Looking for new golf shoes? – The “small” golf shoe brands in the test

When I was looking for new golf shoes, I had a hard time finding the right ones. The models of the big brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, FootJoy and so on didn't really grab me and it seems like there are only three types of golf shoes:

1. unstylish, boring and uninspired shoes for the masses,

2. super technical shoes that want to look like they're from other galaxies (and often come close to what hipsters call "dad shoes"), shoes that are easier to get to Berghain than to the clubhouse.

3. Traditional golf shoes that have been around almost unchanged for more than 50 years, some even in the "Kiltie" style.

It's totally fine that there are all these, but it's just not for me. So I was looking for outsiders again. And yes, there's more than you might think, there are also a number of “small” brands in the shoe sector. They are called Tomo Shoes, Goatlane, True Linkswear, Cuater, Jack Grace, Canoos, Back9, Payntr, Straight Down, Admiral, Beams and Daily Grass come from the Far East. And then there are golf kicks. Never heard of all of them? But now. Of course, I wasn't able to test all of them, but I took a few models from these promising brands to different courses, wrested a judgment from feet and eyes and can say: the next time new golf shoes are due, it really isn't necessary to make the big global brands even bigger , they already have enough money. Check out the smaller brands, give back to the scene, support brands by golfers for golfers. You are all worth it!

(In case you're wondering about the "putting POV" in my reviews - it actually means that looking directly at my shoes while putting [believe me or not] affects my putting ability. A particularly pretty shoe doesn't necessarily let me better putting, not so pretty but definitely worse... To some of you this may sound like a really weird disease, but I could also imagine that I'm not the only visually sensitive person on this planet who "suffers".)

True Linkswear - True Knit II

First impression and material:

A nice, clean, lightweight sock fit sneaker for the summer with a traction sole (i.e. spikeless) in a modern look without wanting to be futuristic, more like a clean running shoe. As the name "True Knit" suggests, it is made of woven material (90% polyester, 10% elastane), which makes it very flexible and cuddly. When the package (shoe bag included) reached me at the office, I put them on straight away - and promptly forgot for the rest of the day that I was wearing golf shoes. They are so comfortable, light, flexible and still provide the right support that I even toy with taking them hiking on my summer vacation to the Greek islands. I mean that completely seriously!

On that place:

Nice: Arrived in the parking lot, you no longer have to squeeze into the car seat or lumbago into the open trunk to put on your shoes, but simply slip them on - even without undoing the laces, since these are so-called sock fit sneakers. After a short bend, this is done in ten seconds. Even better: you don't even have to change your shoes, as they (like many spikeless shoes) are perfectly suitable for driving. As mentioned above, they are super comfortable, almost a revelation, flexible, extremely light (under 300g) with a soft outsole and decent grip. I did test them on (sprinkler) wet grass (have grip there too), but not in a rainy situation, but that probably wouldn't be the conditions you would use the shoes in anyway - the True Knit II is a summer shoe for the dry and warm rounds of golf from April to October. The material is water-repellent, but due to the tiny holes in the woven material, they might not be the best choice for rainy days.

What I really liked is the flexibility of the one-piece shell, which makes them incredibly comfortable no matter what shape your feet are. It probably doesn't even matter if you bought them a tad too small. You basically don't feel anything, nothing presses, scratches or otherwise influences the feel-good factor. I wore them to an 18-hole round at Sandy Lyle in Wilkendorf, relatively hilly compared to other Berlin-Brandenburg courses, and after the round I didn't have the slightest desire to take them off, as one usually does after a round. While I'm generally cautious with new shoes, typically wearing them to 9 holes first or carrying a used pair in my bag to change into, I would no doubt wear them straight to 18 holes or even more. However, I can imagine that the flexibility might be too much for some when you really need a firm footing. They twist and flex, are totally supple and do exactly what your feet intend to do. Some people don't always like that and need a stance given by the shoe. I like it. We became friends instantly. Absolute recommendation!

Summary:

Appearance - 7.5/10Comfort - 10/10Traction - 8.5/10Water Resistance - 5/10Innovation - 8/10Putting POV - 8/10Colors - 4 (black, grey, dark blue, off white)Price - 140,- $truelinkswear.com

Jack Grace - Innovator

First impression and material:

Shoes with a fairly classic golf shoe look, but without looking too "traditional" or outdated. Featuring a sleek and sleek aesthetic that's a bit similar to the Callaway Swami 2.0 (except for the saddle the Swami doesn't have), a stylish white and rubber traction sole with no bolted-on spikes, and a well-crafted leather upper, they're lightweight and feel durable and processed to a high standard. The Innovator comes in a stylish box with extra laces and a shoe bag. Actually, you can wear these shoes to a wedding and nobody would really notice (just in case you have to rush from the place to your best friend's wedding). Absolute killer feature: interchangeable saddles with matching laces. You can buy these in pairs in dozens of colors and designs and by changing the saddle quickly and easily, the shoe can be perfectly matched to the dress in seconds. Every day different.

