyknit reduces waste by around sixty percent compared to regular sneakers. Recycled polyester produces the core yarn of this Flyknit.

Each of the stitches of the Flyknit upper is micro-engineered to produce superior adjustment to the wearers to the extent they require. This microengineering makes it 2 ounces lighter than regular cut-&-sew sneakers.

According to Mark Parker, the CEO of Nike, the Flyknit technology is not only Nike’s future alone but the whole industry of sneakers.

So why would Nike’s golf gear fall behind going without their exclusive technology? Like Nike’s other sports footwear such as Lebron 15, Air VaporMax, and HTM trainer, the Flyknit Racer, Flyknit Elite, Flyknit Chukka, and similar best golf shoes from Nike were implemented with such technology to provide the golfers the ultimate comfort they’d been looking for.

Nike Flyknit Racer Golf Shoes Review

Overview

• The Flyknit upper build is combined with proper stretch, outstanding breathability, and superior support that provide sock-like comfort.
• The full-length Phylon-made midsole provides comfortable cushioning with a much stable feel.
• The laces come with an integrated Flywire technology that helps provide a dynamic and lockdown fit.
• While pushing off in a swing, the Zoom Air unit placed in its forefoot ensures responsive cushioning.
• The integrated traction pattern on the rubber outsole produces a versatile grip on every surface type.
• Raised nodes are also implemented in the shoes, which adds to the stability while providing much smoother transitions when swinging in.
• The low-profile knitted tongue ensures proper ventilation and comfort.
• The pull tab placed on its heel ensures easier on and off.
• For added comfort around the ankles, the collar is padded with foam.
• The lining all over the forefoot effectively keeps debris out.

The Look and Impression

If I say that the Nike Flyknit Racer G Golf shoes are marching on to become the most polarizing golf shoes of 2021, it won’t be an exaggeration. Having almost nothing in mind about golf tradition, the design concept came out fruitful for most of the wearers.

The shoe’s outer edge is blocked with black color while white is in its inside. The combination is much bolder than a total black with a white swoosh. The greenish-brown rubber sole may not be the favored option for a lot of users, but I actually liked the way it blends in with the greenery of the golf course. And you are bound to praise the spikey rubber nails, which are cleverly oriented throughout the sole to provide the amount of grip you’d want to feel on the course while swinging out.

From my personal point of view, I found the Nike men’s Flyknit Racer G golf shoes adorable. I liked the way it looks when I’m wearing them. However, there’s only one thing I felt concerned about its look- the waterproofing. While hitting the golf course, the need for waterproof material is pretty obvious. The clear coating over the shoe makes it turn slightly brown. It isn’t obvious visualizing from a far corner, but when looking it closely it’s certainly noticeable. Apart from this one blemish, it’s a great looking shoe indeed.

Feeling It On the Ground

Well, to be honest, despite a core Nike lover, I was a bit skeptical before I took to out hitting the course. After all, how could this be to feel the pair of shoes that were designed for the marathon on a golf course? But as I tried them, it turned out that they work much better than my expectations.

The extremely lightweight and comfortable shoes, after I walked rounds back to back with my feet in them for over a couple of days, made me feel my feet fresh. And it felt like I was even ready for more action.

From the traction perspective, it delivered solid traction on the ground. Trying it on a wet grassy surface, it hardly caused any slippage at all. However, as I’ve mentioned before, for the lack of adequate waterproofing capability, this is a shoe you wouldn’t want to step with on the wet ground.

There’s a particular area where I felt these shoes fall behind from the regular golf shoes. It’s the lateral and ankle support. While swinging and quick shifting my body, I didn’t feel the expected support in my ankles. Also, the padded collars around the ankles do not always hold it secure. It tends to bow down as you walk. I tightened the laces to get rid of this issue, and it worked.

Verdict

For me, I did not face the major issues I feared I would. And it won’t cause much trouble to the professionals with intrinsic body balance. The lightweight, ultra-comfortable golf sneakers are the best suit when playing for lengthy hours. But if you happen to be the one with poor balance, rolling prone ankles, or you play on an extremely uneven hilly terrain, I’d suggest you rethink before taking them out on the golf course.

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Nike Flyknit Elite Golf Shoes Review

Overview

• The virtually seamless Flyknit upper build is combined with accurate stretch, outstanding breathability, and superior support providing sock-like comfort.
• The laces boast an integrated Flywire technology that helps provide a dynamic, secure and lockdown fit.
• The full-length Lunarlon-made midsole provides comfortable responsive cushioning with a much stable feel.
• The spikeless design along with the integrated traction pattern delivers extraordinary traction and superior grip.
• Raised nodes are also implemented in the shoes, which adds to the stability while providing much smoother transitions when swinging in.
• For added comfort around the ankles, the extended collar is padded with foam.
• The lining all over the forefoot effectively keeps debris out.
• The no-sew mudguard makes it highly durable.

