Best Golf Shoes For Walking

Most golfing gear is used for one part or another of the game. You can switch from an iron to a hybrid. There are many options that can be changed between as far as the gear is concerned.

If one thing is not working on the day, you can switch to another one. This is not the case with your shoes. You will usually find that the shoes you start with are the ones that you will end the course with.

This means that picking the wrong shoes would be somewhat of a long term punishment. Getting a new pair would be a solution after the end of your game.

However, this is a considerably more expensive way to get your things together. It is much better to get things right from the start.

It is with this reason that we went out to pick some golf shoes for walking. Our process involves researching the best products and brands on the market.

Having found some contenders, we then test then before concluding which one is best. We have collated 5 products that are worth spending your money on.

1. ECCO Biom Hybrid 2 Hydromax Golf Shoe

To minimise the cleaning up that you may have to do, they have treated with an anti-stain formula. This formula is paired with the HYDROMAX that is usually used on Ecco shoes.

These are the shoes that were designed the golfers’ needs at their core. Ecco based their design on the results of the test done on a sample size of 2500 athletes. They then made a shoe that would offer the best support to their specific needs.

For smooth movement on the golf course, you have the TPU soles to depend on. Their traction was made to deliver durability and amazing grip regardless of the position that you may find your foot in. They made the shoe with 3 zones.

The first zone is specifically for stability. The second one was made with durability at its core. The third took into account the rotation that a golfer needs to have when taking a shot.

The outer part of the sole is the one that works great for delivering support through your follow-through. This is where most golfers end up in an unnatural position.

The design that is used for their grip is known as the Spyder-Grip. It is optimised to have various points on the sole pointing in all sorts of directions. Beyond the grip, this always means that less debris gets caught up in the groves.

The soles are also very flexible, which allows your feet to move with more freedom.

Perhaps our favourite part of the shoe is the closure system. It is an innovation that was born out of a combined effort between Ecco and BOA. They created a system that does not have the same pressure points that we associate with tied shoelaces.

It is a dial system that gives you more room for adjustment. They included their four dots to symbolise, quality, style, comfort and technology.

You can get these in black/brick, dark shadow yak leather, mahogany/oyster, white/black and in concrete royal.

2. Adidas Adipower s Boost 3 Onix/C Golf Shoe

They give you great arch support which is handy when you are making top swings.

The midsole is cushioned for enhanced comfort when you are walking. Toes are slightly rounded for more room. There is a moulded EVA tongue top that makes the shoes easy to fit in.

The inside of the shoes is lined with textile for more comfort. Climaproof stretching microfibre leather makes the shoes durable. They offer protection that is necessary on the golf course. The material that is used makes them very light on your feet.

Underneath the outsole is 6 spikes. These are paired with secondary lugs that improve the overall grip and stability.

You will be pleased to know that they run true to size. There is no need to buy a size larger or smaller. We tested them in the rain. They seemed to be waterproof.

The manufacturers advertise them as being water repellent. When you have great grip and smooth movement, it is much easier to get more results out of your swing. The cushioning is more responsive. Your energy flows appropriately through the shoe.

There is minimal energy loss.

These shoes are sold in Onix, core black and scarlet.

3. Adidas Adipower s Boost Golf Shoe

There is a dual-gusseted tongue which makes the shoes more comfortable. You can also pull the laces tighter to get the ideal fit. The grip of the soles is powered by the rubber that is used to make them.

It makes it versatile enough to be used on and off the golf course. There is a midsole foam boost that makes it comfortable. It also delivers energy return. The forefoot region is padded with a soft EVA for more comfort.

You will also find that the outsoles are made out of advanced pure-motion material.

They are helped with placement of adiwear material that gives you stable movement, enhanced grip and overall performance. The inclusion of the adipower sports boosts will give you that athletic feel that is not usually associated with golf shoes.

It also has a moulded cloud form sicklier that will give your feet even more cushioning. They tapped into their running technology that was developed under the Supernova line.

As with the other one on this list, this shoe does not have spikes.

There is a 2-year warranty covering waterproofing of the shoes. That tells you just how confident Adidas is about this product. You also have a 90-day guarantee to return the shoes if you do not think that they are comfortable enough.

