DAWGS Golf Spirit Shoe - Review

[GolfSpy Tim]

DAWGS Golf Spirit Shoe Review:

 

"World's Lightest Golf Shoe"

 

 

Introduction:

 

I'm a sucker for all things “ultra-light.” I got into ultra-light backpacking, and I definitely couldn't resist when I heard about the World's Lightest Golf Shoe claim!

 

So, off went the emails to DAWGS, and back came the response, they'd love to have me give their shoes a go.

 

 

From DAWGS Golf

 

Dawgs golf shoes for Men and Women, the GOLF SPIRITcombines style and function with EVA to form the World's Lightest Golf Shoe.

 

At less than 7 ounces per shoe(Men's size 9 is under 7oz; Women's size 7 is under 6oz), Dawgs Golf Spirit is designed for golfing in extreme comfort. While extremely light weight, the Golf Spirit shoe does not sacrifice weight for comfort. The built in properties of high quality EVA (a.k.a. Closed Cell Resin) absorb shock, protecting your heels and foot.

 

Golfing performance is enhanced by the Golf Spirit shoe's 9 strategically placed molded rubber spikes embedded in rubber/EVA out soles, keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground.

 

Golfers wearing the golf spirit shoe also benefit from a quick adjusting velcro strap for immediate comfort and ventilationholes for cool comfort. The Golf Spirit Shoe provides great comfort, style and performance at a very affordable price.

 

 

Style – 20 Points

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, how I look and how I feel about how I look affects my golf game. I've always been pretty anti “crocs” cause I though they looked goofy. And here I find myself wearing a shoe on the golf course that my friends suggest look similar to crocs.

 

I'll be the first to tell you straight out if I think something looks bad. The DAWGS to me look awesome. I'm a fan of different (I have three colors of dye in my hair right now…) and I'm a fan of things that might come across as “loud.”

 

While the DAWG Spirit shoe isn't loud, it does attract the occasional second glance, and I like that.

 

 

 

By far not the most “stylish” golf shoe out there, and not the first on my list when trying to top the scales of style, but they also don't send me running for the hills, and I'm not worried about “being judged” while wearing them.

 

Score: 16/20

 

Comfort – 25 Points

 

I sometimes have a finicky foot when it comes to comfort in shoes. (shoot, I asked DAWGS for the wrong size originally and had to have them send me a second pair before I could begin my review)

 

I'm known for many things and few things all the same, but one thing is that my feet sweat, and they do so quickly upon putting any shoes on. (I wear flip flops 7 days a week, I only put on shoes for golfing and when it's time to “work” at a wedding) I didn't realize when asking to review these shoes how big of a plus these shoes would be in this department, but I've gotta say, these shoes breathe without effort. My feet were always dry, whether wearing socks or not (I preferred them with socks)

 

 

These shoes really are so lightweight that I immediately noticed a difference. One might almost suggest it was like walking on air. almost

 

The only negative remark I have for these shoes in the comfort department is walking on cement or pavement from the parking lot to the grass… They just don't feel right – most likely because you can feel where the spikes are, but the spikes are soft, so they don't feel like spikes, but more like cushions in weird spots. That said, the second you stop onto grass, these shoes feel like there's nothing there.

 

 

 

It should be noted I wear a size 13, and I have no doubt that someone with a smaller foot and different spike dispersion might have a different feeling on hard surfaces.

 

Score 24/25

 

 

Performance – 25 Points

 

The first three rounds I golfed with these shoes, I really couldn't find any huge performance flaws, some minor things here and there, but nothing I could really put a finger on.

 

I expected these shoes to perform like a strainer to wet grass, but in reality, I walked through lots and lots of wet grass with these shoes and never once did my feet or socks get wet.

 

My first noteworthy remark in regards to performance arose when I decided I should chase my ball 30 yards out into the weeds. In my normal golf shoe this would be no big deal, just plow through some feeds, find my ball (and perhaps 5 other less motivated players balls) and I'd be home free. This wasn't quite the case with the DAWGS. Upon reaching the depths of this patch of weeds, the ventilation holes began feeding foxtails directly into my socks, resulting in me calling off the search for my ball, and golfing the rest of my round barefoot. (I didn't think at the time to just wear the shoes without socks, I now know better and would just put the shoe back on without the sock)

 

Next came my first sand trap experience. Not nearly as bad as I expected. I thought the shoe would be full of sand, but thankfully just a little bit, almost barely noticeable – so little that I never took the shoes off to get rid of the little bit of sand. And trust me, after the first bunker came many more. Never really filling the shoes, but letting in more than a “normal” golf shoe.

