The next time that you pull up in the car park and get yourself ready to play I would ask you to do two things…
- take a look at the state of your golf shoes;
- take a look at your playing partners’ shoes.
Now I could be a million miles off the mark here, but I would be very surprised if most of them have not seen better days.
And I am willing to wager a decent sum on them being dirty and neglected.
I can never quite get my head around the fact that we are prepared to spend £100+ on a pair of golf shoes and then treat them so poorly. We wouldn’t do it with the trainers and shoes that we wear on a daily basis.
The thing is that if we did actually look after our shoes properly then they would last longer.
You don't have to buy new golf shoes every year
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Most of the people I play with change their shoes every season. It may be the Scot in me, but I try to do a bit better.
So, let me ask you a question: when you have finished your round, do you just throw your shoes in the boot of your car, where they remain until the next time you play?
If so, why would you do that? Would it not be better to take them out and clean them, make sure there is no dirt in the soles? If you keep your studs clean it will give you more grip.
This has been a particularly dry summer for many of us but what do you do when it has been chucking down with rain and your shoes have been soaked? Do you leave them in the car and hope that they will dry out in time for your next round? If you do, I would wager that there are some pretty awful smells emanating from the boot space.
Why not take them into the house and either leave them somewhere warm or stuff them with paper - I promise you, this works.
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
When I first started playing this wonderful game there were two choices - leather or rubber.
Rubber shoes were designed to be worn in either the winter or when it was raining. I grew up in Scotland, so my rubber shoes got a lot of wear.
The problem was that during the cold winter days your feet would end up like two giant ice cubes. They were awful. Yes, they kept your feet relatively dry but they offered no protection against the cold. And wearing rubber shoes on a hot day was akin to sticking your feet in a sauna!
Now, there are proper choices. I have a pair of lightweight shoes I wear during the summer months. I love them - they look like training shoes and they let the air in. It is like wearing a pair of slippers.
But they are totally unsuitable for winter wear or for any round when it rains. So my second pair are made of leather and are properly waterproof.
Yes, I sometimes leave them in the car, but I have bought special shoe bags for each so there are never any smell issues in my car.
You should have a different pair of shoes for winter golf
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
It is, of course, possible to buy shoes that are specifically designed for winter play.
Bearing in mind that we are all going to be trudging through wet rough and fairways in the not-too-distant future, white winter shoes should be avoided at all costs. Go for black or brown and ensure they are fully waterproof. Water-resistant is not going to cut it.
One thing I would always recommend is that if you are in the market for a new pair of golf shoes make sure that you can change the studs, otherwise it means you are going to have to throw them away when there may still be plenty of wear left in the actual shoes.
Don’t skimp on shoes. With winter on the way you need to know your feet are going to be warm and dry. I strongly believe that you get what you pay for.
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