On that place:

There was some rain on my test ground, the Arnold Palmer in Bad Saarow, but my feet stayed dry and the sole had a good grip. It took me a while to break them in as my not exactly narrow foot needs its little living area to really spread out, but after a few rounds of 9 holes they were broken in and now accompany me to a full 18. Putting Looking down on the Innovator was something and kept my putting score below two (which is good for my mediocre level). I'd really like to write here that the red swap saddles I put on for a lap made me a little tiger, but just the black and red color combo alone doesn't make you a GOAT. Unfortunately, there is more to it. Ok, changed the saddle again - I like the shoes better with the black saddle anyway, but I really like the idea of ​​the exchangeable additional saddle. What a simple but great idea! The saddles come in three dozen colors and pattern variants and with the three basic models and colored shoelaces there are so many options that it is sometimes difficult to decide. Hmm, the green saddles go with the belt, the yellow ones with the polo shirt, the gray ones with the cap, the blue ones with the bag and the black ones with the... Honey, would you help me for a moment? I can not decide!

Summary:

Appearance - 7/10Comfort - 7/10Traction - 8/10Water Resistance - 8.5/10Innovation - 9/10Putting POV - 8/10Colors - 3 basic models (black, grey, white) and a truckload of saddle colors and designs, too many to count price - $129/saddle $20-$35 depending on color, design, Materialjackgraceusa.com

Goatlane - Off White Leather

First impression and material:

Oh my god, what a stylish shoe! It doesn't get any better! At least visually exactly what I was looking for. In the clean and timeless look of the simple sports shoe era of the 70s, following the look of Adidas Stan Smith, Puma Suede, Cons Pro Leather or Nike Classic Tennis, this Swedish newcomer shoe brand delivers a great model. Goatlanes are made in Portugal with Italian leather - and if anyone knows about leatherwork, it's the Italians and the Iberians, so first impressions were second to none: high quality genuine leather, good smell, nicely finished and stitched, traction sole looks of the Don't even look like one as it's covered by the ground level outsole making the shoe look even more like a casual everyday sneaker - lovely. Love at first sight. Has everything I like. Clean and stylish packaging completes the package with an included shoe pouch and extra laces, and as a bonus, there's a small pouch with a bunch of Goatlane green teas. Nice!

On that place:

I wore them for one round on Bad Saarow's Arnold Palmer and a few rounds at my home club, Golf Resort Semlin, and as is normal with handcrafted leather shoes, they took some time to break in. When that happens, they're pretty easy friends. They're waterproof, so a little rain won't scare you, and the traction sole grips wet grass well too. Putting point of view: like a Tour Pro. Helped me, basically didn't even want to look after the ball anymore, preferring to look at the shoes. Ok, that was a joke! It's not that bad for me with this visual fixation, but when Sergio Garcia putts with his eyes closed, you could just look at the shoes for a change and not at the rolling ball. Wink smiley.

BTW, whenever any of my friends would see the Goatlanes (they're 70's/early 80's kids too), they'd be like, "Wow, nice sneakers! But no golf shoes, right?”. Yes they are! Everyone liked that clean Stan Smith look, asked for the name (no one knew - needs to change!) and price (not the cheapest but worth every penny). I am now a big fan of Goatlanes! I like them so much that I sometimes just wear them around town.

Summary:

Appearance - 10/10Comfort - 7.5/10Traction - 8/10Water Resistance - 8.5/10Innovation - 5/10 (which doesn't mean a bad rating here, because they are just simple, timeless sneakers. Since there are hardly any other brands like this, the Rating should actually also be a 10.) Putting POV - 10/10 Colors - 3 (white, green, black) + 6 different colored versions in suedePrice - 2,000 SKR (approx. 195 €) (free shipping in the EU)www .goatlane.comInstagram.com/@goatlanegolfers

Back9 - Ryder Grip Pro

First impression and material:

Don't be fooled by the smell of Chinese children's toy plastic that unfurl at first - these shoes are great (and the smell will soon go away). They probably won't win a Red Dot Award, but when you look at them, hold them in your hand and you know immediately that you can take them practically anywhere - dry fairways, damp roughs, dusty waste areas, wet bunkers, November mud, clammy winter rounds. No visible seams holding the pieces together, either everything is glued or it's actually a nearly one piece shoe, so water, mud or dust can't get into it during your round of golf. It is the only shoe in this series of tests that has real soft spikes, which together with the thick sole gives the impression of a stable base and a good footing. And yes, even if they don't look easy at first glance, they definitely are! Another big bonus is their extremely moderate price.

