I don’t know about you, but I really care about my feet! Especially when I play golf. If my feet are feeling unhappy, my golf game goes south really fast. Years ago I was one of those women who wanted to look smart, and elegant and about three inches taller than my 5’4″ frame allowed. A pair of fancy Stilettos! were the answer—the taller the better. Of course, wearing these horrible shoes did nothing for my feet. Crushed toes, pinched nerves. Yikes! A podiatrist’s nightmare!
Thankfully, the pain got to me early and I got off the stilts and into “sensible” shoes so that, today, my feet are just fine. A little wider, but no hammer toes, or bunions or strange bumps. I know I’m one of the lucky ones. Some of the women golfers I play with have feet that show the results of years of abuse, wearing poorly designed shoes.
When it comes to buying the right golf shoes for feet that have been too long in tight little leather pumps, it makes a big difference which shoes you buy. Under no circumstances should you buy cheap golf shoes. Big mistake!!! A bargain is no bargain if your feet get hurt. You can recycle your shirt, wear a comfortable old jacket on the course, but if you don’t have good golf shoes, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
Your feet are the foundation on which you stand. Your balance, your ability to turn properly, all depend on this foundation staying strong and firm beneath you. If your shoes are too tight, or too loose, if they pinch or cut, your game is in trouble even before the first tee.
I’m pretty lucky. I can go to the pro shop or golf shop and pretty much pick out a pair of shoes that fit well. Both my right and left feet are the same size, —maybe the right is a little wider, but not so much as to make a big difference. In any case, I’m lucky.
But if you have problem feet, the best thing to do is find a great shoe store where an attendant will actually measure your feet. Even if they don’t sell golf shoes, knowing this sizing information can be very valuable, especially if you are buying golf shoes online.
So which brands are best? Does style trump comfort? Or can you find a good golf shoe with both? I’ve done a couple of posts on the subject, highlighting a couple of brands. (Note: you can find both these brands online at Lori’s Golf Shoppe.)
- Tip Tee Toe: read the review
- Sandbaggers: We interviewed one of the designers to get her take. Listen to the podcast – it’s short!
Other brands you can investigate:
- True Linkswear
- Callaway
- Footjoy
- Royal Albartross (if $$ is no object!)
I encourage you to go online or to your local store and check out these brands, or use the comment space below, and tell us which brand golf shoe do you recommend? Especially if you’ve got unhappy feet. which golf shoe is best to wear in your next round?
Most counties have a Senior Center where you can get info on the games. There are 5 counties in my local Down East Senior Games in NC. If there is not a games in your county, you can participate in another county. It’s a healthy way to get to know other seniors and to have fun too. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals are awarded for first, second, and third places, just like in the Olympic Games! The DESG has a fun walk where all participates get a gold medal.
I highly recommend it to all seniors. The deadline for entering for this year is April 1, 2013 for my county. So if it sounds interesting, be sure to call yo
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The Senior Games is for anyone 55 and older. It’s like a mini Olympics with a huge variety of events. Athletic ones like golf, tennis, bowling, billiards, track and field, team events and individual. Also art and talent categories. Seniors must participate in a local games to qualify for the state. Then must qualify at the state level for the nationals.
Hi Pat,
Very nice of you to reply to my comment! I love reading your columns. Lots of great info for me and for me to share with my golfing friends.
Been meaning to add something else about golf shoes. It’s very important for us ladies to check the condition of our cleats. The removable ones do wear out and must be replaced to give a good solid grip. It’s nice to pay attention to the upkeep of the uppers, but a pretty shoe on top won’t help our golf game like new cleats! I always replace mine before an important tournament especially the NC State Senior Games. Good cleats are so important to prevent my feet from slipping during my swing!
A new thought. Have you ever had a column about the Senior Games? It’s like a mini Olymp
Barbara…. your comment about the importance of good, clean cleats is well worth the read. One of the reasons some people don’t replace their removable cleats is that sometimes the grass and the dirt that clogs them up makes it almost impossible to get them out of their little sockets. I’ve given up trying and have instead relied on the young guys in the pro shop to do the dirty deed.
The cleats they sell in the shop might not be the least expensive, but the guys have the right tools and the strength to get the cleats out. I buy a replacement set from the shop, leave my shoes with them and pick them up before my next round. They get the business and I get new cleats. Works everytime, and well worth the price.
I have purchased many various brands of golf shoes over my 40+ years of playing golf including Foot Joy, Callaway and one pair of Nikes. Prior to buying an Asics pair last year, my favorites were by Foot Joy. As soon as I put on the Asisc, I thought these were the very BEST golf shoes I had ever owned!!! They gave me great support and stability. And they were extremely comfortable from day one. I ordered a second pair. Now I alternate between the two pair. I haven’t worn my FJ since. I will never buy any other brand. The Asisc are waterproof and
Barbara – great recommendation. I play golf with a woman who has a condition called Plantar Fascia and her feet give her a lot of problems… Her doctor recommended this brand of shoe —and the Asisc are the only shoes she wears now. They are available on line at lots of vendor sites including golfsmith — even amazon… but you can see their whole line at: http://www.asicsamerica.com/Footwear/golf-shoes/ Thanks for the tip!