It is not as well known as you might think that golf shoes are a very important item for golfers, along with golf clubs and other items. So, let’s take a look at the importance of golf shoes and how to choose the right golf shoes.
- Are golf shoes really important?
- What is the difference between golf shoes and regular shoes?
- How to Choose Golf Shoes Wisely
- Try them on and see for yourself.
- Try on the shoes while wearing the socks you use when playing golf.
- Match your foot size accurately.
- Sole and upper selection is also important
- Different types of soles
- The difference in sole material
- Different types of uppers
- Spiked is recommended for beginners.
- Highly functional shoes have gone mainstream!
- Dial-Adjustable Shoes
- Untied shoelace type
- Having an apple watch Golf Score Counter will definitely help you… any time!
Are golf shoes really important?
It may seem surprising to hear that you need to choose your golf shoes as carefully as you choose your golf clubs in order to improve your golf skills. However, golf shoes have a lot to do with your golf swing and how tired you get when playing golf, so choosing the right golf shoes can be a shortcut to improving your golf skills. So, what is the difference between golf shoes and regular shoes?
What is the difference between golf shoes and regular shoes?
Golf is a sport that is played while walking on the grass. Therefore, ordinary shoes such as leather shoes or sneakers that you use in your daily life are not suitable for playing golf.
With ordinary shoes, it is difficult to even walk normally because they slip when walking on the grass, and it is impossible to make a golf swing with the correct posture.
The most notable part of a golf shoe is the sole, or sole of the shoe. The soles of golf shoes have spikes, which make it possible to walk and swing on grass without slipping, which is difficult to do with normal shoes.
How to Choose Golf Shoes Wisely
Golf shoes are a must-have item in the sport of golf, which is played on grass. If you want to improve your golf game and improve your score, you need shoes that fit you as well as possible. In particular, the more novice you are in golf, the more careful you should be in choosing your golf shoes. So, let’s take a look at how to choose the right and smart golf shoes.
Try them on and see for yourself.
These days, you can get a variety of things via the Internet through mail order, and golf shoes can also be purchased online. If possible, I recommend that you visit a sports store, preferably one that specializes in golf equipment, and actually try on the shoes before purchasing them.
Shoes vary slightly in size from manufacturer to manufacturer, and until you actually try them on, you will not know if they will fit your feet properly. Therefore, at least as a beginner, it is a good idea to seek advice from experts at the store to find a golf shoe that really fits you.
There are several points to consider when trying on golf shoes, as described below.
Try on the shoes while wearing the socks you use when playing golf.
Some people’s left and right feet are different in size, so always try on both feet.
Some people’s feet are different sizes on both sides, so be sure to try on shoes with both feet.
Feet swell not only in women’s shoes but also in men’s shoes, so you need to take swollen feet into consideration when choosing shoes.
Match your foot size accurately.
In many cases, you may buy shoes based on the size indicated by the manufacturer in advance. However, in this case, the size is the length of the foot from heel to toe. When we talk about foot size, we need to consider three factors: foot length, foot width, and instep height.
Some manufacturers offer golf shoes with a fixed foot length and a variety of foot widths to choose from, so it is recommended that you try them on.
A good rule of thumb for the fit of a golf shoe when you try it on is that there should be a little space at the toe where your little toe and thumb slightly touch the shoe, and it should never be too tight.
Sole and upper selection is also important
Here is an explanation of how to choose shoes according to the different characteristics of the sole and upper (the part that wraps around the foot).
Different types of soles
The most important point of golf shoes is the structure of the sole, but there are various types of soles. The most common type is the one with spikes, but there are two types of spikes: metal and plastic. Currently, resin spikes, or “soft spikes,” are the mainstream. This is because metal spikes tend to damage the grass and make the course rough, so they are rarely used nowadays.
Soft spikes tend to deteriorate and lose their grip on the ground. However, since only the spikes can be replaced, it is economical to replace them when they deteriorate and restore the grip.
Golf shoes with spikes are effective for people who swing mainly with their lower body to hit shots or walk on slippery courses such as on rainy days because they have a high grip.
However, the high grip has the disadvantage that it is easy to get your feet caught in the turf and become fatigued.
There are also “spikeless” soles that do not have spikes. This type of sole has grooves on the sole like a car tire, and the grip on the ground varies depending on the pattern of the grooves and the material of the sole.
