Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 Golf Shoes Review
In 2022 I was lucky enough to get to test the Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 2 shoe, a model we saw Rory McIlroy wear for a while. This didn’t surprise me, because I thought the shoe offered very good performance. But then I started seeing pictures of Rory wearing the newer Victory Tour 3 model and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a pair. Could Nike improve the design? Were the slight cosmetic changes enough to warrant a slightly higher price tag? Or were there more design features that Nike changed as well? I tested the new shoes recently and here is what I thought.
Let’s start with the looks. The new design looks different in several subtle ways. The new Full-grain leather upper has a supple feel and sophisticated look. The swoosh and midsole sections look slightly different and better in my opinion, and overall I think the shoe looks more refined.
It looks like more of a traditionally sporty golf shoe that will suit a wide range of ages, whereas the previous model was perhaps better suited to younger audiences. I also loved the color I got sent, the fade of the shoe from blue to green really looks excellent and I did get a number of compliments on them. There are also several other colors to choose from, and there are special edition designs too for events like The Masters.
Next I can honestly say these are one of the most comfortable shoes I have tested. The previous 2 was right up there in this regard but for me the 3 has taken it to a whole new level. This is thanks to elements like the extra thickness of the padding around the ankle which really felt soft and comfortable. As someone who can be prone to blisters in this area, I loved this design feature. Additionally Nike has added an internal strap on the inside of the shoe which actually contours to your feet, which is different from the mesh-like interior of the Tour 2 shoe. I think this change further elevates the 3 and while some golf shoes need wearing-in before they reach their peak comfort, we found this was not the case here. Nike also stitched a Zoom Air unit directly to the upper which delivered exceptional feel, and the foam towards the heel felt very cushiony, almost bouncy when walking on the course.
As I expected, the grip and stability of the shoes was top-notch as well. The shoes have a new seven-way cleat system with two different types of spikes. The new Softspikes Tour Flex Pro are fitted in three forefoot areas whilst there are Silver tornado spikes in the heel and other side of the forefoot area. The result of this? Well I tested the shoes in different conditions and the traction remained very good. During one round I played on brown, burnt-out ground which can be slippery, softer ground thanks to a deluge of rain, and, because I was not playing my best, in a variety of different lies and stances. Each time, my grip and stability was never compromised.
Overall, we can see why these are McIlroy’s preferred golf shoes. Nike has taken what was an excellent golf shoe in the Victory 2, and improved on it. The comfort here is outstanding as is the feel, the grip and stability is right up there and the look of the shoe is one of the best on the market. It is also 100% waterproof which is an absolute must for me. The only negative I could find with these shoes is the laces feel slightly cheap, but this is the tiniest of negatives that in all honesty, doesn’t matter to me really. In short, I love this shoe and it covers all the bases to a very high standard. It may come with a pretty punchy price tag, but I really do think it is worth it.
