When Do You Wear Golf Shoes?

[mcanadiens]

Always during a round. Occasionally, I'll pop by one of the local ranges and hit balls in my regular shoes. That's more a spur of the moment thing.

[Mr. Desmond]

I wear spikeless at range, course, or when going to a golf store... I only wear spikes depending on conditions - wet, hilly. Shameless plug: Ecco Biom (spikes), Biom Biom Hybrid 2 (spikeless)

Edited March 22, 2016 by Mr. Desmond

[Golfingdad]

Always.  And, like Erik, I wear Trues spikeless so on days when I practice at lunch I wear them all day.

I have a trunk caddy next to my clubs in my car so except for the pair I sometimes wear to work, the rest of my golf shoes are always with my clubs.

[Pete]

Proper golf shoes are mandatory on virtually all courses in UK...

[Fourputt]

19 minutes ago, Pete said:

Proper golf shoes are mandatory on virtually all courses in UK...

I'm glad I don't play there then.  I've never had my shoes questioned, aside from once or twice being checked to be sure I wasn't wearing steel spikes.  

Why would that be?  What's so special that the type of footgear would be a requirement?  I can understand the collared shirt for the sake of appearance, but golf shoes come in many styles, some can barely be distinguished from sneakers by look.  

[Pete]

Just now, Fourputt said:

Why would that be?  What's so special that the type of footgear would be a requirement?  I can understand the collared shirt for the sake of appearance, but golf shoes come in many styles, some can barely be distinguished from sneakers by look.  

I've always thought it was to do with protecting the greens or to avoid slipping and injury when wet. I'm not really sure.

Put it this way, I can count the number of times I've seen trainers (sneakers) on a golf course on one hand, out of hundreds of rounds over 10 years. It's just understood that it's the done thing.

[isukgolf]

Honestly as the golf shoe evolves towards a spike-less shoe, it is getting harder to tell the difference.

99% of the time I wear my running/trail shoes ... on a wet day I have a pair of spike-less golf shoes that offer some water protection.

[Pete]

Maybe it's all the rain we get. I'm sure we could wear trainers sometimes in the summer (I have some FJ spikeless that I wear when it's been dry for a while) but through winter and a lot of the rest of the year, I wouldn't be confident without spikes due to grip.

[phan52]

It would never enter my mind to play or even practice without golf shoes.

[pumaAttack]

I don't play hockey without my skates on.

I don't play golf without my golf shoes on.

[ElWagonne]

Pretty much anytime I'm playing or at the range.

Sidenote:  You look silly if you're walking around at a tournament with golf shoes on.

[rehmwa]

They used to be so uncomfortable and tore my feet apart.  But in the last decade they've become really comfy.  I wear them whenever I'm hitting and I have them with my gear almost always.

I've forgotten to change them even a couple times and have noticed in the evening I'm wearing them - once playing pool at the bar until past midnight.

[paininthenuts]

Although I clicked on "always", I then thought again. I don't wear them in bed, I don't wear them when having sex, and I certainly don't wear them when dancing. However, I always wear them when playing golf !!

6 hours ago, Pete said:

Proper golf shoes are mandatory on virtually all courses in UK...

Confirmed 

[Pretzel]

2 hours ago, ElWagonne said:

Sidenote:  You look silly if you're walking around at a tournament with golf shoes on.

I meant I wear them when I play in tournaments, not when I attend them. 

[the fish]

I wear spikeless golf shoes to practice and spiked golf shoes to play in.  Actually, most days I'm wearing spikeless shoes as my regular footwear (have a pair of Trues and a pair of Adidas).  Can't really tell the difference between them and regular sneakers, unless you look at the tread on the bottom of the shoe.

[bkuehn1952]

I like the waterproof qualities of a decent golf shoe.  I always wear golf shoes on the course because one never knows when some soggy turf may come into play.  The range, I usually wear golf shoes but it is not 100% true.

[Dave2512]

Always but could be a never guy. My gripe with casual shoes is inconsistent offset and sole thickness. Off the course my athletic shoes are mostly close to the ground microlug trail runners that would be fine for golf but some like Hoka and Brooks wouldn't. I don't wear those because golf shoes are cheaper and mud, water, bunkers and goose turds are hard on shoes. 

[WUTiger]

If I'm practicing short game, or hitting balls from level spot on range, I may wear cross-training shoes. Same goes for playing on par 3 course.

Otherwise, I wear golf shoes. The full-length courses I play have too many cliffhanger lies, even on the edge of the fairway.