Nike releases Air Jordan 13 Golf shoes

When he designed the Air Jordan XIII in 1997 for Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, Nike’s Tinker Hatfield sought to create a shoe for an athlete who had world-class agility and ultimate precision -- and drew inspiration from a cat’s paws. Now, as an homage to MJ’s love for golf, Jordan Brand has unveiled the Air Jordan 13 Golf shoes ($200, available May 18 on Nike+) inspired by the iconic basketball shoes.

The AJ 13s follow several golf entries from Jordan Brand, including the Air Jordan 1, released in January, and a few other limited-edition styles that celebrities such as Dez Bryant and Keegan Bradley have worn. PGA Tour pro Pat Perez originally showcased the AJ 13 shoes, which feature an outsole designed to provide an ideal combination of balance and flexibility, offering golfers a stable platform as they stand on a wide variety of undulations and uneven lies. The shoe’s midsole is made from a soft, resilient foam that evenly distributes impact across the length of a foot, and its leather upper, which has a one-year waterproof guarantee, has various overlays that help keep the entire foot in place.