They weigh 14 oz, which is just under 400 grams. These shoes are available in the following four variations: Night Flash/Running White/Dark Silver Metallic, Light Onix/Dark Silver Metallic/Bahia Blue, Clear Grey/Black/Bold Orange and Black/Iron Metallic/Dark Orange.

4. New Balance NBG518 Golf Shoe

If you are after a shoe that fits right into your game without much hassle, this is it. It is lightweight. The soles of the shoes are without spikes.

This means that you don’t make holes in the ground, but are connected with it. They are also very flexible. There is no resistance or restriction on your movement.

The upper part of the shoes is made out of a mixture between mesh and synthetic material. Having mesh means that you have a pair of shoes that are highly breathable.

New Balance repurposed their Revlite midsole. This is a sole that was made for long-distance runners to remain cushioned and comfortable throughout their race.

As you can probably imagine, this is overkill for the needs of golfers. What you end up with is an extremely comfortable shoe that has great grip and traction. All of this does not come at the expense of weight. They come in at just under 10 ounces.

There is a 10mm drop between your heels and toes. This gives you the best of both worlds.

You have the comfort that comes with cushioning, as well as being in contact with the ground on the fore-foot end.

5. Skechers Golf Men's Go Golf Fairway Golf Shoe

These include the Goga max insoles and the 5th generation performance cushions that are made to be responsive.

At the core of the design was the idea that golfers spend long periods on their feet. They sought to make a shoe that delivers comfort for all that time comfortable.

They boast of a synthetic sole and an upper that is made of textile. The shoes are also water-resistant, which would come in handy on a rainy day. Using synthetic material on the upper ensured that it is breathable.

There is a slight elevation between heel and toe. The built-in heel measure just over an inch. This gives it enough room for cushioning.

They have also included their agion insole protection that is made to stop odour. It is also known to draw moisture to itself. This gives you dry feet in the worst conditions.

The shoes weigh just under 11 ounces. They are available in black/white, charcoal/blue, grey/navy mesh, white/blue/red, charcoal/red mesh, grey/orange, black/white mesh, black mesh and grey/navy.

It goes without saying that the mesh versions of the shoes are more breathable.

The caveat is that they would also be much less water-resistant. You can also get the shoes in regular sizes as well as in wide variants.

Best Golf Shoes For Walking Buyer’s Guide

We have shared our top 5 picks with you as well as their reviews. This information should have already put you in a position where you can make an informed purchasing decision.

The other side of this information load is that you may find yourself with some questions that you would not have had before reading them. This is a great position to be in. Our buyer’s guide is written to help you get some of the information that you may need.

We have taken the time to research and provide answers to some of the most important questions to do with your golf shoes.

Are spikeless golf shoes good?

You will have noted that most of the shoes that we have on our list are spikeless. The simple answer is that we believe that golf shoes do not need to have spikes.

Most of the top players have historically worn the spiked variations. Most people would just blindly buy shoes based on what the top players are wearing. What you need to figure out is what your needs are.

Buying golf shoes should always come down to what you want the shoes to be able to do. You would also want to consider the conditions in which you will be playing.

Shoes with spikes will generally give you more traction. This means that if you are playing on a particularly hilly or muddy golf course, you would benefit from spikes.

We've noted that more and more spikeless shoes are being used. This has been a direct result in improvements that have been made to the design of the traction and grip of the shoes. Spikeless shoes will perform just as well as those with spikes on most courses.

If you are on a flat course, spikeless would be your preferred option. There is no reason to go with spikes when they are not necessary. The other upside of using spikeless shoes is that you have fewer to carry with you. You do not need to have a spare pair of shoes that do not have spikes.

The same shoes that you can use off the course would be the ones you take with you onto the course.

Are golf shoes waterproof?

Golf shoes come in all shapes and sizes. They do not necessarily come waterproof. This is a good thing. The condition in which you are playing would usually dictate the type of golf shoes that you require. Waterproof shoes tend to be less breathable. If you are playing in very hot conditions, minus the rain, waterproof shoes may become quite unbearable.

In such cases, you may find that having shoes that have a mesh upper is a better bet. If however, you need you shoes to be waterproof for the conditions under which you will be playing, the best thing that you can do is to search for shoes that are specifically made for this. It is also worth noting that most people get boggled by the difference between waterproof and water-resistant.

