Golf Shoes

How to choose golf shoes

Spiked or spikeless. This is the decision and everything else is detail. Spiked shoes have replaceable soft cleats and grip harder in wet grass, on slopes and in the rough. Spikeless shoes use moulded lugs, are more comfortable to walk in off the course, and you can drive to the club in them. If you play year round in a wet climate or on a hilly course, buy spiked. If you play mostly in dry conditions or you want one pair for the range and the course, buy spikeless.

Fit, and width in particular. Golf shoes should fit like a running shoe: about a thumb's width in front of your longest toe, and no heel lift when you walk. Most golfers who find golf shoes uncomfortable are in the wrong width rather than the wrong length. If your feet spread or you have ever gone up a size to get more room across the ball of your foot, try a wide fit before you try a bigger shoe.

How much you walk. If you walk eighteen holes, cushioning and weight matter more than traction, and a spikeless shoe with a proper midsole will treat your feet better. If you ride, you can afford a firmer, more aggressive shoe.

Which golf shoes are for you

• Spiked. adidas Tour360 and Adipower, FootJoy Hyperflex and Specialty, Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour and Victory Pro, Puma Ignite Articulate. Replaceable soft cleats and the most grip available. For wet climates, hilly courses and anyone who wants maximum stability through the swing.
• Spikeless. adidas Codechaos, S2G, MC70, Adizero ZG and Retrocross, Nike Free NN, Under Armour Drive Fade 2, Skechers Pure SL and Flow SL. Moulded lugs, no cleats to replace, comfortable enough to wear all day. The most versatile option and where most golfers should start.
• Wide fit. Nike Infinity G NN Wide, Infinity Pro 2 Wide and Victory Pro 3 Wide, adidas Adipower Wide and Tour360 Wide, Puma Ignite Elevate 2 Wide, Skechers Flow SL Wide. Available in both spiked and spikeless. If golf shoes have never felt right, this is the first thing to try.
• BOA and dial lacing. adidas Codechaos BOA, Adipower BOA and S2G BOA, Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour Next% BOA. A dial instead of laces, so you can adjust tension mid-round without stopping. Worth it if your feet swell over eighteen holes.
• Course to clubhouse. Nike Air Max 1 86 OG, Air Max 95 G and Pegasus 1 G, adidas Retrocross, FootJoy X Todd Snyder Legend Series. Built on lifestyle silhouettes with golf outsoles. For golfers who would rather not change shoes at either end of the round.

Our take on golf shoes

Buy for the weather you actually play in, not the weather you imagine. Most Australian golfers play the majority of their rounds in dry conditions on a flat-ish course, and a spikeless shoe is more comfortable, more versatile and perfectly adequate for that. The golfers who genuinely need spikes know who they are, because they have slipped.

Common questions about golf shoes

Spiked or spikeless, which is better?

Neither, they suit different conditions. Spiked grips better in wet grass and on slopes and is the safer choice year round. Spikeless is more comfortable, more versatile and fine in dry conditions. If you only own one pair and you play in a mixed climate, most people are happier in spikeless.

What size golf shoe should I buy?

Usually the same size as your running shoes, with about a thumb's width in front of your longest toe and no heel lift when you walk. Sizing varies between brands, so if you are between two, come in and try both.

Are golf shoes waterproof?

Most golf shoes carry a manufacturer waterproof warranty, but the length of that warranty varies by brand and by model. Check the term on the product page before you buy, because it is the part of a golf shoe most likely to give out first.

How long do golf shoes last?

A pair worn weekly will usually give you two to three seasons before the outsole or the waterproofing goes. Soft cleats wear out much faster than the shoe does and are cheap to replace, so a spiked shoe that has lost its grip often just needs new cleats.

You may also like

• Men's golf shoes
• Women's golf shoes
• Junior golf shoes
• Replacement spikes and wrenches
• Golf socks
• Golf clothing
• adidas golf shoes

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