This type of sole has less grip on the ground, so it is more suitable for people who can make strong swing shots and for golfers who walk a lot. This type of sole is very popular because it is just as comfortable as regular shoes and does not cause fatigue.
The difference in sole material
The difference in the hardness of the sole material greatly affects the load on the feet and the golf swing. In the case of a sole made of hard material, even if you step on a foreign object such as a twig or a pebble that has fallen on the course, the impact will not be transmitted to your feet and the burden on your feet will be reduced. Therefore, it can be said that the material is easy to walk on with less foot fatigue.
In addition, golf shoes with hard soles are suitable for courses that have a lot of ups and downs, while golfers may find it difficult to walk on courses that are well-groomed. They have the characteristic of having a stable foot base so that when you swing, the repulsive force is easily transmitted to the club, allowing you to hit strong shots.
On the other hand, with a sole made of softer material, the impact of stepping on a foreign object on the course is easily transmitted to the foot, contrary to the case with hard material, so the sole is easily fatigued and is suitable for a well-groomed course. However, since the toes can move freely to some extent, it is easy to step on them when swinging.
As you can see, there are various types of soles, each with different gripping power on the ground, so it is best to try out different types and choose the one that suits you best.
Different types of uppers
The upper, or the part of the golf shoe that surrounds the foot, can be either a sneaker or a leather shoe. In the case of sneakers, they are lightweight, breathable, and comfortable to wear, making them less likely to cause fatigue. For this reason, they are very popular, but they are not as durable, waterproof, or comfortable to wear.
On the other hand, the leather shoe type is popular because it fits well to the foot as it is worn in, and it is highly fashionable. This type is also highly durable, waterproof, and dustproof, so they are highly stable in situations where you need to get the ball out of the bunker or play in the rain. However, because they are not lightweight, they have the disadvantage of gradually becoming fatigued when playing for long periods of time.
Other types of shoes have also been developed, such as leather shoes made with man-made leather to reduce weight, and sneakers that are waterproofed to improve water resistance. We recommend that you choose the type you like based on comfort and fashion. In the case of uppers, you should take functionality into consideration and ultimately choose according to your own preferences.
Spiked is recommended for beginners.
Spikeless golf shoes are the most popular type of golf shoes because you can wear them outside the golf course and walk directly into the golf course. However, as a beginner, I recommend golf shoes with spikes that can grip the turf and stabilize your footing in order to stabilize your golf form and enable you to hit strong and accurate shots with the right swing.
Highly functional shoes have gone mainstream!
In recent years, golf shoes have evolved in a variety of ways, and those with functions that are effective for improving your golf game have begun to appear on the market one after another. Here are some of the shoes that include such useful features.
Dial-Adjustable Shoes
One of the main concerns when wearing golf shoes is that your feet may shift and move around in the shoes. As I mentioned in the shoe selection section, we choose our shoes according to the time of day when our feet are most likely to swell, so outside of this time, our feet are in a state of easy movement in the shoes.
In this state, the shoes do not fit your feet properly, so your feet cannot step firmly when swinging, and you will also have difficulty walking when moving, causing fatigue.
A feature that allows you to adjust the hold of the upper on your foot while wearing the shoe is desired. Dial adjustable shoes are golf shoes that meet just such a need. By turning a dial attached to the shoe, you can adjust the hold of the upper with a single touch and get the best fit for your feet.
Many manufacturers use dials manufactured by BOA, which are also introduced in our recommended shoes.
Untied shoelace type
Unlike regular laces, “untied shoelace type” golf shoes have ingenious laces that allow the upper to be held to the foot without tying. Specifically, the nylon shoelaces have rubber bumps in some places, and when you pull the laces, the bumps become smaller, and when you put them back on, the bumps also return to normal.
Using this feature, the laces are threaded through the hole in the upper with the laces extended, and then the laces are put back on and the rubber mass acts as a stopper to prevent the laces from loosening.
With this type of shoe, you can easily maintain the hold by simply pulling on the laces while wearing the shoe to get the required foot fit. This type of shoe is commercially available under the product name “Caterpie Golf”.
Having an apple watch Golf Score Counter will definitely help you… any time!
So we understood how to pick the right shoe when playing golf. How about using an iOS apple watch golf score counter to let you focus on your golf playing? You can download the app from the link below:
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