The Look and Impression

As a fellow edition in the Nike Flyknit series, the vibe is almost the same as the Racer G golf shoes I’ve covered above. Again, it’s just almost. Because of the Flyknit technology, you get pretty much the same sock-like feel on your feet, but when talking about the design, the amount of traction or the comfort on your ankles it’s brings along a few difference.

The runner shoe concept with the snug fit of socks got the better of the Racer G as it seemed to me. The lack of comfort I felt in those was hardly felt in this pair. The sock-like feel is boosted by a literally sock-like design on the ankle area. The design provides additional support, so you never feel the shoes loosening down. The high-quality material ensures they don’t badly wear off over time. Also, the mid-height collar provides extra comfort while effectively keeps debris away.

Apart from the lightweight Flyknit technology, it’s the spikeless sole design that amused me the most. The unusual wavy pattern instead of nail-like spikes is what Nike calls “Integrated Traction Pattern”. I won’t have to say much since a picture says more than thousands of words.

I got the Jade/Glacier colorway version of the Flyknit Elite for this review. I liked the fully knitted color combination, which looks super classy and elegant. Honestly, I liked it more than the Racer G on my feet. There are more color options to choose from.

The only way it disappointed me is the lack of waterproof material on it, likewise the Racer G. However, this one does have dew protection along its upper edge, unlike the previous fellow Flyknit golf shoes. It helps keep your feet dry on wet grass, but it does not prevent the same brownish look at all.

Feeling It On the Ground

Every serious golfer knows how much importance traction bears while going for swings. Staying connected with the ground from a rigid base builds the foundation for every good player. A rigid flat front foot along with a torsional back foot contributes to enhanced accuracy, power, and consistency.

This Nike Flyknit Elite golf shoe is inspired by this unique movement. It’s the first one to incarnate Nike’s thoroughly articulated traction system disengaging the medial heel as well as the lateral forefoot area. It’s the missing trait of the Racer G, which fell behind in keeping the proper balance on the ankles while swinging.

While taking it out on the course, It felt like I was facilitated with better footwork, thanks to its unique system of the articulated integrated traction alignment with the proper golf movement.

The articulated channels on its sole helped me stay lower to the ground. As a result, I was allowed better balance throughout my swings. The TPU tread design in replacement of the traditional spikes helped me achieve continuous traction without having to compromise the grip.

The lunarlon-made midsole adds to its responsive cushioning, which gives it the upper hand over the Racer G.  The unbeatable breathability is a hallmark of its knit upper, which I hardly felt with any other shoe. I kept playing for hours putting this pair of ultra-lightweight shoes on without any sweaty itchy feel at all.

Verdict

Plenty of potential buyers are out there to come up and talk about the bulkier shoes on the marketplace with better stability. A few will also talk about the spike-laden shoes offering more traction. Well, how much that trade really worth getting a more lightweight shoe with equal performance and aesthetic characteristics of this Flyknit elite?  Yes, there might be a few lighter and more fitting options out there, but none of that equals the Flyknit’s connectedness and rootedness with the ground.

Ultimately, this Flyknit Elite is the athletic shoe to provide you with the comfort and capability to play golf regardless of your level. It’s the real deal of a pair of golf shoes for effortless footwork.

Nike Flyknit Chukka Golf Shoes

Features at a glance:

• The lightweight yet strong Flyknit contours with the wearer’s foot shape for all-in support.
• Nike Skin technology has been implemented to offer superior breathability and water resistance.
• Nike’s Free-inspired flex groove on the outsole helps boost the ground feel allowing usual movement.
• The laces come with an integrated Flywire technology that helps provide a dynamic and lockdown fit.
• Outstanding yarn engineering guarantees formfitting, featherweight, and seamless upper.
• The shoe consists of astutely placed filaments for cable-like functioning on the suspension bridge that offers support exactly where it’s necessary.
• The full-length Phylon-made midsole provides comfortable cushioning with a much stable feel.
• Comes with a tremendous spikeless design that boasts raised nodes for a smoother transition.
• The integrated traction pattern on the rubber outsole produces versatile grip on every surface type.

The Nike Flyknit Chukka was a commercial success when it was first launched back in 2014. Unfortunately, this version of golf shoes from the Flyknit series is currently unavailable on the marketplaces, so I couldn’t have my hands on them yet, and therefore, no full review for now. I hope to try it out in the future when they’ll be available again and post a review here, so stay connected.

Final Words…

So, among these 3 version of Nike Flyknit series which one is the best? In my opinion, you should go for the Elite. The racer doesn’t complete every terrain. If you want a package option, then Elite is the best among these three!

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