Reviews - TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro

[iacas]

Newport Cup Participants Review

TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro Shoes

Product Name: TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro
Product Type: Golf Shoe
Product Website/URL: https://truelinkswear.com
Cost: Varies

Below, twelve members of the 2017 Newport Cup squad will write thorough, in-depth reviews of the TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro shoes, complete with photos, an occasional video, and a wealth of opinion and information. They're encouraged to be as honest as possible. We'd like to thank the sponsors for the gear, apparel, equipment, and goodies, and we chose them largely because they produce quality products, but they know we value honesty and integrity in reviews as well.

[dennyjones]

I'm eagerly awaiting their reviews.   I looked last week at Carl's which didn't carry the shoes.   @iacas, are the sizes true?   The width is a factor for me with most golf shoes.  

[iacas]

9 hours ago, dennyjones said:

I'm eagerly awaiting their reviews.   I looked last week at Carl's which didn't carry the shoes.   @iacas, are the sizes true?   The width is a factor for me with most golf shoes.  

Better to ask in another topic. Or on either of the last two articles at https://thesandtrap.com/b/review (the Elements Pro and the Outsider). The Elements Pro is about 0.5 sizes smaller than the Outsider, which is about half a size larger than most other shoes (10 regular shoe = 9.5 Outsider).

[jsgolfer]

Ratings (out of 5):
Quality: 5
Value:  5
Comfort: 5
Durability:  5

My Review

For me the most important thing for any golf shoe is how comfortable they are. I walk the course the majority of the time and I want to keep my feet in good shape, and prevent any discomfort during the round.  I’ll say for me, these things are as comfortable of a shoe as I have worn.  They firmly hold your foot in place, but have ample room for your toes, which is what I like in golf shoes.  I wear 10-10.5 in most shoes that I buy and it was no exception to this one.  I got the 10.5 and it pretty much fits like a glove.

They’re light-weight, breathable and waterproof, plus it’s nice to have spikes on the bottom of my shoes for when traction may be iffy from the weather.  And they really are waterproof, I played after a heavy rain on Sunday and it misted almost the entire day and my feet never got wet.  Almost everyone else had to buy socks in the pro shop, as their feet were so wet. 

Besides that, they look awesome, loved the blue color, they really stand out in the crowd.  Although I’m planning on getting the white/silver pair as well, you can never have too many good comfortable shoes. If you haven’t ever tried a pair of true element, I would give the Pro's a walk. 

[phillyk]

Ratings (out of 5):
Quality: 5
Comfort: 3
Value: 4
Functionality: 5

We got TRUE Linkswear Element golf shoes, white for the West team and blue for the East team.

First impression of them is that they look very nice!  The base for my review is that I wear athletic shoes a lot, so comfort, comfort over a long period of time, and function are very important to me.  I don't care too much about look, so long as it's tennis/basketball shoe looking. 

The shoes have a breathable, waterproof mesh top.

The spikes give lots of traction, which I definitely need with my happy feet.  I do like having the toe spike.

For comparison reasons, I have my Footjoy Freestyle in these next picture, and the breadth of the review to follow.  This next picture shows how the heel sits a little lower than most shoes, but I think the intended reason is that it feels more natural, like walking with bare feet.

I'm going to use a metaphor to explain my feelings on this shoe.  Think of a pitcher in baseball and you are the batter.  As he starts to throw the ball, you can see he's going for the curve ball and strikeout, and you silently curse to yourself in that split second. This is how it started for me.  Golf shoes, to me, isn't just something you wear, it's a piece of equipment for your game.  I was excited, don't get me wrong, about getting these shoes, but I didn't know the intended purpose was for us to wear them during the rounds.  I could've switched, yes, but I wanted to go through with this. (Bad start to the review, I know it, but bare with me).  So, when I put them on, the first thought was that the heel sits lower.  That works for me, as I'll go into later.

From what I've read, the toes are suppose to have more room, and it definitely was the case, BUT the mid section of the shoe was tight.  I don't know if that is on purpose or maybe I needed to go one size up, even though my toes were in a good spot.  Once again, for comparison is my freestyle.

You can see the differences here.  The TRUE Linkswear does have a wider toe section but in the middle of the shoe, it gets skinny.  Maybe my feet are funny, I don't know, but it felt tight.

Back to the metaphor.  We've said, crap, and now the ball is flying toward us with that side spin and we are getting ready to either bail or go for it.  After the 3rd round, I noticed the back of my heel was rubbing and tearing up the skin on my heel.  For the 5th round, I had to put on a bandage to keep it from rubbing more.  I haven't had that happen with my normal shoes and I've done these 36 hole days in a row thing before.  Like I said before, maybe it was the size of the shoe, I don't know. It is just my experience with what I got. 

