Are they golf shoes? They look like trainers!

When I first picked up a golf club in the mid 1980’s, the choice of golf shoes on the market was a particularly unappealing one with the same tiresome designs repeated over and over again. There were often unappealing “flaps” that cascaded down over the lace eyeholes whilst the soles were full of heavy, metal spikes that made an absolute racket as you walked down the path to the first tee.  

Fortunately for all that play golf, the design of golf shoes has changed enormously over the past twenty years and the ones available today are now much more in line with other sports. Packed with the latest in shoe technology they weigh a fraction of what they once did and now have styling that allows them to be worn in non-golf settings. The oh so noisy metal spikes have been replaced by plastic SoftSpikes or non-replaceable moulded cleats. 

With the pandemic induced golf boom that we are currently experiencing, there are many players returning to the sport that have not played for a significant length of time and these players are often stunned (and a little confused) by the design and styling of golf shoes in the modern-day game.  There are still a few models of golf shoe left that have a more traditional look, but the vast majority now have a more trainer like appearance.

If you are one of the golfers that finds themselves a little befuddled about the way golf shoes look, let me reassure you that this modern style of golf shoe is so much better in every single way. Much of the amazing technology that was developed for running shoes can now be found in the construction of golf shoes, completely transforming comfort levels.  

They are also much lighter and offer far more protection for your feet from the rigours of walking across the undulating terrain that a golf course presents. Even though many of them look like trainers, they are universally accepted at all golf courses, so no need to be worried about being chased across the course by angry golf club secretaries for wearing inappropriate footwear. 

 The disappearance of metal spikes initially caused golfers worry - as many believed that the new style SoftSpikes or moulded soles would not offer enough traction to provide the stable base that a golf swing requires. Initially the worry was somewhat justified, but over the past few seasons the golf shoe manufacturers have improved the designs to such an extent that traction is easily equal to that previously offered by the metal spikes.