In this article we’ll cover the best spikeless golf shoes currently on the market. We’ll dig deep into comfort, performance, breathability, waterproofness and value. The good news is that golfers now have a brilliant selection of spikeless golf shoes to choose, the tricky part – finding out which ones are best for you.
Here is a top 3 if you’re short of time and below is a run down and the full reviews:
Best spikeless golf shoes in 2023 are:
- Puma Ignite Nxt Golf shoes (Winner)
- FootJoy Pro SL (Best waterproof)
- Skechers Go Golf Max Rover Spikeless (Best value)
- TrueLinks Originals (Wide fitting)
- Skechers Go Golf Skech-Air Twist
Puma Ignite NXT golf shoes
Puma have made a big dent into the spikeless golf shoe market in recent years with their Ignite range. The Puma Ignite NXT shoe is their latest evolution of this successful range.
Comfort
The ultra-light sole has been created with muscle memory foam, providing stable cushioning, great support and a shoe that will shape to your foot. The outer structure does a great job of providing cushioning and softness where needed, with a little extra stability around the heel and across the midpoint of your foot.
Performance
The Puma Ignite NXT golf shoe delivers excellent performance. More stability around the top of the foot, very good grip on the sole, but not quite as superb as the Rover Max. Nevertheless, you’ll be high satisfied with the performance of this spikeless golf shoe.
Looks
I love the matte finish, blend of materials and Puma logo decal on these shoes. You can go for the understated black / grey or kaki / grey options or show off with the white trainer vibe.
Waterproof
The Puma Ignites feature a non-stretch waterproof and breathable mesh, meaning despite their trainer-ish looks these are fully waterproof and even come with a 1-year waterproof guarantee!
Breathable
Puma have done an excellent job here. The lightweight construction and breathable fabric across the top of the foot keeps breathability at a high level.
Value
These shoes come in at a great price when considering their performance, comfort and waterproofing. Top of the range price for a knit finish, but a good deal cheaper than some leather alternatives.
Golf Insider verdict
Puma have continued their exceptional run of creating spikeless golf shoes. The Puma Ignite NXT are available in lace and solelace variations – both offer brilliant levels of comfort, performance and waterproofness at a great price.
FJ Pro SL
FootJoy shoes have been my go to golf shoe for the past 20 years of playing golf. The FootJoy Pro SL is their spikeless, leather golf shoe for golfers who want great comfort and performance.
Comfort
The soft padding around the heel and tongue are combined with FootJoy’s dual sole design and additional toe / heel underfoot padding. The result is an exceptionally comfy shoes that delivers great support.
The additional benefit with these, and most FootJoy shoes, are their range of sizes available: full and half sizes are available in standard, wide and extra-wide fitting. This customisation allows golfers to really find the perfect fit.
If you’re used to FootJoy golf shoes these will deliver as you expect, however golfers more used to Adidas and Ecco shoes may find these come up slightly narrower towards the end of your foot and around your toes.
Performance
FootJoy redesigned the sole of the Pro SL, the previous versions worked well, but this innovation now has 30% more points of contact and traction. The figure of eight sole also allows your foot to roll through your swing and keep connected with the floor.
These perform exceptionally well in most conditions, however depth of the rubber studs are shorter than the Skecher Rover Max, meaning they wouldn’t perform as well on very soft, wet turf.
Looks
If you’re after a trainer, tennis shoe look for the course these will delight you. They are also available in a range of colours and if you head direct to FootJoy you can even design your own custom pair!
Waterproof
The premium Chromoskin leather delivers super soft to touch feel and waterproof protection. These shoes come with a 1-year waterproof guarantee to back up their offer. These shoes will serve you very well in all but the wettest of golfing conditions.
Breathable
The soft leather uppers may not quite match levels of breathability offered by the knit and mesh spikeless golf shoes in this review, but these do provide better freshness than many other leather golf shoes.
Value
These are at the upper end of cost when it comes to spikeless golf shoes. However, Considering the materials used and excellent longevity of FootJoy shoes these still offer great value.
Golf Insider verdict
Comfortable, waterproof, great performance. It is tricky to find fault with the FootJoy Pro SL. A few players with broader feet may want to opt for wider sizes or look at other options, but if you’ve had any FootJoys in the past these won’t disappoint.
Skechers Go Golf Max Rover Spikeless
Next, we have the Skechers Go Golf Max Rover. I feel Skechers are the Skoda of the golf shoe industry – they are making seriously good products but are yet to get the full recognition they deserve.
The Go Golf Max Rover are Skecher’s latest shoe for a golfer looking for a great light-weight, spikeless option. The trainer-like design and knit finish create a super comfy, lightweight, breathable golf shoe.
Comfort
The ultra-light sole has been combined with additional cushioning around the heel and arch creating a lightweight, supportive sole that is a pleasure to walk in. The wide lacing system also provides great support and an ability to fit many foot shapes.
