Golf Shoes: Spiked or Spikeless

It is time for me to upgrade my golf shoes.

How do I know?

The Conditions When I Play

I tend to play golf in the morning a lot. Sometimes, as luck and circumstances would have it, I just get a better deal on that 6:30 AM tee time. That means that I not only find myself getting dressed while it is still dark and downing a hot cup of coffee before hitting the road towards the course but also facing different types of conditions. It’s usually wet with dew still making the fairways and greens play differently. It usually includes some fresh mud and even marsh-like conditions when you find that tee shot has veered to the rough just left of the fairway. And heaven forbid if I find myself in one of those beach-like bunkers with that wet sand like a shoreline.

The Way I Tend to Play

I try to walk the course more often nowadays. Riding a golf cart does not require a lot of consideration for the comfort level of your golf shoes. However, even walking 9 holes or a compact par 3 course, I discovered the need for greater comfort and more traction.

I have slipped and busted my butt a few times playing early mornings with only the sun peaking through the distant trees, so I know that I need some grip and traction. There’s nothing like having your swing mechanics aligned with all of your swing thoughts, only to result in you swinging and spinning out of control every now and then. That causes you to play too cautious and rob yourself of some yardage on a tee shot. Approach shots, chips, and pitching are not so bad. But I never noticed how much your shoes came into play for putting out on the green until my feet were pulsating and throbbing after tackling the front 9 of a hilly, slightly-sloped course. You don’t have to worry about the yips when you got aching feet halfway through a round. That’s when I vowed to restrict my play to certain predominantly-flat courses until I made some changes with my footwear.

The Choices are Either Spiked or Spikeless

Regardless of how you play or under which conditions you usually play, you got a choice of two options: spiked or spikeless. You can go traditional with spiked golf shoes. Or, you could go with the more trendy option of spikeless golf shoes. My current golf shoes are an early version of spikeless golf shoes and have suffered the inevitable doom of wear and tear. Prior to that, I have had both types of shoes. Since I am walking more, I am leaning toward the comfort and lightweight spikeless versions. Yet, due to playing in the mornings a lot, I recognize the benefits of a good pair of spiked golf shoes.

What a dilemma?

The recent rollout of the latest golf shoes has me salivating in all honesty. I mean this is purely a Pavlovian experience every time I check them out. I look at the latest spiked golf shoes and I start getting that itching to just pick out a pair and try them out on the course. Then, almost like Pavlov’s dog, I see the latest set of spikeless golf shoes and I am smitten by them all.

Do I Buy Spiked or Spikeless?

I want to that 72-hole test of spiked versus spikeless like Daniel Box of Golfalot.com, but I don’t think Amazon Prime will take anything back after such an undertaking. But I am on the hunt. All of the top brands have some great options and some new names have emerged in the fray, too. But here’s where I am stuck.

Help me out and answer a poll for me.

I will be sure to check back over the next few days to weigh the results. I already have some folks weigh in offline and they are killing me with their rationale. If you believe that you have some sound advice, drop it in the comments and I will be sure to check it out. I usually get some sound advice from the likes of Brian Penn and other golfers who blog on their play and the sport in general, so I am looking forward to getting some ideas on this whole dilemma.

Thanks a million. I will keep you all updated.