Jordan's irresistible rise in the world of golf

When Michael Jordan was sucked into a golf hole by Bugs Bunny and his friends at the beginning of Space Jam, he probably never thought that this harmless pastime, which began as a way to relieve the tension of college games, would become an integral part of his empire. In fact, over the years, Michael Jordan's brand, which began almost by chance with a basketball shoe, has expanded like a supernova, branching out into all possible sports disciplines. Among these, golf is certainly the most curious of all, both for its more recreational than competitive dimension, and for the love that Mike himself has long shown over the years, surpassing in many ways that for basketball. 

The legend, because every story related to Jordan's life has more to do with the myth than with the chronicle, says that it was two of his North Carolina teammates, Buzz Peterson and Davis Love III, who initiated him into the art of swinging immediately after the defeat of his Tar Heels against the Indiana Hoosiers in what will be his last collegiate game. And Jordan's competitiveness would lead him to turn that simple pastime, hitting a few balls to relieve stress, into one of his many obsessions.

Without the ambition reserved for basketball, and later in that very strange interlude, for baseball, golf will become a constant presence in his life. Accompanied on the green by his teacher and close friend Ed Ibarguen, the director of Duke University's golf club, by a twist of fate the rival university in North Carolina, Jordan traversed courses around the world with his clubs tailored to fit his giant hands. An African-American over six feet tall, with physical and athletic gifts that have left the world speechless for decades, roaming the fields of a sport that until then was the preserve of more than just retirees in Florida. 

At that very moment the star of Tiger Woods was rising, the first black superstar of the circuit and the one who will bring this sport to a new planetary dimension. As soon as he became a professional, the "Michael Jordan of Golf" began to wear Nike, and later became a friend and partner of the real MJ, with whom he shared not only the sponsor but also the mentality and work ethic. A special connection, which will ensure Jordan a respectability in the world of golf not only as the six-time NBA champion, but as a respectable player on the green, and in the circuit will begin to use the technical material signed Jordan Brand. 

The shoes and shapes we've enjoyed on NBA parquet have received their own cleated version for the lawn, becoming increasingly common both on the PGT circuit and among simple fans with a desire to stand out. Bubba Watson, one of the brightest talents of the new generation, for example at the last Masters wore Jordan 4 Metallic Green adapted to green courts. There are many historical shoes of the Brand to have been released in a new guise, such as Jordan 3 White Cement, the Jordan 4 Bred, the Jordan 5 Grape Ice or the Jordan XI Low White just to name the most famous. 

But golf for Jordan Brand is not just another field of play to colonize thanks to the power of its archive and the hype that always generate its retro. Recently he collaborated with Eastside Golf, a brand dedicated to technical and lifestyle clothing for those who live life 18 holes at a time, for a pair of white Jordan 4 with gold details including the sole with flowered studs. Obviously sold-out in the time of a refresh, on StockX it now travels between 550 and 1000 euros. And it's no fluke. The 2021 saw a 270% surge in Jordan Golf sales on the platform compared to the previous year, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down even in the year just opened. On the contrary, Jordan seems intent on focusing more and more on the green to increase the turnover of the Brand, which already in the last season recorded a gigantic 4.7 billion dollars with a growth of 31% compared to the previous year.

Exceptional numbers, which testify to the strength of the JumpMan's brand and its attractiveness on courses not made of parquet. Golf is also a sport that is clearly growing in terms of image and aesthetics, shedding that patina of old that only a few years ago seemed unshakable, also thanks to the intercession of Micheal Jordan. On the other hand, if even Republicans bought sneakers, why shouldn't golfers?