Performance
The reason the Go Golf Max Rovers have secured a spot in this review of spikeless golf shoes is for their performance. Rarely do I find a spikeless golf shoe that performs as well as a traditional spiked shoe, but the grip, traction and athletic feel of these shoes are all exceptional.
The foam base does a great job of providing support, but with enough twist to keep your foot in contact with the ground throughout your swing. The grip on these shoes is second to none – in dry conditions these provide better grip than most spiked golf shoes, and even on wet days the deep studs work well – really impressive stuff.
Looks
The Max Rover shoes are very much styled on a modern trainer. Knit finish, white foam sole and trainer laces. There may be cooler looking spikeless golf shoes on the market, but these will take you from the car to the golf course to the bar after without feeling out of place.
Value
The Go Golf Max Rovers come in at a low to mid-price point, their synthetic materials make them much cheaper than leather alternatives. I don’t feel there are any spikeless golf shoes on the market that match the performance of these shoes for the price.
Waterproof
The knit design has a water-repellant finish, but isn’t fully waterproof, meaning it will perform great most of the year, but isn’t suitable for the depths of the english winter. If you’re caught out in a shower your feet will stay dry, but walking 18 holes on wet turf will end in some wet socks.
Breathable
The tradeoff for the limited waterproofing is excellent breathability. The knit design and breathable inners make this a super golf shoe for hot and very hot conditions.
Golf Insider verdict
If you’re looking for a spikeless golf shoes with great performance and the comfort of a slipper look no further. The Sketchers even come in at a great price.
True Links Originals
True Links are relative newcomers to the golf shoe market and their True Original golf shoe really does offer the spikeless golf shot market something a little different.
Comfort
The True Links Original golf shoes are made from exceptionally soft leather uppers, providing great comfort. Accompanied by a wide lacing system, this shoe provides a soft feel that shapes to your foot.
The comfort is topped off with the soft padding around the heel and tongue, which makes these shoes comfortable from the first time you slip them on. However, the main talking point of the True Links shoes is their design and fit.
True Links feature a box-toe design, which will be a blessing for golfers with broad feet and toes. They also are built upon a zero-drop sole, meaning the heel is level with your toes – something True Links suggest is a more natural design, creating better comfort.
All in all, these are super comfy and well suited with golfers with broad / wide feet.
Performance
97% of the time these shoes perform very well. The thin sole twists and keeps your foot in contact with the ground throughout your swing, however on uneven lies, or when hitting shots full-out, this thin sole doesn’t provide the stability I want.
Similarly, the rectangular spikeless structure works well and provides great comfort most of the time, but when the ground becomes too soft or wet there is a greater chance of slipping compared to other spikeless golf shoes.
These minor issues won’t be a problem for most golfers, but if performance matters to you I’d push you towards other shoes in this review, and recommend the Skechers Rover Max for exceptional performance and grip.
Looks
These are cool looking shoes available in a range of classic colour combos – black, white & grey. The minimalist design sets them apart from other flashier spikeless shoes. True Links’ design is a little different and a welcome addition to the golfing market.
Waterproof
The True Links Originals full leather design is fully waterproof and even comes with a 2-year guarantee. After testing these through the joys of the British weather I’m happy to report they stand up well to rain from above and wet ground from below.
Breathable
The soft leather uppers may not match levels of breathability offered by the knit and mesh spikeless golf shoes in this review, but these do provide better freshness than many other leather golf shoes.
Value
These shoes come in near the top end of the spikeless golf shoe market. If you love their design and want super soft leather shoes then these are worth checking out. The additional chunk of cash will buy you looks and leather, but no extra performance benefits.
Golf Insider verdict
The True Links Originals offer golfers something different. If you have broad, boxy feet I doubt you’ll find another golf shoe that fits like this. Not top of the class for performance, but good enough for most golfers.
Skechers Go Golf Skech-Air Twist
The Skechers Go Golf Skech-Air Twist are one of Skechers more innovative golf shoes. The Go Golf Skech-Air Twist provides a relaxed fit, air cushioned sole and a twist lace up system. The shoe is based on a chunky trainer design – aiming to create a shoe with trainer-like comfort for golfers.
Comfort
The Go Golf Skech-Air Twist lives up to its trainer design inspiration, the cushioned sole provides great comfort and the soft padding around the ankle makes this shoe comfortable from your first wear.
However, the top of the shoe does need a little refinement. When bending down to read putts the lace tightener does press slightly into the top of your foot. This is a minor and infrequent niggle, but worth mentioning.
Check out our full Skechers golf shoes review
Performance
The soft spike traction system performs well in dry and slight wet conditions. However, it is limited when playing in wet and very soft conditions. I also found the traction on slopes and paths isn’t as good as the Skechers Go Golf Rover spikeless shoes reviewed above.
