Buying golf shoes

Whether you are new to the game of golf or have been on the links for years, a good pair of quality golf shoes can be crucial to your game. Golf shoes provide increased traction and balance everywhere on the golf course, from the greens, to the sand trip, and even in the rough.

Unlike many of the tools in your golf bag, golf shoes can reflect your personality. Although golf shoes will allow you to perform better than you would with a pair of plain old tennis shoes, they won’t take you from a 9 handicap down to a 4. They  can make you feel more at home on the golf course, though, and that could make all the difference in you game.

Golf shoe styles

Golf  is a game of tradition. Even after all these years, as the game has evolved, many golfers still choose to wear the traditional “saddle-shoe” style of shoes.

Some Saddle Shoes

You may have seen these before; they are often two tone, white with a brown “saddle” over the mid foot region.  However, companies are beginning to take new approaches to the classic game of golf.  Manufacturers now make golf shoes that look like athletic shoes, casual shoes, and even dress shoes. Some companies have also begun to offer golf sandals and golf moccasins!

Some Golf Sandals

What you choose is completely up to you. Whether you prefer to dress more traditionally or on the flashy side, you should be able to find the right style of golf shoe for you. Along with the many different styles that are now available, there is also a wide assortment of colors beyond the traditional white, black and brown that you will be able to purchase. Even reds, greens and blues now grace the golf shoe!

Synthetic versus leather

As with the evolution of most sports paraphernalia, golf shoes have gone through an evolutionary process. Traditionally golf shoes came only in leather, providing a rugged, long lasting and classically aesthetic shoe. In today’s world, manufacturers are now creating lightweight synthetics. These synthetics often provide more comfort than leather shoes in the form of ventilation, keeping your feet cool throughout an entire course.

Some Synthetic Golf Shoes

What should I expect to pay for a golf shoe?

Most golf shoes start out at around $40.00 and can range up to $250.00 or more for a high end pair of shoes. While the $250.00 shoe compared to the $40.00 may not help you perform that much better, the higher quality shoe will have more features and may also come with a warranty (this is the case with many higher-end leather shoes).

When choosing a pair of golf shoes, you should only spend what you’re comfortable spending. The pair of $40.00 shoes may well feel just as comfortable as the $250.00 shoes while still maintaining comparable features. If you are new to golfing or just a casual golf player, it’s probably best stick to the $50.00-100.00 range. If you are a frequent golfer, however, you will get better life and quality out of shoes that cost over $100.00. If this is the case, also keep an eye out for the warranty that comes bundled with the shoe.

Comfort

The single best piece of advice when buying golf shoes, or any pair of shoes, is to try the shoes on! Walk around in them! Buy something that you will feel comfortable walking around in. Keep in mind that you will be on your feet for most of the day when you go out to golf, so if you purchase a pair of heavy and uncomfortable shoes, chances are you’ll regret it. When trying a shoe on, if it doesn’t seem like something you would feel comfortable in on a hot summer day, don’t be afraid to try on another pair. Although FootJoy has had a stranglehold on the golf shoe market for many years, other companies such as Nike, and Adidas are now offering innovative shoes.

Plastic versus metal spikes

Your father’s pair of golf shoes may have metal spikes, but many if not all of today’s golf shoes are being produced with plastic spikes. Many golf courses have begun allowing only plastic spiked shoes onto their courses. When in the market for shoes, consider that even if your local golf course doesn’t mind you using a pair of metal spikes, you may eventually golf at another course where the metal spikes are not allowed. You will be much safer overall purchasing a pair of golf shoes with plastic spikes to insure that you can play anywhere as plastic spikes are acceptable at all golf courses.

Proprietary features

When evaluating the different brands available, you will run into many different features or technologies that can get a little confusing. Keep in mind that many of these features are, essentially, a value add. Although a given feature may make the shoe lighter, more comfortable, or better ventilated, chances are that none of these will actually make the shoe outperform the same shoe with that feature missing. Try not to get carried away by creative marketing or patented feature names; stick to what you know and what you need.

Good luck and happy hunting, or better yet, happy golfing!