Given the chance...

[RayG]

Would you play in bare feet? I came across this on a trip to Hawaii several years ago. I noticed quite a few locals playing sans shoes. I decided, "when in Rome..." I felt it made me more aware of my balance and footwork. Similar to what happens when it's raining or a bit damp. You might throttle back a notch or two and you realize you play better. It certainly helped that day. Then you can try and bring it to your game while wearing the spikes. Since then, I will occasionally get rid of the shoes after the first hole (Starters give a bit of grief when you show up without shoes around here). Even wearing flip-flops once in a while seems to do the trick as well- they're hard enough to walk with on their own! Curious if anyone else has come across this little trick to get back to basics. Downside seems to be you don't always want to go tramping through the undergrowth looking for balls. BUT, if you are playing better, you may not need to, right?

[tristanhilton85]

For me, I'm not gonna play barefoot... wet grass + swinging semi hard seems like a bad thing for me... I have taken a few swings barefoot at Golfsmith on the simulator (I had been wearing flip flops and didn't want to swing in those)... it wasn't the worst thing but I feel much better in shoes, and that was in a perfectly dry environment.  Plus, it's not just the swinging... what if my ball went into a desert or wooded area, I'd hate to be in there barefooted.

[ERdiesel]

Considering that i'm chopping out from the woods a lot, no barefoot for me either!!!  :)

[RayG]

I will say that that original experience at Wailua wasn't exactly a treacherous course if you missed a fairway, so a stray drive didn't concern me. But I did keep those sprayers to a minimum by keeping my swing a bit more balanced. Even around here, I'll do it at a course I know isn't filled with snakes, etc... Usually a few of the local munis, or 9 holers that aren't overly difficult.

[jcm011]

I've read (don't remember where) that playing barefoot can make you get better contact because you're closer to the ground. And I think that's because being closer to the ground promotes better balance. Something like that?

[CuppedTin]

I actually know a guy that plays barefoot and he plays very well. All he says about it is that he always swings within his capabilities.

[Kieran123]

Rocco Mediate does it on his commercial for the V Harness