Tiger Woods x Nike Free Golf Shoe Prototype
August 2, 2011 ⋅ Style ⋅ by Eugene Kan ⋅ 7918 Views

The world of golfing has never been the same since Thanksgiving of 2009 when the public and private life of Tiger Woods was unveiled to the world. Since then, the return for Tiger Woods has been a long and arduous journey inclusive of both physical and mental setbacks. But the perseverance of a champion will hopefully come through as Woods takes to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational this week.

On his feet will be a new prototype golf shoe, developed by the Innovation Kitchen at Nike and seen here exclusively. Yet to be named, the shoe features the sensibilities and performance enhancements of Nike’s Free technology with additional Nike technology such as Flywire and Hyperfuse-like uppers. Look for the sleek looking shoe on the feet of Tiger with no word yet on an official release.

TIGER DEBUTS PROTOTYPE SHOE ON COMEBACK.

Ahead of his return to competitive action, Tiger Woods has been working with one of the Directors within NIKE’s Innovation Kitchen, Tobie Hatfield, and NIKE Golf on a FREE-inspired prototype shoe that Tiger will wear during this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Originally developed in 2004 by a group led by Hatfield, NIKE FREE is a ‘natural motion’ technology that is designed to mimic and conform to the natural motion of the foot, coupled with the protection and traction of a lightweight performance shoe.

The FREE-inspired elements in this prototype model allow greater movement for the front of the foot, increasing stability with mobility. “This will help give Tiger greater stability as he addresses the ball. The freedom of movement that natural motion technology delivers will also allow more power to be released through the swing rather than through the body – which can happen when your feet are too static.” said Hatfield.

“I love the feel of NIKE FREE for training, so I asked Tobie if it was possible to bring that technology to the golf course. It’s exciting to see a conversation like that come to life and I look forward to wearing them this week,” added Tiger.

The majority of the upper consists of a polyurethane coated stretch fabric, also seen within the construction of NIKE Basketball’s Hyperfuse 2011. Part of the heel is created from recycled NIKE Air Max units melted into thread and then woven together to create a strong, breathable textile material. The FREE-inspired outsole is directly taken from NIKE Sportswear’s Special Field Boot designed for first-responders.

This model also has a half heel counter in both shoes to give more stability on the lateral side, particularly in follow through. The shoe also incorporates NIKE Flywire (first introduced in Beijing in 2008) attached to each lace loop, which when pulled tight envelope the foot for maximum comfort and stability.

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  • Guest

    This is MJ meets TW.

  • Guest

    Street version……  Just unscrew the spikes.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Austin-Bram/1308330043 Austin Bram

    don’t give credit to tiger…guaranteed that tiger had nothing to do with the design of these shoes…he just brings people from outside of golf in..such as designers and blah blah

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Austin-Bram/1308330043 Austin Bram

    don’t give credit to tiger…guaranteed that tiger had nothing to do with the design of these shoes…he just brings people from outside of golf in..such as designers and blah blah

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Austin-Bram/1308330043 Austin Bram

    don’t give credit to tiger…guaranteed that tiger had nothing to do with the design of these shoes…he just brings people from outside of golf in..such as designers and blah blah

  • Anonymous

    yep they call this the player shoe btw

  • Anonymous

    yep they call this the player shoe btw

  • http://twitter.com/ThisisCH Charles Hunter

    “Tiger has always added some Swag Juice to golf since he first arrived.”

    Key word is added. Do you remember what golf was like before Woods came along? Horrible. He may not be the best dress man alive but in golf he is.

    http://www.thisischarleshunter.com

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

    Try and hit any iron out of a trap 80 yards out without wearing any type of cleat.  I will be there to laugh at the outcome.

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

    Try and hit any iron out of a trap 80 yards out without wearing any type of cleat.  I will be there to laugh at the outcome.

  • Anonymous

    I wasn’t trying to provoke anything you moron. And spelling or punctuation mistakes are fine….what I resent, and I will call you hacks on it every time, is this sophomoric, immature, unintelligent use of profanity to try to get a point across. The fact that you actually posted a profanity laced comment to me probably says something about the way you were raised as well as how much time you spend on the Internet. Get a life, and get an education.
    Sent from my iPad

  • Anonymous

    I wasn’t trying to provoke anything you moron. And spelling or punctuation mistakes are fine….what I resent, and I will call you hacks on it every time, is this sophomoric, immature, unintelligent use of profanity to try to get a point across. The fact that you actually posted a profanity laced comment to me probably says something about the way you were raised as well as how much time you spend on the Internet. Get a life, and get an education.
    Sent from my iPad

  • Anonymous

    you went out of your way to comment on michael shea’s lack of vocabulary when all he was trying to say is that tiger woods doesnt have any swag (the truth btw), and yes, i did use “BTW”  and michael did used “swag” because its the fucking internet you knob, not an english exam. Stop trying to provoke arguments on the internet. the fact that you actually posted that comment probably says something about your life and how much time you spend on the internet. i