Besides the rubbing, I do like the shoe a lot.  In my swing, I like to feel like I'm sitting back a bit, so having that heel feel lower than my other shoes is a big plus, and it set me up nicely.  It also love the breathable, mesh top for shoes.

I didn't want to write this review based solely on the NC experience, because it's not often that one plays that much golf.  Since I've been home, I've played 3 rounds with the shoes, and I haven't had the rubbing occur again.  So that ball is coming toward you about to break and you decide to go for it, and the curve ball doesn't curve, but hangs there.  So, you take the swing and smash the sucker out of the park.

When playing just one round, I'll definitely use these shoes! I can tell that the movement of my feet is restricted in the Linkswear, but that's probably a good thing for me.  They'll enter my rotation, and I'll look into the more current shoes to see if I like them as well. 

The biggest factor for me really is the feeling of that heel being lower.  I would like it to be more comfortable, because it still squeezes, but I can handle that for a round.

[coachjimsc]

TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro Shoes

Ratings (out of 5):
Quality: 5
Value: 4.5
Effectiveness: 5
Comfort: 5
Esthetic Appeal: 5

To me this was one of the top swag items we received at the Newport Cup.

Fit:

One of the most important things about any shoe you buy is fit. If it does not fit well nothing else really matters. This is especially true in golf shoes. I gave two shoes sizes when I was asked about size. I have one shoe that I wear is a 9.5 and the other is 8.5. So Erik went between the two with a 9.0 and it turned out to be the correct choice. I liked the rounded toe on the front of the shoe. It gives my toes plenty of room.

They were just a bit snug at first as with any new shoes they usually loosen up after some use. Which was exactly the case here. By the end of the first day the TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro shoes fit perfectly.

Comfort:

That next most important thing for me with any shoe is comfort. These shoes are very comfortable. There is nice cushioning in the heal area which is an important factor for me. Playing 90 holes of golf over three days we did plenty of walking even having carts. After that much playing and the end of 36 holes a day you usually can’t wait to get your golf shoes off. But surprisingly enough that was not the case. I had no issues with blistering, rubbing or even tired feet that you can get with some other brands. No need for a break-in period with the TRUE Linkswear.

Effectiveness: 

These shoes are light weight, breathable and have a waterproof mesh top. The shoe perform very well in the dewy conditions in the early part of the morning rounds. My feet and socks never got wet or sweaty. No slipping or sliding on the tees or on the side hills of the greens. So traction was never a problem. My feet held firmly in all conditions.

Esthetic Appeal: 

These shoes are very stylish. I am also a big fan of the color. They definitely stand out. There is not another golf shoe out there that looks anything like the TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro. The extra pair of shoe laces that are a different color added to the style as well. You can make these shoes look completely different.

If you are in the market for a new high quality golf shoe, I would definitely give the TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro a try.

 

[DeadMan]

Ratings (out of 5):
Quality: 4
Value: 4
Comfort: 5
Aesthetic Appeal: 3

---

My Review:

I had always read great things about TRUE Linkswear shoes, but I never took a dive into getting any. I’m a little persnickety about my shoes. I also hate to buy new golf shoes because they tend to give me blisters for a couple of rounds. I prefer to walk when I golf, so I really do not look forward to having to break in a new pair of shoes. Another reason I haven’t taken the dive on TRUE Linkswear shoes is that a lot of them are spikeless, and I’m not a huge fan of spikeless shoes. But these shoes have spikes, which is why I was very pumped to get them. After wearing them for over 5 rounds of golf, the TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro are great golf shoes, and I’m happy to have a pair in my wardrobe now.

(A close up view of the shoes)

I wore these shoes for 5 rounds of golf at the Newport Cup, and never had any issues with blisters or any discomfort. I wear a FitBit to count my steps, and I walked about as much as I walk for 3 rounds of golf. No problems. No blisters. The shoes were super comfortable, even as I was breaking them in. They also fit perfectly right from the beginning. I don’t have unusual feet—I’m a standard size 10.5—so I wasn’t all that surprised by the fit. But they still felt great right away and I had no issues breaking them in at all.

(Wearing my TRUE Linkswear Elements Pro)

The shoes look great, too. I am a fan of the white shoes – my previous two pairs of golf shoes were white like these, although these shoes are white to the extreme. That said, I will admit I was a little bit jealous of the Blue Team’s blue shoes. The shoes aren’t as super formal as some golf shoes, if that’s your thing, but they’re more than passable anywhere.

