Why Are Golf Shoes Important?
Are you the type of golfer that doesn’t think golf shoes would make a difference in your game?
Have you been wearing running shoes or cross trainers since you started golfing, and are satisfied with their performance?
It might be time to consider upgrading to professional golf shoes as they provide many benefits.
What are these benefits, and why are golf shoes important?
Striking a solid shot with the added ability to provide maximum distance is not only how high you swing the golf club, and hit the golf ball with power.
You also transfer power into the ground and release energy through your golf swing which generates serious amounts of power, have a properly fitting golf shoe that provides stability, comfort and grip with extra added technology that helps you ‘Boost’ into golf shots like the Adidas CodeChaos.
Better Swing
As a golf enthusiast, regardless of your experience, it’s never a bad idea to consider buying and wearing a pair of golf shoes.
This is true because golf shoes will improve the mechanics and effectiveness of your swing.
In golf, your body is a winding and coiling machine.
When you start your swing, you’re winding your upper body in line with your lower body, having a good solid fitting pair of golf shoes with a solid foundation, appropriate traction or grip will allow you to swing more athletically, balanced and compact.
According to golf.com, having the right shoe type produces an average of a three mph increase in swing speed. Even golf shoes without spikes but have the proper technology in the golf shoes will improve the quality of your golf shots.
Hit Longer Drives
Each time you hit the course wearing cross-trainers or running shoes, you are potentially going to add additional strokes to your game.
Golf is hard enough without giving shots to the course before you even start your round.
All Professional golfers wear golf shoes, this is because they are purpose made for the sport.
Wearing golf shoes will help you from injuring yourself by slipping and help a multitude of other problems for instance pronated feet, bad ankles, support with arthritis and other such conditions.
But one of the biggest benefits of wearing golf shoes, they will help you to increase power in your drives, and who does not want a few more yards down the fairway?
With the right golf shoes, you will swing with more confidence and conviction, and start to hit longer golf shots.
As your game improves and your handicap comes down, you should be looking at where you can find the small margins of improvement, so you should be analysing what is the best golf equipment for you, and golf shoes being one of them.
Always consider how the best adjustments to your gear could improve your game, just as you would with enhancements to your performance.
Increased Balance
Any pair of cross-trainers or running shoes will not provide the levels of balance you need to play golf at your optimum.
Even some of the worst golf shoes will provide far greater structure and support over the best trainers.
Golf shoes are critical in providing golfers of all abilities to effectively distribute their weight efficiently and stay solid and balanced through impact.
Golf shoes are also important because they are specifically designed for optimum foot support. According to treadlabs.com the weight of your feet shift, which creates movement in your shoes while swinging.
Arch support insoles within the golf shoes help reduce the amount of movement and help support your feet, check out our article on Best Golf Shoes for Flat Feet.
By having reduced movement in the feet, it will help create a firm and solid foundation that will help you hit better golf shots and should provide a competitive advantage over a pair of running shoes.
Wearing the best golf shoes for you can improve the comfort from your round of golf and the endurance when playing, especially over 18 holes.
The soft foam in running shoes doesn’t offer the necessary structure and support for golf, you need a proper pair of golf shoes that have been designed for the task, to be at your best consistently on the golf course.
Like most ball sports, Golf is a challenging game to practice, to actually improve your golf game can be puzzling, and even the possibility to master golf is very remote.
To have a chance to improve your game you need to be working on your own golf game, it is important to have the right footwear as a base to help you improve.
If you decide to purchase and wear a pair of golf shoes, you’ll realize straight away the improvement in your balance but also the stability the footwear provides.
These golf shoes will help your posture which will transfer through to your stance.
Having enhanced stability will be help you have a more grounded and firm position to be able to hit solid golf shots.
The key to your great golf swing is having a solid and consistent golf swing that can be repeated. Since your feet will not slip or slide inside the shoe, or from poor grip with the turf, it will be easier to keep your best and most consistent swing.
Golfing frequently in cross-trainers also puts you at risk for several nagging conditions, and the real possibility of a serious injury.
The constant movement in running shoes can often cause painful blisters. This can also cause leg strains, plantar fasciitis, and neuromas.
Greater Performance and Flexibility
The right golf shoe can take your game to the next level by offering improvements in several areas.
According to Golf.com a solid and supportive golf shoe will provide a greater ground interaction and provide better results for your golf swing and will enable you to swing more consistently and with more force.
This will improve your smash factor, your smash factor is your swing speed to ball speed ratio.
A study by Footjoy and BodiTrak measuring a golfer’s swing, gages how having a pair of golf shoes benefits players with different styles.
The study that was undertaken revealed that approximately 33 per cent of players required a more rigid golf shoe, which would provide optimal ground reaction.
Another third of the study required a golf shoe which was more flexible while maintaining your mobility.
The final third of the over one thousand participants in the study were “dual” players.
This group enjoyed benefits from each style of shoe as their games require both more power and enhanced mobility.
If your game is modelled more on faster swing speed and ball speed and you generate more power, it might be wise to choose a more rigid, spiked golf shoe, however, the new technology in the spikeless golf shoes has been incredible, and the gains are becoming less from spiked to spikeless.
In contrast, if you need more mobility and this is essential for your golf game, select a spikeless golf shoe that’s comfortable and flexible.
If it so happens, you are like the final third of players studied; there are personalized golf shoe options available.
Reliable And Durable In Wet Conditions
When most people think of golf shoes, they picture a less than fashionable, almost bowling shoe type styling.
The reality is the most modern golf shoes are not only stylish but reliable and durable in any conditions.
As playing 18 holes typically consists of approximately five miles of walking, comfortable and supportive shoes are crucial.
While running shoes and cross-trainers are sufficient navigating the course, they don’t offer the potential to add yards to your drives or keep your feet dry.
It’s essential to find a golf shoe that will be comfortable for the entirety of an 18 hole round.
The most reputable golf shoe suppliers offer custom fitting to assure they are best suited to you and your game.
Although a spiked design is ideal for playing on wet terrain, a spikeless designed golf shoe is also up to the task.
As opposed to tennis shoes, a well-crafted golf shoe will give you secure footing on a saturated course.
The majority of golf shoes available are made with full-grain, waterproof leather.
Conclusion
The question of why are golf shoes important is one to consider if you are serious about improving your game you need the best footwear.
While running shoes are fine for beginners to see if golf is for you and you are just starting and practising, your golf equipment should evolve as you improve.
Golf shoes are an essential item, considering they can produce up to a three-mph speed increase on your swing and add up to nine yards on drives.
For competitive golfers, the right golf shoes are arguably just as important as having the most cutting-edge set of clubs.
In addition to the competitive advantages offered, the balance, stability, and prevention of injuries, make wearing golf shoes a no-brainer.
The fundamentals of the game of golf are centred around footing and weight distribution.
It’s for that reason that golf shoes are essential.
I hope you enjoyed this article, and it helps you advance your golf playing skills. What type of footwear have you found works best for you on the golf course? Please let me know below in the comments section.
