How to choose your Golf Shoes?
Rotating Swing Golf FeetStability of the feet when running the Golf Swing is crucial. It allows your swing to be reproducible, devoid of defects. Optimizing the transfer of weight from one foot to another will give speed to your gesture and will carry the ball for a longer distance. That’s why tailored Golf Shoes are needed to maximize your chances of success on the courses.
In addition, during a course, the golf player that you are going will travel 7 to 9 km on an average 18 holes and for about 4 hours. Your feet must be properly fitted to support this effort and ensure ideal comfort. Indeed, what is worse than feeling pains in the feet on the course while your concentration should be at its maximum on each shot.
Golf shoes must therefore meet many requirements to meet the needs of the golfer and this, in all seasons.
What are the different types of Golf Shoes?
There are different types of golf shoes for different uses or according to the tastes of each.
Spiked Golf Shoes (with spikes)
Spiked golf shoes are the typical golfer’s shoes. They allow to have a good grip on the ground during the swing. This is possible thanks to the maintenance of crampons that are planted in the ground at the address when you take your stance. These shoes are rather suitable for wet courses with “soft” soil or preferably used from autumn to spring.
The advantage of these shoes is therefore the perfect ground stability. However, on dry, hard ground, the crampons will be of little use and will tend to deteriorate.
Regarding the material, leather is still widely used by many brands of golf shoes like FootJoy. But, it is more and more replaced by impervious and resistant synthetic materials.
The crampons are usually plastic. They replace those metal, most often prohibited on the course because damaging the greens. The advantage is that they can be changed to the unit if they are worn or if you have lost one. No need to change golf shoes in case of wear of the sole. This will save a lot more expense than simply changing the crampons.
Golf Shoes without spikes (spikeless)
A small revolution has been slowly taking place in recent years with a real explosion of sales of spikeless golf shoes that have the look of everyday sneakers or sports shoes.
Spikeless Shoes FootJoy FJ Arc SL
Their particularity is to have a flatter sole than that of cleated golf shoes which could reduce the adhesion. This is not the case for some models that feature molded soles in ultra-strong and impervious synthetic material. Indeed, modern polymers used in the textile industry represent an excellent alternative.
It is sports brands like Nike, Puma or Adidas that have democratized this trend in recent years by attacking the world of golf. These modern golf shoes are much more breathable than leather ones. In addition, they maintain a certain warmth in the slipper to prevent cold in winter. So no excessive sweating in summer or heat loss in winter. In addition, the materials are more flexible therefore lighter foot and ultra comfortable: we are not far from the ideal golf shoe.
Nike Lunar Control Vapor 2 This is the case of the Nike Lunar Control Vapor 2 used by some of the world’s best pros golfers like Rory McIlroy or Tiger Woods. Even the FootJoy brand, the international reference for golf shoes, is now offering a wide range of sports spikeless models. This is telling you the current turning point!
▷ Discover our TOP 5 Nike Golf Shoes
Some golf shoes are even everyday basketball adaptations. For example, the timeless Stan Smith Adidas declined with soles for fairways (renamed Adicross Classic). You can wear a street look on the course, a little more casual and slightly breaking the codes. This evolution of mentalities and habits in style is truly a good thing. This allows a sport like the Golf to become more democratized.
Golf Boots
Yes, golf boots do exist. But they do not look like at all to go fishing I reassure you. These are more boots than real boots. But what is their interest? Do you never find during or after your run of grass or sand in your socks or shoes after playing in the rough or in a bunker? Probably if. And you know how bad it can be when you play. Then you have to stop playing, take off your shoes to get out the unwanted item and put on your shoes. It’s annoying for you and your teammates because it slowed down the game.
This is where the golf boot comes in because the shoe goes up on the ankle to ensure a maximum seal and avoid this kind of inconvenience. In addition, they are much more resistant to water and mud and optimized to maintain heat. They are therefore very useful on rainy and / or cold seasons. It will be necessary to be attentive on the materials used in their design as well as on the choice of the sole which suits you the best. Boots Golf
Which size to choose for your Golf Shoes?
Choosing the right size is crucial. The golfer’s performance increases significantly among users wearing adapted golf shoes. This sounds obvious but a significant proportion of golfer wears shoes whose size is not suitable. And this leads to problems of comfort or even worse, a negative influence on the stability of the swing and its good performance. So what are the simple rules to adopt to choose a pair of golf shoes to the right size.
The Rule of the thumb
The opening on the top of your shoes (laces tightening space at the top of the tongue) must be as wide as one inch. So do not over-tighten your shoes or be too loose. Other factors, such as the height of the arch can vary this measurement, but it’s a good way to start.
The length in length
Leave about 1.5 cm of space between your longest toe (usually the big toe but not always) and the tip of the shoe. This is to avoid any pain by rubbing at the foot step.
Bending Point, Walk Test and Swing Test
The flex point of the front of the shoe should match that of the forefoot as you move. There must be no sensation of floating in the shoe when you walk. You can shake your foot to realize it more easily.
Obviously test your swing with the shoes. Swing is a particular movement that classic shoes are not used to. This is important especially to feel the maintenance of the foot in the slipper in its entirety. The foot of the golfer must be well maintained inside the shoe and there should be no sloshing on the sides (inside and outside of the foot).
Size Guide Golf Shoes
To measure your foot, the best is to use a pedometer but not everyone has it at home. A simple solution to measure your foot is to place it on a sheet of paper, heel against the wall (sheet of paper against the wall as well) and draw the outline of the front of the foot in pencil. You just have to measure the distance and find your size in the following size guide for men and women and according to the brand.
