Even if you comb through the entire internet, no golf shoes fitting guide or rule book would tell you that the best way to wear a pair of golf shoes is to wear it too tightly.
Just like most sports apparel, there is a specific level of snugness that optimizes the performance of your golf shoes.
This golf shoes fitting guide will give you tips on how to get the golf shoes that fit you like a glove and on how to transform your unfitted golf shoes into more wearable footwear.
Golf Shoes Fitting Guide
Imagine walking along the fairway. You are about to swing your club.
Then suddenly, because your golf shoes are too big, they fall off your foot. Scenarios like this one are very humiliating, and they could sometimes lead to injury as well.
It is thus essential for golf players to wear shoes that fit them properly. And getting golf shoes that fit you is, surprisingly, not that hard.
All you need to do are some basic research and improvisation.
Measuring your Foot Size
If you have ever commissioned a dressmaker for a custom-made gown or suit, then you would have noticed that the measurements of your body are taken before even starting with the design.
Dressmakers do that because your bodily proportions will be their basis for crafting apparel that suits you.
That is why prior to buying your footwear, this golf shoes fitting guide highly encourages you to measure your own foot size first. There are a few of ways to do this.
- Manual measurement with a ruler
On a piece of paper, trace your foot. Then, using a ruler, enclose the outline of your foot in a rectangle. Measure the dimensions of the rectangle. The length and the width you will measure are approximately the same as the length and the width of your foot.
- Using a Brannock Device
This measuring device has been used in the shoe industry for more than half a century. Its main purpose is the measurement of a person’s shoe size. Aside from the width and length of your foot, it is also capable of getting the value of the arch length, which makes it a more accurate tool compared to a ruler.
- Checking your other footwear
One quick way of knowing your foot size is by checking the size of your other footwear. Just look at the label of your sneakers and you’ll know how large your feet are. Though convenient, however, this method is not recommended by this golf shoes fitting guide. Shoe size is highly manufacturer-specific. So, you still need to do actual measurements to get a more accurate figure.
These are just some of the common ways to get your shoe size. These are really helpful as a starting point if you are looking for new golf shoes.
As long as you know the dimensions of your foot, you will be able to find a pair of golf shoes that fit you well.
Knowing the Standard Sizes of Golf Shoes
As mentioned earlier, the size of footwear varies from company to company. Hence, it is imperative that you do your research on the world’s well-loved golf shoe brands.
Browsing through their shoe size charts will give you an idea which pair of shoes will fit you best. The following brands belong to the biggest names in terms of golf shoes.
This golf shoes fitting guide compiled a description of their size charts especially for you.
- Ecco has a wide array of footwear that you can choose from. It offers two separate size charts for men and for women. These charts contain the sizes in different units – inches and centimeters – as well as equivalents in other countries such as the USA, Canada, EU, and Korea.
- Aside from size charts for men’s and women’s golf shoes, FootJoy boasts of its Kids and Teens shoe size charts. For instance, if you are a guy having 29.6 cm long feet, you can use the size charts of FootJoy to know your shoe size in terms of US, Chinese, or Japanese measurements.
- Skechers GoGolf. The size charts of this brand offer limited versatility because only the US, UK, and EU size conversions are presented. Moreover, Skechers GoGolf is critiqued for being a bit smaller than its marketed size.
As soon as you have the measurements of your foot, you can go to these size charts to select an appropriate size for you. Again, you just have to be careful because size is company-specific.
For instance, if you are looking for women’s shoes 25 cm long, ECCO’s charts will recommend a EURO size 39, while FootJoy will recommend EURO size 40, which is one size larger.
After knowing your foot measurements and determining a corresponding shoe size from a company of your choice, the next step is buying those shoes.
You can have two main methods for purchasing your footwear. The first way is to go to the shop and buy your shoes from there.
The advantage of this is that you will be able to actually fit the golf shoes before you pay for them.
The other way is through online shopping. If you are a busy person, this option might be more favorable for you because there is no need to go to the physical store.
However, this golf shoes fitting guide reminds you to be very judicious about making online purchases because you may end up getting golf shoes that don’t fit you well.
Retrofitting Old Golf Shoes
Sometimes, golfers would realize that they have a pair of golf shoes that they haven’t used in a long while.
Since they have an idea how snug should golf shoes fit, is it okay to just throw those kicks away?
No!
Should golf shoes be snug enough that they compress your feet too much, or be loose enough that they can fall anytime, do not think twice about retrofitting them to make them more appropriate for your foot size.
This golf shoes fitting guide has some tips for retrofitting your old golf shoes.
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Snugging Them Up
How snug should golf shoes fit you? To what extent should golf shoes be snug?
Frankly, there is no definitive answer to this. The only thing to consider is your comfort. You cannot snug them up too much or else you’ll end up with blisters.
You also cannot let them fit loosely lest your shoes fall off like Cinderella’s.
To tighten old golf shoes that seem too big for you, there are several workarounds available depending on the style and material of your shoes.
You may insert thick foam paddings to eat up excess space inside the shoes.
If the ones you have are laced, then you can get a set of shoelaces and then tie up your shoes at your comfortable tightness.
Moreover, if your golf shoes are made of leather, you may use a blow dryer to shrink it a little.
How snug should golf shoes fit after doing these? Well, they should be snug enough to fit you properly.
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A Little too Tight?
Aside from considering how snug should golf shoes fit, you must also be wary if they are a little too tight.
Should golf shoes be snug enough to cause discomfort, don’t hesitate to do some alterations?
One way to expand your golf shoes is by putting a plastic bag filled with water inside, and then put your shoes inside the freezer.
The expansion of the ice will cause the shoes to stretch. Once you let the ice melt, you’ll get a slightly bigger pair of shoes.
Another thing you can do if you are not fine with the idea of putting your shoes inside the freezer is to stuff it fully with clothes or old newspapers, then leave it as is until the next time you play golf.
How snug should golf shoes fit after doing this?
Because of constant stretching, your golf will have almost the right amount of snugness that feels comfortable to your feet.
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Going to the Professionals
The mentioned tricks in the previous paragraphs are all do-it-yourself in nature.
However, some major golf shoe brands actually offer repair and retrofitting services at a cost.
They have all the proper equipment should golf shoes be snug enough to make you uncomfortable. They can also alter your golf shoes if you are finding them too big.
So even if these services have a price to pay, you can be sure that your shoes are handled properly.
In the long run, having your old golf shoes retrofitted is still a big money saver, especially for golfers who are short on cash.
Instead of buying a new pair of golf shoes, you can just have an old one beautified. To what extent should golf shoes be snug or loose?
There is really no answer to this – just specify your preference and let the service shops do their thing.
Not Too Snug, Not Too Loose
This golf shoes fitting guide has presented you with tips and tricks on how you could get a pair of golf shoes that fit you well.
It also gave you ideas on how you could retrofit old golf shoes so they can be used again.
What matters is that you are comfortable with what you are wearing. It doesn’t matter if your golf shoes are new, old, cheap, or expensive.
As long as they are not too snug, and not too loose, they will serve you well.
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Last Updated on December 4, 2023 by Paul Roger Steinberg