Do You Really Need Golf Shoes to Play a Round of Golf?

The right equipment can make all of the difference in a sport like golf.

I’ll never forget how much my first pair of golf shoes helped my golf swing. Golf shoes were easier to turn my back foot with than regular street shoes.

Many people may wonder if wearing golf shoes is a necessity or a personal choice.

In this article, we’ll investigate whether or not golf shoes are needed to play a solid round of golf. We’ll also provide a few golf shoe choices to consider.

 

Golf Courses require you to wear golf shoes

Surprisingly, most golf courses recommend golf shoes, but they don’t require them. Some courses have stricter dress codes. Also, make sure you have at least one pair of shoes with you when you arrive for your round.

Golf shoes are now prohibited by most courses to reduce turf damage. Because of this, it’s a good idea to buy spikeless golf shoes or at least ones with plastic spikes.

 

Golf Shoes: Do They Really Make a Difference?

Golf shoes can make all the difference in your game, and help you score lower scores. Let’s briefly go over some of the benefits that proper golf footwear provides.

1. Stability and Traction Improvement

The golf swing involves complex athletic movements with many moving parts. The spikes of golf shoes provide a firm foundation and better grip for golfers. This helps golfers make a complete turn with their back foot, without slipping or sliding.

The spikes provide better traction, which can be very important in wet conditions. More traction equals more distance from the tee!

2. Injury Prevention

The right type of golf shoes can help prevent heel and ankle injuries. High-top golf shoes can be a good choice for those with ankle problems.

Extra padding in your shoes can prevent blisters from forming if you prefer to walk the entire round than ride in a golf cart. A bad blister can be the difference between a good round and a terrible one.

3. Most golf shoes are waterproof

Another important benefit of golf shoes is their ability to withstand rain. Did you know that regular tennis shoes can become heavy on rainy days? That’s the last thing you need when trying to hit good shots on the golf course!

Most golf shoes are water resistant. This is a great help for those unexpected popup rains.

4. Golf shoes are usually lighter in weight

On a busy weekend, a complete 18-hole round can take up to five hours. That’s a long time to be on your feet, so golfers need types of shoes that are lightweight.

Golf shoes are lighter than regular street shoes, which can be a big advantage for longer rounds.

 

Can you play golf with regular sneakers?

Even though there are many benefits to wearing golf shoes, some people prefer to play in sneakers. This is acceptable and not against any dress code at most golf courses.

Some golfers, professional and beginner alike, prefer the classic comfort of regular sneakers. Golf shoe manufacturers offer a wide range of spikeless designs so that anyone can find a pair that feels just like regular sneakers.

 

3 of the Best Golf Shoes

It can be difficult to find the right pair of golf shoes because there are so many options. To help with this common problem, we’ve compiled a list of three of the best golf shoes on the market.

We’ll let you know our best overall pick, our best budget-friendly option, and the most comfortable pair.

Top Pick: Footjoy Men’s Fj Fuel Golf Shoe

Footjoy is the number one golf shoe. They’ve been making highly durable golf shoes since 1857. Footjoy shoes are used by around 45% of the top PGA Tour professionals golfers.

The Footjoy Fj Fuel is one of the company’s best sellers. It’s lightweight, stylish, and available in four different color schemes. This soft, spiked shoe is extremely comfortable, even for long rounds on the course.

Pros

• Available in White and Blue Jay/White, Black, Orange/White, Blue, Red/Navy, White, Red
• Comfortable on the driving range and on the course
• These sneakers can be worn casually as regular sneakers, since they are low-profile and soft.
• Waterproof
• The perfect balance of traction and comfort

Cons

• The price is a little higher at $128 per pair
• Some folks don’t like the synthetic leather material and claim it doesn’t hold up as well as regular leather

 

Best Budget-Friendly Pick: Adidas Men’s Traxion Lite Max Wide Golf Shoes

Adidas has made great strides in the quality of its golf shoes over the years. PGA Tour pros Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and others now proudly sport Adidas golf shoes as they battle it out against the best in the world.

The Traxion Light Max Wide golf shoes are our top pick for budget-minded golfers. The price range is incredible at $32 to $65, depending the size. That’s an incredible deal for a reputable brand like Adidas.

Pros

• For extreme comfort and flexibility, the sole has a bounce toe for maximum comfort.
• This shoe offers excellent grip and stability on the course.
• Unique textiles are waterproof, and can be used to keep your feet dry even in wet conditions.
• They come with replacement plastic spikes

Cons

• While some people love the comfort of these shoes, others wish they had more cushion.
• Only available in two colors: Black and Lime / Red and White /

 

Most Comfortable Pair: Skechers Men’s Pivot Spikeless Golf Shoe

These shoes are simply amazing. I’ve worn these for over a year, and they’re the most comfortable pair of golf shoes I’ve ever put on. Skechers’ little beauties are so comfortable that my feet don’t hurt after I walk just nine holes.

The Men’s Pivot golf shoes are spikeless and specifically made for a high level of comfort. Even though the shoes are not spikeless, golfers will still be able to get good traction on their swings. The price is also reasonable at $50-$80.

Pros

• Ultra Go Foam is used to provide even more comfort
• It is lightweight and easy on your feet
• No break-in required
• Available in five different color schemes: Black / White / Charcoal & Black / White & Navy / White & Grey
• Wear it on or off the course
• Trustworthy brand that’s been making golf shoes since 1992

Cons

• Some golfers have had to return their shoes after they were ordered.
• Might be more resilient in rainy weather