How necessary are proper golf shoes?

[Club Rat]

I'm for any footwear which is turf friendly.

Greens taking a beating during the hot summers and spikes take a toll on them.

Years ago, clubs stopped allowing metal spikes.

I'd like to see more players go Spike-less.

Club Rat

[cristphoto]

If you play flatter courses in dry conditions most any comfortable shoe will suffice. However you can't guarantee that on a golf course. Just last week I played a course that had a few elevated greens and the slope next to a few was burned out with a slight bit of gravel mixed in. I was wearing conventional golf shoes and one of my friends wasn't. He slid a bit going down the hill and could have hurt himself (but didn't). I had no problem with the same slope. Also I have a friend that converted to the spikeless style shoe last year. I've seen him slip a couple times since and don't recall him ever slipping before.

[Dinola]

This is great! - 6 weeks experience and a question that i can actually answer because in that time i've come home with 3 pairs of previously great shoes/sneaks sopping wet muddy and useless!  So personally, i think water resistant golf shoes are a must!  The fact that i live and play in the rain forest known as western North Carolina has something to do with it.

[Fourputt]

Fairly new to the sport (3 months in) and have bought some new stuff because my club set was old. Bought a newish driver/3w/3hy. I currently play in some Nike tennis shoes and they feel ok. I was wondering how much golf shoes have helped people though?  Would you suggest them?

I wear Merrell Moab low cut hiking shoes.  They give good support, and are more comfortable than any golf shoe I ever owned over the 25 or so years that I did wear them.  Maybe it's just my feet, but I never found a reasonably priced pair of golf shoes that were half as comfortable as most of the shoes I bought for hiking and backpacking.  When it got to where my feet hurt so bad after 9 holes that I had to take a riding cart for the back 9, I decided that for me, golf shoes were a waste of money.  I can walk 9 holes now, and while I get tired because I'm overweight and out of shape, my feet feel fine.

I doubt that I'll ever buy another pair of golf shoes.

[gregsandiego]

This is great! - 6 weeks experience and a question that i can actually answer because in that time i've come home with 3 pairs of previously great shoes/sneaks sopping wet muddy and useless!  So personally, i think water resistant golf shoes are a must!  The fact that i live and play in the rain forest known as western North Carolina has something to do with it.

Agreed. I play an annual event in Portland in FEBRUARY (dumb scheduling) and that's where I picked up the one pair I own along with a water proof outfit. I have. I spent $200 on the spot that day because these guys were going to tee off on hole #1 in the pouring rain. I'm so spoiled here in San Diego.

[rehmwa]

For me, I like mine, Nike of some kind or another, but these are the first pair I've even had that fit right.  I play fine in tennis shoes too, but I get a minimal boost for whatever reason with my golf shoes.

Golf shoes, or any shoes whether designed for golf specifically or not have to meet some minimums or I'm not wasting the money or time

......criteria for the shoe?

1 - has to fit perfectly, especially if one is walking - else what's the point?

2 - improves my traction during a swing

3 - the right level of waterproofing

4 - cost has to be low enough that it's worth having a dedicated pair just for golf

5 - not too dorky looking - or, exactly dorky looking enough

I'm sure there are others.  And I'd think I could find a generic shoe that fits these if I looked enough

[David L Yskes]

i posted up a thread like this a while back..... and picked up some of these in the link below.....   i have had no issues with traction at all and the shoe's are comfy too...

http://www.boombah.com/us/product.html?item=140631

[cutchemist42]

I actually ended up buying some Nike Lunar Command shoes, and I feel like I was honestly handicapping myself wearing Nike tennis shoes that were meant to slide on clay courts. Feel a lot more in control, and feel I can push it more without fear of the front foot slip I was experiencing. Wish I had bought a pair sooner.

[Dave2512]

After yesterday I question my previous post of necessary when wet. I played 18 in sideways rain on the front 9, heavy enough to puddle and that after a previous night of heavy rain wearing the shoes below, my Darth Vader Skechers. Not once did I slip and the soles are dead flat. Dang near spent $84 buying golf shoes in the pro shop because I didn't have any with me and my round was spontaneous, an opportunity to dash to the course presented to I went out. It was nice and calm near my office but nasty just 7 miles away but I gave it a shot anyway.

