A good pair of golf shoes is hugely important to playing good golf. No one knows that better than the top professional golfers on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
The best players all have endorsement deals which always give them new shoes to wear. But are they wearing new shoes every time they go out and play? Let’s find out.
Do Professional Golfers Wear New Shoes Every Round?
Do Pro Golfers Wear New Shoes Every Round?
No, golfers don’t usually wear new golf shoes for every round.
Players will often have a few different pairs of shoes which they’ll take with them to tournaments, that can be rotated across the four tournament rounds.
Players might have certain pairs specific to certain types of golf courses or weather conditions.
For example, on dry days they might use a pair of spikeless golf shoes, whereas in wet conditions (when the course remains open) they might use waterproof golf shoes or spiked golf shoes.
Each of their pairs of shoes is fitted correctly for them, offering maximum comfort to avoid any discomfort whilst they’re out playing.
The shoes will also likely be cleaned and maintained after each round by somebody in the locker room or at the golf tournament. This helps them to remain in pristine condition and gives the impression that they’re a new pair of golf shoes.
Once a pair begins to wear out or become less comfortable, most golfers on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour can contact their sponsors and get a few more pairs.
I always used to think that pro golfers must get a new pair of golf shoes for each tournament they play in. If you’re not buying them yourself, you may as well right?
But in reality, golf shoes, like any pair of shoes need to be worn in a little or else the chances of blisters and sore feet are far more likely.
There’s nothing worse than playing golf with blisters, so, if their shoes are still looking fresh and feel comfortable, there’s no real reason for them to be changed.
How Often Do Pro Golfers Get New Golf Shoes?
Most of the top professional golfers can get a new pair of shoes as often as they wish, whether that’s weekly or yearly, but this will depend on the player and the type of sponsorship they have.
Usually, players will have a few pairs of shoes that they use on rotation, taking each to events and wearing a different pair each day.
If a golfer has broken in a pair of golf shoes and they’re a really comfortable pair, it’s unlikely that they’ll want to swap them out so will use the same shoes during a tournament.
However, like any pair of shoes, with excessive amounts of usage, they will wear out.
During the season, golfers are playing and practising almost every day. This means the shoes are getting a huge amount of use so will wear out much faster than the average golfer.
Most shoe brands will also have a new release every few months, so will expect their sponsored players to be wearing them at events.
Why Do Pro Golfers Wear New Shoes?
Golf shoes are a very important part of a pro golfers outfit and they need to perform well to give the player the best chance of playing well.
There’s a number of reasons why a golfer would change their golf shoes for a tournament:
Comfort
Comfort is really the most important reason for a change of shoes.
If a pair of shoes is no longer comfortable, they’re not worth having and when a player can basically get as many shoes as they wish, it’s a no-brainer to change shoes.
Performance
Golf shoes are designed to enhance performance on the golf course.
Modern golf shoes come in all different styles and types, whether it’s spiked and spikeless shoes or perhaps premium leather, there’s plenty to choose from, especially if you’re a sponsored golfer.
Therefore pro golfers will swap shoes out depending on where they’re playing that week, to find the best golf shoes for those specific conditions.
Outfit
We all know that PGA Tour pros like to look good out on the golf course. It’s a question of “Look good, play good”, after all.
Golfers love to wear golf shoes that match their clothing outfits, so will often change shoes to ones that go well with what they’re wearing.
Sponsorship
Golf brands often pay players a lot of money to wear their shoes, so they’ll want players wearing the latest models and designs.
As a result, a player will upgrade their shoe collections often to the newest models as part of any agreement they have with the sponsor.
Final Thoughts
Though they might have access to an unlimited supply of stylish new golf shoes, most pro golfers won’t be changing their shoes each round or even each week.
To play golf well, you need to wear shoes that are comfortable and perform well so it wouldn’t make sense to be constantly changing shoes.
FAQs
Do pro golfers get new shoes every tournament?
Yes, most top players will have access to a new pair of shoes every tournament they play in, however not many will actually change shoes each tournament.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
