The summer golf season is almost upon us. We have wiled away those winter months catching up on the golf from far-flung sunny destinations on TV. We have worked on a few drills at home or at the driving range that we want to bring into our game for golf days and club competitions. Or we have kept playing on cold and damp days, dreaming of firm fairways and slick greens. But now it’s time to shed those woolly hats and winter mittens (fingers crossed!), loosen our shoulders and get golfing.
But to top off the start of the summer, why not treat ourselves to a new pair of golf shoes? Let’s look good and feel good as our golfing activity increases. Here at AMERICAN GOLF, we have picked out some of the best golf shoes available from all the leading brands. Read on and see which one ticks the boxes to get us golf-ready for summer 2023.
Top 10 Golf Shoes 2023
Under Armour Men’s Charged Phantom (£99.99):
Sizes available: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
Under Armour Golf has become a big player in the golfing apparel market in the last decade and their golf shoes are certainly worthy of our attention. In the same way that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have become synonymous with Nike, then Jordan Spieth is Mr Under Armour and it’s easy to picture him in a pair of shoes like these at The Open at Royal Liverpool later this summer.
With a good range of sizes, three great colour options (white/blue/black) and a very good price, these shoes are comparable with any of the other best golf shoes of 2023. The Charged Phantom shoe is all about being weather-resistant and comfortable and for any golfer who plays in the UK, it is hard to look beyond those two characteristics.
New Balance Men’s 997 Waterproof (£139.99):
Sizes available: 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKED
New Balance has been producing sports apparel for more than 100 years, but the American sportswear giants are new to the market for golf shoes. But they are not taking any shortcuts as they deliver shoes that sit side-by-side with the best available.
Their shoes, like these 997 spiked golf shoes are being sold exclusively by American Golf. With the famous ‘N’ logo on the side, they can be bought in grey, or white and green, and if not for the spikes on the bottom, they could easily be mistaken for a pair of everyday trainers, as they are highlighted with suede. Despite that, a microfibre leather upper provides 100% waterproof protection and the outsole has been constructed with a durable rubber compound for long-lasting performance.
Under Armour Men’s Medal RST Waterproof (£84.99):
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKED
Another Under Armour golf shoe and another one of the best golf shoes on the market. Customers have been thrilled with these shoes with comments ranging from looking good and feeling comfortable to being great value for money, something that is especially important in the current economic climate.
With four potential colours, we are spoilt for choice depending on our preference for a light or dark golf shoe, while the carefully positioned spikes offer more traction and stability to those of us golfers who want the guarantee and confidence that a spiked shoe gives us. There is also a moulded midsole to soak up any pressure on our feet as we exert ourselves during the golf swing.
Skechers Men’s GO GOLF Torque Victorious Waterproof (£99.99):
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKED
Skechers are renowned for producing comfortable footwear and they do not disappoint with these Torque Victorious shoes. Having removable rubber spikes (cleats) allows for excellent grip in any kind of conditions and the latest in insole technology should ensure that we don’t get tired walking for hours in these shoes. That fact has been emphasised by customers who have already bought this item, with comfort top of the compliments they have.
The colours of navy, and white with touches of black, make this look like a stylish shoe with the famous ‘S’ nicely positioned on the heel and a stand-out as one of the best choices for a golf shoe in 2023.
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKED
When it comes to being top of the class for golf shoes, FootJoys are never far away. And their HyperFlex Carbon shoes are another worthy model from their production line of top-quality golf shoes.
At first glance, we see the class and style that FootJoys have with the pristine white colour that looks fresh and modern (although they are also available in black). But when we turn the shoe to the other side, we find the really special trait with the carbon power plate that is inserted in the design. This increases stability in our feet and should allow us to generate more power without worrying about our balance. If successful, that could be a huge advantage for our game. The only drawback with these FootJoys is that there are no shoes available in larger sizes.
New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam Contend Waterproof Spikeless (£124.99):
Sizes available: 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
Some are proclaiming this as the ‘ultimate walking shoe’, as the people at New Balance have applied all their expertise into designing this golf shoe, one of the best golf shoes on the market.
