Golf Shoes 101 Survey

[ctg44]

The only golf shoes to accommodate my self-described stupid feet are the various models from Sqairz.  My left foot is right at 13.75, and my right is slightly less than 13.5 (so call it 13.375), and both feet have very narrow heels and slightly wider than normal forefoot areas.  This means that finding shoes that fit for anything sucks big time.  Finding golf shoes was no different.  With the Sqairz, I can walk 18 holes on multiple days in a row with no issues, as long as I have the proper insoles in the shoes.  I've replaced the Sqairz insoles with the SuperFeet Hockey Cushion insole, which is not exactly soft but is very supportive and prevents my foot from moving around, so I get none of the friction inside of the shoe that was prevalent from every other golf shoe or with the stock Sqairz insoles that resulted in blisters.  Combined with the Darn Tough Vermont Men's Element Quarter Lightweight Running Sock or the Feetures Elite Golf Max Cushion Low Cut socks, I can walk all day every day without any foot pain or damage.

[Ed the FD]

Comfort, sure footing, and durability are some of the key factors in shoes for me. I have only wore spiked shoes, but I know spikeless have their place as well. I have never said no to trying new shoes so I am always looking for new ideas. I have always playing in footjoys because they have wide sizing options. I would consider spikeless, they might provide other opportunities as well like for disc golf where you need a little more traction but not the total stability of a spiked shoe. 

[FallenSaber]

3 hours ago, russtopherb said:

I filled it out, feels like the survey might be weighted towards a certain brand...

I had the same thought as I was completing it. Especially for one particular question.

Seeing some of your post, I almost feel like an outlier. I wore a pair of Oakley spiked golf shoes for over a decade, possibly 12-13 years. I use to mostly ride and only would need to replace the spikes. I did go about 6/7 years with only getting one to two rounds in per year. Just made the switch to Adidas.

I'm also a last year's styles, clearance shopper. I don't need the newest and greatest. I want the best bang for my buck and getting the MGS 2023 Editor's Choice spiked golf shoe at 63% is my kind of deal.

I think a question could be added about the importance of reviews. When I saw the deal for the Adidas ZG23, I immediately came to MGS to see if they reviewed it. I saw that in 2023, 3 of the Adidas golf shoes were selected for various top awards and that the ZG23 was selected as the Editors Choice. After reading the review, I went back and placed my order. While price was the initial thing that peaked my interest, it was MGS review that sealed the deal.

Edited May 1 by FallenSaber

[msizzle]

It would be great if more companies offered wide width shoes. Comfort is my biggest concern and its hard to find a shoe to fit my fat foot. 

[Vahd]

Comfort over Traction for sure.  Unless you're aware of Traction issues, slipping off of full swings for instance, Comfort, maybe including Stability, is the only answer here.  

[Alan K]

What a great topic! I owned Callaway and Nike golf shoes that were extremely uncomfortable, but I lived with them because I thought it was just how it was.  Golf shoes are uncomfortable, never waterproof, and rarely last long before falling apart.

A friend I play with wore lightweight walking hiking shoes and told me they were more comfortable and cheaper than the popular golf shoes.  So I bought a pair of HUMTTO Men's All-Terrain Waterproof Hiking Shoes Lightweight Breathable Trekking Trails Shoes Anti Slip Outdoor Shoes $52.  They were super comfortable, waterproof, and the tread pattern was better than spike or spikeless shoes, in my opinion.  The problem was their unconventional look.  Playing with my regular group was ok, but I would pull out my conventional golf shoes for business golf or as a guest at another course. 

Next, I tried another lightweight hiking shoe with an excellent tread pattern and looked liked the new style of golf shoes -  Salomon Men's Outbound Prism Hiking Shoes on sale for $49.  These Salomon's  are no longer available so I thought  finally found the perfect golf shoe that wasn't a traditional golf shoe.

