When it comes to summer golf, what’s the most important thing? Breathability! Of course your golf shoes will still need to perform out on the course, which means they need to be stable, comfortable and stop you from slipping. However, the main factor is breathability. There’s nothing worse than your feet melting in your shoes on a hot summers day. So here’s my top 5 best summer golf shoes for 2020.
While I haven’t tested EVERY summer golf shoe (not yet anyway) I have worn ALL of these shoes out on the golf course in hot weather.
5. Nike Roshe G Golf Shoes (around £60)
For those of you who’ve seen my full review of these shoes before, you’ll already know I’m not exactly their biggest fan. Personally I find they lack the amount of stability I need in a golf shoe, both from the lightweight upper, as well as bulbous outsole that just don’t inspire me with confidence underfoot. However, I’ve had to include them in the list as they do have some properties which make them an ideal summer golf shoe. Firstly, they are spikeless, as well as very soft underfoot, which means they’ll be nice and comfortable even on the hardest of baked out summer fairways.
Secondly they are incredibly lightweight, meaning there’s no way these shoes will make your feet feel heavy in the heat. And lastly, but most importantly, the upper material is very thin and breathable.
While I wouldn’t personally use these shoes, there are lots of people who love the feel of them, so if you like the looks, make sure you give them a try to see how they fit your feet. Even though there’s no wide-fit version specifically, they do have a fairly decent amount of room in them, especially when coupled with the lightweight mesh upper.
4. Footjoy Flex Golf Shoes (around £80)
The Footjoy Flex was specifcally designed with comfort in mind. Footjoy wanted to create a shoes that could be used both on and off the course, and in doing so they created a great summer golf shoes. The lightweight breathable mesh upper allows plenty of air to circulate around your feet, and there’s plenty of room in the shoe too (so much so you may want to consider going down half a size).
The looks won’t be for everyone, as they do have a bit of a ‘grandad’ vibe about them. However, Footjoy have looked to fix that by releasing updated models, including the Footjoy Flex Coastal, which uses a canvas style upper rather than the thin mesh.
The shoes are comfortable enough underfoot, but they’re certainly not breaking any records. There are softer and more responsive midsoles in this list. Also the grip isn’t particularly agressive so I wouldn’t recommend making these your only summer golf shoes if you feel you may need the extra grip at some point.
3. Adidas CodeChaos Golf Shoes (around £130)
The Adidas CodeChaos is the first shoe in the list that uses a waterproof upper. This does mean that the shoe is the least breathable of the top 5, however, the tongue is still an exposed mesh material which will allow some air through on a warm day (as well as water if it does rain – see my full review where I gave them a good soaking to check), and the shoe has other qualities which more than makes up for it.
Firstly, the looks. While divisive, they will certainly stand out on the course. There’s no other golf shoes that look like these. However, it’s not just about the looks, these shoes are INCREDIBLY comfortable with the boost midsole used, and perform seriously well out on the golf course.
The unique traction pattern pattern provides fantastic levels of grip (so much so that PGA tour payers have been using these shoes over other spiked options from Adidas), while also providing great levels of stability. These are the most stable golf shoes in this list by a absolute mile. The fit is quite narrow, and with no wide fit option, you may want to consider going up half a size.
If you’re considering purchasing these shoes you can find a link to them on Amazon here.
2. Nike Air Max 1G Golf Shoes (around £100)
The first iteration of the Nike Air Max 1G used a synthetic leather upper, which was the opposite of breathable; on a hot day your feet feel like they’re in mini ovens. However, the updated versions for 2020 use a mesh upper, which in my opinion, look fantastic. I’ve always been a fan of the classic Air Max trainers, so I was really pleased when the Air Max golf shoes turn out so well. Not only do they look the part, they perform well on the course too.
The ‘integrated traction’ on the sole of the shoe means you can wear them both on and off the course, but unlike some of the other shoes on this list, these really do perform well out on the course. The grip is quite aggressive and give you great confidence you won’t slip.
The construction of the shoe is surprisingly solid which gives a stable platform through your golf swing. They are nice and comfortable, although not particularly suited to a wide foot, and the softness underfoot is a little lacking – that old single air bubbles at the heel just isn’t as soft as more modern technology. However, they certainly look the part and perform well for a summer golf shoe.
Inesis Grip Summer Golf Shoes (around £40)
That’s right, these shoes from Inesis are £40!! As a summer golf shoe, they are almost perfect, and at such a low price they offer insane value for money! Firstly and most importantly, these are the most breathable golf shoes on this list. The mesh upper is incredibly lightweight meaning your feet will stay nice and cool on a hot day.
While they aren’t the most stable golf shoes on this list, they will be sturdy enough for the vast majority of golfers. Inesis have used a ‘Y frame’ to help provide some added firmness to the shoe where it’s needed, and it also sits very flat on the ground, stopping your foot from wanting to roll to much during the swing.
The softness underfoot was the real surprise with these shoes. For such a cheap shoe, they feel like you’re walking on air. So much so that they rival the feel from the adidas boost shoes and dare I say, are maybe even softer?! There’s a very thin tongue with no padding at all to help with the lightweight design, and it feels like there’s plenty of room in the toe box too.
The grip from the shoes is also very impressive. The combination of TPU and Rubber lugs are spread out and quite agressive. This does mean you may not really want to use them too much off the course, but then this is a list for the top summer golf shoes, not shoes to use on and off the course (hmm that just gave me an idea for another list…)
I’ll admit, these are not the best looking shoes here, and the laces feel very cheap…however, THESE SHOES ARE ONLY £40 and are the most breathable and comfortable here, which is why they’ve made it to the number 1 spot!
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