If you just want to go out on the course for a quick nine on a Sunday, just you and your friend, no pressure on, then you may not need golf shoes.
But you’re not here because you’re the most casual player in the world. You want to win.
We talk a lot about grip here on this site, though we’re usually talking about it in the context of golf clubs and gloves.
Well, your shoes matter just as well.
You want to have a competitive advantage over everyone who crosses paths with you, and who could blame you?
It’s time to outfit yourself with the best golf shoes available, get a literal grip on the game, and improve everything that there is about your stance.
Stand tall, swing well, and you’ll be on your way.
Best Golf Shoes Reviews & Recommendations For 2019
Adidas Men’s Tech Response Golf Shoes
Adidas has a long history of being a fantastic shoe for all men to turn to, regardless of the sport in question. Well, they got into golf, and made all of our lives a little bit easier.
As the best mens golf shoes (for a variety of reasons), Adidas made these with a light blend of microfiber and mesh.
They clean easy, but most importantly, they feel like feathers on your feet compared to most golf shoes.
Fitted with six-point cleats, you’ll be able to confidently walk on the green without leaving craters everywhere you walk.
Nobody likes it when you tear up the ground after teeing off, and these help with that.
Support is a main component of golf shoes, especially if you’re using a stand bag and walking from hole to hole.
Every bit of support helps, which is why Adidas uses EVA midsole foam to cushion your arches throughout every step.
Bring it all together, and you get a stylish golf sneaker that’s available in four different designs, with a wide variety of sizes available as well.
Cleats add to your stance, which in turn makes your driver swing all the more powerful and impressive.
Step into something a little more comfortable, and a little more supportive with Adidas.
Technical specifications
- Available Sizes: 7 - 15 (wide available)
- Material: Microfiber, mesh
- Sole Material: EVA foam
- Colors Available: 4
- Cleats: Yes
PUMA Men’s Grip Fusion Golf Shoe
You can’t come across golf shoes reviews without mentioning the legendary PUMA Grip Fushion shoes.
PUMA is known for its blend of street style and sports, making a duly smart and functional look in both of these departments.
While they didn’t drop from their usual price point, the benefits that these shoes offer far outweigh it.
Designed with standard shallow cleats, you walk on top of the grass, not through it.
This leaves less wear and tear on the turf in your wake, but also helps you with your stance by just the right amount.
Part of the reason for that is the insole. Crafted from EVA foam and a blend of durable rubber, you’ll be able to feel a bit of bounce in your step no matter what you’re walking on.
I was a little disappointed to learn that PUMA didn’t make these in a wide size, when it’s usually common practice among golf shoes and sports shoes in general.
One factor that cannot be ignored is the ankle cushioning system.
The collar is contoured to your ankle shape, giving you full mobility of your ankle bone, but still being able to cushion your feet throughout use.
Technical specifications
- Available Sizes: 7 - 14 (no wide available)
- Material: Man made synthetic material
- Sole Material: EVA foam, rubber
- Colors Available: 4
- Cleats: Yes
Adidas Tech Response Shoes
We already know that Adidas made one of the most functional pairs of golf shoes, but they also managed to pull off the most comfortable golf shoes as well.
Part of the Tech Response lineup, this blend is a little different.
You get a mixture of microfiber and leather, and there’s a bit of mesh thrown in there to keep things cool while you’re working up a sweat.
One of the most difficult aspects of making any athletic shoe is making it breathable.
The leather is a bit less breathable than the 75% microfiber concentration of their other Tech Response shoe, but it still works well to keep you as cool as possible.
When it comes to the midsole, they swapped out EVA (and the high price) for a man made, synthetic insole to cut down on costs.
It’s no EVA, but it works well and keeps you comfortable while being fully supported. Take advantage of four separate styles, and the wide variety of sizes available as well.
Adidas offers a 91-day comfort guarantee, giving you an awkwardly specific amount of time to try it, or return it and get your money back.
It’s doubtful that you’ll end up returning these, but it’s nice to know that if you do, you’re completely covered.
Technical specifications
- Available Sizes: 7 - 15 (wide available)
- Material: Microfiber, leather, mesh
- Sole Material: Synthetic insole
- Colors Available: 4
- Cleats: Yes
Adidas Women’s Climacool II Golf Shoes
The best rated golf shoes for women also come out of Adidas, because let’s face it, they were committed to becoming a golfer’s dream brand and they did it.
These shoes come in seven different colors, each of which features a different style that includes the front cleat color.
The cleats are low-profile, so no tearing up turf that doesn’t belong to you while you’re wearing these.