There is certainly an element of style to their design, however, as it comes in three snazzy colour combinations; grey and charcoal, navy and red and white with blue and red trim because golfers don’t just want to feel comfortable, they want to make sure other people notice how good New Balance golf shoes look! And with these being spikeless, they are perfect for using away from the course. The Fresh Foam midsole reinforces the feeling of ultra comfort inside the shoe, the durable rubber outsole offers long-lasting traction and the combination of microfibre leather and performance mesh provides the waterproof resistance.
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
Another offering from FootJoy and another excellent choice as one of the best golf shoes to have. There is a pronounced athletic profile to the shoe as they have gone for a combination of performance allied to style. The outsole has increased stability to allow us a stable grip on any surface and the patented ‘Stability Bridge’ offers ideal mid-foot support during the rigours of a golf swing.
Given these are spikeless shoes, they can be worn away from the course if grabbing a coffee or going out for lunch. FootJoy golf shoes are known for being one of the best golf shoes and they still have more of a resemblance to a golf shoe than some of the other more trainer-like designs. Predominantly white, we can add a dash of colour to our shoes by opting for one of a navy heel, a lime green trim and outsole or a striking pink and blue outsole.
Puma Men’s IGNITE ELEVATE Waterproof (£109.99):
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
American star Rickie Fowler may not have won as many golf tournaments as many of his peers, but he has never been second best to anyone in style terms. And it’s easy to imagine this golfing style icon in this latest pair of Puma shoes.
The Ignite Elevate shoes tick many boxes as one of the best golf shoes of 2023. Available in either a combination of white, black and silver or dark grey and two shades of blue, this is one of the best looking Puma golf shoes on the market. It has excellent wearability on and off the golf course and increased durability and waterproofing thanks to a lightweight-engineered mesh upper. While the Ignite Foam midsole provides plenty of comfort during the four or five hours we may have these shoes on our feet.
Adidas Men’s ZG23 Waterproof (£159.99):
Sizes available: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKED
Adidas golf is a well-established brand in golf shoes and their offering as one of the best golf shoes for 2023 is all about lightweight performance. The upper part of the shoe has been designed with a lightweight laminated synthetic material to reduce the weight but still keep our feet dry. While the six low-profile spikes offer us the traction and stability we need to perform our golf swing without any problems.
Predominantly white shoes, the only colour decision is whether to opt for a blue, silver or orange trim around the legendary three stripes. Fellow golfers will not need to guess which make we have chosen to wear as the German sports manufacturers remain one of the go-to names in golf.
New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam Pace SL BOA Waterproof (£164.99):
Sizes available: 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
As a company, New Balance has generally had a reputation for great walking shoes and they have applied those skills here to produce the Fresh Foam Pace SL BOA golf shoes. This looks like a walking shoe and if nothing else, a round of golf is a great walk in lovely surroundings!
Available in either black or a grey-orange combination, the shoe is designed to give comfort, stability and traction as if we walking over different types of terrain. Waterproof as expected, the stand-out feature on this design is the replacement of traditional laces with the BOA laces, more usually seen on a walking boot. The three pressure points create a very precise fit that we can tighten by simply turning a disc, so there is no chance of our laces something becoming untied in the middle of the round.
ECCO Men’s S-Three Waterproof (£134.99)
Sizes available: 9
Spiked or Spikeless: SPIKELESS
When wearing a good pair of golf shoes, we want two things. Comfort and confidence. We want to know we are going to feel comfortable with them on for a round of golf and we want to feel confident in them because they look good. With that in mind, there are absolutely no worries about these Ecco shoes as those have been the overwhelming reviews from golfers who have purchased them.
The lightweight materials offer durability and stability, the GORE-TEX technology is perfect for keeping the water out and 100 traction bars offer maximum grip from 800 possible angles, demonstrating that these spikeless shoes are just as robust as spiked ones for helping us through our swing motion. Ecco is one of the premium brands for golf shoes and this model deserves to be classed as one of the best golf shoes of 2023.
About the Author
Adam Lanigan – Golf Writer
Adam is a freelance news and sports journalist who has written for the BBC, The Sunday Post, The I, The Times, The Telegraph and more. He has been writing about golf for nearly two decades and has covered 13 Open Championships and two Ryder Cups. Not only does Adam cover golf, but he has played golf for as long as he can remember. He was a member at Northenden Golf Club for around 25 years until his children arrived and his last official handicap was 11, although on any given day his form fluctuates anywhere between eight and 18.