Waterproof will mean that you will not expect water to enter the shoes, so your feet will stay dry. When they are sold as water-resistant, the most probable case is that they will stop water from entering for a while. They will not completely keep the water out.

Are golf shoes mandatory?

Most golf courses do not have mandatory shoe laws. You will not be forced to wear golf shoes. As a courtesy, you are expected to wear shoes that will not cause any damage to the course as you go through it. You can wear most sporting trainers as well as dress shoes that have a good amount of traction. The best way to pick these shoes is to consider them based on the course that you will be playing on. You may also want to check with tournament rules before heading to the course. They are the best guidelines for what can and cannot be done.

Will golf shoes help my game?

Some benefits that will be derived from wearing the right golf shoes. That being said, golf shoes alone will not turn your average skills into PGA level skills. What the shoes do give you is better traction on the course. They are also designed with golfing movement and manoeuvres in mind. You will be able to perform your swing without being hindered by your shoes.

Can golf shoes be used for walking?

The simple answer is a resounding yes. This is provided you go spikeless. You cannot use spiked golf shoes for walking on concrete surfaces. This will damage the spikes. Beyond that, you will also find that you get much less grip walking the spiked shoes on these surfaces. This is mainly because spiked shoes depend on being able to dig into the surface. You will not be able to get that out of a concrete surface. This is the reason you will find that sprinting spikes are different from those that are used for golfing.

How to waterproof golf shoes

You will generally find that if a shoe is not waterproof when you purchase it, it will not become waterproof when you have it. There are many options that can improve the waterproofing on your golf shoes. One of these methods is fluoropolymer based sprays. These work by blocking liquids from penetrating the pores of the fabric. I would even go as far as saying that it is worth using that spray-on shoes that are sold as waterproof as well as water-resistant.

How to wash golf shoes

Cleaning golf shoes can be a tricky task. The best way to approach it is by considering the shoes in two parts, the upper and the lower part. You will need to have a cleaning brush, a dish with warm water and some soap and a towel.

To clean the upper part, you would want to dip your brush into the warm water. Add some soap to it and scrub the shoe in the same way that you would do with trainers. Move the brush in a back and forth motion. The best way to get this done is by ensuring that you have scrubbed the entire upper of the shoes. Repeatedly clean off any debris from your brush in the water dish. This is the same methods that you would use for the soles if they are not spiked. Depending on the colour of your shoes, you should be able to see them progressively get cleaner as you scrub them.

For your spiked shoes, you may want to remove the spikes and clean them separately. If they are not too dirty or debris, you could get away with some scrubbing. I tend to use some sticks for probing at any debris if they have not come off.

Your shoelaces may also need some cleaning. You can either remove them before scrubbing the upper part of the shoes. Once you have removed them, you can soak them in water then rub them with soap. When they are soapy, you can hand wash them.

Can golf shoes be used for cricket?

Most golf shoes are used for walking on the course. They are not designed for running. This is where they differ massively from cricket shoes. When we compare golf spikes to those that are used in cricket, we will find that the golf ones are not as flexible on the soles. Looking at the ones that are without the spikes, the difference becomes a lot less stark. However, as someone who has experience in both sports, I can certainly say that it is not ideal to use your golf shoes for cricket.

Final Words

We have considered some of the best walking shoes for golfers. If you are to pick any one of the five that we recommended, you are guaranteed to end up with a great pair of shoes. They all have their virtues as well as some downsides, you would have noted from the reviews. Make sure that you allow yourself some time to read these reviews.

Our buyer’s guide has provided you with some further information that will go a long way in helping you make better buying decisions. These are the sort of answers that would make you reconsider the golf shoes in a different light. It is worth going back to the reviews of the products with this newly found information. If we were to condense all of this to just one tip it would be to make sure that you buy shoes based on the conditions you’ll be using them.

If the shoes will be used on a course that has hills and mud, you consider going with the spikes. On the flatter surfaces, you may want to go with the ones that do not have spikes. You will also find that the new versions of golfing shoes have increasingly seen a lot of progress made on traction. That makes it easier to tackle hilly courses with spikeless shoes.