Buying guide
Dry feet, no spikes: six waterproof spikeless golf shoes from $110
Wet autumn grass finds out a cheap shoe fast. Six waterproof spikeless pairs from Skechers, Duca del Cosma, FootJoy, TRUE linkswear and ECCO, from a budget pick to a premium Gore-Tex shoe, and what to look for before you buy.
A 7am start on soaked fairways, with dew that never burns off and soft banks around the tees, will find out a shoe that is only “water-resistant” by the 4th hole.
This edit sticks to spikeless shoes that their makers sell as properly waterproof: six pairs from five brands, starting at $110 and finishing with a $300 Gore-Tex shoe. Prices come from the makers’ own sites when we checked, in their home currencies; delivery costs and stock outside those markets vary.
Membrane, warranty, tread and fit
A waterproof membrane or bootie, rather than a coated upper. Look for the words “waterproof” and a construction detail behind it: a laminate, a bootie, or Gore-Tex.
A warranty. It shows how far a brand will stand behind its waterproofing. Two years is the benchmark in this edit; one year is fine at a lower price.
Tread you can see. Deep, multi-directional lugs grip a wet bank; a flat, sneaker-style sole can feel lovely in the car park and slippery on a slope. If you play heavy, hilly or clay-based courses through winter, a spiked shoe may still be the safer choice.
Fit with winter socks. Try shoes on with the thicker socks you will actually wear in November.
Skechers GO GOLF Drive 6, $110 (men’s)
The cheapest pair here. Skechers lists the Waterproof Relaxed Fit GO GOLF Drive 6 with a full-grain leather upper, a classic lace-up front and a removable Arch Fit insole, which the brand says gives supportive cushioning for walking. The outsole is Goodyear rubber, designed to add stability.
The “Relaxed Fit” label means a roomier cut, which is good news for wider feet and thick socks, less so if you like a snug, locked-in feel through the swing. It comes in navy, white and other colourways.
Duca del Cosma Forza, €129 (men’s)
The new Forza is an athletic, sneaker-shaped shoe built around a waterproof bootie system with a gusseted tongue, which keeps water from sneaking in around the laces.
The upper is microfibre, which the brand says is durable and easy to clean, with a breathable mesh lining and the brand’s Airplay Torino spikeless outsole. Duca del Cosma describes the fit as average, designed to suit a broad range of foot shapes, and it comes with two sets of laces. Choose Black/White or White/Navy at €129.
Photo: Duca del Cosma
FootJoy Pro/SL, $185 (men’s)
The Pro/SL is FootJoy’s flagship spikeless shoe and it has been completely redesigned this year. FootJoy says the new version is 29% lighter than the previous generation, with a multi-layer Z-TEC upper for stability, a new ARCTrax/SL outsole of cones and traction fins, a StratoFOAM heel crash pad for walking comfort and an OrthoLite X25 footbed.
The waterproofing is backed by FootJoy’s two-year waterproof warranty (US terms). It is built on the Vantage last, which FootJoy describes as fuller across the forefoot with a rounder toe and a slightly narrower heel. Width options run from narrow to extra wide, which most of this list can’t match. Seven colours, $185. A BOA-laced version is listed at $215.
TRUE linkswear Ascent PNWProof, $199 (men’s and women’s)
PNWProof is a nod to the famously damp Pacific Northwest, and TRUE pitches the Ascent as an all-weather shoe that crosses over to the trail. It uses the brand’s Wanderlux supercritical foam midsole, a padded comfort collar and what TRUE calls trail-inspired traction, which should suit golfers who walk their rounds on soft, uneven ground.
TRUE backs it with a one-year waterproof guarantee. The colourways are Rain Cloud, Rainier and Storm Black, and there is a women’s version at the same price.
Shop the men’s Ascent PNWProof · Shop the women’s Ascent PNWProof
TRUE linkswear All Day Leather, $219 (men’s)
New this autumn, and the shoe in our photo. TRUE has taken its All Day V2 sole, with a non-slip rubber tread, and put a Napa leather upper on top. The upgrade brings a laminated waterproof construction and a two-year waterproof warranty, which matches FootJoy’s.
The low-profile, retro-runner shape looks at home off the course, and TRUE pitches it as a shoe for “the fairway to the city”. Black or white, $219. Its tread is flatter and more casual than the Pro/SL or the ECCO below, so we would save it for parkland and links.
ECCO Golf Biom C5, $300 (men’s)
The new Biom C5 is made from ECCO Performance Leather, which the Danish brand develops for golf in its own tanneries and says is easy to clean and highly scuff-resistant. ECCO lists it as a Gore-Tex shoe.
Most of what is new is underfoot. ECCO says the new outsole delivers stability and multi-directional traction in wet, dry, sand and mud, and the shoe now has a stretchy knitted sock collar for comfort. At $300 it is the most expensive pair here by some distance.
For women: a winter boot worth knowing
Most of this edit is men’s sizing. Beyond TRUE’s women’s Ascent PNWProof above, Duca del Cosma’s Sofia (€189) is the one for the coldest months: a women’s spikeless golf boot in full-grain leather and microfibre with a waterproof bootie and the brand’s Milano outsole. The higher cut adds cover around the ankle on frosty, dewy mornings. Shop the Sofia
Which pair for which golfer
On a tight budget, the Skechers Drive 6 covers the basics with leather and a roomy fit. The Duca del Cosma Forza is the most interesting design under €150. If you want the most proven all-rounder, with width options and a two-year warranty, the new FootJoy Pro/SL is the safe pick. TRUE’s All Day Leather is our choice for style on and off the course, and the ECCO Biom C5 is the one to buy once and keep.
To make any of them last, dry shoes slowly at room temperature with newspaper inside, never on a radiator, and clean the mud off the sole while it is still soft.
Sources
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