It doesn’t seem that long ago that most golfers had a dedicated pair of wingtip-styled golf shoes with metal spikes on the sole. Only thirty years or so . . .
Not long into the 1990s, golf shoes began to evolve. First, the metal spikes were replaced with plastic versions. I think I still have the tool used to remove and replace spikes, although it’s unlikely I’ll ever use it again. Next, the golf shoe style rapidly changed from the formal look of the classic golf shoe to the casual styles found today. Finally, the soles changed so that many offerings today have nothing like spikes at all on the sole, and they can be worn on and off the golf course.
The traditional brands like Foot-Joy went along with the flow, as brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc. got into the golf shoe market.
Lately, newer brands like Ecco have gotten into the game, with very good offerings.
One recent brand stands out, though, for the claim they make — as heard frequently from none other than Sir Nick Faldo on radio and social media ads — that wearing their shoes will yield an average 8-yard gain on carry distances, and a 13mph gain in ball speed, among other performance improvements.
The brand is Squairz, and their performance improvement claims can be found in detail here.
They are nice-looking shoes (for men and women), and they offer free replacement spikes for life, although the use of spikes seems to take us a little back in time. Prices currently range from about $170.00 to $250.00 per pair, so they aren’t cheap.
As for the performance gains, I am skeptical, despite the detailed technical testing data Squairz cites on their website. It just doesn’t seem possible that a shoe could directly impact golf performance that much . . .
How about you? Anyone wearing Squairz that can back up the performance claims with your own experience? Or are we looking at a really clever and slick marketing campaign?
Let us know in the comments below.