How to Choose the right Golf Shoe for you: Introduction
This is a blog about golf shoes… Hopefully it’ll be able to help those who want to get new shoes at some point… So, I thought it would be sensible to write about “choosing golf shoes”. That makes sense!
Image by Free-StockPhotos.com
What I’ve learned so far is that there are several criteria – as below – although the one that never seems to be mentioned is price! (We’ll cover value-for-money later!) Meanwhile the criteria that seems to be most relevant are listed below and each one will get it’s own post in due course…
1] Comfort – you walk several miles during a round of golf (four miles?) (Less if you stay on the fairway.) You might play two rounds a day. So number one reason to choose has to be comfort.
2] Dryness – most golf shoes these days are better than old (someone will write in to say differently, I’m sure) and most new shoes promote their watertight features. But there’s wet from the outside and wet from the inside – sweat! How do the shoes deal with this? Golf happens in wet and in hot conditions! Does one shoe do both well – or should you have summer & winter pairs?!
3] Grip - it’s all about how these shoes hold you firmly on the ground – especially when you swing. (And walk up hills or in the rough or heaven-forbid in a bunker?) How do they fare on the greens? Studs/cleats have changed and most new shoes either have clever modern versions that look like something a fly-fisher or a Transformer fan would recognise – or they are more like trainers. Some claim improved performance – which would be be natural if your feet stay more firmly on the ground – but compared to what?? (Sam Snead used ot play barefoot – as did others – see the no shoes section of the blog!)
4] Performance – can golf shoes improve your golf performance? As above, it is claimed by some – based on grip (studs/cleats/tread) – or by moving parts (see the Free Release video in an earlier blog) or by the way it holds your foot/heel/other! You can listen to the arguments, tyr them on and then you have to make up your own minds. If you purchase some and they work, then please let me know – email tate@golf-shoes-blog.com
5] Style & Design - take your pick! See the many stylish shoes featured in golf-shoes-blog. My favourites are – to date – Michael Toschi. As commented on elsewhere though, does your golf have to live up to your golf shoes’ style?! I’d be happy to play badly in a comfortable pair of new golf shoes… I’m not sure I’d want others drawing unkind notice to the dissonance between stylish shoes and style-less play…
6] Price – so far in golf-shoes-blog we’ve seen shoes from $24 to $600. Undoubtedly the higher price tickets go to the most stylish or the highest specified materials. The best of the rest – the golf shoes which offer all round quality are seemingly around the $220/£120 mark. But there’s a lot out there to choose from and decent playing shoes (like a session beer) can be very affordable. Look out for an expanded post just on this subject and on value for money.
