Hypegolf List: The Best Sneakers Inspired by The Masters

Green and yellow is to golf what purple and gold is to basketball in LA, or what white is to soccer in Madrid. To devoted fans, these colors capture something visceral, evoking the most deeply rooted traditions in the game.

As one of golf’s four major championships and sport’s most storied events, the Masters has been recognized with a host of limited edition shoes over the years. While green and yellow tends to be the primary theme, there are also references to Southern culture and the tournament’s springtime placement on the calendar. Due to licensing and trademarks, not every Masters release is officially billed as a tribute to the tournament, but timing always tends to be a dead giveaway.

With Georgia on our mind, Hypegolf is taking a look at some our favorite Augusta themed releases from over the years, featuring entries from Nike, Jordan Brand, adidas, New Balance and ASICS. Read on to see the full list, and let us know how yours compares.

adidas Golf Stan Smith

Adidas Golf

2021 was the first year that adidas introduced the Stan Smith to its golf audience, and to make the biggest splash possible the brand opted to focus the release around the Masters, with the kicks dropping the Wednesday before the tournament. All in all, it was a faithful recreation of the classic tennis shoe, only that the 3-Striped perforations were not to be seen, and the traditional leather upper was swapped out for sustainable textile. Lastly, a removable kiltie was included as a nod to golf culture.

Waffle House x adidas Golf TOUR360

Adidas Golf

Looking beyond the obvious green and yellow theme, one can start to explore different aspects of Southern culture for inspiration, and that’s exactly what adidas did here. Partnering with Waffle House, an everyman’s choice throughout the region for breakfast all the way through dinner, adidas created a shoe that honored the state of Georgia in a fun and creative way. The entire upper of the shoe looks as if it were branded with a waffle iron, while Waffle House logos hit the heels and insoles.

Malbon Golf x New Balance 997G

Malbon Golf

While most Masters shoes tend to use a vibrant shade of green that matches with Augusta’s carpet-like fairways, one can argue that a darker green matches closer with the tournament’s branding. After all, the famous green jacket is a deep evergreen, and leaderboards throughout the course are similarly colored. This collaborative Malbon Golf x New Balance 997G makes use of that shade in its accents which pop against a white background, just like uniforms worn all week by the caddies.

ASICS GEL-LYTE III “Shamrock Green”

Asics

While ASICS does currently have a presence in golf, the brand has yet to dip into its OG catalog to pull newcomers into the sport. That was until this year, when the classic GEL-LYTE III runner was decked out in green suede and accented with yellow in anticipation of everyone’s favorite springtime golf tournament. Among our favorite hidden details are the insoles which allude to golf course maps, and the contrast between the smooth suede used on the underlays and the rougher texture seen on the overlays.

Air Jordan 4 G “Masters Tournament”

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

When Bubba Watson showed up at the 2021 Masters wearing a pair of metallic green Air Jordan 4 golf shoes, many understandably assumed the kicks were a player exclusively that would never reach retail. However, Jordan Brand surprised everyone when they released the shoes a few months later. Featuring molded eyelets, heel tabs and a metallic plated outsole, it was a stark contrast to see an OG basketball sneaker within the context of an old fashioned golf club like Augusta National.

Air Jordan 12 Low G “Metallic Gold”

Nike

The AJ12 G was one of Jordan Brand’s favorite silhouettes throughout 2022, with OG colorways like “French Blue,” “Playoffs” and “Cherry” finding their way to the golf course. For the Masters, the brand gave the shoe shiny gold accents in place of the tradition yellow, as well as small hints of green on the insoles and outsoles.

Air Jordan 11 Low G “Snake Pack”

Jacques Slade

Getting “snake-bitten” on the back nine at Augusta National is a fate that has befell many, with the par 3 12th hole serving as a particular road block. Debuted in anticipation of the 2019 tournament, the “Snake Pack” was a clever reference to the course’s venomous nature, as Nike took six different silhouettes and outfitted them with dark green snakeskin. The AJ11 G was one of the models that got the snakeskin treatment, and remains one of the most sought after pairs by sneaker heads today.

Nike Air Max 1 G “Payday”

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

While the green jacket may be the symbol of the Masters, the real golden nugget is the $2.7 million USD check that goes to the winner. The Nike AM1 G “Payday” references the tournament’s lucrative appeal quite directly, and was worn by Tony Finau during the 2019 edition. Bringing the original Tinker Hatfield design to life, Nike branding is gold plated, while the full length mudguards and outsole display bay laurel leaves similar to the US dollar.

Nike Air Max 1 G “Always Fresh”

Nike

The Nike AM1 G “Always Fresh” is one the most recent additions to our list, and an example of a shoe that falls under the non-green and yellow category. Similar to the Waffle House x adidas collaboration, this shoe makes a reference to Georgia heritage with its fuzzy peach suede upper that transitions between yellow and orange. We also enjoy fun details like the faux produce stickers and canvas sock liners.