With a rubber insole and Climacool ventilation system, comfort and support go hand-in-hand.
The ventilation on the outside of the shoe means that every time you take a step, you will force air up through this vent, cooling your feet down throughout the day.
The dual pull-on loop action is great, I just recommend that you have some higher-than-ankle socks available.
If you look at the sharpness of that collar, your assumptions are correct—they are uncomfortable unless you’ve got good socks.
For the primary material, Adidas used textile because it’s wildly inexpensive and simple to manufacture.
That doesn’t bring the quality down, but it does save you a few bucks on the cost.
On average, you’re saving about 12-15% compared to leading brands of women’s golf shoes in the medium to high-quality range.
Technical specifications
- Available Sizes: 5 - 11 (no wide available)
- Material: Textile
- Sole Material: Rubber
- Colors Available: 7
- Cleats: Yes
Skechers Women’s Go Golf Birdie Golf Shoe
We kind of thought that Skechers died when the 90s ended, and yet, they make some of the best women’s golf shoes on the market.
Still featuring that classic cool S logo on the side, these women’s golf shoes are designed to alleviate foot pain while walking the full eighteen holes.
Even if you’re using a cart, it’s still wise to have a bit of extra protection for your feet. Skechers stepped up their design game on this one.
With over a dozen styles to choose from and plenty of sizes available, each golf shoe features cleats that match with the style of the rest of the shoe.
These cleats aren’t bulky or extra spiky, they’re actually kind of soft, all things considered.
They allow you to dig your heels into the ground without leaving an aftermath of disheveled earth behind when you’re done.
When it comes to support, the moga max insole is like walking on a gel pillow for your feet.
It takes the place of most gel inserts, like Dr. Scholl’s, so you can just slip these on and walk tall right from the get go.
Technical specifications
- Available Sizes: 5.5 - 10.5 (wide available)
- Material: Mesh, synthetic
- Sole Material: Synthetic
- Colors Available: 14
- Cleats: Yes
Golf Shoe Buying Guide and FAQ
What to Look for in Golf Shoes
Insole/Midsole Support
If they’re not supportive, then there’s no point in wearing them.
We talk a lot about cleats in this guide and helping with stance, but if you don’t have proper insole and midsole support, you’re going to feel every step beneath your feet.
If you have flat feet, that support is even more important.
Support isn’t just about feeling less fatigue though, it’s there to help prevent injuries. You’re going to be walking around for a while, on different inclines, with different pressures.
All of those variables increase the likelihood of getting injured, unless your shoes can help compensate for it.
Cleat Depth
Cleats come in different spike lengths, so you need to think about how deep it’s going to go into the ground/how long each cleat is.
If you were getting baseball cleats, they have a longer length to each because you’re standing on dirt.
Golf cleats have a bit of help with traction from the grass and ground. Your cleats don’t have to be super long, but at least ½” at the bare minimum.
Breathability (Material)
This is where we like to see microfiber, mesh, and other breathable materials.
If you look up to one of our top women’s picks, they have a ventilation hole right in the side. You want to keep things lightweight and breathable so sweat doesn’t build up.
It doesn’t take long for foot fungus and odors to develop in your shoes.
That’s why it’s recommended to bring a spare pair of socks in your golf bag (along with some other essentials).
That can eat away at the insole of your shoes, and since you’re spending hours on end in these, it’s important to have ventilation.
Some materials are also more breathable, lightweight, and easier to clean than others.
What is the Point of Golf Shoes?
Golf shoes are designed to help you with your golf game through two main means: making walking easier, and giving you a better stance when you swing.
Those two points cannot be stressed enough.
Whether you get the best golf shoes for walking or those specifically designed for keeping your feet steady when you swing, they do have a purpose.
Just think of this: it’s a light drizzle out, not enough to get you to pack up and go home, but it’s drizzling, you’re going to slip and slide everywhere in a pair of trainers.
Or you show up early on a Sunday, because it’s the only time of the week you really get to golf, and the morning dew is slick on the turf. In both of those instances, cleats are like a Godsend.
Do Golf Shoes Make a Difference?
Golf shoes come with more supportive features that are better suited to golfers who want from hole to hole.
Even if you’re carting around, for the sake of cleats, you’re going to be better off when it comes time to swing.
I’d argue that if you don’t have the best new golf shoes (no cleats, no support) then you’re just wearing different colored sneakers.
Golf shoes definitely make a difference. They help by reducing fatigue and aiding you in making your shots.
One of the most important things that you need to learn is getting your form right, and golf shoes help with that.
