Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: Your shoes – Golf equipment, comfort, or fashion?

Published

4 years ago

Dec 15, 2021

WARNING: This is an “opinion” piece, but it might get you thinking a bit.

I have paid close attention to the evolution of golf shoes over the past two or three decades or so, as the “athletic shoe” styling has become increasingly more popular than the traditional leather saddle oxford and other styles. But for me, I have always stuck to a classic, leather saddle oxford style shoe, as I consider my shoes a very serious piece of my equipment.

Here’s why

It all started with the move to “lighter” golf shoes, marketed primarily as a nod to comfort. The old leather or firm polymer soles were replaced with foam outer soles, and the spike patterns were adjusted narrower to accommodate the reduced strength of that sole.

I bought in early, as I was primarily a walker so why wouldn’t I want that, right? But not long after, I found myself in one of those “slumps” where my ball-striking just wasn’t what I was used to seeing. I struggled with that for a while …until I had an “ah-ha” moment when my brother and I played in a tournament and his girlfriend at the time was taking pictures (unbeknownst to either of us).

Anyway, she captured a photo of me just after impact with a driver, and I quickly saw that I was leaving way too much weight on my back foot . . . an easy fix, now that I saw the photo. So, I go to the range and on the very first “corrective” swing, I nearly fell over – that lightweight shoe just did not give me the structural stability to powerfully move my weight to the outside of my left foot like I always had. (Nod to Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons).

For background, I’ve always loved saddle oxford styling in my golf shoes (and street shoes for that matter), but I never related that to the fact that my shoes were a very important part of my golf equipment. It was an eye-opening moment to realize that the comfortable lightweight shoes just could not give me that same foundation to “hit against”. I immediately went back to my saddle oxfords and fixed my swing immediately. And I haven’t owned a pair of golf shoes that was not that style since then.

Nowadays it seems like the vast majority of golfers are wearing lighter and therefore somewhat “flimsier” golf shoes, constructed mostly of fabric rather than leather. Even on professional tours. And maybe not coincidentally, you see professional and young athletic golfers “jumping” into impact rather than hitting firmly into their left side, as I was taught as a young golfer.

So, that makes me think of the old chicken and egg thing. Did the shoe manufacturers realize that the “modern” golf swing didn’t require the same technologies as the older style swing? Or did the modern swing evolve partly because of the change in shoe design? Or did the “shoe guys” just realize that most golfers don’t consider their shoes as a vital part of their equipment “team”, so they would buy comfort and styling over its impact on performance.

Please understand that I am a serious student of the golf swing. I observe dozens if not hundreds, of recreational golfers of all skill levels, and the most egregious swing flaw I see over and over is that most mid- to high-handicap golfers just do not move their weight powerfully to their lead side as the starting move of the downswing. Most, in fact, primarily swing the club with their arms and hands, and the body core follows them through impact . . . rather than leading the arms, hands and club through impact.

So, are today’s “modern” shoe designs helping cause that elemental swing flaw?

Or are the shoe companies just accepting that most golfers don’t hit firmly into their left side, so they won’t notice that their shoes won’t let them do that.

It’s another one of those many things that make me go,“hmm.”

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Terry Koehler

Terry Koehler is a fourth generation Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Over his 40-year career in the golf industry, he has created over 100 putter designs and dozens of wedges. In 2014, he put together the team that reintroduced the Ben Hogan brand to the golf equipment industry with his TK 15 wedges and Ft. Worth 15 iron designs. Since receiving a U.S. Patent for his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” in the wedge category. In addition to inspiring multiple companies to emulate this sole technology, the performance of his wedge designs have stimulated all other companies to reposition some mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges. Terry is retired from his role as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf, and remains active in the industry as an independent designer and consultant. But his most compelling work is in the wedge category. Since he first patented his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” reflected in ‘tour design’ wedges. The performance of his wedge designs have stimulated other companies to move slightly more mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges, but none approach the dramatic design of his Edison Forged wedges, which have been robotically proven to significantly raise the bar for wedge performance. Terry serves as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf – check it out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

14 Comments

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ChipNRun

Dec 25, 2021 at 12:16 am

“Equipment, comfort or fashion…”

Golf shoes better deliver all three. I play on fairly hilly courses, so the soft spikes better keep me anchored. Comfort… not looking for deck shoes to wear to the poolside bar, but I don’t want them to hurt my feet. Fashion…don’t want them to be ugly.

“Nowadays it seems like the vast majority of golfers are wearing lighter and therefore somewhat “flimsier” golf shoes, constructed mostly of fabric rather than leather. Even on professional tours.”

