You Need A New Pair Of Golf Shoes

Posted by John

October 2, 2008

I walk most of my rounds of golf and I play on a lot of hilly courses. By the time I’m finished my feet can’t wait for the moment of ecstasy when the shoes come off. I’ve worn a lot of different brands of golf shoes in my day and I can’t say I’ve ever found one that’s as comfortable as a good sneaker or walking shoe.

It must have something to do with those spikes on the bottom. It feels like most of my weight is being supported by those little suckers as they dig into the sole of my foot.

I also do a lot of trail hiking over hill and dale and my feet don’t ache nearly as much as they do after a round of golf. All this got me to thinking that if I could find a good hiking type shoe for golfing I’d feel much better at the end of my round.

So I looked in sporting goods stores for something that would be comfortable, give me great support, be waterproof and allow me to hit golf balls in all conditions without slipping. That last item is particularly important. I’ve discovered over the years that soft spikes have a lot of drawbacks in that area.

Try playing with the grass wet, right after a mowing and see how long it takes for your spikes to be useless because they’re completely clogged. You’ve been there, so you know that point comes about 10 feet up the first fairway. It’s even more of a problem with dead leaves if you play in the Fall.

I chose a trail-running shoe which is basically a cross between a hiking boot and a sneaker. They’re low cut, waterproof and have a very aggressive tread. After all, if you’re going to run through the woods, up and down over rocks, you can’t be slipping and sliding.

I ended up buying the North Face Ultra 104 Gore-Tex XCR trail running shoe from REI. Thankfully it’s easier to buy than say. I’m in love. I’ve only worn my golf shoes once this season since I bought these babies and that’s because I was playing as a guest at a fancy club and didn’t want to embarrass my host.

When I finish a round I no longer sprint to the car to change my shoes. Because they’re Gore-Tex lined and made for the trail, they can take any kind of watery conditions on the course with ease. And I’ve never had a problem with slipping, even standing on a dewy hillside hitting a ball below my feet. I’m not going back to golf shoes until the manufacturers start thinking outside the box.

Today’s golf shoes may look stylish, but they leave a lot to be desired when it comes to function. Footjoy, Ecco and the rest, go send your R&D people to the local camping store and combine the best of both worlds into a modern stylish, comfortable and practical golf shoe. And don’t forget to leave those silly little plastic things off the bottom. They last about 2 rounds at best and don’t work at all when it’s wet or it’s Fall.