Golf shoes are athletic footwear designed for comfort and safety and are worn by golfers of all levels. They usually have a larger sole with a broader base that helps the golfer maintain his or her balance when swinging their club.
Many golfers want to know if it is necessary to wear golf shoes on the course and how do they affect the performance of the game? Here is what you should know:
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Are Golf Shoes Necessary To Be Worn On The Course?
Wearing a pair of golf shoes is not mandatory on the golf course as golfers can play around in tennis shoes, running shoes, cross trainers or even go barefoot if it so suits them. Once the shoe isn’t damaging the turf, then you are free to wear whatever you want.
Nevertheless, there are many great benefits to wearing golf shoes. For example, the spikes on the shoes give you significantly more grip on the golf course which helps with traction, stability and balance when swinging your clubs. This is especially useful in wet conditions when the grass is slippery.
Not only does the spikes help with stability, but the large base at the bottom of the shoe will ensure that you keep your balance when hitting those long and hard shots. Most of the golf shoes also come with extra padding that supports the midfoot and shock absorption needed.
How Do Golf Shoes Increase Distance?
When golfers think of the best way to gain distance, they immediately think to buy the latest and best golf equipment such as a new driver or some long irons.
While this makes sense at first glance, players often neglect the benefits that a good pair of golf shoe provide.
Due to the stability provided by golf shoes when swinging your clubs, that will improve the driving distance as you get more consistent contact and better dispersion patterns.
Therefore, understanding that the golf shoe is just like another piece of equipment will help you save some extra cash as you would be spending $500 on a new club that you probably didn’t need.
Now, one type of golf shoe that we think is best for improving distance is the Squairz golf shoes. This new pair of Squairz golf shoes has been tested and found to have increase a golfer’s swing speed by +2.2 miles per hour and 8.8 yards off the tee.
This study included golfers ranging in handicap index from +2.7 to 18.6. That is quite impressive coming from a pair of golf shoes. Just click here to check it out.
Spike Vs Spikeless Golf Shoes: Which is better?
Golf shoes are classed in two different categories, spike and spikeless. Spiked golf shoes are best worn in slippery conditions and uneven surfaces.
They have sharp spikes also known as cleats or molded grips at the bottom of the outsole which provides the traction needed on wet surfaces, and hilly terrains on the golf course.
Spikeless golf shoes as the name suggests are those shoes that do not have sharp cleats at the bottom of the outsole and are usually identical to regular running shoes, trainers or sneakers.
Some of the spikeless golf shoes are not far behind of spiked golf shoes when it comes to traction. They still get the job done, but spiked golf shoes are more pronounced if you play in wet conditions.
So what golf shoes should you wear? Well, the best type of golf shoes to wear on the golf course are spiked golf shoes, as most of the professions golfers on the PGA Tour wear them.
Nonetheless, there are some that wear spikeless but it’s only a minority. Nike and Footjoy are two of the most popular and best brand golf shoes worn by the top players on the PGA and European Tours.
The table below shows the types of golf shoes that some of the best players in the world wear:
|
Player Name |
Golf Shoe (Brand/Model) |
| Rory Mcllroy | Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 2 |
| Dustin Johnson | adidas Tour360 XT’s |
| Jon Rahm | Cuater Money Maker |
| Collin Morikawa | Adidas ZG21 Golf Shoes |
| Tiger Woods | Nike Air Zoom |
| Justin Thomas | Tarlow |
| Bryson DeChambeau | PUMA (special edition) |
| Tommy Fleetwood | Nike Air Max 90 G |
How Much Do Golf Shoes Cost And Is It Worth It?
The average cost of a pair of a golf shoes is $80. You can get golf shoes for as low as $30 and others for as high as $190.
There is no need to spend unecessary money on expensive golf shoes as the average pair of shoes is just about effective and does the same job of providing traction, stability and balance.
Golf shoes also tend to have an average life span of 2 to 4 years which makes them worth buying.
The cost of golf shoes has actually decreased over the years though as more manufacturers are making golf shoes out of inexpensive and innovative materials.
Leather is by far the main choice of material that is used to make golf shoes. The leather is processed and added to the outer part of the shoe, thus creating a tight fitting water proof golf shoe that is stretch-fee.
Having a pair of waterproof golf shoe will prevent any moisture from getting inside of the shoe especially when it’s raining or when you enter close to a water hazard like a pond or lake.
Even if you are not playing in the rain, there can be moisture or dew on the grass usually at sunrise in the early mornings. Therefore, it is good to consider getting a waterproof golf shoe as moisture trapped inside the golf shoe can cause discomfort which can lead to poor performance.
The company Footjoy has a good reputation for producing some of the best waterproof golf shoes with a warranty of 2 years. They have sizes for all players in different styles including spiked and spikless golf shoes. Click this link to check it out.
What To Look For In A Pair Of Golf Shoes?
Apart fromt the cost of the shoes, there are other factors you need to look out for when buying a pair of golf shoes. First of all, your golf shoes must be lightweight, but not too light that you can’t feel the weight on your feet. Players need to understand that the weight of the golf shoes has a direct relationship with performance, structure and foot fatigue.
The golf shoes should be able to withstand the ground force reaction, while making your feet feel comfortable. They should be flexible, breathable and lightweight. And as we’ve discussed, they should be waterproof so that moisture doesn’t get in which could negatively affect traction and stability.
You should also take a look at the sole of the golf shoes. It should have a wide rubber sole that is light enough so that the golfer can walk across the course without their feet getting tired.
Again, the wide footbase will allow you to stand still and grounded when making a swing, thus improving balance.
Why Golfing Barefoot Is Not Such A Bad Idea
Some people may think that golfing barefoot is bad, but it actually does a few things that your golf shoe cannot do. When you are barefoot, it lowers your center of gravity as there is no drop from your heels to your toes unlike your average golf shoes.
This not only creates more stability but a firmer connection to the ground. When you put on golf shoes, you will notice that the heels create an unnatural tilt by the hips.
Playing golf barefoot can greatly improve your balance, swing speed and the rhythm of your swing. In some cases, it can prevent you from swinging too hard at the golf ball which will lead to a smoother swing motion.
