Do you have to wear golf shoes when you practice?

Welcome to another edition of the Fully Geared Mailbag, sponsored by Cleveland/Srixon Golf, an interactive GOLF.com series in which we answer your hard-hitting gear questions.

Wearing golf shoes while you practice is a no-brainer. In most situations, the biggest benefit of wearing them is clear: you’ll have better grip with golf shoes than with most casual or dress shoes. But, is that really all there is to it? Is wearing golf shoes while you practice worth it just because they grip the turf (or shooting mat) better than your regular shoes?

It’s not uncommon to find GOLF.com staff members wearing golf shoes as their daily drivers here at the office. It’s easy to see why with so many golf shoe styles mimicking the look and feel you get from dress and/or athletic shoes. And I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but it’s nice to know you can wear the same shoes to class and have dinner afterwards. So for those of you who, like us, wear golf shoes pretty much every day, this question doesn’t really apply.

But if that’s not you, and you normally wear your casual or dress shoes as your regular shoes, you should definitely consider wearing golf shoes every time you practice. Let’s see some reasons why:

You will adhere better to the ground and have more stability

Again, wearing golf shoes when you practice means you’ll have better grip on the turf, as well as those darn golf mats we’re all forced to use at times. Better grip ensures less twisting and sliding when swinging, which also helps you develop the right feeling in your feet and lower body. If you practice and your feet slip, you run the risk of making your swing worse, not better.

You will slip less in the shoe

Golf shoes, especially modern shoes that have athletic shoe profiles, are designed to not only provide sufficient traction and stability on the outside of the shoe, but also on the inside of the shoe. The Srixon/ASICS GEL-ACE Pro M Standard The Golf Shoe is a prime example, constructed with an X-shaped rigid TPU Trusstic midsole that cradles the midfoot for a snug fit. Additionally, the GEL-ACE Pro has added ankle padding for less foot lift and slippage as you swing. By the way, when you’re practicing, you’re likely to hit two to three times as many full swings hitting a 90 golf ball bucket as you would when playing a round of golf. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your feet, and if they’re not grounded in a golf shoe when you practice, you’ll pay for it sooner or later.

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You’ll have a familiar amount of toe drop

Toe drop refers to the angle between the heel of the shoe and the toe. With the exception of shoes like high heels, cowboy boots, and sturdy work boots (seriously, do any of you really hit a bucket of balls wearing them?), running shoes tend to have the most toe drop, averaging between 10-12mm from the heel to the front of the shoe. There are such things as anti-drop shoes, but in general most running shoes have raised heels to lessen the shock of the heel hitting the ground while running. The thing is, your running shoes are likely to have more toes than your golf shoes, which could lead to a whole different set of feelings and weight/balance issues when switching from running shoes when you you train to more neutral golf shoes when you play. That is, greater toe drop can lead to less weight placed on the heels in your stance, causing your weight to shift differently than it normally does when wearing shoes. golf course more at ground level.

You will have more lateral support as you train

Golf shoes are not only designed for comfort while walking and to help grip the turf better, they are also designed to provide lateral support. This means they have uppers that cradle the foot on both the outside and inside of the foot, and they also come with wider soles and aggressive traction patterns to account for the side swing that occurs in the golf swing. If you swing in running shoes, casual shoes, or even dress shoes, you probably won’t have the lateral support you need, which will cause you to swing less effectively and, in some cases, could actually lead to injury or, at best, pain in the feet and ankles. . This is especially true when hitting balls on hard mats. Trust us, a rolled ankle on a shooting mat is a terrible thing.

Bonus Reason: Golf Shoes Can Actually Help You Hit Farther

We checked, and it’s true. Golf shoes like the Srixon/ASICS GEL-ACE Pro M standard are designed to flex in some areas while remaining stiff in others, which helps increase torque and resistance during the golf swing. If you’re still not convinced, consider all of the aforementioned reasons why it makes sense to wear golf shoes while you practice. Knowing what you know now, you will think less about your golf shoes and will be able to swing with more confidence and hopefully a boost of power knowing you have a firm, secure footing when you swing.

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