The one negative is that they got dirty pretty quick, but that also means I have been wearing them a lot. You can see how dirty these shoes get in @phillyk’s picture above. Relatedly, they are not easy to clean. I took warm water, some dish shop, and a washcloth to the shoes, and it barely made a difference.

(Before/After cleaning; apologies for the mediocre before/after quality)

In comparison, here are my old pair of shoes. These are much easier to clean, in my opinion. This was about a year of gunk on them. Judge for yourself:

(Before/After cleaning, old shoes)

I realize that shoes require some care to look good. But these are golf shoes, which are going to get dirty. These shoes should be easier to get clean. I even tried a sneaker cleaning foam that I have. No dice:

(Shoes after cleaning with a sneaker care kit)
It’s the only bummer I have with these shoes. Is it a dealbreaker? Not for me. I mostly tried to clean them to show off how good the all-white looked in this review. I did notice they got dirty quickly, but as you can see with my other shoes, dirty golf shoes don’t bother me that much.

For what it’s worth, TRUE Linkswear does offer shoe cleaning kits and wipes on its website. That’s something I might get when the shoes get really dirty. These shoes aren’t cheap, though, and having to buy a $20 kit to clean them on top of that is not ideal.

That problem aside, functionally, the shoes are a solid A. They are very stable, and the spikes are strong enough to keep you firmly rooted to the ground. The shoes themselves are firm on the outside, so once you get a grip into the ground, you aren’t moving anywhere. This is an issue I sometimes have with other shoes (just watch my Newport Cup application video!). But I had no problems at all here. In addition, I never noticed my spikes leaving significant spike marks on the green. Good all around.

A reason I’m particular about my shoes is that I can sometimes have some minor foot issues. I tend to wear through the inserts in my shoes relatively quickly, and certain types of shoes can be uncomfortable on the soles of my feet. I was dealing with a little bit of plantar fasciitis at the Newport Cup itself. Despite playing 5 rounds on these shoes, and wearing them for the first time, I had absolutely no pain or issues with my plantar fasciitis. The shoes didn’t aggravate it in the least. They gave me more support than I usually have in golf shoes, and my feet were thankful. The inserts seem solid, and I think they’ll last a while. I had no sole pain with these shoes, which is great for me.

The shoes are advertised to be 100% waterproof. Fortunately, I haven’t had to test that yet in the “field.” When I was cleaning them, though, I noticed that absolutely no water got through the shoes. I imagine that my feet will be nice and dry if I ever need the waterproofing.

Overall, I was very impressed with these shoes. Despite the problems I had cleaning them, these shoes are still great quality, good looking, functional, and comfortable. I will be wearing them often.

(Wearing them at the driving range)

[NCGolfer]

Ratings (out of 5): 
Quality: 5
Value:  5
Comfort: 5
Durability:  5

I've been a FootJoy guy all my life.  TRUE Linkswear has made me start to doubt that allegiance.  These might be the best shoes out of the box i've ever tried.

Fit and Comfort

First off, I got a size 9 which is the same as my FootJoys and they fit perfectly.  Snug, but not too snug...with a little room in the toe.  I was really happy because they felt more like sneakers and had great support.  Sometimes, with the more traditional shoes, it tends to be a bit stiff sometimes.  The TRUEs were excellent.

As for how they felt after 108 rounds of golf?  Just as good.  I didn't have any sort of pain or discomfort in the balls of my feet even on the days we played 36.  If you have any sort of issues with feet and like to have a more comfortable shoe, I really don't know if you'll find one.

Nearly every day we had a lot of dew on the grounds and not once did I ever feel it on my feet.  For a shoe that looks like it might not be waterproof these held up admirably.  Another feather in the cap for TRUE.

Asthetics

I love the design of these.  While the color may not be to the liking of some people you can always opt for the West teams white color which was much more standard.  As @DeadMan says though, you might have issues with a bit of dirt and grime.  The blue versions we received were much more resistant to discoloration...or at least didn't show.  Did I like the blue color?  As a Penn State grad, yes....yes I did.  

I will say, the above as a little hard to get use to when you are looking down at the ball getting ready to hit the ball.  But I'll take it!

[mchepp]

My relationship with True shoes has spanned many years and many different models. To start True had what I still consider today the best shoe that has ever been sold the Proto. I have 4 pairs and all are already 3+ years and perform like new. Wide toe box, zero heel drop which gives the feel that you aren't even wearing shoes. Over the years I have purchased at least one of every model. Then starting in about 2014 something changed. The shoes that True was making where frankly subpar. The main issue was with the waterproofing. They were not only not protective of allowing water in but I would sweat like a madman in them. They didn't breath and leaked like a sieve. 

