How Long Do Golf Shoes Last?

How Long Do Golf Shoes Last?

Golf shoes are an essential item for a golfer who takes his golf game seriously.

The structure and performance of the golf shoe are designed to ensure that the golfer remains grounded and stable when striking the golf ball, and to keep their feet dry and warm walking the fairways and greens.

Several factors will decide how long your golf shoes last, and in this article, we will look at some of them.

To answer the question the average lifespan of a pair of golf shoes should be between two and four years dependant on use.

If you would like to understand why golf shoes are important read our article here Why golf shoes are important?

Spiked Golf Shoes

There are two types of golf shoes, spiked and spikeless.

Most professional golfers playing tournaments used to opt to wear spiked golf shoes, but the trend has changed towards spikeless golf shoes over the recent years with the advances in technology and golf shoe design that has taken place in recent years.

For golfers who decide to wear spiked shoes, there is also the matter of how frequently spikes should be replaced?

Manufacturers suggest that you should change the spikes every 12 -20 rounds of golf, whilst other golf experts say that it is nearer 25-30 rounds of golf before you need to make changes.

In the past, I have had to change my spikes as often as twice in a golf season.

Much will depend on the type of ground that you typically walk on.

If a golfer walks mainly on the sun-dried ground that is hard, then the spikes on your shoes will have much more wear to take, whilst if you normally walk on the wet, softer ground, then less damage will be done.

You can extend the life of your spiked shoes by putting them on as you go to play. Please do not wear them on the range and do not wear them in the clubhouse or on the hard-concrete car parks. Walking on those hard surfaces does not help your spiked golf shoes.

If you would like a great pair of spiked golf shoes, we recommend the Footjoy Tour X.

Removing & Replacing Spikes from Golf Shoes

Ideally, you will have a tool (or wrench) to remove the spikes from your golf shoes, and this makes changing the spikes in your shoes so much easier.

If you have the required tool, you will not have any problems and your main concern will be to ensure that the replacement spikes have the same thread as your golf shoes.

If you have golf shoes with metal spikes, it is advised that you replace them with the plastic-type.

This is because it is increasingly rare that golf clubs will allow metal spikes because of the damage they do to the golf course.

Spikeless Golf Shoes

Spiked shoes are no longer the only option for golfers today.

The shoe industry has moved on, and now golf shoes are made with an alternative to spikes.

This new type of shoe is gradually growing in popularity.

Spikeless shoes can be worn comfortably through your round and then straight into the clubhouse.

They are flatter and more comfortable to wear than regular spiked golf shoes, typically wider, giving more stability, Shoes with soft spikes do not rip-up the grass anywhere near as much as the spiked version, which is why some clubs ban hard spikes.

Spikeless golf shoes typically do not last as long as spiked ones.

This is because there is a temptation to wear them off the course as well.

Depending on their use, walking on payments will make the shoes wear out much faster, and you can normally expect a pair of spikeless golf shoes for one or two years.

We have also written another article which goes further into this debate, please read it here Spiked vs Spikeless golf shoes and do they make a difference?

We recommend the Adidas CodeChaos spikeless golf shoe.

Which Type of Golf Shoes are Best for Beginners?

One of the most crucial components of a good swing is having a firm and stable base for your golf swing and good solid golf shoes will help your footing.

Whilst some spikeless shoes would be ok for a beginner.

Generally, beginners will benefit from wearing spiked or spikeless golf shoes, as long as you find a pair that fits you well and feels comfortable.

 

Which Type Of Golf Shoe Are Favoured by Golf Professionals?

Traditionally Pros have worn spiked shoes but the new wave of spikeless is becoming more seen on the professional golf tours.

Despite this conservatism, this movement towards spikeless is becoming more and more evident.

This change began back in 2010 when one of the players wore a hybrid spikeless shoe, we also have to remember that a lot of the top professional golfers are sponsored by huge equipment and clothing brands, so are pushed into a lot of the equipment choices.

Cleaning Your Golf Shoes

Another factor that will have an impact on the life of your golf shoe is the amount of care that they receive.

It is so easy to remove the shoes and throw them in your bag without cleaning them, and that will have an impact on their life.

The majority of people think that just wiping golf shoes down before throwing them back into the bag is enough.

The uppers should be washed with soap and water (warm). Then you need to clean all the dirt and grass from the sole.

If they are spiked shoes, unscrew the spikes so that you can clear away all the trapped grass and dirt.

The optimum way to dry the shoes is to allow them to dry at room temperature.

Hairdryers are a bad idea, as is leaving the shoes to dry in the sun or with direct heat. If it has been a wet day or there has been a lot of dew, then packing them with an old newspaper is a useful way of absorbing the damp.

Protecting expensive golf shoes, and extending their life, can be done by storing them in a ventilated bag, but a far better approach is to use a cedar shoe tree which will assist in dealing with excess sweat and damp that remains in the shoe.

It also protects the shape of the shoe. Do not leave your shoes in your car.

Cleaning Mesh Golf Shoes

You may see golf shoes made of mesh material. The big plus point on mesh shoes is the way air can pass through them.

They keep beautifully cool and can be very comfortable to wear.

They will not last as long as other styles due to the mode of construction.

The downside of mesh shoes is cleaning them.

The very nature of the mesh means there is a greater chance for dirt and grass to get caught and cleaning them can be difficult.

You can choose to brush the mesh with a soft brush (using warm soapy water).

You can clear any remaining soap with a cloth. Air drying is best for mesh shoes.


The other way of cleaning mesh golf shoes is to machine wash them.

It is hard on the shoes and will certainly reduce the life of the shoes, compared to hand cleaning.

Remove laces and innersole if possible and place the shoes in a washbag before placing them in a washing machine.

Conclusion

Golf shoes are an integral item of your golfing equipment, and with a little bit of care and attention, your golf shoes should last you a long time.

From my many years of playing golf, I try and rotate my shoe wear.

If you are able, it is advisable to buy a couple of pairs and rotate them through the year which will extend the life of your golf shoes.