There may be lots of cool gear within the golf gear world that doesn’t all the time match neatly into Most Wished Assessments or Purchaser’s Guides. You continue to wish to know the way it performs. In our We Tried It collection, we put gear to the take a look at and allow you to know if it really works as marketed.
What We Tried:
The NIKE Air Pegasus ‘89 G. NIKE’s common operating shoe has been retro-ed and reworked right into a shoe that’s prepared for the course.
Who Tried It:
Connor. Director of Mushy Items Testing and resident sneakerhead. The following time I convey dwelling a pair of golf footwear, my spouse may make me eat them. Critically, I’ve a buying downside.
Storied Historical past
It’s unimaginable to stroll right into a NIKE retailer today with out discovering a shoe from the Pegasus line. It’s maybe one of many model’s most iconic shoe strains, exterior of the Air Jordan stuff.
The proof is within the pudding. Now practically 4 many years outdated, the NIKE Pegasus was created as an reasonably priced efficiency operating shoe. That was in 1983. After a quick hiatus within the late ‘90s, NIKE reintroduced the Pegasus in 2000 and the remaining, as they are saying, is historical past.
Now on the fortieth iteration of this storied mannequin, NIKE felt it acceptable to succeed in deep into the archives to convey again one of many extra common types, the Air Pegasus from 1989. This common runner has been retooled for the golf course and, man, does it have me excited!
If ever there was an iconic operating shoe, it might be the Pegasus. NIKE truly refers to it as its “hottest operating shoe of all time.” Nonetheless, that doesn’t essentially imply it’ll translate nicely to golf. That’s what I’m right here to seek out out.
The Good
Maybe my favourite factor concerning the NIKE Air Pegasus ‘89 G is the development. Whereas the shoe is made up of a number of synthetics, the artificial suede/leather-based overlays are literally fairly good.
I’m a sucker for good, bushy suede. NIKE made the Air Pegasus ‘89 G really feel extra elevated and premium with out sacrificing the sturdiness and waterproof properties of its artificial supplies. I observed this proper after my first put on take a look at after I was capable of wipe the footwear clear of the recent mud I’d been compelled to play in.
Talking of mud, that brings me to the following optimistic: Traction.
Coloration me shocked (and impressed) that the traction was pretty much as good because it was. I performed in some completely poor situations and had no traction points in any respect. Is it probably the most aggressive spikeless sole I’ve ever seen? Positively not. Nevertheless it will get the job accomplished. Interval.
Remember that, because of the sample of the only, mud can simply begin to cake and collect within the gaps between lugs.
The Common
Maybe probably the most disappointing (however nonetheless first rate) a part of the Air Pegasus ‘89 G was the cushion. NIKE payments the Peg G as having two foams, together with an AIR unit within the heel.
Whereas it positively didn’t really feel unhealthy or uncomfortable, it didn’t present the instant step-in consolation I’ve change into accustomed to with a few of their mainline foams like REACT.
Consider the Peg G as a extra agency, steady cushion setup somewhat than one which feels plush or overly bouncy.
The Unhealthy
The place does the Peg G fall brief? Stability. It was all the time stability that was the primary concern and that is completely the place the Peg G can both be proper or flawed on your sport.
In the event you’re larger, extra highly effective, and so forth., you’ll discover this shoe too straightforward to twist—it’s too versatile to maintain you contained and steady.
Nonetheless, somebody who’s not fairly as explosive should not have any downside. On this regard, it makes a fairly good warmup and vary shoe.
This was to be anticipated, nonetheless. The Air Pegasus ‘89 was all the time meant to be a operating shoe … for operating in a straight line. It isn’t (and by no means was) tooled in a manner that it might deal with the extraordinary lateral stress of the golf swing.
The Verdict
Will I preserve rocking the NIKE Air Pegasus ‘89 G? Possibly. I’m not prepared to surrender on it. With good spikeless traction and luxury that makes it wearable for 18 holes, I can cope with the shortage of stability. As an enormous fan of the Pegasus line general, it’s extra of a sentimental factor, anyhow.
As for you? If you would like a cushty, informal spikeless golf shoe, it’s lots serviceable. However these looking for utmost efficiency and tour-level stability ought to look elsewhere.
