The golf shoe revolution
As an ardent member of the Gen Z community, I like to think my finger is firmly on the pulse when it comes to modern golf fashion. Over the last few years, golf has suddenly become quite a cool hobby. To be honest, I loathe to use the word cool, because as soon as you say something is cool, it immediately isn’t anymore. Anyway, golf is making strides and we’ve seen the fashion slowly change accordingly. I’ll save my opinion on the rise of the golf jogger for a later date, but I can confidently say there has been a seismic shift in the way golf shoes are designed.
Last month, Adidas brought three of its iconic trainer silhouettes together with the launch of the new Samba, Stan Smith and Superstar golf shoes. Although we’ve seen limited-edition runs of these shoes in the past, all three being launched together feels like a statement of intent from Adidas.
Other trainer crossovers like Nike’s classic Air Max 90 and Air Jordan 1 Low have both received tour validation from the likes of Tony Finau and Justin Rose, so however you look at it, trainers are now an accepted part of golf attire. That simply wasn’t the case a decade ago.
It’s not just the big brands doing this, either. I tested the Cole Haan Zerogrand Overtake earlier this year, and the lightweight design and huge range of colours make it one of the best golf trainers from outside the obvious brands. I’ve got no doubt this rising enthusiasm towards golf trainers is a literal step in the right direction when it comes to getting a more diverse range of the population playing and enjoying the game. Whatever your opinion, just don’t call these shoes ‘cool’.