True Linkswear Originals vs Soft Spikes vs Other…

[ChetlovesMer]

So, I know there are a lot of threads about soft spikes vs spikeless shoes. I started this topic a while back.

Since posting this I've been anxious to do my own testing. 

So, I finally got a day where I could get to the range and hit off of grass tees using the launch monitor. 

Here's my test. 

1 - First I thoroughly warmed up. Stretched out, hit a bunch of balls. Prepped as if I was going to play an actual round of golf. I used my driver which I have been fit for. 

2 - Next, I hit 5 balls with the driver wearing each of 4 different footwear options. Barefooted (yeah, it was like 45 degrees out), In my Ecco Cage Golf Shoes with Soft Spikes, In a pair of Puma Cross trainers. (Regular athletic shoes, but with a pretty aggressive tread pattern), then the last 5 balls I hit wearing my True LinksWear Night Camo Originals. 

3 - After those 20 balls, I went into the clubhouse and chit-chatted for 5-10 minutes. Sort of clear my pallet. 

4 - Went back outside and hit 20 more balls. I hit 5 with each pair of footwear, but this time in the opposite order. First the True Linkswear, then the Cross trainers, then the Soft Spikes and the last 5 I hit barefooted again. 

Swing #	Carry (yrds)	Swing Speed (mph)	Ball Speed (mph)	Smash Factor		Swing #	Carry (yrds)	Swing Speed (mph)	Ball Speed (mph)	Smash Factor
		Barefoot						Puma Cross Trainers
1	230.4	100.9	138.4	1.37		11	259	105.3	150.5	1.43
2	221.1	93.7	134.5	1.43		12	247.4	104.5	146.2	1.4
3	231.4	99.8	138.6	1.39		13	240.2	103.1	141.4	1.37
4	208.4	97.6	126.6	1.3		14	233.3	102.5	143.8	1.4
5	220.8	102.9	132.1	1.28		15	246.3	103.5	144.1	1.39
36	254	104.5	148.7	1.42		26	255.4	104.5	147.9	1.42
37	233.3	104.7	138.3	1.32		27	249.7	102.9	144.6	1.41
38	227.8	105.1	136.4	1.3		28	240.6	103.9	146.2	1.41
39	239.7	104.7	141.2	1.35		29	259.2	103.3	142.4	1.38
40	238.1	105.9	140.9	1.33		30	259.6	103.7	149.7	1.44
AV	230.5	102.0	137.6	1.35		AV	249.1	103.7	145.7	1.41
		Ecco Cage with Soft Spikes						True LinksWear Original Midnight Camo
6	234.9	101.7	139.4	1.37		16	260	104.3	150.1	1.44
7	259.5	104.1	150.1	1.44		17	265.2	107.3	156.5	1.46
8	256.8	104.3	148.9	1.43		18	249.8	104.6	152.5	1.46
9	254.5	106.6	150.4	1.41		19	243.6	104.5	146.6	1.4
10	236.6	105.3	141.1	1.34		20	259.9	105.9	145.7	1.38
31	245	104.1	144.2	1.39		21	261.3	104.5	150.6	1.44
32	260.5	104.1	150.4	1.44		22	262.5	107	155.3	1.45
33	258.6	104.3	149.5	1.43		23	248.9	104.5	152.3	1.46
34	255.4	106.6	151.5	1.42		24	243.8	104.7	146.8	1.4
35	237.9	105.3	142	1.35		25	259	105.3	143.7	1.37
AV	250.0	104.6	146.8	1.40		AV	255.4	105.3	150.0	1.43

So, what do my results show? I got the worst carry distance, swing speed, and smash factor without any shoes. Everything else was pretty close. You could say that the True Linkswear won out. Those are the shoes I normally wear for playing or practicing, so they may have had a familiarity advantage. Also, the ground was moist and cold, but I wouldn't have called it slippery. So, in poorer conditions it may swing a different direction. I will also say that I think I can do a little better barefooted if I practiced that way a bit. It felt weird and I was pretty self conscious while I was doing it. Although, I think most people who saw me assumed it was some kind of training I was working on. 

This was a fun experiment and I love it if more people would try it and see what they get. After doing it, I'm going to guess that if I did it on a different day I may get different results. If I tallied all the golf shots I hit from now until the rest of my life. I'd be surprised if soft spikes out perform the True Linkswear shoes in any situation other than the most extreme cases of slippery conditions. 

What do you all think? 

Edited January 31, 2020 by iacas
fixed table width

[criley4way]

Need to up the Smash Factor. You have great speed.

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, criley4way said:

Need to up the Smash Factor. You have great speed.

Man, you sound like my swing coach. Ha ha… But seriously, I've been working on it. I'm in the process of...I wouldn't call it a swing change. More of a tweak, it's mostly in my set up. And my launch angle, spin numbers, and smash factor have been improving in consistency. Thank you for the response. 

[iacas]

The chart goes off the page, unfortunately.

[ChetlovesMer]

Just now, iacas said:

The chart goes off the page, unfortunately.

Really? Hmm.... let me see if I can repost it.

Is that better?

[iacas]

17 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Really? Hmm.... let me see if I can repost it.

Is that better?

Sure, but I also edited the OP to change the table width.

[criley4way]

33 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Man, you sound like my swing coach. Ha ha… But seriously, I've been working on it. I'm in the process of...I wouldn't call it a swing change. More of a tweak, it's mostly in my set up. And my launch angle, spin numbers, and smash factor have been improving in consistency. Thank you for the response. 

Glad I am in good company. I wish I had your club head speed. I've been working up to 105