Spiked vs Spikeless Golf Shoes - What's the difference?
Choosing the perfect pair of golf shoes can get tricky. Especially after seeing the vast amount of options to choose from. Then to top it off, you need decide on whether you go with spikes or no spikes.
The difference
Spiked golf shoes have soft plastic spikes on the outsole (for added traction on the green). According to www.tgw.com, the opinion that spikes mean more traction generally holds up, but spikeless golf shoes are not far behind. The difference in traction does become more noticeable if you play in wet weather. Spiked golf shoes provide much more grip on waterlogged ground.
Other important things to consider when choosing between spiked and spikeless:
Comfort
Comfort will always be key. One can’t imagine playing 18 holes with bricks strapped to your feet. Most people will agree that spikeless golf shoes have had more praise in the past when it comes to comfort. However, according to online reviewers and experts, considering the array of spiked shoes today, as well as new designs and materials available, the difference between commutability in both spiked and spikeless golf shoes are minor.
Versatility
This is the game-changer. Spikeless are much more versatile as they can be worn off the green as part of your everyday wardrobe.
Traction
Spiked will always have some, although minor, advantage when it comes to traction. This is due to the physical protruding spikes digging into the grass for a better grip. With new designs and patterns emerging in spikeless shoes, grip and performance are getting increasingly better, however only so much can be done without adding actual spikes.
Conclusion
In the end, it's mostly up to personal preference as both spiked and spikeless golf shoes are similar in performance. It is however highly recommended to own at least one pair of each and wear them depending on course conditions or just personal preference for each game. Dicks’s pro tips suggest alternating between both spiked and spikeless shoes as this alternatively also increases the longevity of the shoes. Now it’s time to find your ultimate footwear to perfect your game.