 

I think the biggest downfall though that I found for the DAWGS was when it came time to setup on a steep hill. The shoes really do perform quite well on less steep surfaces, but when things started to go inclined, I finally find a spot where the shoes were affecting my swing.

 

The spikes, as “limited” as they appear, never failed me. I had no slips through more than 72 holes of golf.

 

 

All-in-all, these shoes performed quite well. It took a good number of rounds before I could really pinpoint even these areas to discuss. For flatter courses where I don't expect to stand on a lot of steeper side hills, the DAWG for my sweaty foot and I is a pretty happy performance match.

 

Score 20/25

 

Value – 20 Points

 

“Tipping” the scale at a whopping $40 for a golf shoe, it's really hard to find a way to knock the value of the DAWGS. Do I think they would be valuable to everyone, probably not, but for me and my tight pocket book (God bless my wife and keeping me in line) $40 really isn't a figure I'd even need to call home and ask my wife for permission to spend.

 

The spikes aren't replaceable… my only knock for value, but then again, you can get another pair for $40 when you do wear the spikes out.

 

Score 19/20

 

 

Peanut Gallery – 10 Points

 

With an extra pair of shoes to deal with, I asked around my buddies to see who was the right size, and just requested that my friend give the shoes a thorough run for their money. Friends being friends, I wasn't sure if he was just trying to appease me, or if he really wanted to try them, but seeing as he's worn the shoes for every round of golf we've played together since, I can say that he's been thoroughly happy with the shoes.

 

Others definitely look on curiously and you can tell they're confused when they see the sole come up and there are spikes on the bottom. The normal response is that of surprise and total curiosity. Not everyone is a fan, and a few friends made comments about me wearing crocs on the golf course, but those comments aside, everyone was pretty favorable.

 

Score 8/10

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

 

Are these the end-all shoe to take you through every situation you'll ever face? No… Are these shoes worth trying on and tossing $40 at? By all means.

 

I definitely don't think these are for everyone, but they've been a pleasure on my foot and have kept me from sweating like a… well, you know.

 

If you already have a pair of golf shoes, but would like something lightweight for your more playful days of golf and/or maybe some of your flatter courses, give the DAWGS Spirit a try. My feet have never complained after a day in these shoes.

 

Score 87/100

[Kanoito]

I like how they look and I could certainly use the ventilation.

 

My biggest problem would be:

 

1) I go into bunkers a lot and always make a mess, even with my Adidas Powerband 3.0 I have to take them off to get the sand out. So I can imagine how much more sand I'll have to fight here.

 

2) On our home course, we have rough mixed with "poison ivy" (let's make those hard shots even more challenging, right?)

 

I'm just calling it poison ivy because last time I touched it, I got rashes on the skin + several cuts... then it started burning so imagine playing with holes on your shoes without socks

 

OR I could just hit less roughs, but we all know that won't happen

 

But the more I look at them, the more I like them!

 

Thanks for the review!

[GolfSpy Tim]

I'd say if you're already taking your shoes off for bunkers, then the DAWGS would be an easier option to get on and off (they really do just slip on and off easily)

 

As for the ivy... yikes, maybe find a new course? ;-) j/k... sounds like a fun time.

[TWShoot67]

With all that rubber my feet would sweat like crazy, plus with all those holes I could see my feet getting soaked and then rubbing inside the shoe and having severe blisters. They look like they would be good for a surfer. JMO

[GolfSpy Tim]

Totally thought the same thing that with the rubber my feet would sweat like mad.

 

I wore socks with these, and I gotta say, way less sweat than a normal shoe. I'd go so far as to say that my feet didn't sweat at all, and I've got some pretty sweat happy feet.

 

I didn't really wear them on the course too much without socks, so not sure how things would fair that direction.