The Companies and Technology That Grabbed a Foothold in the Golf Shoe Market
Shopping for the right golf shoes can be difficult, especially for a new golfer. While golf shoes are not completely necessary to play the game, they are engineered to keep your feet from sliding around during your golf swing. Some of the top manufacturers have come up with very stylish and high-tech models recently.
FootJoy remains the leader in the golf shoe market. They enjoy a more than 50 percent share of the market. They are known for their classic golf shoes, but they have recently released the GelFusion shoes, which the company calls "the most technologically advanced shoe on the planet." It includes such features as leather uppers, specialized foam, and gel heel technology.
Other companies are offering new advances as well. Bite has introduced golf shoes that look and perform like hiking boots. Because this style also offers more ankle support, these are the perfect shoes for hilly courses or rainy golf days. They have also introduced shoes that are designed to help with your alignment, and shoes made for orthopedics.
Callaway, best known for its Big Bertha golf club, is also manufacturing golf shoes. Their Big Bertha Spikes are designed to provide better traction when you are swinging your club. They are oversized and asymmetrical, but lighter than average golf shoes. They are also multicolored.
Nike is appealing to the younger golfer with their golf shoes. They offer a number of classic golf shoe lines such as Dri-Fit, Gore-Tex and Duracomfort. However, they also have a sport collection that looks more like a cross trainer than golf shoe. This collection also offers a golf sandal, the newest trend in golf shoes.
Dexter is also appealing to those that want to avoid the "golf shoes look" with a large variety of styles in a golf shoe moccasin category. Most of these are slip-ons, but some have Velcro closures. Another newcomer to the golf shoes market, Cyclonic, is targeting golfers who want more of a street shoe look. The company sells its product as "high performance golf shoes for twenty-first century golfers with a modern sense of style."
No matter what brand or style of golf shoes you choose, make sure it feels comfortable and fits properly. Try on any shoes before purchasing them. After all, when you're on the course, you have more important aspects of the game to focus on than your golf shoes, right?
