Air Rev Launches as Jordan Brand’s Most Advanced Golf Shoe Yet

Air Rev by Jordan Brand delivers game-changing power and innovation to the golf course.

Jordan Brand has announced the launch of the Air Rev, a groundbreaking golf shoe developed in direct response to a challenge from Michael Jordan. The mission: create the most innovative, performance-driven golf spike on the market, designed to give even the most powerful golfers a competitive edge off the tee.

“MJ is adamant on creating the most performance-oriented golf product in the industry,” says Matt Plumb, NIKE, Inc. Men's Sport Footwear Director. “He wanted to create a footwear system that could help players generate more rotational power. Whatever margin we could find, it was our job to find it. He knew we had the tools, the expertise, and the curiosity to find new solutions through footwear.”

The Science Behind the Swing

Golf swings demand power across three planes of movement: vertical, horizontal, and rotational. The Jordan Brand team, led by designer Yoon Choi, recognized that maximizing rotational force was key to unlocking greater driving distance. “Rotational movement made us think about the responsiveness of Air in a different way,” Choi explains. “Giving that starter-block effect off the back foot for rotational movement. Then, we could use a firmer foam on the lead foot to help brake the body and maintain balance.”

To explore this concept, Nike’s NXT “Space Kitchen” team joined forces with Grove XXIII’s head golf coach, Darren May, at Michael Jordan’s private course in Florida. There, they tested how propulsive sidewalls and removable cushioning could enhance rotational velocity, even improvising a custom turntable gauge to measure the rotational power generated during a swing.

From Theory to Innovation

The research phase produced promising results. Golfers reported feeling both more secure and more powerful, which, when combined, translate to longer drives. The team experimented with various prototypes, including shoes with lateral Zoom Air units and fang-like traction spikes. While some designs pushed the boundaries of practicality, they proved the concept worked.

“We all knew the system was working. We knew that Zoom Air could be applied in this way to great results,” says Choi. “But could this be wearable? Or would this ultimately be a science project?”

The breakthrough came with the development of the Flight Lock containment system: a combination of lateral cushioning, a midfoot strap, and a tightening dial on the tongue. This system allowed golfers to customize their support and power transfer, depending on their foot preference.

The Final Product

Feedback from players validated the team’s efforts. “Every time we started to question what we were doing, we’d hear more feedback validating how players felt stronger in driving the ball further, and they'd add that the Flight Lock system was comfortable, not a distraction,” Choi notes. “For a lot of us, this project represents exactly what Bowerman was doing decades ago with his track spikes: explore a performance benefit, no matter how small, and ruthlessly experiment how to achieve it.”

Michael Jordan’s philosophy of relentless innovation was central to the project’s success. “MJ told our team from the beginning, ‘You’re always welcome to come here. Test out anything you need,” says Plumb. “He’s always encouraged us to break ground on new standards for what we think is possible.”

With the Air Rev, Jordan Brand redefines what’s possible in golf footwear, proving that with vision, research, and a willingness to experiment, even the smallest margins can lead to game-changing performance.