When Golf Monthly was offered the chance to test men's World No.1, Scottie Scheffler's Nike Victory Pro 4 Golf Shoes, it made sense for the No.1 golfer in our team to wear them. Unfortunately, they were unavailable - as was everyone else anywhere near a single-figure handicap - so it was left to me.
However, while I and many others might lack the on-course ability of Scheffler, I can earnestly say that these shoes give you every chance to eek out as much of your potential as possible.
While helping to create the Nike Victory Pro 4 shoes, Scheffler outlined comfort and stability as the most critical factors for designers to focus on.
One of the key features of the Nike Victory Pro 4 shoe is the fly wing - a small part of the shoe which connects the midsole to the upper for optimal lateral stability. I'll be honest, I don't love the look of that particular piece of the Nike Victory Pro 4, but it is a very small price to pay for the benefits it provides from a practical sense.
For Scheffler - who possesses a particularly unique swing - he needs that support when pushing through the ground and unravelling into the ball. That's where the fly wing comes in.
Although my swing isn't quite as dynamic as Scheffler's, I always felt like I had full support to move as I needed, with the aforementioned design playing a significant part in helping the shoe retain its shape and performance while swinging.
Working hand in hand, I also found the levels of grip in the shoe to be unparalleled. It felt like the ground and the shoe's sole were velcro, even when rain had fallen or was falling - I just couldn't slip. When I tried dragging my feet along the floor, it would either not move at all or I'd slightly rough the ground up.
The Nike Victory Pro 4 offers a kind of confidence in terms of traction that I would have a tough time believing could be surpassed, yet alone equalled in the best spiked shoes market.
More specifically, the actual placing of the nine twisted spikes is what makes this shoe so impressive when it comes to those two factors the men's World No.1 was keen to focus on.
Scheffler's input saw a lone spike placed in the middle of the toes, which I found not only spreads the load of your body weight perfectly but also means you can rotate the back foot with full confidence that you won't slip.
In regards to comfort, I really couldn't complain at all once they were broken in. The stiffness of the shoe was something of an issue on the first wear, but after that, I could have continued to wear them all day. They really are a joy to have on your feet and one of the most comfortable golf shoes out there.
If I had a slight complaint with the Nike Victory Pro 4, it's that they could be slightly lighter. I felt the overall weight of the shoe was a little higher than you'd ideally want, but it's not like you're walking around with bricks on your feet and there was no extra ache in my legs after 18 holes.
Returning to the plethora of positives, though, the synthetic leather upper layer is waterproof and looks incredible after several uses - not just fresh out of the box. Another aspect of the shoe which I really appreciated was the internal foam collar which offered an extra layer of comfort around the ankle. I think the overall look of the shoe will appeal to many golfers as well.
At the Nike Victory Pro 4's current price point, it has to be considered one of the best Nike golf shoes out there - especially because it works well all year round. And if it's good enough for the men's World No.1 and the No.21 player at Golf Monthly, it should be good enough for you as well.