So when True introduced the Elements line I was extremely apprehensive. I had moved to the Pacific Northwest and need a shoe that is waterproof and need it to breath so that I don't get wet socks. Being out in 45 degree weather rain and wet socks turns golf into a death march. A few of the other guys on TST had purchased the Elements and were pretty happy. So I took to plunge. I bought the Elements without the spikes called the because I had enjoyed the spikeless models of the proto. I was intrigued to get the spiked version but opted not to get the "Pro" version. 

I was immediately happy with True again. The Elements was a move in the right direction for True. So far I have had no problems with waterproofing and they breathe extremely well. 

For the Newport Cup we received a pair of Elements Pro in white. It is nice compliment to the Hybrid black version I bought in the Spring this year. If I was to compare I would highly recommend the spiked Pro model. While I don't find that I am slipping with the spikeless model, it doesn't feel as "firm" underfoot as the spiked model. 

You can see from the pictures that there are a few differences between the Hybrid and the Pro versions. All are beneficial towards the Pro model. The Pro is extremely comfortable from the first wear. With any other shoe I would be extremely concerned about playing 90 holes of golf with a brand new shoe without a battery of bandaids. Not with True. Very comfortable right from the start. They cradle your feet and make them feel very comfortable. The fit is comfortable and easy to wear right out of the box. 

I only have two complaints about the Elements model. One is the toe box is not as big as the earlier models. This is not a major issue for me as I have a pretty narrow foot. But over time the older models were more comfortable than the Elements are. The second is the area where your foot bends, just behind the toes can wear excessively and even tear. The hybrid pair I have has a pretty sizable hole in that area, it doesn't seem to affect the performance of the shoe, like no water is getting in, but it doesn't look great. I am interested to see if the Pro's show any improvement in that area over time. 

Overall the Elements line from True is an enormous step in the right direction from where they were headed. I am extremely impressed with the improvement they have shown in this model. As True starts to introduce more models I will likely partake in those new models in the future. 

[kpaulhus]

Ratings (out of 5): 
Quality: 5
Value:  5
Comfort: 5
Durability:  3

My Review

I really like what True Linkswear has done with this shoe and the progress the company has made recently. I had a pair from the last Newport Cup in 2015 and they started to leak within 3 months and basically wore away. 

I don't see that happening to the Elements. I ordered a size 12, same as my running shoes and Footjoys, and they fit like a glove. They have plenty of grip with the spikes and I walk 36 holes without sore feet. They look sharp, however, my next pair I wouldn't go with white. They do show sweat marks and mud very easy. Kind of hard to clean since they're so good at being waterproof. I stepped in some mud looking for a tee shot and it's been hard to try to get them white again. Either way, still an awesome golf shoe.

 

Mud stain below:

[cipher]

Ratings (out of 5): 
Quality: 5
Value:  4
Comfort: 5
Durability:  4

https://truelinkswear.com

I have purchased and used a number of different True Linkswear shoes over the years. I like the fit and the style of their shoes. The True Elements Pro are no different. These shoes look great. I really like them in the the blue color that I received. I like the mesh look on the top of the foot and sides as well. The black laces on the blue shoe with the silver accents is very appealing to me.

The fit was really comfortable as well. I thought at first the fit was maybe a bit tight in my size 9, but as I wore them they kept feeling better and better. There did not seem to be a long break in time period for the shoe either. I often worry about my feet getting blisters or being sore from wearing a new shoe, but with these I had no issues. At the end of the day when I took them off I did not have the usual foot soreness that I will often get. I played 6 rounds of golf with them over 4 days and did not have one single issue with wearing them.  This was very impressive.

One thing that concerned me a bit was wearing a shoe with spikes. I usually don't like to wear shoes with spikes. I am a bit more used to the zero drop, spikeless style of shoe from them. I like to use Aimpoint for my green reading and was not sure if this would change how I feel the break on the greens. I think I still prefer a spikeless shoe for this but, I did not really feel there was a big difference with the spikes on the Elements Pro.  

I was not able to test how well the shoe holds up in wet conditions but I will be testing them out this spring when I will encounter those conditions on many of the mornings here.  I think that if they hold up well when it is wet out,  I will use them on all of my early morning rounds, especially considering they have the spikes for traction as well.

I do think the mesh does lend to some staining as other have mentioned but it is not so much of a problem with the blue color as it is with the white. I have a little bit of staining in the mesh on these blue ones as you can see in the photo, it is difficult to clean, but it does not bother me.

