Getting the right size for your golf shoes goes beyond simply walking in a shop and buying a pair. In fact, having the right fit for your shoes can make or break your golf game.
How Golf Shoes Should Fit
Normally, golf shoes will have a more solid sole with spikes on the bottom to help you really grip the grass as you swing.
Golf shoes should be comfortable, but they do not need to feel like a second skin. Other sports might need that, but golf does not.
Leather shoes will stretch out over time, so if you are getting leather shoes, you should buy them slightly snug to allow for the stretching to happen.
Otherwise, your shoes should fit comfortably. Your toes should not brush the end of the toebox. Instead, you should have about a quarter of an inch gap to allow for your toes to move and stretch as they need to.
Additionally, your golf shoes should be the right width for your feet. Luckily, you can get golf shoes to fit your foot’s width, regardless of whether they are regular, narrow, or wide.
Wide And Extra Wide Golf Shoes
While leather golf shoes are considerably more flexible than synthetic material shoes are, if you have wide or extra wide feet, you cannot try to get away with wearing regular width shoes. You're going to need the best golf shoes for wide feet.
Sure, the leather will stretch over time to make room for your feet, but the sole isn’t going to stretch. Imagine trying to use proper technique when only part of the sole of your foot is on the ground. It simply doesn’t work.
Fortunately, several brands make shoes that work well for wide and extra wide feet.
The Most Popular Brands For Wide Golf Shoes Are:
- Ecco: These shoes are actually made in Denmark, so their sizing is a little bit different than what you would be used to. In fact, they don’t come in wide widths, per se, but they are built in a way that accommodates wide feet. Their shoes are high quality and comfortable.
- Sketchers: Sketchers does not offer many models that have wide or extra wide fits, but they do have some. They are known to have solid and stable soles and be comfortable enough to wear all 18 holes without a problem. They are not commonly made out of leather.
- New Balance: New Balance is amazing when it comes to wider width shoes, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that their wide width golf shoes are great as well. Their golf shoes are more athletic, much like their running shoes, and will comfortable accommodate wide widths.
- FootJoy: FootJoy is probably the most popular manufacturer for wide golf shoes. They offer a lot of variety in style and are excellent shoes.
Don’t Forget About Your Socks
It is easy to forget about the role that your socks play in all of the sizing when you are looking at shoes. But, your socks matter as well. The thickness of socks that you wear can make shoes more comfortable or uncomfortable than they would have been otherwise.
Likewise, you should try these shoes on with the type of socks that you will wear. If you wear too thick of socks when trying them on, your feet will be sliding around in them when you actually play.
Online vs Pro Shop
Ordering online instead of a golf pro shop can make getting the right golf shoes tricky. You will need to get measurements of your feet.
Do this by standing on a sheet of paper and tracing around your foot. Then measure it with a ruler and compare it to a size chart. Yet, even if you get the size right this way, you will still not know how well the shows will fit or if they will be comfortable for you.
Ideally, you would go try on your golf shoes in a sports or pro shop. Here, you will be able to get a good feel on the shoes before purchasing.
If you have wide feet, however, getting a pair that fits from a shop can be tricky as many stores will not have them in stock. In that case, double check the online shop’s return policy in case you do not like them.
Bottom line: Your golf shoes need to fit your feet as well as possible. Don’t force your feet in shoes that are too small. The right shoes are out there waiting for you.
What’s up guys! It’s Tim here. Finding the right footwear for wide feet can be a challenge. And I know this from my own experience since I wear E or EE shoes. And that’s why I decided to start Wide Feet Gear. I want to help people with wide feet to find perfect shoes, boots, skates or cleats so they can look and feel great. Cheers!