50 Words or Less
The Nike Flyknit Chukka golf shoe is phenomenally comfortable with a bold, unique look. A must-have for the fashion forward golfer.
Introduction
Nike is holding nothing back in their 2016 golf apparel line. From tights to collar-less polo shirts, they’re breaking new ground at every turn, and their footwear is no exception. The Nike Flyknit Chukka not only brings the company’s popular Flyknit construction to the links for the first time, it does so in a mid-top profile that defies tradition.
Comfort
Despite being a big Nike fan, I’ve never worn Flyknit shoes before, so my only expectations about how the Flyknit Chukka would feel were based on the look. It turns out, the feel matches the look exactly. When you lace up the Chukkas, it’s like wearing a sock with a sole on it. The Flyknit material conforms perfectly to your foot and provides just a touch of structure and support. This shoe is really light, which makes walking the course really enjoyable.
One note on the fit: I found that the Flyknit Chukka runs larger to size than most other Nikes. I tend to wear a 14 in Nike, but the Chukka fits perfectly in a 13.
Looks
Whether you’re talking about the profile or the material, there’s nothing else out there that looks quite like the Nike Flyknit Chukka golf shoe. The mid top structure of the shoe would be head-turning on its own, but combined with the Flyknit, it’s a show stopper. The Flyknit Chukka is available in two colorways – black and blue – but both are far from monochromatic. The Flyknit incorporates various shades of blue, white, and even some greens, that make each shoe look like a unique work of art.
Normally I’d say that the black colorway makes this a viable choice for golfers of all types, but, if we’re being honest, the Flyknit Chukka is for the guy who wants to stand out on the course. You don’t need a pro swing to rock these, but confidence is a must.
Performance
Overall, I really enjoyed swinging in the Nike Flyknit Chukka. The design concept fits really well with the things I want from a golf shoe: lightweight, flexibility, and comfort.
Two things really surprised me about how the Flyknit Chukka performed on the course. The first is the amount of traction I had. When I first looked at the sole, I thought, “Wow, that’s not a very aggressive tread design.” Most spikeless shoes’ soles look like medieval weapons; the Flyknit Chukka’s sole does not. However, despite the way it looks, the Chukka provided good grip on average-or-better lies. I think this has a lot to do with the flexibility of the sole moving with your feet. When it comes to slippery, muddy conditions, I’ll probably opt for my Lunar Control 4s, but for normal conditions, the Flyknit Chukka has adequate traction.
The other thing that surprised me was the amount of support. A lot of mobile shoes go past flexible and straight to sloppy. The Nike Flyknit Chukka forms to your foot to give you support but without restricting your motion. If you want your foot locked into place, this is not the shoe for you, but for the athletic golfer who wants a little support with their freedom, the Flyknit Chukka is a winner.
Conclusion
For the staunch traditionalists, it would be easy to write off the Nike Flyknit Chukka golf shoe as nothing but an attention-grabbing fashion piece…if they weren’t being rapidly adopted by Nike’s PGA Tour staff. From Rory McIlroy to Patrick Rodgers, the Flyknit Chukka is all over the tour, and you can expect to see it on the feet of bold, athletic golfers everywhere this summer.
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Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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What are your thoughts on the durability of the sole? Just based on pictures I’ve seen and not having seen them in person, it appears those spikes would be worn down to nothing after one season if walking the course was my preference.
I just turned 35 so I’m not sure I’m in the demographic Nike is after this year with its apparel, but I really like the look of the chukkas. The collar-less polos and leggings are horrible though. I did notice the “blade collar” or whatever it’s called looks pretty good on Rory. I assume Rory could make a burlap sack look good however.
Great review. Keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks! My thoughts are that the sole will actually be more durable than most because of the fact that it isn’t so “spiky”. My experience has been that the shoes with lots of protruding spikes get worn down a bit faster. If I notice something to the contrary over the course of this season, I’ll certainly update the review.
Best,
Matt
Matt, great review with lots of great pictures. I’m sold on them, I’m just not sure of what size to get. My Nike Basketball shoes (Kyrie 2’s) are 10’s, but whenever I buy Nike Air Max’s for casual wear, or Nike running shoes, I tend to get 9.5’s. Also, I have flat skinny feet. What would you recommend. I did see where you sized down. Thanks for the review!
Alex,
You’re in luck, as I just picked up a pair of the Kyrie 2’s myself. I found the Kyrie 2 fit well in a 14 (my normal size), but, as I mentioned in the review, the Chukka fit well in a 13. Hope that helps.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
Any updates on the durability of the sole or maybe other updates you’ve found after two months?
Best,
Hans
Hans,
So far, so good. Still extremely comfortable and the sole has held up fine. In fact, it may be better than other spikeless soles because it doesn’t have the sharp nubs to wear down.
Best,
Matt