Skechers Golf focuses on young golf professionals and has a tour winner in its ranks

The Skechers label, which was newly founded in 1992 in a small beach house in California, has developed more than 25 years later into one of the most sought-after shoe brands worldwide, with a wide variety of models for women, men and children. The shoe brand is also well represented in the sports world, with US sports legends such as former professional boxer Sugar Rey Leonard and former star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo promoting the US group. Of course, the comfortable sports shoe has also made it into golf. Meanwhile, Matt Kuchar, one of the crowd favorites of the PGA Tour, the two-time PGA Tour Champion Russel Knox and also the Canadian top golfer Brooke Henderson are Skechers advertising figures.

Skechers Golf focuses on the "young generation"

In 2014, the golf shoe was also launched on the German market and since then the shoe manufacturer has been on the rise in the golf sector. With a mix of athletically appealing golf shoes in the absolute "performance range" and so-called "hybrid models" that can be worn both on and off the golf course, Skechers has steadily expanded its range and has now gained a large following in Germany. This can also be seen in the Golf Post Community, which has already scrutinized the Skechers golf shoes as part of a detailed test and came up with impressive results.

Skechers Germany supports the 'up and coming pros' of German golf including Olivia Cowan who currently plays on the LET Tour, the up and coming Anastasia Mickan and also Finn Fleer (Pro Golf Tour). At the end of April this year, Golf Post already accompanied the young brand ambassadors from Skechers to a photo shoot at the Trages Golf Park. This was followed by our editor's questions from Skechers golf testimonials Olivia Cowan, Anastasia Mickan and Finn Fleer. Read everything about the question and answer session in our article: "Skechers golf shoes - testimonials in the question and answer session".

Golf Post also met one of the "young pros", Finn Fleer, for a detailed interview at the Cologne Golf Club and spoke to the 23-year-old about the sometimes rocky road to professional golf, the challenges and, of course, about the partnership with Skechers. The native of Cologne is currently playing on the Pro Golf Tour. Just last week he was able to celebrate his second triumph on the Pro Golf Tour, the first since September 2017. You can read everything about his fantastic success at the Extec Trophy 2019 by Atomic Drinks in our article: "Comeback in Liberec: Finn Fleer wins the Extec Trophy by Atomic Drinks".

Skechers brand ambassador Finn Fleer in the Golf Post interview

Golf Post: Finn, you got into golf by accident while on vacation. Because of your talent, you were part of the squad in Neuss when you were about 14 and after your Abitur you made the decision to become a professional.

Finn Fleer: Exactly, because I wasn't where I needed to be in terms of gameplay, I tried a lot in the first two years after graduating from high school in order to be able to pass. 2017 was a good year for me, but I made a mistake when planning the season by not playing eight tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour and thus missing the Challenge Tour Card by 1000 points, i.e. by one place. In retrospect, that was very annoying, but that can no longer be changed. In 2018 I also missed quite a lot of time due to hip problems, which I carried with me over the last two and a half years.

Nobody knew exactly where that came from. I had many tests, everything seemed ok, but I was still in pain. At the time I got an invitation from BMW but as things were getting worse and worse I decided to take a cut and not play golf for three months just to start the healing process. A lot of physiotherapy, a lot of rehabilitation training, no surgery - although this was planned, but luckily we didn't do that - and I've been completely pain-free for six months. And now I've had a good start to the season without any problems.

Golf Post: Let's go back very briefly: After your Abitur - how does such a process work? I suppose it could start with the idea of ​​trying to be a golf pro, but what is the decision-making process like? You certainly coordinate with your parents, relatives, friends and companions, or how should I imagine that?

Finn Fleer: My aunt and uncle were very behind it. They didn't push me into anything, they just supported the whole thing very much. At some point the point had come to decide what do we do now? Are you going to study now, or are you doing something else? Then I decided to start the training to become a golf instructor at the same time, but I didn't continue after I passed the assistant's exam. I've realized that I don't want to be a part-time golf pro - you either do it 100% or you don't do it at all.

Golf Post: As of today, are you still happy with your decision?

Finn Fleer: Yes, very much. In any case, I then made the decision at the same time that you could try playing. Of course, I also agreed - because it's also a financial question - whether it's possible from home. Thank goodness it was. I then spoke to my coach about whether he thought the decision was the right one. And that's how we got here.

Golf Post: You just mentioned it: Of course you have to weigh up whether it's financially possible. Luckily it was. At the beginning you have to see in your circle of friends and relatives what the financial situation is like, because sponsors and partners aren't there from the start. Now we're both sitting here - we can say that clearly - the contact came about through Skechers. How long has Skechers been with you?

