Golfers are often regarded as people obsessed with facts. Drivers, clubs, courses, distances, balls, wind… All of them have to come together in a perfect fashion to create a perfect stroke.
However, there is a slight nuisance that even the most passionate golfers tend to overlook. You have to do all of these whiles on your feet. If you don’t own a comfortable pair of shoes, you may as well say goodbye to the perfect score. So, let’s see how to choose the best spikeless golf shoes on the market.
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The Winner Is…
Skechers Performance Men’s Go Golf Drive 2 comes as the definite winner on our list simply because of its adaptation abilities that allow players to find their own style and discover golf at their own pace
Things You Should Know Before Buying
Why spikeless you may ask. The answer is simple – convenience. Ever since their inception, golf shoes were closely associated with spikes. As a matter of fact, a hundred years ago, golf shoes were nothing more than pretty standard loafers lined with pins or nails.
And to be perfectly honest, although very rudimentary, these spikes were a decent way to provide lateral stability in wet conditions and on hilly courses.
However, the times have changed, and modern spikeless golf shoes feature a very contemporary design that allows golfers more “grounded” feeling. At the same time, rubber studs, dimples, and grips are more than capable of providing a great deal of balance and lateral stability.
All this amounts to a very versatile product that gives you a unique opportunity to go from hole to hole without the need to change shoes. Hands down the more convenient solution.
But if the presence of spikes isn’t one of the main guiding factors that will help you to find the ideal pair of golf shoes what those factors truly are?
Material
Most of the current golf shoes befall in some of these three groups:
• Leather/Synthetic leather – Ever since the beginning of golf, leather has always been one of the, if not the most popular, golf shoe materials. There is a good reason behind this. Leather is waterproof, breathable, and a great choice for all weather conditions. The synthetic leather offers the similar degree of quality but comes at a more affordable price.
• Gore-Tex – Compared to leather, Gore-Tex can be considered nothing but a newcomer (the material was invented in 1969), but, honestly, these two materials stand toe to toe. We can even go as far as to say that Gore-Tex is more heavy-duty. However, the material is also much warmer, so it should be avoided during hot summer months.
• Polyester/Synthetic materials/Breathable mesh – Light in build and cheap in price, these materials are more comfortable, but far less durable alternative to leather and Gore-Tax.
Fitting
In regards to fitting, golf shoes are no different from any other footwear – they need to fit your feet as much as possible. This time though, fitting is not only a matter of comfortability but stability as well.
That is why it is in your best interest to go to the nearest golf shop and try the shoes before you buy them or order them online. Keep in mind that this occasion will require assistance from a professional golfer and that you should wear your go-to golf socks.
Type
The first thing that crosses your mind when someone mentions golf shoes is a pair of regular shoes adapted for golfing occasions, right? Well, the matters are not quite that simple, and golf shoes can be divided into several distinct types:
• Traditional shoes – The most traditional type that offers a good amount of comfort, water resistance, and breathability. Featuring a wide variety of available colors and price tags, they represent the most versatile solution.
• Boots – Although a relatively new product on the market, golf boots made quite an impact on the golfing community. The main reasons – their sturdy build, and resistance to water. Alas, these qualities come at a price, so golf boots are often more expensive than traditional shoes.
• Sandals – An ideal option for hot temperatures and easy courses, golf sandals offer the greatest amount of comfortability, but they are nowhere near as versatile as the previous two mentions.
The Frequency of Play
The factor that will determine whether you are going to make a couple of compromises and go down the price ladder or, on the contrary, pay more for the better quality.
The golfers that are spending a lot of time on the course (and by that we mean at least every weekend) should, by all means, look for the models that will allow them the best amount of breathability, comfortability, and stability while offering the strongest support.
And now that we know a couple of things you should pay attention to let’s see what are the best rated spikeless golf shoes on the market and discover how these guidelines apply to them.
BEST Spikeless Golf Shoes – 2019 review
Adidas Men’s Adicross III Golf Shoe
As for the build quality – Adicross III feels truly great. The mesh/leather build is very durable and it looks like it can last for ages.
Adidas is a brand that requires a very little introduction. As soon as you see the three stripes lined up to each other, you now you are dealing with a quality product.
Such reputation can put quite a pressure on manufacturers to deliver on the brand promise or, on the other hand, cause them to become sloppy.
Men’s Adicross III Golf Shoe is a product that befalls right into the middle of these two ends of the spectrum.
However, that durability comes at a price. The shoes need some wearing to loosen up. Pack that with a somewhat narrow design and you ought to get blisters during the first couple of runs.
Design-wise, the shoe is great, and it definitely leans more towards the meaner, more aggressive sneakerish territory. However, it is still deeply rooted in what we came to know as classic golf attire.
The performance reflects the versatile visual quality. Regardless of the surface, the slide-less rubber soles will provide great stability and sufficient traction.
Puma is a brand that can stand toe to toe with Adidas in almost all regards. However, when it comes to looks, Puma’s Ignite Spikeless Golf Shoe couldn’t be further from the previous mention on the list. Unlike Adicross III Golf Shoe that boasts huge Adidas logo and packs a lot of eye-candy, Puma’s product obviously takes more minimalistic approach.
