Buying Golf Shoes
Golf is one of the UK's most popular hobbies, enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds across the country. There are now more opportunities than ever to enjoy golf at courses, driving ranges and training centres, and an increasing number of equipment items to go with it.
It is therefore important to be able to choose the right items for your needs. Your choice may depend on your type of use, based on how you travel the golf course. If you know your course has unavoidable muddy sections (or muddy sections in the rough on difficult holes) and you typically walk the course, a comfortable, hard wearing pair will be important. Stylo produce affordable shoes that can be regularly replaced, while being designed for ultimate comfort, and are available in black. If you often play in adverse weather, you may even want to consider a fully waterproof pair, such as FootJoy's AQL.
If you drive a buggy on the course, or if you expect to only play during summer, an attractive pair such as Callaway's X Series become appropriate, and can be bought in lighter colours. There should be no need to buy a size any bigger than your normal shoes to account for using thicker socks during play, as shoes will be designed to accommodate this. Likewise, there is no need to buy them any smaller, as the flexible padding will take up any extra movement if you choose to wear thinner socks.
You should also think about whether your club allows hard spikes to be used. Most prohibit them due to the damage they can cause to the grass, despite the extra grip they may offer. If choosing between soft-spiked shoes, check what material the outsole is made of, EVA material is used by Callaway and Adidas and provides extra grip and comfort.
You should also consider the style of clothes you typically wear to play and clubhouse dress code and rules on shoes. Some allow (clean) soft-spiked shoes into buildings, as they don't cause any more damage than ordinary shoes. If the dress code permits, shoes in the style of trainers may be more comfortable for this purpose, for example, the Adidas Adicolor range. Most other golf shoes are in a style similar to formal shoes, and Ecco offer a range designed specifically with a formal appearance in mind.
To care for your golf shoes, it is recommended that you always use a shoe horn to put them on. This may be included with the shoes, but it may be difficult to check if they are included when you buy golf shoes online, so they can also be bought cheaply separately. This will avoid putting the shoes out of shape and spoiling the fit, while also maintaining their appearance. Leather shoes should be treated with wax polish and leather softener to keep them supple and flexible, to give maximum comfort in all weathers.
