No shoes on during swing?

[TripleEagle]

I used to play golf without shoes on (I wore sperries until it was time to swing) and I still much prefer the feeling of playing without shoes on, is this legal? is in legal in some instances while illegal in others? I'd definitely do tit in tournament if it's allowed.

[DaveP043]

There's nothing in the rules of golf that require you to wear golf shoes, or any kind of shoes.  However, many golf courses will prohibit you from going barefoot.  This seems reasonable from a liability standpoint, they don't want to be responsible if you step on something.  

[Fourputt]

Nothing in the Rules of Golf preventing it, but as Dave said, most golf courses don't allow it.

[Pretzel]

Nothing in the rules of golf requires shoes, but I would recommend you wear at least a pair of socks when you're swinging. The reasoning for this is that golf courses spray pesticides, herbicides, and a number of others things that you would probably rather not have in contact with your skin (they can be harmful enough that courses are generally required to notify players when they apply them, usually with a sign at the front counter or first tee). The golf courses also don't want to be liable if you step on something like a fabric spike that or a nail that may have bounced out of a maintenance cart somewhere onto the course, or a sharp stick. 

That said, I imagine most courses wouldn't force you off the course for not wearing shoes during your swing. I know the local courses around my location don't have any rule specifically posted about shoes, so you may be fine anyways.

[TripleEagle]

4 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

There's nothing in the rules of golf that require you to wear golf shoes, or any kind of shoes.  However, many golf courses will prohibit you from going barefoot.  This seems reasonable from a liability standpoint, they don't want to be responsible if you step on something.  

I only kick off the boat shoes at address and only while in the fairway/tee box. I also doubt anyone would see/care, my only concern is would I be allowed to do it at a High School level tournament

[Fourputt]

5 hours ago, Pretzel said:

Nothing in the rules of golf requires shoes, but I would recommend you wear at least a pair of socks when you're swinging. The reasoning for this is that golf courses spray pesticides, herbicides, and a number of others things that you would probably rather not have in contact with your skin (they can be harmful enough that courses are generally required to notify players when they apply them, usually with a sign at the front counter or first tee). The golf courses also don't want to be liable if you step on something like a fabric spike that or a nail that may have bounced out of a maintenance cart somewhere onto the course, or a sharp stick. 

That said, I imagine most courses wouldn't force you off the course for not wearing shoes during your swing. I know the local courses around my location don't have any rule specifically posted about shoes, so you may be fine anyways.

I think that this is way overblown.  If the amount of pesticides and herbicides was that high, it would toxic to wildlife too, yet the courses I'm familiar in Colorado with are wildlife havens.

1 hour ago, TripleEagle said:

I only kick off the boat shoes at address and only while in the fairway/tee box. I also doubt anyone would see/care, my only concern is would I be allowed to do it at a High School level tournament

I wouldn't be surprised if the organizing school authorities would have some say about that.  You would have to ask them.

[Buckeyebowman]

We may have found the modern day Sam Snead! The only thing wrong with this is lawyers!

[Pretzel]

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

I think that this is way overblown.  If the amount of pesticides and herbicides was that high, it would toxic to wildlife too, yet the courses I'm familiar in Colorado with are wildlife havens.

That's true, but courses are still required to warn you about it. The thing about wildlife is they generally don't live long enough for any carcinogenic substances to have an effect, that and people don't really check roadkill for tumors. 

[TripleEagle]

42 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

We may have found the modern day Sam Snead! The only thing wrong with this is lawyers!

Ha I actually didn't know he played barefoot until now, but don't give me that much credit- I still only score around 80; that's a cool fact though, did he play in events while barefoot?

6 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

That's true, but courses are still required to warn you about it. The thing about wildlife is they generally don't live long enough for any carcinogenic substances to have an effect, that and people don't really check roadkill for tumors. 

I would still say they can't be to terribly harmful to you, i've only seen those signs at a few private courses anyway- never at a public course.