Tiger Woods ’13 Golf Shoe Review

There’s a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried:

NIKE Tiger Woods ‘13 golf shoes. It’s been 10 years since the TW ‘13 first graced the golf course. Now, NIKE has brought back the fan-favorite spiked golf shoe in a ploy to drum up nostalgia. 

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers. I hadn’t yet touched a golf club in 2013 when the original NIKE TW ‘13 dropped. However, I was around for the NIKE Free craze (the tech that the TW ‘13 is predicated on) and am excited to see whether it can withstand the test of time.

How does a 10-year-old golf shoe hold up in 2023? Have golf shoes evolved that much in a decade’s time? I’m here to give you the down and dirty about what NIKE has dubbed the most popular Tiger Woods golf shoe of all time.

TW ‘13 Tech Specs

NIKE Free outsole Dynamic fit system with Flywire straps for lockdown Removable spikes Phylon foam midsole

What’s Old is New

Why would NIKE bring back a shoe that’s 10 years old? The simple answer is “money.” While I’m no economist, it’s clear NIKE has been putting less stock into their golf footwear department. After all, it’s hard to compete with the big boys like FootJoy who only produce golf shoes. 

And while NIKE’s casual lineup of golf shoes (a la the Air Jordan 1 Low G) has been very successful, their performance line of golf shoes has been rather lackluster over the last few years. 

The return of the TW ‘13 comes at a time when Tiger Woods himself has been wearing FootJoy exclusively. Coincidence? NIKE is eager for consumers to erase the images of Woods in FJ Premieres from our minds. Hence, the reintroduction of the TW ‘13. 

And, at least for me, it’s working. It’s been a bit since I’ve been so excited to test a golf shoe. Let’s go through my experience with the TW ‘13 and talk a little about who this retro golf shoe is (or isn’t) for. 

The Good

Let’s start with the good. The NIKE TW ‘13 is very comfortable. That was the overall goal when NIKE took Free from the pavement to the golf course. The unique Free sole provides enhanced flexibility, something that makes walking (and swinging) in the TW ‘13 feel natural. 

The NIKE Free technology is best described as a way to make a shoe feel like it isn’t a shoe. As the name suggests, a shoe with NIKE Free technology should give you complete freedom of movement for whatever sport you’re participating in. 

The running-shoe influence of NIKE Free can be seen (and felt) in abundance with the TW ‘13. It’s also very reminiscent of NIKE’s original waffle design, a detail I really like.

Another (albeit) small win for the TW ‘13 is the overall fit. Recently, most NIKE golf shoes have been rather narrow, even for someone like me with normal-width feet. The TW ‘13 is more accommodating than most of the Swoosh’s current models in this regard. I really enjoyed the wider toe box area which allowed my toes to move freely. 

The Mediocre

The spiked traction was decent. The placement of the spikes is rather unique (four up front, two in the heel, none in the midfoot area) but it works well in both dry and moderately wet conditions. 

I did slip on one occasion during my testing, though. While removing spikes from the midfoot section of the shoe allows for greater flexibility, it seems like there’s overall too much surface area without anything to contact the ground. 

Room for Improvement

The lowlight of my time in the NIKE TW ‘13 is the overall stability. And before you say it, yes, I saw this coming. As someone very familiar with NIKE Free technology, it’s no surprise that the TW ‘13 is lackluster in the stability department. 

All of those flex grooves in the sole contribute to a comfortable, natural ride. But as much as they provide to the overall comfort of the shoe, they take away from its structure and stability. 

In this regard, the TW’ 13’s biggest blessing is also its biggest curse. 

For someone like me who doesn’t have a lot of extra movement in my swing, the TW ‘13 is no problem. I don’t swing particularly fast and don’t generate a whole lot of power. That said, someone like Woods, for whom the shoe was originally intended, would not be able to safely swing in this shoe given his current physical condition. Hence, the switch to FJ. 

Again, I’m not (really) faulting NIKE here. The shoe was not designed to be stable. It simply wasn’t. By relying on NIKE Free technology, NIKE opted for something that looks, moves and feels more like a running or training shoe rather than a steady, stable golf shoe.

Who Should Swipe Right?

The Tiger Woods ‘13 might be for you if:

You want a flexible, comfortable shoe. You need decent traction. You’re not looking for great stability. You’ve got some cash to spare (they’re a little pricey).

Who Should Swipe Left?

If this sounds like you, tread with caution:

You’re looking for FJ-level stability. You lack flexibility in your lower body. You’re ballin’ on a budget (cheaper options exist).

Parting Thoughts

The NIKE TW ‘13 performed about how I expected it to. No surprises here. It’s comfortable, lightweight and makes for a great walking shoe. However, the tradeoffs in the stability department should not be overlooked if your swing or physical fitness calls for something more rigid.

I started this review with a question: Have golf shoes evolved that much in the last decade? The answer: Not so much. Today, just as a decade ago, a divide still exists across the category of performance golf shoes.

The gap between “freestyle” golf shoes and “stable” golf shoes is still very much a thing. I’d argue the only difference is that now, as opposed to 2013, you’ve got more options in the “freestyle” camp than ever before. 

While the TW ‘13 may have been ahead of its time in 2013, it fits right in today. 

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