Spikeless Golf Shoes

How to choose a spikeless golf shoe

Three things separate them, and none of them is the logo.

Lug depth and pattern. A deep, widely spaced lug behaves almost like a cleat and holds a side slope in morning dew. A shallow, dense pattern is a walking shoe that happens to grip. If your course has hills or you play early, take the deeper sole.

Cushioning against ground feel. A round of golf is roughly 8 to 10 kilometres on foot. If you walk 18 holes more than twice a month, take the cushioned platform. If you ride, or you want to feel the ground through your feet at address, take the flatter one.

Laces or a BOA dial. BOA tightens evenly across the whole foot and can be adjusted mid-round with one hand. Laces are lighter, cheaper to replace and never fail. BOA is worth it if your feet swell over 18 holes.

The spikeless range, grouped

• Tour-level spikeless. FootJoy Pro/SL and adidas Tour360 Spikeless. Stiff underfoot, built to hold a full-speed swing without a cleat. For the low handicapper who wants spikeless without giving anything up.
• Cushioned walking shoes. adidas Codechaos 27 and S2G, Puma Shadowcat Nitro 2.0. Soft midsole, grippy but not aggressive. For the golfer who walks most rounds.
• Street-look crossovers. adidas Retrocross and MC70, Nike Air Max 1 86 OG, Puma Classic G. Golf soles under a sneaker upper. For the player who drives straight to lunch afterwards.
• BOA models. adidas Codechaos 2027 BOA, Adizero ZG BOA, S2G BOA. Dial closure across the whole range. For feet that swell, or anyone who has ever stopped on the 12th to retie a lace.
• Wide-fit spikeless. adidas Adipower Spikeless Wide and Tour360 Spikeless Wide. For anyone whose foot has never really fitted a standard golf shoe.

Our take

Most golfers buying their first spikeless pair over-buy on grip and under-buy on cushioning. Unless you regularly play wet, hilly courses, the walking comfort matters more than the traction, because you will notice the comfort on all 18 holes and the traction on about three shots.

Common questions

Can I play in spikeless shoes in the wet?

Yes, on flat ground. Where spikeless gives way is a side slope in wet grass, or hitting off a downhill lie in the rough. If your course is hilly and you play through an Australian winter, spiked is the safer buy.

Do spikeless shoes wear out faster?

The sole does, because you cannot replace a moulded lug the way you replace a cleat. A spikeless shoe worn only for golf will usually hold its grip for two to three seasons. Wearing them as everyday shoes will halve that.

Are spikeless shoes allowed at my club?

Yes. Every Australian club that bans metal spikes permits spikeless and soft-spike shoes. Spikeless is the safest choice for a course you have never played.

Can I wear them into the clubhouse?

That is the point of them, and it is the single most common reason people switch.

Related collections

• All golf shoes
• Spiked golf shoes
• Wide fit golf shoes
• Mens golf shoes
• Womens golf shoes
• adidas golf shoes

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