The thick sole does create a very comfortable pair of golf shoes for walking, but its thickness means the sole doesn’t twist and keep your foot in contact with the ground to the same degree as the FootJoy Pro SL or Puma options. These are all small points, but combined pull the Sketchers Air-twist below other spikeless shoes in this review.
Looks
Based on a retro, chunky trainer, the profile of these shoes is pretty nice. However, in my humble opinion, the logo and patterning isn’t quite up with the other shoes regarding on course style.
Waterproof
I’m always a little weary of shoes with fabric upper claiming high levels of waterproofness, but these are excellent. After a few round play on some wet and muddy UK courses I can report I finished every round with dry feet.
Breathable
What the uppers may lack in looks they do make up for in function. Combined with the high levels of waterproofing, the Skecher Air-Twists also offer great breathability. Again, lighter colours will keep your feet every cooler, but these are a great choice if you want waterproofness and breathability.
Value
These shoes come in middle of the pack in terms of pricing, more than the Skechers Go Rover, but a little cheaper than the TrueLinks and FootJoy options. They are not bad value, but if you’re considering spending this amount, I would urge you to up your limit by $30 and grab a pair of FootJoys.
Golf Insider verdict
In summary, the Skechers Go Golf Skech-Air Twists provide great comfort and excellent waterproofness. The lacing system is good, but could benefit from some minor tweaks. The thick sole is superb for walking long rounds, but I feel there is a small trade-off in its performance an ability to provide exceptional grip.
Frequently asked questions when buying spikeless golf shoes
Should I get spiked or spikeless golf shoes?
These days both spiked and spikeless golf shoes provide great comfort and so it becomes more a question of preference. Spikeless shoes tend to be lighter, more trainer like in design and sometimes more breathable.
The trade-off is that spiked shoes tend to provide better performance. In England, I wear spikeless golf shoes in the summer and spiked in the winter. However, I do use spikeless shoes in the winter on dry links golf courses.
Looking for max comfort and you play 90% of your golf in dry conditions, spikeless shoes are a great choice. If you want optimal performance in wet conditions and/or will only have one pair of shoes for all-around golf, I would push you towards spiked shoes.
For a deep dive into spiked vs. spikeless golf shoes debate check out this article.
What are the best spikeless golf shoes?
This depends on what features you are after and your budget. Great performance at a low price, the Skechers Go Golf Max Rover are very impressive. If you’re after a leather waterproof shoe with many fittings, the FootJoy Pro SL are a great choice. In this review the Puma Ignite NXT best tick all the boxes for a great price – hence why they feature top.
Do pro golfers wear spikeless shoes?
Yes, it was less common 10 years ago, with Freddie Couples being one of the first to champion Ecco’s spikeless shoes. These days more golfers wear spikeless shoes, but they are still in the minority, as pros want every last bit of traction they can get and spiked shoes give them the upper hand.
What are the best golf shoes on the market?
Knowing your foot shape is a key factor in finding the right shoes for you. It is worth combining your shoe size with the width of your foot around the heel, mid-foot and toes. Another useful piece of information is your arch / instep height and shape to ensure a shoe provides great support.
Are spikeless golf shoes more comfortable?
Yes, spikeless golf shoes are more comfortable, but this depends how you measure comfort. The soles of spikeless shoes tend to be softer and have more flex. Spikeless shoes are often lighter too. These factors mean your feet often feel slightly fresher at the end of a round.
This is quite different to many golfers who assume spiked shoes may dig into your feet or add extra pressure points – this is not the case.
How long will spikeless golf shoes last?
Great question – the biggest factor that will wear down the studs on spikeless shoes will be how much walking you do on hard surfaces – tarmac and cart paths. If you can keep your walking on these surfaces to a minimum spikeless shoes will likely last you 2-5 years, possibly longer, depending how much of a golf fanatic you are.
Do you really need golf shoes to play golf?
Yes – if you want to hit the ball any distance. When you swing a golf club you generate a large amount of force against the ground 1) forwards and backwards and 2) side to side. Trainers are not well designed to create friction for this action. You’ll often find your back foot slides backwards as you start your downswing when wearing trainers.
Can you wear spikeless golf shoes in winter?
Yes, if you play on wet and soft turf I would advise you opt for waterproof options. When the ground becomes muddy some spikeless golf shoes can lose their grip. The Skechers Rover Max have been the best performing spikeless shoes in wet conditions that I have found, but they are not fully waterproof.
Summary
There we have a summary of the best spikeless golf shoes on the market. If you would like a specific pair added to this list leave a comment below and I shall get my hands on a pair.
You can also check out our best golf shoes article for all the spiked and spikeless shoes.
Happy golfing – Will @ Golf Insider UK