I am really pleased with these shoes overall.  I was very happy to receive them and do plan on using them next season for many rounds.  

[bkuehn1952]

Ratings (out of 5): 
Quality: 5
Value:  5 (I did not purchase the shoes)
Comfort: 5
Durability:  ? (It has been very muddy/wet so I have been wearing an older pair of a competitor's shoes)

My first impression was "these are much too tight" and I was considering switching to a thinner pair of socks.  @iacas suggested I wait a bit since the inner sole would tend to conform to my foot and I should "sink into" the shoe.  That is exactly what happened and these shoes are the most comfortable golf shoes I have worn in over 50+ years of playing.

The poorly taken photo below is my attempt to show the inner sole compressing.

I look forward to wearing these great shoes down in TX this winter.  My feet feel better just thinking about slipping these on.

Edited November 30, 2017 by bkuehn1952

[Golfingdad]

Like @mchepp, I have also had a fairly long and happy relationship with True Linkswear shoes.  I got my first pair (Protos) sometime in 2012, and have remained a fan of the brand since.  I would guess I've worn about 6-7 different pairs of Trues since then, and the newest addition to my shoe arsenal is the True Elements Pro, in white.

If I remember correctly, this is the first pair of Trues I've owned that were not spikeless.  I'm a fan of spikeless shoes, and have mostly worn them, but I still wear spikes on occasion so this wasn't a big problem or change for me.

My worry with new shoes is always my heels - no matter how comfortable and good fitting a pair is, more often than not the first few wearings lead to blisters on my heels if I don't take precautions.  These were no exception, however, I will say that it wasn't that bad considering I played 36 holes that first day with no protection.  I put moleskin strips on my heels for the next two days and was fine, and now the shoes fit perfectly.  The last couple of rounds I've worn them without anything on my heels and they felt great.

These shoes fit a bit more snug and they feel a little more supportive and athletic than some of my older "slipper-like" Trues, and this is a big plus for me.  Ironically, that slipper like feel with little to no support was what I liked about True when I first starting wearing them, but have since preferred to go with a little more sport like shoe.

I also love the look of these shoes - the fact that they're plain white means I don't have to worry about them matching any of my killer colorful outfits.  (The Protos had the red stripe logo which could get in the way of some non-red themed color schemes. )

The only standout negative for me is, like others have mentioned, how easily they pick up dirt and grime.  It's a small negative, though, because I think they will be easy to clean when my lazy butt decides to actually clean them.

All in all, though, I really like these shoes and will continue wearing them often.  They fit great, are comfortable, look great, and they keep my feet dry.  Their only downside is that they don't hit the ball for me. 

Edited December 1, 2017 by Golfingdad

[DaveP043]

Ratings (out of 5): 
Comfort: 5

Stability 5

Waterproof-ness 5

Appearance: 4

Value:  4.5
This is what the evening before the Newport Cup felt like, Christmas in October! True was kind enough to equip us with a pair of Elements Pro shoes for the Newport Cup. My initial experience with True was at the 2015 Newport Cup, and I loved those shoes. Until I wore them on wet grass. So I was interested to try out these new shoes. My first thought when I saw them was “They're blue....REALLY blue!” But I got past that as soon as I put them on. What do I want in a golf shoe? Five things, really, comfort, stability, ability to shed water, appearance, and value. These shoes are pretty dang comfortable, right out of the box. After wearing them for 5 rounds in 3 days, they were still comfortable. And now that I've worn them a few more times, they just keep feeling better. The front of the shoe is pretty wide, so my fat feet didn't feel squeezed. The shoes also feel really solid, while still being light. I prefer that my shoes have replaceable spikes, and the Elements Pro check that box too. I never slipped once, even on a few really wet days back at home. Which brings me to the third criteria. My previous Trues had issues with water, the Elements have absolutely none. A week or so after the NC, I played on a day after the area had over an inch of rain. The ground was wet, there were puddles, and the long grass was soaking. My pant cuffs ended up wet, my socks (above the shoes) were soaked, but my feet inside the shoes stayed perfectly dry. And even after that wet day, I haven't had the staining that a few of the other guys have noticed. As for appearance, I probably wouldn't have chosen the blue, although I think our (winning) team looked pretty sharp in them. And now that I have the blue, I can look at buying a pair in white when I'm due for new shoes. Value is the last criteria, and its hard to judge that. These shoes aren't listed on the True website, but a few resellers have them listed at $130 or so. Based on my experience with these and other good waterproof shoes, these are an excellent value. I'll definitely be looking at True when its time to buy new shoes.