Golf Shoes for Walking After 50. Comfort Beats Cool Every Time.

By Dave at Back Nine Living

Somewhere around the fourteenth hole, your feet stop being quiet passengers and start filing complaints. A hot spot on the left heel. Toes that feel like they have been in a meeting that ran long. An ache in the arch that you know will still be there at breakfast.

If you walk the course, or want to keep walking it deep into retirement, shoes are not an accessory. They are the one piece of gear you use on every shot and every step in between, more than 10,000 steps a round. Yet most shoe guides are written by testers half our age, ranking whatever dropped this spring.

So this is not a ranking. It is a decision guide for golfers over 50 who walk, built around one question: what should a walking golfer over 50 actually look for in a golf shoe?

Why do my feet hurt more after golf than they used to?

Because your feet at 55 are not the feet you played on at 35. They spread and widen, arches settle, the natural padding under the heel thins, and they swell over four hours of walking. None of this is a problem to fix. It is a set of facts to buy shoes around.

Spend an evening in the golf forums and the same stories repeat. The golfer who has burned through eight or ten pairs in a few seasons and still wakes up the morning after a walking round with feet that feel wrecked. Heel pain that bites hardest on the first steps out of bed, which is often plantar fasciitis, the most named foot condition among older golfers. Toes that swell over 18 holes until the shoe becomes a vise. One golfer admits he plays with his laces nearly loose just to give his feet somewhere to go.

Two practical habits follow. Shop for shoes late in the day, when your feet are at their biggest, and leave a full thumb width of room in the toe box. Your first tee feet do the trying on, but your hole 14 feet do the walking.

Are spiked or spikeless golf shoes better for walking?

First, a word on the word spiked, because it does not mean what it meant when we took up the game. The metal spikes that used to clatter across every clubhouse floor are banned by local rule at nearly every course, and you would struggle to find a pair for sale anyway. When a shoe is sold as spiked today, it carries replaceable soft plastic cleats. Spikeless means a flat moulded sole with rubber nubs and lugs built in.

With terms settled, the answer: spikeless shoes are usually more comfortable to walk in, while plastic cleats grip better on wet grass and slopes. After 50, that second part is a safety question, not just a performance one, so let your course and your conditions decide.

The case for spikeless is easy to make. They are lighter, more flexible, feel natural on cart paths and hard ground, and you can wear them to lunch afterward. Most tour pros now choose spikeless in good conditions, and the comfort focused buying guides keep adding spikeless models for exactly this reason.

The case for cleats is quieter, but it matters more as we age. In testing, spikeless soles struggled on steep, wet slopes where cleated models still bit in. A slip at 35 is embarrassing. A slip at 65 can cost you a season. If your home course has hills, or you love morning dew golf, plastic cleats earn their keep, and they screw out for replacement when they wear down.

One honest wrinkle: some golfers with plantar fasciitis were warned off spikeless shoes by their physiotherapist for being too flat, while others swear a comfortable spikeless pair cured them. ECCO collects that testimonial constantly. Feet are that individual. If yours are fussy, try both and listen to them.

A tidy way out of the dilemma: several brands now sell the same shoe in both versions, including the Under Armour Drive Pro Clone and the Payntr Classic Tour. Same fit, your choice of sole.

Are waterproof golf shoes worth it?

Only if you actually play in wet conditions. Waterproof and breathable pull against each other, and the shoe that keeps the dew out in May will often cook your feet in July.

Most waterproof membranes work by sealing the shoe, which also seals in heat and sweat. Testers describe feet that stay dry from the sky and soak from the inside. The premium exception is ECCO's Gore-Tex Surround, which lets moisture escape through the sides and sole and is widely called the most breathable waterproof shoe in golf. It also costs like a premium exception.

Here is the buying signal that cuts through the marketing: look for a stated waterproof warranty, not the words water resistant. ECCO backs some models for two to three years, FootJoy for one to two, most others for one. If a shoe offers no waterproof warranty at all, believe the silence. One equipment tester who walks nearly every round reported that a popular model advertised as waterproof left his feet drenched inside nine holes of rain.

