CGA top walkers’ favorite shoes
It’s time again for the CGA’s Fall Fitness Finish, when walkers, riders and walkers-sometimes/riders-sometimes, track their rounds and steps to qualify for prizes and bragging rights. You can ENTER HERE, and if you do, you might want to coddle your precious feet with the perfect pair of shoes for walking.
Ah, but, what’s the definition of perfect for YOUR feet? As the proud owner of nine pairs of golf shoes, my definition changes from day to day. For tournament golf, I favor my waterproof Adidas shoes; for fashion, Royal Albartross and Cole Hahn. I’ve even got a seldom worn black pair of Footjoys for when a team dress code calls for that.
But I suspected my idea of perfect doesn’t match yours. I’m certain now that I’ve checked in with some former Fall Fitness Finish high steppers on their favorites. Here’s what they had to say:
SQAIRZ: Scott Baumgardner, a top stepper in past Fall Fitness Finishes, walks nine holes at Grand Junction’s Lincoln Park most evenings and plays Tiara Rado on weekends. He’s been wearing Sqairz shoes for the last three years. Says Scott: “I like the stability they provide and they are a little more comfortable than the Footjoys that I used to wear.” This relatively new brand uses replaceable soft spikes and promises to add 8-plus yards to a wearer’s drive.
RUNNERS: The peerless Suzie Frenchman has run away with the walking category in previous Fall Fitness Finishes, so maybe it’s no surprise that she favors running shoes for golf. “I wear Nike Pegasus and also like Adidas Zoysia golf shoes,” says Suzie, who runs races when she’s not walking golf courses for the Saddle Rock, South Suburban, Littleton or Highlands Ranch/DU women’s clubs. She managed to play through last year’s FFF despite a fractured metatarsal!
WHAT’S ON SALE: “That’s my honest answer,” says Colorado Springs Country Club member Tawnya Silloway with a laugh. She picked up a pair of Skechers she liked, but said they wore out pretty fast walking 18 holes most days of the season. Now she says she favors Adidas, with a good-looking but not as comfy pair of Footjoys she’ll wear when she rides. “For me, it is about the insole, arch support,” she says. “I have my go-to inserts for any pair of shoes. That I why I mostly buy sale on Amazon, because as long as the sizing is right, I will adjust the insole.”
TRUE LINKSWEAR: Representing the elite golfer category, Evan Czyzycki walks most of his rounds at CommonGround, home of the CGA, sporting a 2.9 handicap index. “This is a very timely question since I had some serious foot problems this summer from bad footwear and have done a lot of research on golf footwear recently,” he says. He’s turned to True Linkswear Original 1.2 shoes, which have little nubs on the bottom for grip. “They are extremely comfortable without sacrificing traction, which is important because I have a high swing speed and tend to slip with many spikeless shoes.”
A SHOE IS A SHOE: Wellshire Men’s Club member Steve Lyons just about walked his toes off last fall trying to match Suzie Frenchman. He says his preferred golf shoes include Footjoy, Adidas and Ecco in various styles, and he’s also found comfort in Skechers. After retiring from the railroad, he doesn’t get too worked up over what shoes he’s wearing to indulge his passion. “I don’t even think about it,” Steve says. “They’re not work boots, they’re golf shoes and I’m getting to go golf!”
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Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She provides the voice of “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant on golf for fun. Email her with questions and ideas at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.
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