[Bryan Kasper]

i was under the impression that the correct golf shoes are actually flatter thn the normal tennis/ running shoe because when running you want to lean forward a little bit so as to make it easier to run, where in golf you want to be able to stay in balance easier and the shoes are flatter than a normal shoe to help ou stay in balance better. not sure if this is true but it seems like that is the case with the shoes i have, adidas tour 360 m1 and nike tw 14 seem to have flatter soles promoting that stable setup

[WUTiger]

If you play flatter courses in dry conditions most any comfortable shoe will suffice. However you can't guarantee that on a golf course. Just last week I played a course that had a few elevated greens and the slope next to a few was burned out with a slight bit of gravel mixed in. I was wearing conventional golf shoes and one of my friends wasn't. He slid a bit going down the hill and could have hurt himself ...

If it's a par 3 course or one of a couple of flat nine-hole layouts, cross-training shoes with nubs might be OK.

Otherwise, I want spikes.  I went out to my home course in November to try out a new 3W, but found the driving range closed. So, wearing cross-training shoes, I decided to play a couple of holes with two other people. Sleet and snow started, and on the second hole I had trouble. I left a tee shot on a par 3 on a deep-grass hillside between the side of the green and a deep greenside bunker. The grass was slippery, and I slid 10 feet into the bunker twice trying to get a stance for a swing. I had to pick up.

Two weeks ago, I had an uphill short wedge on another par 3 (at a different course). The shot was 60 degrees uphill, and I had to make an arms only punch so I didn't lose my balance. Without spikes, I would have needed to take an unplayable lie. I want my spikes.

Modern soft spikes shouldn't hurt the green any - if you walk smartly and don't drag your fee.  

[Natural Patrick]

I have several pairs of soft spike and spike less golf shoes. If I'm just out to practice or work on a few things I go spike less. When I'm trying to shoot a good score or out with my friends playing $5 a hole. I have my soft spikes on every time.

[vangator]

Just got a pair of these for a present...

[davechen]

 

I wear Merrell Moab low cut hiking shoes.  They give good support, and are more comfortable than any golf shoe I ever owned over the 25 or so years that I did wear them.  Maybe it's just my feet, but I never found a reasonably priced pair of golf shoes that were half as comfortable as most of the shoes I bought for hiking and backpacking.  When it got to where my feet hurt so bad after 9 holes that I had to take a riding cart for the back 9, I decided that for me, golf shoes were a waste of money.  I can walk 9 holes now, and while I get tired because I'm overweight and out of shape, my feet feel fine.

 

I doubt that I'll ever buy another pair of golf shoes.

Yup, I use the same hiking shoes.  They're really comfortable.  My only issues have been they can slip in wet, hilly conditions, and I wish I had the waterproof version.  But they're much more comfortable than the golf shoes I used to wear.

[mcanadiens]

Maybe it's as much a matter of my crappy swing and balance issues, but I'd be in real big trouble if I didn't have at least some cleats. When the floor is really baked dry even my soft spikes don't always grip and my back (right) foot tends to fly out.

[RayG]

More than one occasion I will just go barefoot. Several times in Hawaii, just because more locals were doing it, and that was the attitude over there. Done it around here a few times as well. Why not? it seems to keep my swing in balance without over swinging. Only run into issues if it was really hot and sunny- the greens might be a bit warm and griddle like. Don't waste any time walking around when it gets like that: Take a look, check the line, walk up and putt.

[Mr. Desmond]

Golf shoes have gotten better for comfort and function - at least the ones I buy, which have been True Linkswear and Ecco for the past 5 years. In the past, the high performing FJ were tight, too cushiony, and I felt no connection with the ground. But those were shoes of my past. Even with True and Ecco, you've got to try to see what size fits - it's usually not the street shoe size -- go up. With True, I've found the forefoot too wide and my big toe clinking around and getting bruised, so I inserted a form fitting insole to stop the movement.

I found a deal on Adidas Asym Energy, although the M width is narrow, and had to order a full size above my street shoe size -- it's a Euro-US size thing and slightly narrow last thing. But I've worn these for 4 hours and they are comfy on grass.

For those interested, today TGW has a 30% off deal on Adidas Shoes if interested. I had a gift card ... 

Edited October 21, 2015 by Mr. Desmond

[metbid]

I have tried several different brands and styles of shoes, including non-golf shoes, but I have definitely settled on Footjoy as my shoe of preference.  I currently have a pair of Contour Series with Champ Stinger soft spikes for wetter conditions and a pair of Contour Casual nubs for dryer or normal conditions.  I have never had a problem walking with them right out of the box, and they are comfortable from the get go..