Vibram V-Classic Golf Shoes

I've long been a fan of the Vibram FiveFingers shoes for their comfort.  They're as close as you can come to being barefoot while still wearing shoes.  I own three pair of FiveFingers, as well as a pair of 'minimalist' sneakers (Merrell Barefoot), and other than flip-flops, they're pretty much the only shoes I wear.

I've been looking for a good pair of minimalist golf shoes for several years.  I have two pairs of FootJoy M:Projects and while they're very comfortable, they still don't have quite the barefoot/minimalist feel I like.  I missed the boat on True Linkswear, as they seem to have started moving away from their minimalist shoes (such as the Sensei and Lyt, which would have been my choices in their shoes).  So tonight I idly surfed over to the Vibram FiveFingers website and discovered that they have in fact released golf-specific models, my favorite being the V-Classic:

I ordered a pair of them tonight and will offer up my thoughts on them after they arrive and I have the chance to play a couple rounds in them.  The few online reviews I've read are very favorable and if they're anywhere near as comfortable as my other pairs of VFFs, I may have found my new full-time golf shoe.

It doesn't take long to get used to the material between your toes.  I think Vibram realized that would be most people's biggest potential discomfort point, so they make great efforts to make the material there as soft/comfortable as possible.  As to the socks, I've always worn my FiveFingers without socks - but as Erik said, Injinji makes toe socks that work well with them.

Follow-up/review:  I've played seven rounds in the Vibram V-Classics since receiving them.  First off, these aren't the shoes for you if you're a fashionista who loses sleep over what other people think of your attire, because everybody is going to give you a hard time about these shoes (which generally holds true about FiveFingers shoes anyway).  One friend says they look like "Hulk Feet", another said I look like a giant duck, etc.  All in good fun and I couldn't care less.  Despite all the funny comments, the next thing most people say is "they sure do look comfortable, though!".

They look just like the picture above, so I didn't include any other photos.  In case it's not clear from the photo, the "wingtip" pattern on the upper isn't two separate fabrics, it's just silkscreened into the uppers of the shoes.  This makes them very thin and well-ventilated.  Playing desert golf in the summer, we're talking 100+ degree temps every round, so I'll take every little bit of coolness I can get.  The soles grip as well (or better) as any other spikeless shoe I've worn, I've had no issues with slippage either while walking or swinging.  I adjusted the lace system to where they're comfortable and left them alone from there - the shoes are flexible enough that you can slip in and out of them without untying and retying the laces every time, yet secure enough that you never feel as if they're going to slip off your feet.  The shoes obviously aren't waterproof, the uppers being made of a polyester mesh material - but many people use FiveFingers as 'water shoes' at the beach/lake, so they're made to handle moisture and will dry out pretty quickly rather than feeling 'sloshy' like conventional shoes.  I suppose it goes without saying, though, that these wouldn't be my first choice on a cold, wet winter morning!  The thin (6mm) sole and well-ventilated uppers would quickly turn into a disadvantage in those conditions.  These are best suited as warm (or at least temperate) weather golf shoes.

Comfort - these are easily the most comfortable golf shoes I've ever owned.  As I said in the original post, FiveFingers are as close as you can come to being barefoot while still wearing shoes.  The material between the toes is soft and well-formed to the foot, causing no discomfort at all - after getting used to the feel, you forget that it's even there.  You can really feel the contours of the ground beneath you and if you're one who uses your feet to help read greens, you'd find these shoes to be very helpful in that regard.  Without the stiff sole/shank of other golf shoes, your feet conform to the ground just as if you were barefoot.  Another nice advantage is that when you step into a bunker, you can quickly get a feel for the consistency/firmness of the sand without worries of "testing the surface".  I feel much more in tune with what my feet are doing in my swing because of the minimalist nature of the shoes, and IMO they've been a help in working on Key #2 (weight forward) since they allow so much feel in the feet.  The flexibility of the shoe and flatness of the sole makes it very smooth and easy to roll onto the outside of the left foot on the downswing/through swing.  On a related note, there's not a lot of support there (which is to be expected from such a minimalist shoe), so look elsewhere if your feet/ankles need lots of support.

Overall, I'm very pleased with them and they've become my full-time golf shoes.  They were exactly what I was hoping they'd be - a comfortable, well-ventilated minimalist golf shoe with a 'barefoot' feel.  As far as wear, I'm confident that they'll hold up quite well based upon the other three pair of FiveFingers I own.  They're well-made shoes and my oldest pair has lasted through over four years of walking/jogging and general wear, and they're holding up perfectly - minimal wear on the soles, all the stitching is still intact, etc.  Nice thing is, when they get dirty you can just throw them in the washing machine, let them air dry and you're good to go.  If you like the comfort of the 'barefoot' feel and can handle the inevitable grief you'll get from your golfing buddies, I'd highly recommend these shoes.

My fiance has two pairs and she loves them.  She says they are definitely the most comfortable golf shoe she has ever worn.  She too gets looks but doesn't care ether.

I ordered them from the FiveFingers website - didn't find them cheaper anywhere else.

I just looked at the Minimus shoes - I can draw parallels between them and the FootJoy M Projects (my previous favorite golf shoes) - minimalist'ish, but still a thicker/less flexible sole and definitely not a true 'barefoot' feel.  They appear to offer more support/stability in the upper for those who need it, but if you rarely wear traditional shoes and like golfing in sandals you'd probably like the FiveFingers.