The smooth synthetic leather surface is devoid of too many details and stitching which makes up for a very modern look. If you opt for a one-color variety (black or brown), you’ll get a very traditional-looking and elegant pair of shoes.
The rubber sole is covered with 39 strategically placed hexagons that should play the role of the traditional spikes. We’re happy to report that they do their job more than well and provide solid traction and feel very grippy. They are far from offering the best performance on the market, but at this price point, that is not something to be expected.
The level of the comfortability offered by the shoes is a completely different story. The thick soles offer a very cushiony feeling, and the synthetic leather makes an extended stay on the course a very pleasant endeavor. The build material, though, has its set of flaws and can’t compete with the genuine leather.
The Good Stuff
• Minimalistic look does this pair of shoes a lot of favor.
• A wide variety of colors to choose from.
• The materials used for the build are very soft, lightweight and comfortable.
• The soles are reasonably grippy, even in wet conditions.
The Bad Stuff
• Synthetic leather is a reasonably durable material, but not quite as the real thing.
• A bit pricey for what it offers.
• Finding the right size is harder that it was supposed to be (we can count this as a fitting issue).
Although it has a very long history (the company was founded in 1906), New Balance never earned the same degree of fame as Adidas or Puma. However, the manufacturer built quite a rep by pushing a lot of innovative technologies like heel counters, blended gel inserts, etc.
NBG574B Spikeless Golf Shoe is a product that follows this famous tradition. Give it even a casual glance, and you will see that there was a lot of effort put into the design. But, are these convoluted curves and complex design producing a tangible performance difference?
For a start, it should be mentioned that, unlike the traditional golf shoes that are often very narrow, NBG574B Spikeless Golf Shoe features very generous measures best-suited for the people with wider feet.
If not for the excellent rubber grips on the even better rubber soles, you could easily mistake the shoes for a pair of basketball sneakers. A very wide base only adds to the overall stability.
However, it is hard to escape the feeling that the shoes are somewhat bulky and lack the elegance you’d expect from such a product. Breathable mesh does a great job of making the whole package more comfortable and lightweight but at the expense of the overall durability.
In general, New Balance tends to be accommodating towards wide feet, and this shoe level of comfort and room to move makes it a good option for wide golfers and Basketball player.
The Good Stuff
• Although they look very robust, the shoes are actually very comfortable and lightweight.
• There was a lot of care put into designing the soles.
• A wide base provides added stability.
• If you have wider feet, this is the product for you.
The Bad Stuff
• The overall design won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
• If you have more narrow feet, you may have a problem with the fitting.
• Breathable mesh is not amongst the most durable or the most water-resistant materials on the market.
Adizero Sport II Golf Shoe may come from the same renowned manufacturer as Adicross III, but don’t be fooled, the only things that connect these two products are branding, the similar price tag (as you can probably guess,
Adizero Sport II is more expensive product out of the two) and the absence of spikes on the soles. Judging by its DNA, Adizero is much more similar to New Balance’s overdesigned and sporty competitor.
The shoe also implements some interesting technologies and design elements. The first thing that comes to mind is the external sprint web TPU layer that provides added stability during the lateral movements. The sole grips feature two different shapes and are sorted into different patterns that provide the optimal traction.
When it comes to the looks, Adizero is nowhere near as bulky as NBG574B, and its lines are the best suited and closely fitted to more narrow feet. It does venture more boldly into the flashy territory, and its look will certainly raise some brows
The build materials are lightweight, waterproof and breathable, but the molded design somewhat compromises the overall comfortability.
The Good Stuff
• The shoe is extremely well-thought out, and the performance shows.
• Not too expensive for what it offers.
• Lightweight but very durable.
• The rubber sole is great and provides a lot of traction.
The Bad Stuff
• The shoe could be a bit more comfortable.
• The overall visual impression ought to put some of the buyers off.
• The fitting may prove to be too narrow for some of the feet.
Finally, we have yet another product coming out of the Adidas’s factory of excellent golfing shoes. The result of decades and decades of development, Adipower Boost take a little bit of everything from the manufacturer’s previous efforts (and some of the competitors on the list) and blends them together in a perfectly satisfying package.
The controversial design of Adizero Sport II is considerably played down and although deeply rooted in the aggressive sports realm, the visual language of Adipower Boost is minimalistic and doesn’t feature too many colors.
The soles, on the other hand, are definitely going a couple of steps further. The grip patterns are even better and more efficient. The Boost technology is not only a buzzword. It truly returns more energy and produces minor but noticeable trampoline effect.
The materials used for the build are once again very comfortable, waterproof and extremely durable. The high collar and the added padding throughout the shoe may prove to be too much for some of the buyers, though.
Also, the padding and the build of the shoe are certainly adding to the overall bulkiness. But those are only minor issues.
The Good Stuff
• Although it features an aggressive sports design, the shoe is still very minimalistic and surprisingly elegant.
• The Boost technology provides a lot of support during the movement.
• Top notch design.
• Extremely comfortable and durable product.
• Great value for the money.
The Bad Stuff
• Your feet may feel suffocated in all that padding.
• Adidas simply can’t find the middle ground between too narrow and too wide.
• A bit bulky.