If you mostly play dry summer golf, flip the priority. Choose a breathable mesh shoe and accept that two or three soggy rounds a year is a fair trade for cool feet all season.

How much cushioning does an over 50 foot actually need?

More than you needed at 35, but not the most you can buy. The goal is cushioning with stability, because a shoe that is all pillow lets your foot and ankle wobble, and a shoe that is all plank leaves you aching by the turn.

Golf has borrowed the maximum cushion trend from running shoes, and for walkers it is mostly good news. TravisMathew's NuAge Mega won MyGolfSpy's comfort testing for spiked shoes, with testers describing it as a Hoka with spikes. New Balance's Fresh Foam models sit at the same plush end of the spectrum and keep getting recommended for golfers managing knee, hip, or back issues, because a soft midsole absorbs the pounding those joints would otherwise take.

The caveat is torsional stability, which is simply the shoe's resistance to twisting. Grab a shoe at heel and toe and wring it like a towel. If it twists easily, your foot does the stabilizing work on every uneven lie, and older ankles tire of that job. Testers warn that an overly flexible shoe can let the foot roll too far, while an overly rigid one wears the foot out. You want the middle.

A few systems worth knowing by name. Skechers Arch Fit, an insole developed with podiatrists, is the repeat winner for flat feet and arch pain and usually comes at the friendliest price in this conversation. FootJoy's Pro/SL line is firm and supportive rather than squishy, the pick for golfers who value stability over softness, and several testers call it the best fitting shoe they have worn. ECCO's Biom shoes deliver the famous walking on pillows feel at a premium price. Different answers for different feet, which is rather the point.

What if you have wide feet, orthotics, or trouble reaching your laces?

Then you are the golfer the mainstream shoe wall serves worst, and the golfer a handful of brands serve best. Start with the brands built for your foot instead of forcing your foot into the brand.

Wide feet first. Many golf shoes offer wide only by stretching the same upper over a standard sole. True wide sizing, with a wider sole underneath, comes reliably from FootJoy and New Balance, and from specialists like FitVille, which builds 2E and 4E widths with a deep toe box, and Orthofeet, which designs around bunions, hammertoes, and feet that swell.

Orthotics next. If you wear custom orthotics every day, your golf shoes need a removable factory insole and enough depth to accept yours. This trips up a lot of golfers. ECCO, much loved for support, often runs too shallow for an orthotic without sizing up. Always pull the factory insole out first, never stack yours on top of it, and bring your orthotics to the fitting.

If new shoes are not in the budget, an aftermarket insole in a roomy shoe you already own is the affordable fix many golfers land on, and there is research behind it. Studies cited by podiatry clinics found custom orthotics reduced fatigue and improved gait in experienced golfers. Just never debut a new insole during a full round.

Finally, the quiet problem nobody puts in a buying guide: bending down to tie laces when your back or hips have opinions. Skechers Slip-ins, dial closure systems like Twist Fit, and Orthofeet's hands free designs solve it outright. If lacing up hurts, that feature alone is worth switching brands for.

Is walking the course better than riding a cart?

For most golfers, yes, and the research is unusually encouraging. Walking 18 holes covers roughly four to six miles and more than 10,000 steps, and burns about double the calories of riding.

The headline number is hard to argue with. A Karolinska Institutet study of over 300,000 Swedish golfers, most of whom walk, found a death rate 40 percent lower than the general population, which works out to about five extra years of life expectancy.

And if your knees are the reason you ride, the news is better than you would guess. Researchers at Northwestern and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab studied golfers with knee osteoarthritis and found that walking the course delivered significantly higher health benefits with no extra cartilage breakdown or inflammation compared to riding. Walkers spent more than 60 percent of the round in the moderate intensity heart rate zone, versus about 30 percent for riders. The lead researcher's summary is worth taping to the fridge: walking the course is significantly better than using a golf cart, but using a golf cart is still better than not exercising at all.