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BT6GGJIG22RMSBO4YPGMSUPJBQ Lidia Allen

    I just paid $22.87 for an iPad 2 (64 GB) and my girlfriend loves her Panasonic Lumix GF 1 Camera that we got for $38.76 there arriving tomorrow by UPS. I will never pay such expensive retail prices in stores again. Especially when I also sold a 40 inch LED TV to my boss for $674 which only cost me $62.81 to buy. Here is the website we use to get it all from, CentHub.com

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Melgar/100000313782849 John Melgar

    yo this will look wack with some golf clothes golf shoes should only be low tops cause you could get stuck on the follow through. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Melgar/100000313782849 John Melgar

    yo this will look wack with some golf clothes golf shoes should only be low tops cause you could get stuck on the follow through. 

  • Anonymous

    Just goes to show that money can’t buy class.

  • Anonymous

    Just goes to show that money can’t buy class.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Shea/1142209877 Michael Shea

    Not that I feel like keeping this conversation going, but in 11 years as a trader I’ve made $57 MM for my firm. Pitiful like a fox I guess. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Shea/1142209877 Michael Shea

    Not that I feel like keeping this conversation going, but in 11 years as a trader I’ve made $57 MM for my firm. Pitiful like a fox I guess. 

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like in addition to a definite lack of vocabulary, you’re also a pitiful employee.
    Sent from my iPad

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Shea/1142209877 Michael Shea

    It makes a point of emphasis without being overly verbose. If I comment during the morning or afternoon, I am at work where I don’t have time to be eloquent enough to impress the likes of you. Goodbye.

  • http://twitter.com/Prontocutscom Dan

    cause we all know how slippery sand can be 

  • Anonymous

    It doesn’t really matter if you’re the first to use the “f” word or the last. Using profanity to get a point across is proof positive that despite your assertion that you are highly educated, your vocabulary is lacking, which casts doubt on you being highly educated. Your family? Your ancestors? You’re absolutely right, I know nothing about them. Your stellar use of the English language (sarcasm intended), pretty much shows me that you probably paid way too much for your, ahem, education.

  • Anonymous

    It doesn’t really matter if you’re the first to use the “f” word or the last. Using profanity to get a point across is proof positive that despite your assertion that you are highly educated, your vocabulary is lacking, which casts doubt on you being highly educated. Your family? Your ancestors? You’re absolutely right, I know nothing about them. Your stellar use of the English language (sarcasm intended), pretty much shows me that you probably paid way too much for your, ahem, education.

  • Anonymous

    It doesn’t really matter if you’re the first to use the “f” word or the last. Using profanity to get a point across is proof positive that despite your assertion that you are highly educated, your vocabulary is lacking, which casts doubt on you being highly educated. Your family? Your ancestors? You’re absolutely right, I know nothing about them. Your stellar use of the English language (sarcasm intended), pretty much shows me that you probably paid way too much for your, ahem, education.

  • Anonymous

    It doesn’t really matter if you’re the first to use the “f” word or the last. Using profanity to get a point across is proof positive that despite your assertion that you are highly educated, your vocabulary is lacking, which casts doubt on you being highly educated. Your family? Your ancestors? You’re absolutely right, I know nothing about them. Your stellar use of the English language (sarcasm intended), pretty much shows me that you probably paid way too much for your, ahem, education.

  • Anonymous

    Tiger has zero swag. He is a little whining bitch. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Shea/1142209877 Michael Shea

    I don’t think I’m the first the use the F word on Hypebeast Tom. My point was that just being rich and famous does not in itself give one swag. He wears Nike head to toe in completely uninteresting ways, and he always has. Apparently you and I have different viewpoints on what “swag” is. All that being said, you don’t know shit about me(highly educated), my family(also highly educated) or my ancestors, and even saying something like that is in poor taste. Can you understand my grammar now?

  • Anonymous

    Tiger has more swag in his pinkie than the likes of you, your family, your ancestors combined. Nice language…..why not improve your vocabulary, then maybe you too can start to dream of having swag.

  • Anonymous

    Tiger has more swag in his pinkie than the likes of you, your family, your ancestors combined. Nice language…..why not improve your vocabulary, then maybe you too can start to dream of having swag.

