Waterproof vs. water-resistant
If you are only going to have one pair of golf shoes, they need to be waterproof. Even if you live in a dry climate, walking over dew-soaked fairways or in mud can make your feet wet. And once your feet get wet, they’re going to stay wet until you change your shoes and socks.
To make a shoe waterproof, brands typically add a membrane that can keep water out. Some companies also add seam-sealing waterproof tape to areas for extra water-fighting protection. To ensure a shoe is waterproof, brands commonly submerge prototypes in water over the seam where the sole meets the upper. It the inside stays dry after being submerged in water for a few hours, it will keep your feet dry on the course. In fact, barring a puncture or tear, today’s waterproof shoes are so good at keeping your feet try that many brands offer one- or two-year waterproof warranties.
If you have the desire and the means to get a second pair of shoes, make them water-resistant instead of waterproof. Typically, water-resistant shoes can keep your feet dry under many conditions, and they tend to be more breathable.
“Typically, water-resistant shoes are treated with a water-repellant for all the materials, so they don’t absorb water,” Lawson said. “Some do have linings in them, and some don’t. It’s all a matter of construction.”
Fryer agrees that once a player has a good pair of waterproof golf shoes, getting a second shoe opens up a lot of possibilities.
“It used to be that once a player got something like a waterproof pair of white shoes with a brown saddle, his second pair would be white with a black saddle,” Fryer joked. “If consumers tell us they also want x, y and z in a golf shoe, we’ve got to listen. Sometimes we would not have thought about those things from a performance standpoint, but we need to answer that in a golf-specific way.”
Fryer notes that consumers are no longer tied to only one style of shoes. Plenty of elite golfers love to mix sneaker-style spikeless shoes with high-performance, traditional-looking spiked shoes. Some like modern styles and also want at least one pair of saddle shoes.
The best compliment you can give about a new pair of golf shoes is that you forget about them when you play. That happens when the fit is right, you get all the traction you want and your feet stay dry and comfortable. By thinking about your shoes as equipment, you can make a smart choice when it comes to footwear.