Disclaimer: Fair weather golfers need not read this review.  This is not for the faint of heart.

Nike Golf has never been shy when it comes to pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation.  They did bring us a square driver, after all.  A few of their competitors may have scoffed at the break from tradition, but after two major wins this year, it seems Nike is having the last laugh.  Now that they have focused their form follows function approach on their golf shoes.

Before I dive into the shoe itself, let me explain the disclaimer.  One, you should know that these shoes look nothing like the golf shoes you’re accustomed to seeing.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.  And, two, they are designed to be used in foul-weather conditions.  The worse the weather the better.  Anyone who can’t handle that is sure to fail to see the beauty of the Nike Zoom Bandon.

I will confess that I was unsure myself if I was the one to truly test these.  Golfing in the rain is not exactly my favorite past time, and the Nike Zoom Bandon looked more at home on a basketball court than on a golf course.  Then it dawned on me that even if you avoid playing in precipitation, playing afterward is just as messy.  This revelation occurred while playing a few weeks ago after our local course had been soaked with nearly two inches of rain.  There might have been blue skies overhead, but the turf situation was less than desirable.  There you have it, foul-weather conditions, sans the foul weather.  Nine holes later, and I realized that every aspect of this shoe was solely engineered to keep your feet dry and happy, even in the wettest conditions.

Constructed atop the Nike Power Platform the Zoom Bandon functions very much like the Nike golf shoes you’re familiar with.  The most noticeable difference is that these bad boys have mid-top ankles and a zip-up seam sealed water proof upper.  Even the spikes were chosen for their ability to keep traction and avoid getting clogged up with mud and wet grass.  Or in my case, a forest worth of leaves.  On the inside, Nike does what Nike does best; provide cushioned support for long hours on ones feet by merging a Zoom Air heal with a full-length phylon mid-sole.

I could not have been happier with the fit and function of these shoes.  It was after the first round of golf that I decided I agreed with Nike that it’s okay for form to sometimes follow function, especially with something is designed for such a specific purpose.  Winter is the perfect time to enlist the Nike Zoom Bandon.

Cost: $130