That was until I found these New Balance golf shoes on Amazon for $64. They have Waterproof, cushioned soles for ultimate comfort, on par with my Humtto Hiking shoe: New Balance Men's Fresh Foam Contend Golf Shoes. They were a little snug out of the box, but after a few rounds, they stretched out for maximum comfort. I'm thinking of buying another pair to have in inventory.

That's my story golf shoe story - non-golfers just wouldn't understand:))

[Douglas Stefanson]

Currently have 3 pairs of footjoy golf shoes in different colors.  

[Hosel_Rockets]

As others have stated, I rotate between brands, as well as spiked/spikeless depending on conditions. I also have a waterproof pair that I wear if it's damp, or colder weather. In general, I think traction is most important to me, as nothing is more frustrating than a foot slipping in your swing, and I've had luck finding "comfortable" shoes in both spiked and spikeless.

For the question asking if I'd try a shoe that promises more distance - the answer is a resounding "maybe", with qualifiers. For example, I wouldn't have any interest in trying a shoe that adds only a few yards to my drive if it's overall unappealing from a style perspective. On the flip side, I could overlook aesthetics a bit if it were able to consistently increase my driver distance by 15-20 yards .

[AndySP]

Curious what others will say, but I use both spiked and spikeless depending on the conditions. I find that on dry days the spiked shoes don’t offer much extra for me, so I choose spineless for the comfort. 

Edited May 1 by AndySP

[tdroma98]

I rotate between three pairs of golf shoes - Sqairz, Footjoy Flex & New Balance. 
I'm impressed with the FJ Flex being waterproof & comfortable since I play most of my golf, in the mornings.  

I purchased the Sqairz shoes, after dealing with Plantar Fasciitis and after having a conversation with the manufacturer on MSG, a couple of years ago.   I use my own Power Step inserts in all three pairs of shoes. I like the room of the Sqairz shoes.  I'm not into if a shoe provides more yardage, that's not a reason I purchase golf shoes.  But I do like the comfort & stability of the Sqairz shoes.  

The New Balance are pretty durable shoes (unlike Nike & Skechers, in my opinion).  Both New Balance & Sqairz have great customer service.  From a durability & service standpoint, it's the reason why I will no longer purchase Skechers golf shoes. 

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

I have too many shoes...in part because I believe they do affect performance, but also because I'm a golf ho. I mix it up between Olukai (current favorite), New Balance, G/Fore, and Asics (forgot that one on the survey...), all spikeless. Traction and stability are huge for me, plus comfort for walking rounds (which is most of them for me). I still have a spiked pair or two for riding and/or certain conditions, but spikeless have worked well for me since making the switch. 

Note that some spikeless are terrible in terms of traction, so if you only tried one or two pairs, don't give up on them -- I think they're way better for walking.

Edited May 2 by ChiefMikeOfficer

[88Buster]

I've always been a Footjoy guy.  And, only wear spikes.  I almost always play early morning rounds and the combination of freshly cut grass and dew pretty much demands spikes.

[unccross]

Any suggestions for a comfortable shoe for walking for someone with big toe pain? I like my adidas code chaos 22 but my right big toe kills me after walking 18 in them. 

[yungkory]

36 minutes ago, unccross said:

Any suggestions for a comfortable shoe for walking for someone with big toe pain? I like my adidas code chaos 22 but my right big toe kills me after walking 18 in them. 

Should probably see a podiatrist my friend, they'll be able to help you more than any suggestion. This is coming from someone who has collected sneakers since 2002 and had a shoe addiction .

[Frank G]

Comfort first and then traction. Obviously, ya don’t want to look like Ronald McDonald either, so a bit of style goes a long way. 

[Mike10487]

I use a couple of different brands of shoes, FootJoy and Adidas. #1 deciding factor is if they have my size (15).  In the end I believe we will all agree, it's strong combination of all the choices listed in conjunction with is it my size!

Edited May 1 by Mike10487

[Mike10487]

1 hour ago, unccross said:

Any suggestions for a comfortable shoe for walking for someone with big toe pain? I like my adidas code chaos 22 but my right big toe kills me after walking 18 in them. 

