'A Subtle Act Of Rebellion' - Nike Unveils Special Edition Open Championship Shoes

Nike has unveiled some out there designs to celebrate the majors in 2025. First we had the 'Pink Bloom' shoes at The Masters in which Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam. Then we has the PGA Championship shoes which paid homage to North Carolina with motoring themes as well as the 'GOLFAST' tagline which was on the tongue and insoles of the shoes.

Then Nike celebrated the city of Pittsburgh, which is close to Oakmont Country Club, with steel industry themed shoes, with silver finishes as well as orange hues and an anvil tag. Well for The Open the brand has pushed the boat out again with the latest shoes as you can see above and below...

Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 4 Shoes: $220 at PGA TOUR Superstore

Rory will wear his Tour 4 shoes at Portrush in the special design here. The shoes have been inspired by the historic golf ban King James II in 1457 and Nike say they are a 'subtle act of rebellion'. How so? Well the luxe materials used and gold accents have a regal theme whilst the overall performance of the shoe keeps you playing every time. There are also glossy textures, matte gold throughout and flourished embroidery as well. It really looks out there and will certainly turn heads at the Major Championship.

Read our full Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 4 Golf Shoe Review

Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour Next% 2 Shoes: $200 at Nike

Brooks Koepka's Next% 2 shoe also is part of the collection. The overall materials and gold accents continue here, although there is a silvery/white element on the shoe as well which is prominent on the Fly Weave design. I think of the three designs this is my favorite because of the overall look and you of course still get all the benefits of the standard shoe. Immense comfort right out of the box, stability and grip thanks to the spiked design, and its completely waterproof as well which is a must for me.

Read our full Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour Next% 2 Golf Shoe Review

Nike Air Max 90G Shoes: $155 at Nike

Finally we have the Air Max 90 G shoes which are probably the most outlandish of the three. The gold and flourished embroidery patterns are a lot more prominent here and I don't think any Tour professionals are down to wear these shoes during The Open Championship. The AM90 is a recognizable shoe enhanced by some golf specific modifications which make them ideal for wearing on and off the golf course.

The "G" treatment comes through the outsole making it suitable for the course with added grip and traction elements.

All three pairs feature a mixture of white, metallic gold, and sail with McIlroy's Tour Victory 4 shoes featuring a lot more white than the other two pairs. Nike have prepped for potentially inclement weather at Royal Portrush by adding a mudguard that features a textured and spotted metallic gold pattern.

The Cushlon foam midsole finishes the design with a Flyplate for stability and a 2-pod TPU outsole with nine removable spikes, providing comfort for the players this week as well as traction on the firmer Portrush turf that may or may not see some moisture as the tournament begins.

Both the Zoom Infinity Tour 2 and Air Max 90 feature opt for a similar color palette, with the Air Max 90 featuring updated Swoosh branding on the midfoot. The Infinity Tour 2 shoes, worn by Brooks Koepka, really looks the part by blending in a modern design with supreme comfort. The heel sports a sandy gold-speckled texture, a nod to the legendary coastal courses of Ireland and the sandy dunes in which they are built on. Air zoom units in the heel and forefoot bring bounce to every step whilst translucent plastic studs make these shoes look like spikeless golf shoes but still offer plenty of traction for the tight links fairways.

Although they won't be worn by any players on the grounds of Royal Portrush this week, the Air Max G provide great versatility to be worn both on and off the golf course. Naturally, people are reluctant to wear spikeless golf shoes because they think they won't have the same traction as with the best spiked golf shoes - having played many a round of golf on links turf in spikeless shoes I'd go as far to say some of the best pairs offer even more grip than some spiked options.