The honest caveat: walking can raise knee pain a little more than riding when arthritis is flaring, so ride on flare up days without guilt. Walk when you can, ride when you need to, and let a push cart carry the bag either way. I went deeper on all of this in my earlier post, Is Golf Good for Your Health. The short version is that your shoes are the equipment that makes every bit of it possible.

What mistakes should I avoid when buying golf shoes?

The biggest mistake is buying the look instead of the fit. Every other mistake is a version of that one.

Wearing a brand new pair for a full 18 is the classic. Give shoes three to five short wears before asking them for four hours and 10,000 steps. Assuming waterproof means breathable, or that water resistant means waterproof, sets up a sweaty or soggy surprise, and the warranty tells the truth either way. Stacking a thick insole into a shallow shoe crowds your toes and undoes the stability you paid for. And if you have wide feet, orthotics, or any foot condition, buying online without trying on is a gamble, because sizing varies wildly between brands and you cannot return shoes once they have seen grass.

The walking golfer's shoe checklist

Screenshot this and take it shopping.

·         Shop late in the day, when your feet are at full size.

·         Leave a thumb width of toe room. Feet swell by the turn.

·         Wear orthotics? Remove the factory insole and bring yours to the fitting.

·         Wet course or hills: choose plastic cleats or aggressive spikeless, plus a stated waterproof warranty.

·         Dry summer golf: choose breathable mesh over a waterproof membrane.

·         Test stability: twist the shoe like a towel. Some resistance is good.

·         Wide feet: buy true wide brands such as FootJoy, New Balance, FitVille, or Orthofeet, not a stretched standard shoe.

·         Trouble bending down: look at slip in or dial closure designs.

·         Break new shoes in over three to five short wears before walking 18.

·         Foot pain lasting more than a couple of rounds: see a podiatrist, not a shoe wall.

Common questions

What are the best golf shoes for plantar fasciitis? There is no single best, because feet respond differently. Golfers report relief from Skechers Arch Fit, ECCO Biom, and firm supportive insoles, while a few need the structure of a spiked sole. Strong arch support and real cushioning are the common threads. If heel pain lasts past a couple of rounds, see a podiatrist before buying more shoes.

Do golf shoes fit orthotics? Some do. You need a removable factory insole and a deep enough toe box to accept your orthotic. FitVille and Orthofeet are built for exactly this. Many mainstream models are not, so bring your orthotic when you shop.

Are spiked or spikeless better for a walker over 50? Spiked today means soft plastic cleats, not metal. Spikeless wins for comfort on dry, flatter courses. Plastic cleats win on wet grass and hills, where the extra grip is a genuine safety margin. Plenty of walkers keep one pair of each and pick by the forecast.

Can I just wear running shoes to walk the course? In dry conditions, plenty of golfers do exactly that, especially those with neuropathy or plantar fasciitis who find trail runners are the only shoes their feet tolerate. You give up traction on slopes and wet grass, so pick your days.

How many pairs of golf shoes do I actually need? Two well chosen pairs beat five impulse buys. One waterproof pair for spring, fall, and dewy mornings, and one breathable pair for summer. Rotating also lets each pair dry out properly, which extends their life.

The cheapest insurance in your bag

A quick note to close. I am a fellow walker, not a podiatrist, and this is gear talk, not medical advice. The forums are full of golfers whose physiotherapist and podiatrist disagreed with each other, which is exactly why your own feet, professionally assessed, outrank any buying guide, including this one.

But if the only thing wrong with your feet is the shoes you have been asking them to walk in, that is the cheapest fix in golf this side of a regrip. Your feet have carried you this far. Buy them something comfortable.

See you on the back nine.

Stay in the Fairway

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Dave is the founder of Back Nine Living, a golf and lifestyle site for players over 50. A lifelong golfer, he writes about golf, fitness, gear, travel, and the second half of life from his home base in Ontario, Canada.

Sources: Farahmand et al., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, study of 300,818 Swedish golfers (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18510595); Northwestern University and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab knee osteoarthritis study (news.northwestern.edu/stories/2018/may/get-off-the-golf-cart-if-you-have-knee-osteoarthritis); buying guide and forum findings compiled from MyGolfSpy, Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer, GolfWRX, and GolfPass