Breathing new life to the golfing footwear marketplace…

How does the old golfing proverb go; take care of your feet and they will take care of your game. This has never been truer as technology improves and demands increase but what does this revolution entail?

Golfing style is undergoing a transformation and footwear has been spared no reprieve. The traditional classic design sported for generations is being overtaken by a slick, versatile and current format. The trend is being led by the latest crop of top professionals such as USPGA stars Rickie Fowler and Jordan Speith, introducing a golfing attire equally suited to modern off court wear.

The Adidas Adicross Gripmore Golf Shoe is a market leader and we took a pair for a test spin to find out if there was more than meets the eye…

On first look, they resemble a low profile dressy trainer as oppose to a ‘golf shoe’. Sporting the classic three strip look, solid flexible sole and leather exterior it appears to do exactly what it says on the tin. On reversing the shoe to reveal the base, we were hugely impressed.

The Sole

Complete with 43 mini cleats, the shoe combines the comfort features off a trainer with the golfing requirement for grip. The design team at Adidas proudly claim the shoe offers the most impressive connection underfoot available in the marketplace.

The sole features an extreme 243 points of contact with the ground for unrivalled balanced and game support. It felt extremely solid and showed no signs of struggling even under harsh British wet turf.

Comfort

The shoe is designed with all the usual Adidas technology for encouraging the expulsion of unwanted heat and moisture. Textile lining and firm padding section around the ankle and ball prevent unwanted sores. The top section of the shoe allows for exceptional breathability and temperature control – allowing out but not in. Climaproof protection makes the shoes highly weather resistant at all times.

The exterior is complete with solid, durable and premium leather which acts as a strong support but also ensures no compromise on the quality front.

The patented CLOUDFOAM sock liner technology is also placed within the shoe to offer extra support and comfort preventing foot sores and blisters.

Performance

At the end of the day, all golfers want performance from their footwear. The Gripmore includes a midsection mesh which is ultra-lightweight and offers extra movement during the swing. The shoe is designed to allow flexibility and it delivers. We found that footwork was completely unimpeded but a solid base remained in place throughout the swing.

The only issue with the design is that in the event of becoming off balance towards the heel during swinging, there is less grip than the rest of the shoe.

Overall

The Gripmore design is already appearing on the top golfing tours, with current US Open Champion Martin Kaymer sporting the new golf shoes to great effect. They will no doubt encourage scepticism from traditional stylists but the game needs to evolve.

They tick all the boxes for a top performing shoe and likely to become increasingly popular during summer golfing seasons. If you are searching for a replacement for traditional spikes or spider grips, this is the answer.

As you would expect, it comes with a two year guarantee for extra peace of mind and retailing around the middle of the marketplace, it will not price the majority of players out of buying.

Reward your feet and feel the benefit to your game today…