  • Anonymous

    Tiger has more swag in his pinkie than the likes of you, your family, your ancestors combined. Nice language…..why not improve your vocabulary, then maybe you too can start to dream of having swag.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NVLZLS5JKOKZ6AYQJXAGCCDAMQ Melvin Bowman

    I just paid $22.87 for an iPad2 (64GB) and my girlfriend loves her Panasonic Lumix GF 1 Camera that we got for $38.76 there arriving tomorrow by UPS. I will never pay such expensive retail prices in stores again. Especially when I also sold a 40 inch LED TV to my boss for $674 which only cost me $62.81 to buy. Here is the website we use to get it all from, CentHub.com

  • http://www.facebook.com/thexdamnxasian John Anthony Gutierrez

    If its anything like a real golf shoe you should be able to remove the spikes and use them as real shoes. I got the Dunk SB Golfing shoes and they come with removeable spike just like my other golfing shoes.

  • http://www.facebook.com/thexdamnxasian John Anthony Gutierrez

    If its anything like a real golf shoe you should be able to remove the spikes and use them as real shoes. I got the Dunk SB Golfing shoes and they come with removeable spike just like my other golfing shoes.

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

    I really hope these are waterproof otherwise I can’t see them being a practical shoe for early morning rounds. 

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

    I really hope these are waterproof otherwise I can’t see them being a practical shoe for early morning rounds. 

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

     When swinging a golf club your front foot must stay planted.  It is very easy to slip on grass when generating the torque necessary to hit a golf ball.  It’s not just grass…it’s in sand too.

  • http://twitter.com/DrewB516 Andrew B.

     When swinging a golf club your front foot must stay planted.  It is very easy to slip on grass when generating the torque necessary to hit a golf ball.  It’s not just grass…it’s in sand too.

  • http://twitter.com/theBreaux Brandon B

    These are dope.

  • http://twitter.com/theBreaux Brandon B

    These are dope.

  • http://twitter.com/theBreaux Brandon B

    These are dope.

  • http://twitter.com/theBreaux Brandon B

    These are dope.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10106437 Palmer HB

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make a street edition. im in love

  • http://twitter.com/Arkamix1 Arkamix

    very interesting concept ! i am sure it will be a killer on the golf market, as those golfers walk a lot and the free sole is a plus !

  • http://twitter.com/Arkamix1 Arkamix

    very interesting concept ! i am sure it will be a killer on the golf market, as those golfers walk a lot and the free sole is a plus !

  • http://twitter.com/Arkamix1 Arkamix

    very interesting concept ! i am sure it will be a killer on the golf market, as those golfers walk a lot and the free sole is a plus !

  • http://twitter.com/Arkamix1 Arkamix

    very interesting concept ! i am sure it will be a killer on the golf market, as those golfers walk a lot and the free sole is a plus !

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Shea/1142209877 Michael Shea

    Tiger has NO FUCKING SWAG. Silver tipped belt, pleated pants and a Nike polo. His pockets have swag. Thant is all. But these aren’t bad for golf shoes.

  • Anonymous

    Do you need shoes to not slip off the grass?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CMFOJTR4OELJI4J36PLO7IGRLM baskew

    Damn, time to hit the links… 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CMFOJTR4OELJI4J36PLO7IGRLM baskew

    Damn, time to hit the links… 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CMFOJTR4OELJI4J36PLO7IGRLM baskew

    Damn, time to hit the links… 

  • http://twitter.com/PatoFernandez TIGRE DE AGUA

    send me one par to chile please pato_fernandez_b@hotmail.com / best regards

  • http://twitter.com/MedusaStoneFace B. Blackamoor!

    I think I shall start golfing now lol…

  • http://twitter.com/MedusaStoneFace B. Blackamoor!

    I think I shall start golfing now lol…

  • http://twitter.com/ThisisCH Charles Hunter

    These look nice. Better than those white bowler shoes golfers be wearing out there. Tiger has always added some Swag Juice to golf since he first arrived.

  • http://twitter.com/ThisisCH Charles Hunter

    These look nice. Better than those white bowler shoes golfers be wearing out there. Tiger has always added some Swag Juice to golf since he first arrived.

  • http://twitter.com/ThisisCH Charles Hunter

    These look nice. Better than those white bowler shoes golfers be wearing out there. Tiger has always added some Swag Juice to golf since he first arrived.

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  • http://twitter.com/212giggsy TaeSang Ted Park

    sexy. but as a golfer it looks like it could use a little more support.

  • http://twitter.com/212giggsy TaeSang Ted Park

    sexy. but as a golfer it looks like it could use a little more support.

  • http://twitter.com/212giggsy TaeSang Ted Park

    sexy. but as a golfer it looks like it could use a little more support.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JayDegreat Jerome JayDegreat Brown

    nice.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JayDegreat Jerome JayDegreat Brown

    nice.

  • http://twitter.com/MURKYOU M

    I dont golf but these are clean as fudge

  • http://twitter.com/MURKYOU M

    I dont golf but these are clean as fudge

  • http://twitter.com/THEACDMY THΣ ΔCDMΨ

    Dope . 

  • http://twitter.com/THEACDMY THΣ ΔCDMΨ

    Dope .