Golf shoes take a while to get used to, but as long as you keep a dedicated pair, it’ll help you flip the switch into the golfing mindset when you go to leave the house.
If you’re just wearing your normal sneakers, it’s not going to feel the same.
Are Spikeless Golf Shoes Better?
Awesome golf shoes don’t have to have spikes/cleats, but there’s not much of a point in getting golf shoes that don’t have them.
If you’re only going to the driving range and not really hitting the green, you could get spikeless golf shoes since you’ll be standing on felt or astroturf, but chances are that you’re not only driving balls.
You need cleats if you’re going to set foot on the green, even for a short amount of time. For one, it’s actually more gently on the turf.
Your cleats technically help to aerate the soil without being harsh enough to damage grass roots, so you’re not leaving behind any marks from where you teed off from (so long as you’re using a divot tool to mark up the tee hole).
Golf courses aren’t perfectly flat—they’re hilly, they’re going to be different incline angles no matter where you walk.
Cleats help your posture and stance while you walk between them. In turn, that helps prevent fatigue from long walks on the course.
But the real reason that cleats are important is stance.
You know how important your swing is, and how you stand during that swing is going to be a critical factor in hitting the ball from a steady, rigid angle.
When you have to keep your back and arms straight, the last thing you should worry about is slipping on the grass from the force of your swing.
If you’ve got a powerful driver shot, cleats keep you in place so you aren’t stumbling through the end of your swing.
Are Golf Shoes Waterproof?
No, golf shoes are not waterproof. Think about the material of the laces, the absorbency of the collar around the ankle, and even the lines between the midsole and the sneaker itself.
There’s a lot of places for water to get in, because golf shoes generally don’t encounter much water.
However, if you want to treat your shoes so they can be waterproof against rain and most mud/muck on the ground, there’s a way to do that.
Purchase a simple waterproofing spray that’s designed for footwear. Be careful to avoid those that are strictly for leather.
Leather is natural, by textile is a synthetic material; they generally require different sprays. Hose down your shoes in a well-ventilated environment with your waterproofing spray.
Make sure there’s ventilation to let excess fumes out, and wear a mask so you don’t inhale them at any point.
Waterproofing spray should dry for at least twenty-four hours before use, regardless of what the packaging says.
This is for two reasons: to make sure the fumes are completely gone, and to ensure that the waterproofing actually bonded to your shoes. It takes some time to set and dry.
After a full day, you should be ready to walk through anything, and come out smelling like roses.
How to Clean Your Golf Shoes?
It depends on the main material.
Instead of giving you an ambiguous one-size-fits-all solution, let’s look at the differences between many of the materials you’ll see in golf shoes, with brief guides on how to clean each one.
Mesh
Mesh is actually best cleaned when dry, unless something is visibly stuck to it/between the holes of the netting.
Since mesh allows a lot of air in, you’ll be able to tell if your shoes aren’t breathing properly.
Bring a vacuum to the inside, then the outside, and with a barely damp sponge, gently dab the exterior mesh of your shoes and let dry for 6-8 hours.
Leather
Leather is a tricky one, because it’s a natural material that comes with its own set of picadillos. If you have strong, sturdy leather and you take care of it, you’ll have it for the rest of your life.
Leather needs to be cleaned with a soft nylon bristle brush, gentle cotton cloths, and then sealed with a proper leather seal to help protect it against sun damage, water damage, and general wear-and-tear. Sealant should be applied every six to twelve months.
Nylon
Nylon, much like polyester, is a tricky one to gauge. Depending on the denier rating (the D next to whatever number the rating is, like 400D), you may have a harder time cleaning it.
Nylon is generally a fairly slick material once it’s been used in constructing shoes and other items, so to clean it, use any disinfectant spray from around your house that isn’t super harsh.
Dry it, and leave it out to dry. Make sure you dry all the creases and stitching patterns so you don’t end up with pockets of mold.
Canvas
High denier ratings are what you want; it adds a bit of water resistance (usually), and is just generally tougher.
Your shoes will last longer. When it comes time to cleaning it, you’ll need to vacuum it to get any loose debris off the top.
You’ll also need a soft nylon bristle brush to scrub through all the pores of the material. For stains, use a sponge to gently pat onto the affected area after pre-treating it.
Stand Steady and Hit Your Shot
Having proper form, regardless of what you’re doing, is vastly important.
When it comes to golf, it can make or break your swing, and be the cause of injury if you’re not standing properly.
Golf shoes are here to offer support, but to also help you align those long shots just a little bit easier.
Take full advantage of them, especially on a full eighteen holes of golf, and you’ll be a better golfer for it.
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