A History of Golf Shoes
As with most technology, the humble pair of golf shoes has evolved over time with shoes today lighter and more robust than they have ever been. However the move from metal spikes to the modern shoe hasn’t been without its share of controversy.
At the turn of the 20th century golf shoes were in a word, lethal. Spikes in the golf shoes were known to gauge into the feet and the heel of the shoe were weighted with 850 grams. Making life on the fairways dangerous.
The controversy around wearing the correct men’s golf shoes to help improve the game has been ongoing for over half a century. In the Scottish publication, ‘The Golfer’s Manual’ in 1857, reference was made to men’s golf shoes proving that the footwear has always been a bone of contention: “Let the novice invest in a pair of stout shoes (boots constrain the ankles too much), roughed with small nails or sprigs, and he will march comfortably and safely over the most slippery ground that can be turned out by the meridian sun in the dog days.”
Over the years, men’s golf shoes have evolved into lighter, more flexible shoes that have lost the cumbersome metal spikes but not without a battle. A debate raged about metal spiked men’s golf shoes as research studies proved that the spikes are detrimental to green turf and putting quality. As a result, many golf courses in the UK ban men’s metal-spiked golf shoes and there is a greater variety of rubber-soled studded golf shoes thanks to advances in technology. The decline of metal spikes in men’s golf shoes means less damage to courses, clubhouses and rubber designs are often more comfortable for the player.
As the game of golf has become more and more popular, ladies and men’s golf shoes have become a major concern for golf clubs that have to maintain their greens. More players means more damage to the greens. Eliminating or minimizing the effect of spikes in ladies and men’s golf shoes has an enormous impact on reducing the maintenance costs and improving the quality of the greens.