Welcome to Spotted on Tour, where we’ll highlight buzzy apparel, gear, gadgets and more that caught our eye over the weekend. Better yet, we’ll help you get your hands on your own.
We begin this week’s Spotted on Tour in Cincinnati, Ohio — some 715 miles away from the site of last week’s 3M Open. But no, we’re not talking about the bevy of great golf happening in the Buckeye State this July, we’re talking about baseball.
Major League Baseball returned to television screens Thursday and with it, a new wave of on-field gear. But for all the bells and whistles, no equipment change earned more attention than the one that occurred in Cincinnati. On Saturday, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen briefly set social media ablaze when he wore a pair of custom-made Vans baseball spikes. Lorenzen, who grew up in California, had the spikes specially designed as a nod to the cult-classic skate shoes.
Undoubtedly, Lorenzen’s shoes are sweet. Sweet enough to raise the question: could something similar be done in golf?
As it turns out, something similar had already been done in golf — and 715 miles up the road from Cincinnati at TPC Twin Cities, something similar was on Tony Finau’s feet.
Finau’s Nike Janoski G golf shoes represent the perfect intersection between golf and skate culture — built for performance but designed for the cool, understated style that skaters (and golfers) love. A foam sockliner built into the shoe cushions every step and provides wearers with protection against blisters and discomfort.
The Janoski comes waterproof in both suede and leather (depending upon the color scheme), while a unique traction pattern provides wearers with the necessary grip and stability to withstand the force generated by a golf swing. Sure, Finau’s spikeless kicks aren’t your grandfather’s golf shoes, but isn’t that the point?
