Golf Town Tutorials - Footwear

Bob Weeks

TSN Senior Reporter

Follow| Archive

Throw all those needs and considerations into the shoe stew and you get a perfect golf shoe that combines fashion and function.

Golf shoes these days run the gamut from traditional to funky; from conservative to way out there. But almost all will help you lower your scores by providing a stable, comfortable platform for you to hit your shots. If your foot slips during a swing, the results can send your ball deep into the woods. And if your foot becomes uncomfortable, say from a blister, or wet from the early morning dew, it can also distract you from the task at hand.

This year, the major manufacturers have brought out a wide assortment of great shoe models that will perform on many levels.

FootJoy is one of the iconic names in golf shoes and this year it’s pushing those traditional boundaries with the colourful Freestyle line.

I played a round down south in these shoes early in the year and found them to be very flexible allowing you to move with and through the swing, and the comfort is exceptional. The upper has a lightweight mesh that allows for comfort and breathability, while still remaining waterproof. There’s also a feature that keeps your heel in place and a pad by the Achilles, which prevents blisters.

As for traction, FootJoy delivers what it calls the F.R.O.G.S outsole – FootJoy’s Revolutionary Outsole Grip System. This essentially keeps your foot in place during the swing.

And it’s definitely colourful. The model I tested had bright orange and blue through it.

One of the most popular shoe models of the last decade was the adidas Tour360 and the three stripe company has brought it back for 2016 with the Tour360 Boost, an updated model with plenty to like

I am a big fan of the Boost technology, which is essentially little balls of TPU molded together in a way that stores and releases energy as you walk. The result is that they’re exceptionally comfortable and there’s a little spring in your step. In this shoe, the Boost cushioning runs the entire length of the midsole.

The shoe also has the adidas 360 wrap around the mid-food with gives you a very stable feel. But this time it’s been made lighter and more flexible than in the past.

There’s also the S-curve heel, which looks a little different when you first see it – it extends out the back of the shoe and rises a little higher than most other golf shoes. But slip the shoe on and you’ll love the comfy feeling it provides.

I found these shoes to be exceptionally stable and I felt very secure to the ground when I swung in them.

 Under Armour is a relatively new player to golf but its impact is being felt in many ways. Its new shoe – which has been on the feet of its marquee player Jordan Spieth – is the Drive One.

This model has a lot of features that make it feel good and perform.

ArmourVent and OutDry are two technologies in the shoe that help keep your foot cool and dry.

Under Armour also borrowed from its other sports shoe lines in the Drive One. One example is a mesh upper and the heel counter, which helps stabilize the back of the foot.

Nike likes to disrupt the status quo and it’s certainly done that with one of its new offerings. The Flyknit Chukka is a high-top shoe that was inspired by the same shoe line for other sports. In fact, the Flyknit Chukka was worn on the medal stand by U.S. Olympians at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The golf model has a new manufacturing method that micro-engineers every stitch of the shoe for a lightweight, one-piece upper. Nike's Flywire technology is also in this shoe to offer lateral support and a lockdown feel. So this shoe is not only cool but it works.

Puma brings out the Tour Ignite in 2016, a shoe that has taken lots from its running line. The company’s Ignite foam adds a great layer of cushioning to the shoe and its PWRCOOL technology keeps your foot cool in the hottest of days. It’s Stealth cleats and GripZone lugs on the outsole will keep your foot anchored during even your biggest swings.

Ecco continues with its line of street shoes that can go from the course to the office. The Biom Hybrid line is well known and has a number of different models that are all comfortable (I used to work with a guy who wore them to the office every day). And now there’s an Ecco shoe line that’s more of a traditional golf look with full spikes – the Biom Cage spiked and the Biom G2. They both still have that great Ecco comfort.

No matter what size you need, what style you want, whether you want full spikes of molded cleats, you can find what will work on your feet at Golf Town.