Pine valley orthotics. Any orthotic insoles will help.  I like my Adidas CC 22s as well!

[Mike10487]

2 hours ago, Vahd said:

Comfort over Traction for sure.  Unless you're aware of Traction issues, slipping off of full swings for instance, Comfort, maybe including Stability, is the only answer here.  

Most of the time traction loss is due to set up/timing/balance issues with the swing. Try to practice barefoot. 

[Mike10487]

Are we talking about real shoes or WGT or a video game shoe. I know video game shoes add distance! I've never thought about a real shoe adding anything but comfort and style.

[JAYER38]

This should net some interesting results!

Honestly I wear Puma's now but absolutely hate how low they are on my ankle/how high my foot sits in them. This is my first pair so now I know what to look for in my next pair

[KC Golf]

I have both spiked and spikeless shoes.  I rotate a few pairs since I find they wear better when rotated.  I generally find that golf shoes aren’t made as durable as the older ones may be 5-7+ years ago.  The really old leather spikes lasted 5 years for me.

Edited May 1 by KC Golf

[Owengeorge13]

New adidas 360 is pretty nice.  I was going to wait for the Mygolfspy most wanted list to come out for spiked.  Glad to see the 360 did not disappoint in its ranking when it came out this week.  They definitely get my vote.  I was torn between the new pro SLX and the 360, both felt great, I could have flipped a coin.  Being able to replace the adidas spikes was the deciding factor in the purchase.  

[Josh Parker]

5 hours ago, msizzle said:

It would be great if more companies offered wide width shoes. Comfort is my biggest concern and its hard to find a shoe to fit my fat foot. 

New Balance carries the most 4E golf shoes of all the brands I have found.  A handful of FootJoys

[Micah T]

For my cart shoes, I value stability, traction, and style. I rotate between some Footjoy pro SL carbon  and some Jordan ADG4. When walking, I’m looking for traction, comfort, stability and then style. When I’m repping  the push-cart mafia, I’m strictly an adidas codechaos guy: I’ve got about 3 pairs I rotate thru, and a pair for practice. I just haven’t found anything more comfortable yet.

Edited May 1 by Micah T
Clarity

[Siamese Moose]

I consider fit to be different than comfort. I wear 8 EE, with a low volume high arch foot. I'm flat out hard to fit. Most companies start their wides only at 9 or bigger. Or there are some that are not really "wide", but are high volume. They use the same last and just have some extra fabric so the foot slops over the side. (I'm looking at you, Skechers!) The only brand that offers me a reliable fit is FootJoy. I have three pairs, and they all fit, but differ in levels of comfort vs. support. All have aftermarket insoles (Superfeet).

[Josh K]

I have a buddy who has refused to get waterproof/leather shoes (i have the TM and Olukai leather shoes) and it never fails, that morning round of golf leaves him with wet shoes and socks by hole 4. I'm not sure about the rest of the forum but wet socks will get into my head and I'm not comfortable and that's where I feel like it can hinder you. If you haven't tried the Olukai's Wai'alae, I highly recommend them. There a classic look, leather, comfortable, and can be worn off course even if you wanted to. They're a bit pricey but totally worth it, i've had mine for over a year and roughly 30+ rounds in them, still in great condition.

 

 

 

[Chubbs1991]

Its all about the Footjoy Premier. Love the solid classic look. Look Good Play Good. 

[jason_hansen_79]

I think golf shoes are a good idea specially during damp grass play.  I have spiked and have replaced the spikes once already but DO have a new unused pair of spikeless waiting in the closet for when I wear out the other pair. I get in 50-65 rounds per year on average 

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

Multiple considerations for me, looking forward to the survey but in order:

-waterproofing

-comfort

-traction

most important 3 for me. 

[Doseph]

Well, I wear an Olukai spikeless shoes and a spiked footjoy. But depending on weather I go back and forth because my Olukai is breathable but not waterproof and my footjoy is the opposite. Wish I could have incorporated both shoes into the survey but I just chose my olukais since I wear them mostly during the summer season