Cleats on Pivot Foot = Bad?

[Chev]

My golf shoes were recently stolen, so I've been playing in my Vans.

I have had a pair of golf shoes since I bought my first set of clubs 7 years ago.

I really missed the traction walking up and down to the greens for the last couple of weeks, but I've discovered that I think I don't like cleats on the ball of my rear foot during my swing.

I have struggled with my follow through for the last few months and discovered that I am not getting a good turn with the hips. In my Vans, I get good rotation and my back foot ends up nicely rotated effortlessly. My hips point exactly where I think they should at the end of my swing with this freedom of the foot.

I am thinking about getting new golf shoes for the traction and taking the cleats off of the front of each one. Is this obsurd? Ever feel like the cleats limit the freedom of your swing?

[andef]

I'd say every attempt to improve your game is a legit one. Personally, I've never tried it and would not consider it, I find that it makes maintaining your balance easier.
As an example, I played with my buddy today and he forgot his golf shoes. He played with flat soled Lacoste shoes and slipped 2/3 times. Towards the end of the round he added that the lack of traction / grip cost him a few strokes in his opinion.

[Genericity]

It depends on course condition really, but in AZ you can play most courses in normal shoes and be fine.

[xxsoultonesxx]

If you can get away with it, why not? It's just so wet here in WA, so waterproof golf shoes with aggressive treads are a must.

[Chev]

I played again tonight and I noticed again more so with my driver and also my 4 I.

I was cleaning up with the long iron and on the last hole I even tried a full all out drive on a hole that did a slight dogleg right. The speed that it all happened in would normally send the ball into the right woods, but it gently veered ~290 and stayed on the fairway. When the beauty happens I get done with my swing and my pelvis is pointed to my target.

I will have to see if I can find some slick bottomed (my Vans are really worn out) golf shoes with cleats on the heel. Maybe I'll just get some nice dress shoes.......... watch me fall trying! !

[xxsoultonesxx]

What about just removing a couple cleats?

[Chev]

That is what I intend to do.

I looked at a couple of pairs at the pro shop last night and if you take the cleats off the tread left is still very aggressive.

I would like to find a pair that I can take the cleats off on the front half, but I will have to look around to see if I can find a very moderate tread design left when the cleats are out.

[Vanstonica]

Interestingly enough, I tried a variation of the same thing for a different reason.

I've got a bum left knee, and I always had this fear that a cleat would catch while I was pivoting and I'd tear something up.

I removed the cleats from my shoe, figuring that the pretty aggresive tread pattern that is built in to a footjoy would be enough to keep me from slipping.

I ended up putting the cleats back in. I try to play early in the morning, and I was finding that with the dew on the ground, I was probably in more danger of slipping and sliding around and tweaking my knee without the cleats than with them in.

[soloredd]

I've tried playing without cleats (wearing some adidas trainers) but had a rough time. My left foot was pretty sore after; I roll over my left foot on the follow-through and the lack of traction didn't help. The new adidas traxion light look great, I'm going to get a pair and see if I can go that route.

One of my friends wears some trainers and he loves it. He has a bad knee and was finding the cleated shoes forced him to put more strain on his knee whereas with the trainers he can spin his foot out.