Golf shoe needs to be firm enough to provide lateral support. The past decade, golfdom has delivered lots of warnings about the dangers of playing in running shoes. The reason? Not much lateral support.

Case in point: A caddie gig at a Symetra Tour event, wearing running shoes.. My player was very fast walker, so I was working hard to keep up. One time I took a shortcut through a creekbed, slipped sideways and ripped the inner liner of my right shoe in half (top to bottom).

Had to throw the pair away post-round. Fortunately, I switched to my much sturdier cross-training shoes for Day 2.

For playing golf shoes, got two Nike and one Adidas pair from few years back… Pulled them off shelf and they were much sturdier – especially lateral support – but I pretty well used them up over three years.

One option: spend extra $$ and get into custom shoes. Shoe repair shops can put in touch with people that still make the sturdier, heavier leather oxford golf shoes.

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Jeff

Dec 20, 2021 at 10:24 pm

What about Sam Snead practicing bare footed!! LOL

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Michael

Dec 18, 2021 at 6:47 pm

Terry, I know what you mean! I recently purchased a pair of Sqairz golf shoes. These shoes are heavier and wider than most. They took some getting used to as I immediately notices far less sway. After a couple of rounds I noticed that I was hitting my drives straight far more often. As to being longer, I also noticed I hit some good long ones more often too. I believe they contribute to a greater average distance as I am hitting more fairways. This past summer after enjoying success with they I purchased a second pair. They remind me of the golf shoes of old. I carry my bag and walk 18 holes in them and that’s been no problem.
PS I have three Hogan wedges in my bag that you designed, super!

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Scott Johnson

Dec 17, 2021 at 10:01 am

I can wear 5 different golf shoes and have 5 different swings . Got a pair of flex shoes last season and duck hook short irons .change to addis and flush it. Thanks

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UncleMookie

Dec 16, 2021 at 10:49 am

I hate to do more than “mee too” but here I am.

I love my full-support DryJoys (I’m a big guy) but wanted to add something a little more modern without going full “track shoe.” My new Tour Xs are traction and support monsters and my playing partner immediately noticed me compressing the ball better.

Twist and shout, y’all!

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Pi

Dec 16, 2021 at 6:46 am

Hmmm, making me think now… been playing absolutely %^^&! this year not really understanding why. Played my best golf last year wearing quite heavy steel nosed work shoes with good grip. This year been using lightweight running shoes or basketball shoes (no golf shops in this country..)

Might just experiment this weekend wearing the big hiking boots I used to wear playing golf..

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Ts

Dec 16, 2021 at 12:36 am

It’s absolutely equipment. All you have to do is look at Ben Hogan, again.

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Prime21

Dec 16, 2021 at 12:27 am

Yeah, it’s the shoes ? Once everyone started wearing Jordans they all played like him, right? Poor weight shift & a lack of sequence is certainly a major flaw in most amateurs games, however the shoes are not the cause. This one is a wiff.

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Brandon

Dec 15, 2021 at 8:47 pm

Interesting. I have a bad left knee, and I’m fairly certain that my body subconsciously holds back from fully transferring my weight to my front side in an effort to guard against reinjuring myself. Wonder if going back to a heavier shoe would help.

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Casey L Patterson

Dec 15, 2021 at 3:32 pm

I can’t agree with you more than on your observation. It took me a while to catch how my footwear had either a positive or negative effect to my weight transfer. I settled on more sturdy footwear especially in the forefoot and heel cup. This is aligned with shoe drop and height awareness are the additional factors I noticed in where the club bottoms out in the golf swing. Granted I am a very aggressive swinger better weight transfer has also help my short game.

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LOWEBOY

Dec 15, 2021 at 1:48 pm

I have to agree. I have a pair of DryJoys, and a pair FJ Golf Sneakers. I got the sneakers for walking, and to have a pair of white golf shoes to offset my pair of black golf shoes. Variety. I have noticed that my swing suffers when wearing the sneakers, as they are not as stable as the dryjoys. I wanted buy another pair of dryjoys, and I guess they are no longer available, so more research is due to find a comparable replacement. Until then, the dryjoys get worn and the sneakers get closet time…lol…

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Thomas A

Dec 15, 2021 at 10:43 am

Most shoes are poorly designed for either style or athletics. Your saddle shoes pinch your toes and don’t give your feet room to perform as they should. You’re losing stability there. Athletic style shoes also pinch the toes, but also have midsoles that are too soft for the golf swiing. They are usually designed after running shoes (also bad designs) to cushion impact. That is totally unnecessary when walking on grass and detrimental in the golf swing.

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