The style of golf has had a revival in recent years, and it’s been a long time coming. While almost every other popular sport had seen its style progress with the rest of society, just as rules and equipment naturally evolved over time, the style of golf was stuck in the middle of the 20th century, like a trap for particularly harmful sand.
Then, in the 2010s, pros like Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Billy Horschel brought fairway fashion into the 21st century. They’ve loosened up the vibe with bold prints, fun colors and slimmer cuts. Even better, from a competitive standpoint, they’ve made way for golf shoes that look and function like sports shoes.
Golf apparel companies quickly modernized, and major sportswear companies like Nike and Adidas adapted their existing sports shoes for golf. Today, you can find golf shoes that are indistinguishable from running shoes or basketball shoes except for the soles. Not only do they look better, they also perform better. The application of all technological advancements in footwear available in the 21st century has allowed golf shoes to keep pace with all other sports.
GFore MG4+
GFore is a relatively new brand, but it has brought exactly the kind of energy the sport needs to golf. He ignored traditional golf styling and decided to create a shoe from the ground up that would provide all the comfort and performance that modern shoe technology could provide.
The company’s goal has been achieved with the MG4+, a sneaker that looks nothing like a golf shoe by traditional standards and does everything you’d expect from a golf shoe.
The exterior is a seamless upper that is 100% waterproof while remaining breathable. A 3D molded heel provides excellent comfort and support. The insole features G4 nubs that support and massage your feet as you walk. The two-piece, knurled, sawtooth outsole provides traction in all conditions and at all angles.
FootJoy Tarlow
For most of the 20th century, golf shoes were little more than oxfords with spikes added to the soles. FootJoy honors this heritage with its Tarlow design. The upper resembles a classic straight-toe leather oxford with eloquent brogue detailing along the seams. The entire upper is full grain leather with a sheepskin lining, rivaling most oxfords.
From the start, however, the Tarlow has been business. A lightweight rubber sole is lined with FootJoy’s patented VersaTrax system to provide excellent traction from all angles, in all conditions. the Tarlow is ideal for anyone who wants to honor golf’s styling heritage while achieving premium performance.
Adidas Tour 360 22
Adidas is a relative newcomer to golf footwear, but it brings decades of experience in the manufacture of athletic footwear. A sturdy leather upper marked with the iconic angular three stripes delivers a classic country club-worthy look. Beneath that understated exterior, Adidas has packed these golf shoes with cutting-edge athletic shoe technology.
Its Boost sole technology has become the industry leader in comfort and springiness. It started in running shoes and became so successful that Adidas incorporated it into almost every other shoe line it makes. So of course it’s in the golf shoes.
The Tour 360 22’s Boost sole provides extra spring to your step to blast your way through 18 holes. Beneath that Boost sole is its Spikemore traction system, which features six circular screw-like spikes that sink like a bottle into a lid as you swing.
Before Gallivanter
The Gallivanter is GFore’s signature model because just like the brand itself, it respects the game but with a cheeky attitude. GFore took a standard oxford design and tricked it out with sleek details and progressive technology. The Gallivanter passes for a traditional golf shoe from afar, but you have to see it up close to appreciate the thought and passion that goes into it.
A removable footbed is not only comfortable but washable to extend the life of the shoe. Custom lugs provide improved traction. The full-grain leather upper has a subtle grain. A pop of blue along the sole is topped with an embossed Jolly Roger on the insole, secretly showcasing GFore’s irreverent love for golf.
Nike Air Max 90 Golf
The idea was simple here: take one of the most iconic sneakers of all time, Nike’s Air Max 90, and turn it into a golf shoe. The execution is everything you expect from a Nike performance sneaker.
The company has an unparalleled way of polishing cutting-edge sportswear technology with sleek design so you can have your cake and eat it, too. That is to say, you can look like you’re wearing a pair of Nike Air Max on the greens without hampering your golf game with a pair of basketball shoes.
However, these don’t have traditional spikes and really only provide enough traction to ground your swing. They are therefore aimed at a more casual golfer who wants to wear their game of shoes on the course.
Under Armor HOVR Drive 2
Under Armor has taken a progressive approach to sportswear technology since the company’s inception. When she applied this progressive innovation to golf shoes, she created the HOVR Drive line. HOVR refers to its patented insole cushioning designed to support not just your foot, but your entire leg as you turn during your swing. More than that, it also returns your swing energy back to your body with elasticity.
The technology doesn’t stop there. The HOVR Drive 2 features a lightweight, breathable and waterproof outer membrane. This is the same type of molded heel that your running shoes come with for maximum support. You also get a 3D printed toe guard to protect against any errant swings, much like a steel toe work boot, but much lighter.
Under Armor HOVR Drive 2
Ecco Biom C4
You probably know Ecco for its dress shoes, but the company also makes high-end sneakers and golf shoes. Just like with his dress shoes, he takes a modernist approach to the aesthetics of his golf shoes.
The Biom C4 looks more like a basketball shoe than a traditional golf shoe. The feel of this golf shoe is more like that of a basketball shoe, with a high ankle and extra cushioning. Unlike a basketball shoe, however, the exterior is made from a combination of Gore-Tex and Ecco’s Performance leather, so these shoes are both durable and water resistant. As is always the case with Ecco, comfort is paramount, and if that’s also your primary concern, then these are the golf shoes for you.
FootJoy Field
FootJoy’s Field Series is refined, yet understated in both looks and performance. The calfskin upper is a classic plain-toe oxford design, which is the type of dress shoe that will always look stylish without exclaiming as such. It complements both classic golf style and contemporary golf style.
The Field is equally at home at the most luxurious of country clubs as it is at your local public course. The modest package comes with all the performance you expect from FootJoy. A VersaTrax outsole provides traction in all conditions and an OrthoLite footbed provides all-day support. A waterproof finish keeps your feet dry no matter what.
The key to good golf shoes is a combination of comfort, traction and balance. Only a generation ago, golf shoes were nothing more than leather oxfords with spikes on the bottom. They may have looked great but offered little performance. The modern adoption of athletic technology and style has exponentially advanced contemporary golf footwear.
They’ve taken the comfort and support of basketball and the balance and traction of running to maximize your swing strength and accuracy and keep you comfortably on your feet all day. The wide range of looks available means you can go totally modern or stay classic and still get modern performance. Now that the rules of the old style have been swept away, it’s just a matter of finding the right golf shoes that match your personal style.
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