Written by Hannah VanDerLaan
Are golf shoes necessary? Do you need golf shoes to play golf? The short answer is no, golf shoes are not necessary and you can play golf without them, but there are some benefits to wearing golf shoes that you should be aware of.
What are the differences between golf shoes and your everyday sneakers?
In this article we will cover all the benefits of wearing your golf shoes to the course and why proper golf shoes matter more than wearing regular sneakers!
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What Do Golf Shoes Do?
Golf shoe manufacturers are constantly pushing out new and improved versions of shoes to help improve consumers' golf game while keeping their feet comfortable enough to walk 18 holes. The extra bells and whistles on a golf shoe can be important to make sure you play your best and feel your best!
Golf shoes will help prevent any movement during your golf swing, support your foot in a specific way to help provide stability while you swing, and help you get good traction no matter the weather or course.
If you choose to go out and play on a rainy day, a good pair of golf shoes with spikes will prevent any slipping on the course and also help you keep your feet dry with the waterproof feature. Lastly and debatably most importantly, they provide a put together and smart look to the game!
Traction
Traction is very important to keep yourself grounded while you're swinging. Especially if you have an uneven lie and need your feet planted in an uncomfortable position. The traction on golf shoes allows you to have more control of your swing! If you choose golf shoes with spikes on the bottom of the soles, it provides even more traction which can be helpful if you are playing on wet or hilly courses!
Stability
Stability and traction go hand in hand in the sense that the more traction your golf shoes have, the more stable you will be while swinging your club and the more precise your shot will be!
The most stable golf shoes that we have tested are the Under Armour Drive Pros.
One of the main benefits of golf shoes is their added stability it provides. While your everyday sneakers may wear down quickly on the course due to the flat bottoms, golf shoes are built to withstand the wear and tear of playing 18 holes no matter the conditions of the course.
Comfort
Comfort is key when golfing because unlike other sports you are walking long distances for at least a couple hours. You don't want your feet to be hurting after the front 9 because it will make the back 9 much harder to play!
Golf shoes offer more support than your everyday sneakers, especially on the arches. Arch support is very important because it helps prevent injuries, provides stability, and allows you to play all 18 without any discomfort.
Golf shoes also provide more padding in the middle of the shoe which is crucial. Golfers finish their swing on the ball of their feet which can be uncomfortable for some players, and the extra padding in the middle can be used to absorb the shock and help keep the golfer balanced and comfortable.
If you choose waterproof golf shoes, The shoe will also come with drain panels and water wicking material that will keep your feet dry from sweat or bad weather unlike most everyday sneakers.
Breathable
Most golf shoes provide some mesh paneling to allow your feet to breathe no matter the conditions. On top of that, there is usually a special lining that absorbs any extra moisture like sweat on a hot day or water on a rainy day! Waterproof shoes usually have a Gore-Tex lining. Gore-Tex is known for its breathability. It wicks moisture out without letting moisture in.
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Other Benefits
Improvement In Performance - The purpose of golf shoes is to help stabilize and control your feet during your swing. The improvement in traction also prevents any slipping on wet terrain. The fit of a golf shoe will support your foot movements during a swing as well as prevent any movement inside the shoe. This includes an advanced foam feature inside the shoe and shoe spikes on the bottom, like Sqairz golf shoes.
- Improves Your Look At The Course- In recent years the golf apparel industry has opened itself up to a huge variety of different colors and designs for their golf shoes. With big brands like Jordans, New Balance and GFore making a bigger dent in the golf industry, you can now stay comfortable and stylish on the course while enjoying the benefits of a golf shoe over a regular shoe.
- Variety of Materials- Going along with the improved look at the course, the expansion of different materials used for golf shoes give customers a wider variety of shoes to choose from to make you feel and look better on the course. These different materials include leather, synthetic, and waterproofing lining.
- Different Types (spiked and spikeless) - When looking for golf shoes, you can buy them with or without spikes. Spiked golf shoes are the most widely used for all seasons because of the extra grip and stability they provide during your swing. Some golfers also say that the spikeless shoes are lighter or feel more comfortable on your feet.
Spike vs Spikeless Golf Shoes
Most sports come with spikes on the bottom of the shoes for various reasons. The biggest reason for golfers is because they are a great way to keep your feet grounded during your golf swing which increases your power and accuracy! When most people think of golf shoes, they picture the traditional golf shoes with metal spikes, or soft spikes on the bottom because it’s the most commonly used golf shoe on the market. But it’s not ideal for everyone, and here’s why.
Depending on where you are going, If for the most part you are just going to the driving range or using artificial turf anywhere, spikeless golf shoes might make more sense. This is because spikeless golf shoes still have a rubber outsole that provides traction without damaging the turf in anyway. They're also typically more comfortable to walk in than spiked shoes (this really depends on the person though).
However, spikeless shoes have one huge upside that cannot be said about spiked golf shoes. No spikes means that you can wear them wherever you’d like! Golf shoes provide a clean look that is desirable to wear for different occasions, but the spikes on the bottom make it hard to wear them anywhere other than the course because you could damage the ground you are walking on and even the shoes themselves.
With spikeless shoes, you can wear them for any occasion and is more convenient for the players who like to go out and grab a bite to eat after a long day golfing. You don’t have to worry about changing into different shoes after finishing 18!
Do Golf Shoes Make A Difference?
In short terms yes, golf shoes do make a difference. Golf shoes help players stay rooted to the ground, increase accuracy when swinging, and help keep players feet comfortable during their 18 hole walk. But let's say you're just not ready to pull the trigger on a new pair of golf shoes, what kind of alternatives are out there? Listed below are a few other options to a new pair of golf shoes.
Golf Shoe Alternatives
There is really only one alternative to golf shoes and that would be regular athletic shoes or sneakers. Let's take a look
Sneakers
The most common reason why someone might click and read this article is because they want to know if they can wear sneakers to play golf.
Athletic shoes or running shoes are certainly a viable option for playing golf, but probably not the best option.
Most sneakers are designed to keep your feet more comfortable for any form of physical exercise. The intention of sneakers is to withstand the movements of any physical activity and protect your feet from anything that might get in the way.
The obvious downside is that they will not help with traction and you may slip. Sneakers are not designed to improve your golf game in any way, but if golf shoes aren't available to you, sneakers are always a good choice!
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think it’s safe to say that even though there are many pro’s to golf shoes over regular shoes, the improvement in performance alone is a good enough reason to consider investing in a pair of golf shoes.
Even though it's not ideal to wear these shoes anywhere other than the course, a good pair of golf shoes will keep your feet comfortable, stabilized, and grounded during your swing making 18 holes a lot easier to play.
On top of that, the fact that there are now big brands making their way into the golf apparel industry with new and improved colors and designs, you will look and feel better on the course as well as make a good impression on the players around you. If you want any of those benefits, it wouldn’t hurt to get online and find yourself a new pair of golf shoes!