Finn Fleer: Since last year, since 2018.

Golf Post: How do you feel at Skechers?

Finn Fleer: Good. I am very satisfied with what we are doing. I was one of the first they signed. I've been a Skechers golf testimonial for about 1.5 years, the cooperation has leveled off, I regularly get new equipment and I'm super happy with the products. There's a shooting coming up in April and everything is slowly getting going. I am super happy with the products. The shoes - Skechers' focus in golf - you slip on and it feels like a sneaker and functions as a golf shoe. Really great!

Golf Post: Before partnering with Skechers, did you realize that they really do make golf shoes that good?

Finn Fleer: I didn't really have them on my radar. I knew Matt Kuchar wore Skechers and I always knew that, but of course I had no experience. Skechers has only been active in the golf market here in Germany since 2014, if I remember correctly.

Golf Post: You addressed Matt Kuchar. He's of course associated with Skechers as a crowd favorite on the PGA Tour. On the women's side, Skechers has Brooke Henderson and in Germany, Skechers supports the young, ambitious professional golfers, Anastasia Mickan, Olivia Cowan and you, Finn Fleer. You young talents are all united by motivation and ambition. Do you agree with the company's strategy?

Finn Fleer: Definitely! I also think you have to do it that way. Of course you can say that you sign any superstar. Cobra/Puma only really grew with Rickie Fowler and they backed the right horse. I think that's one way you can make a name for yourself over the long term.

Golf Post: You mentioned Rickie Fowler. I would throw Jordan Spieth into the room with Under Armor. How about Skechers continuing the story with you, like Rickie with Puma and Jordan with Under Armour?

Finn Fleer: I'll put it this way, I'll do my best, that's all I can do. But I'd be up for it.

Golf Post: A brief outlook after we have first highlighted your way into professional golf. Give us a brief overview of what your season planning looks like now, what you have to consider and what are the points where it gets a little difficult to coordinate and what challenges the Pro Golf Tour will face the professional golfer.

Finn Fleer: So as of now, I've played seven tournaments, always decent, once finished 5th, but no tournament where I can say that it was a good tournament. But it was clear to me that I had to be patient after what happened last year. I feel great. I think I'll be in a position to win tournaments again this year. Clearly the plan for next year is to get the ticket for the Challenge Tour, whether it's through the Pro Golf Tour or the European Tour - Qualifying Schools at the end of the year. This is the season plan for this year. I'd love to play the British Open qualifying, but as things stand at the moment that will overlap with pro golf tournaments so that'll probably fall flat.

That's why the main focus is on the Pro Golf Tour. Sure, what are the problems? I actually think the whole foreign affair, that you're playing in Morocco, is actually the most difficult thing of all, because it's a very different world. Sure, they're all open-minded, they know tourists, but you still have to be kinda careful. That's just the way it is, that five times a day a mosque goes on the loudspeaker and there's prayer. You just have to deal with that. And it's very exhausting to coordinate all of this, since all the trips are always scheduled in quick succession. I'll be there for 17 days from March 26th, very exhausting, three tournaments, you have to have enough clothes for that.

Golf Post: In such a 17-day stretch with three tournaments, is there some time for distraction, culture, Morocco? After all, Marrakech is a very appealing city. Do you have time for that, or not?

Finn Fleer: I think I'll take the time to do it this time too because you can't play golf every day for 17 days in a row. That's simply not possible in fact, it's not good for your body and it's not good for your head. That's why I would just say that you have to take at least two days where you go half throttle. Are not completely idle now, but also see something different. We're in Agadir, then we'll play a tournament in Tazegzout, that's near a surfer's village, it's super nice there, I know that from last year. You can lie down on the beach for half a day.

Golf Post: To finally come back to your phase with the injury. Did you change anything about your game, the way you train?

Finn Fleer: Yes, I did change something. I've become a bit more sensitive, i.e. I understand my body better. I still do a lot of rehab training, also for myself, to prevent the whole thing from happening a little bit, to be prepared for the body to be able to withstand this strain. It's just extremely stressful when you spend the whole day on the golf course and still go to the gym in the evening. There's no getting around doing all those mobility, stability, and stretching exercises.

And in terms of swing, I wouldn't say that we've changed much, although of course something has developed through this whole process. I've become a lot more stable, i.e. I always had a kick-back in my hips at the moment of impact. It's no longer there because the entire abdominal and trunk muscles can absorb it better now. There is already clear progress to be seen, but I haven't consciously changed anything.

(The interview was conducted by Renan Schmid and Robin Bulitz)