Golf Buyers Guide

Golf Footwear Buying Guide

Golf shoes have become a very important part of the modern game of golf: the right pair of golf shoes can improve your game by providing better grip and balance and preventing sliding when swinging - which, in turn, affects the distance and accuracy of your shot.

When buying a pair of golf shoes, you should look for shoes that offer traction, comfort, durability and water resistance. Golf shoes should be strong and hard-wearing while still being flexible enough to allow the feet to move while swinging. The type of game you play also affects the type of golf shoe you should purchase: if you walk the full course rather than using a cart to navigate around, you will need shoes that are more durable and comfortable, to withstand the increased wear. You also need to remain blister-free to be at your best.

If you are a pronator, in other words, if your feet angle inwards or outwards when you walk, inserts are available that can be placed inside the golf shoe to allow increased stability - which can have a dramatic positive impact upon your game.

In the past, most golf shoes were traditional saddle or oxford-style shoes, with black and white wingtips, leather, and tassels. Today, golf shoes tend to be more casual and athletic in style, wider ranging and in a great choice of colours. Many look more like trainers than loafers, and some even resemble sandals or moccasins.

Golf Shoe Materials

Golf shoes typically come in three main materials: leather, Gore-Tex and polyester. Leather is most popular since it makes for waterproof and comfortable shoes which do not stretch out of shape. It also provides superior comfort, resilience, and vital in-shoe breathability. However, leather golf shoes may need a little extra looking after to keep them good.

Gore-Tex golf shoes are excellent for wet weather since they are fully waterproof while still remaining breathable. They don't take as much looking-after as leather golf shoes.

Finally, polyester golf shoes are lighter, thinner and cheaper than Gore-Tex or leather shoes, but are less durable and not as long lasting.

And if you'd like to have the outer look of the traditional leather golf shoe with the inner benefits of comfortable sports footwear, we sell hybrid golf shoes that combine the best of both, such as the Footjoy Green Joys, or the Sport Saddle HMX by Ecco

In recent years, manufacturers have started making the golf sandal which is an open-toed variation of the traditional golf shoe. Although providing limited resistance in wet weather, golf sandals offer a breathable and more comfortable alternative to the golf shoes.

Golf Spikes

Spikes are a critical component of your golf shoe, keeping your feet firmly anchored to the grass so you don't slip over or lose your balance. Typically, spikes are about one and a half inches long, and are arranged with seven or eight around the ball of the foot with four at the heel, but there are variations.

Traditional golf shoes were made with steel or tungsten spikes built into the sole of the shoe in order to provide maximum grip on the course. However, these metal spikes tend to damage the green so modern golf shoes are usually made with plastic spikes in place of the steel. Many golf clubs don't encourage people to wear golf shoes with metal spikes due to the damage they can do to the course.

Plastic spikes are lighter with a wider surface area which prevents the green from being torn up while still being equally effective in providing traction. Many golfers also find plastic spikes to be more comfortable than steel ones - which may have contributed to their popularity. Plastic spikes will wear off quicker than metal ones so may need changing a bit more often, and while they don't grip as effectively on wet surfaces they do not leave holes in the ground or damage the greens.

Both plastic and metal spikes should be changed as soon as signs of wear and tear appear.

Spikeless shoes are also available containing soles with built-in grooves to grip the ground. Although these shoes avoid the issue of having to replace the spikes, they provide the least amount of traction of all golf shoes available. These are most useful for people with knee injuries who need the leg to stay in alignment through the length of the swing, and who wish to avoid their feet being constrained.

We sell golf shoes for men, women, and juniors, so don't put up with second best! Have a look through our extensive range of various golf shoes and choose ones that really fit your foot and sense of style.