On that place:

Whilst chatting briefly with Peter, the Irish founder of Back9, he told me he started the company because he was suffering from severe foot pain and couldn't find a shoe comfortable enough to run 18 holes. So he took care of it himself. This is how Back9 was born. Well, that's how you do it! And yes, it solved the problem, the Rydergrip Pro are comfortable from the first moment. Running 18 holes on a rainy day - apart from the rain itself - was pure bliss! No wet feet, a super firm and stable grip even in wet downhill layers and the breathable mesh upper kept my feet dry and ventilated like just taking a short walk around the block on a sunny day. Even standing in soaking wet rough or stepping in a puddle, my feet stayed dry. The material is easy to clean, easy to remove mud, sand, straw. Although they are quite breathable, they probably won't be my first choice on hot summer days, but as soon as the forecast indicates some showers for the day, I know where to reach on the shoe shelf and it's clear anyway: the Rydergrip Pro will be my number one outside the season. From mid-October to March you need a shoe you can rely on. This one for example.

Summary:

Appearance - 5.5/10Comfort - 9/10Traction - 10/10Water Resistance - 9.5/10Innovation - 7/10Putting POV - 6/10Colors - 4 (grey, blue, white, black)Price - 70,- €back9shoes.com

Golf Kicks - Traction Kit

First impression and material:

Slightly outside the rating in this test as these aren't shoes, but still deserve a mention. Golfkicks is a start-up that has probably the greatest but simplest idea in the golf shoe game: you don't sell shoes, only the grip. A traction set of 20 soft spikes that screw into your favorite non-golf shoe, turning it into a real golf shoe. Easy. And what sounds like a makeshift idea from the hardware store is a well thought-out and technically fully functional soft spike kit. (There was a detailed report on this recently on my blog: https://www.golfpost.de/blogposts/206/) The plastic spikes with a Metallicore screw come in a pretty little package the size of a three-pack of balls. In addition to the spikes, this contains a marker to mark the spots on the soles before assembly, a hex screwdriver to screw the spikes into the soles, a hex attachment if the cordless screwdriver is to do this work, and something so-called Shoe Goo (shoe glue) to lightly dab the screws before assembly - spikes and sole connect even more firmly. There are also two ball markers. How ingenious and simple is this idea? Take a shoe that you've always wanted as a golf shoe, make sure its soles aren't complicated or air-cushioned (screw -> air-cushion -> bang!) or the soles are too thin, watch the assembly video on the golf kicks -Side by and in about 20 minutes of work you have new golf shoes! I did this on a pair of Vans Era, a shoe I really like and have always wanted to golf in.

On that place:

I don't have to talk about the shoes themselves, because I know them, I've probably had 50 pairs of them, appreciate their simple wearing comfort and, with their light canvas upper material, they represent the timelessly perfect summer shoe for me. I mounted seven Golfkicks spikes in each sole and was now more than excited. Whether it works, whether the spikes hold, how the grip is, how it feels. Even though Taylor, the Denver-based golf kicks maker, told me that Vans might not be the perfect shoe for it since the soles are comparatively thin, I don't regret it in the slightest. My vans have a super stable grip on the course and even after a three-day golf trip with 45 holes I have nothing to complain about. Sure, you'll feel the spikes when you walk the cart path or run on the clubhouse deck, but that's common with other spiked golf shoes as well. But do they hold up? Yes. I was skeptical at first, but not a single spike came loose or even got lost. In the meantime, my Golfkicks vans have almost fifty kilometers under their belt and I'm satisfied, I would do it again at any time. In addition, the plastic of these spikes is extremely durable. I've had a pair of Nikes with soft spikes that wore out quicker than these. Definitely a big recommendation! If, which I can hardly imagine, none of the sneakers mentioned and tested above are really something for you, you are still looking for your very own perfect golf shoe, just get yourself a pair of non-golf shoes that you really like and comfortable, get the Golf Kicks Kit and build your own! love this idea, love my golf vans!

Summary:

Appearance - n/a (shoe dependent)Comfort - n/a (shoe dependent)Traction - 10/10Water Resistance - n/a (shoe dependent)Innovation - 10/10Putting POV - n/a (shoe dependent)Colors - 7 (black, grey, blue , neon green, red, orange, clear) Price - 31,- $golfkicks.com