The History of Golf Shoes

While we don’t know exactly when dedicated golf shoes got their start, they’ve been around for at least 150 years and one of the earliest references to specialized, spiked golf shoes dates back to an 1857 issue of The Golfer’s Manual. The publication encouraged novices to wear shoes “roughened with nails or springs” for good traction. Unfortunately, these types of shoes quickly proved hazardous. In 1891, the first golf shoes with separate, screw-in spikes debuted. While these shoes proved much less hazardous to golfers, they were notorious for tearing up greens and many country clubs began banning them. In 1906, Spalding introduced the saddle oxford shoe for golf, which included an extra, saddle-shaped piece of leather around the laces. These shoes soon became a staple in the golfing world. In the 1980s, golf shoes became less stiff as more advanced, flexible materials were introduced and more focus was given to foot support and cushioning. Plastic spikes were introduced in the 1990s and were not only less damaging to greens, but more comfortable to wear. With the rise of celebrity-status golfers like Tiger Woods, high-profile shoe companies like Nike began to create dedicated shoe lines. In 2010, Fred Couples helped popularize spikeless golf shoes when he wore a pair during the first round of the 2010 Masters Tournament. Since then, spikeless shoes have become the norm. Today, new golf shoes are released regularly and these modern designs offer golfers increasingly lightweight support paired with reliable traction.