Even when they ride, golfers do a lot of walking on the course. And while strolling around town in running shoes can be comfortable, by swinging a golf club you create significant torque in your feet and ankles. And golf courses, being outside, put you out in the elements, so a shoe’s ability to handle hills, water, sand and dirt is also essential.
For all these reasons, golf shoes are among the most complicated pieces of footwear made. Here are some tips to help find the perfect pair.
Fit is critical
Under normal circumstances, the best way to find a good-fitting pair of golf shoes would be to go to your local pro shop or golf specialty store and try on a few pairs. However, we’re not living in normal times right now, and many stores and golf courses are closed. Shoe companies are selling products online, but trying on shoes before you buy them may not be possible.
It may seem obvious, but to find good-fitting shoes, start with what you know and what has fit well for you in the past.
“Over the last three years, we have not changed our sizing at all,” said Masun Denison, Adidas’ global footwear director. “If you have worn an Adidas shoe in the last three years, there is an excellent chance that the size you were comfortable with then is the size you would be today in any model we offer.”
However, things are not always as simple as buying the same size, because the most crucial factor in how a shoe fits is the last. The last is the mold or form that the shoe is designed around, and it determines things such as how wide or narrow the shoe will be, how much room is in the toe, the curvature and the shoe’s height. Companies often use a different last for different types of shoes, so if you are changing styles or opting to buy a shoe from a different brand, the last in the new shoes likely will be different, and that could make them fit differently.
For example, Adidas’s Tour 360 XT will feel different on your feet than the new Adidas Codechaos Boa because different materials are used in their construction. The shoes also have different lacing systems, and one is a spiked shoe while the other is spikeless. You would likely need the same size in both shoes, but they would feel different on your feet.
“If you look at the shoe from the toe-down view, as if it was on your foot, you can see that some are more rounded and some are pointy,” said Andrew Lawson, Puma Golf’s product line manager for footwear. “You can then look at your foot’s shape and tell if you have a wider foot or a narrow foot. Comfort is king, so if a shoe doesn’t fit your foot’s shape, it’s never going to be comfortable.”
Richard Fryer, FootJoy’s director of product management, said it’s worth noting that if you have a favorite pair of shoes, updated versions and new editions of that shoe will almost always fit the same way.
“As you look through our different categories, if you look at DryJoy Tour, Tour X, Pro S/L, the FJ Fury, they’re all based on the Laser Plus last,” Fryer said. “So if you were a 9 last year, you’ll be a 9 this year and be very happy.”
If you chose to buy a pair of golf shoes online, check the return policy before completing your purchase. It might be smart to buy two pairs, try them both on at home and keep the best-fitting pair if you are offered free returns.