A New Look for Golf Shoes
The rules of golf are changing and adapting from the bottom up – literally! These days golf shoes are seeing a total overhaul with what is considered acceptable on the course. These changes aren’t necessarily in the way you’d expect given the typical stodgy atmosphere of a golf clubhouse. Golf shoes are becoming more stylish, savvier, and more comfortable. Both Callaway and Nike have gone to great lengths to improve the footwear of the links. Callaway’s RAZR footwear is top of the line, “incorporating advanced technologies inside and outside the shoe, designed to enhance comfort and improve performance.” With the kind of innovations that Callaway offers with this new shoe, it’s easy to see why the company is so proud of its product.
“The RAZR utilizes a temperature management system from Outlast as well as X40 molded insoles from OrthoLite and a Callaway comfortech gel tongue,” Kent Richard, director of marketing for footwear, eyewear and golf balls at Callaway Golf, says proudly.
The inside isn’t the only part of this shoe that’s receiving a makeover. With the RAZR shoes, Callaway introduces a proprietary spike design called “PINS,” short for Performance Insert System. PINS, developed from the creators of SoftSpikes, decreases spike pressure on a player’s foot. This simple decrease actually increases traction, stability, and comfort for the player.
Nike is also jumping on the cool Golf footwear bandwagon with its amazing Nike Dunk NG shoe. Yep, you read that right – the Nike Dunk. Nike is planning to showcase the Dunk with PGA Tour star Anthony Kim and the LPGA Tour sensation Michelle Wie. Wie and Kim are rumored to lace up their Dunks in early 2012. The Nike Dunk golf shoe offers a casual and customizable spin on the typical golf shoe. Colors like royal blue, bright pink, and funky orange are now an option for players (as are patterns like black and white checkered). While the Nike Dunk isn’t the first casual shoe on the marketplace, it is far and away the most iconic and unexpected look for out on the links. All of the comfort of your favorite pair of Nikes with the traction you need out on the green. Seems like a match made in sporting heaven. Perhaps Nike is trying to aim at the younger, fledgling golfing demographic with this latest venture. Either way, this caveman can’t wait to strap on a pair!
So what do you think of the new move for golf shoes? Cool spin on an old classic or a ham-fisted attempt to fix what isn’t broken? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!
