How We Test Golf Shoes

We test current model golf shoes from many of the most popular brands, paying close attention to standout technologies and innovations built into each model. 

By focusing on new releases in all price ranges, our reviews and recommendations are relevant, timely, and useful for your decision-making process, regardless of your budget.

We walk at least 36 holes of golf in each shoe we review.

We also often test shoes for an additional 1-2 hours of practice time on the golf course. In total, we spend close to 10 hours life-testing each pair of shoes before offering our honest, unbiased opinion.

While every shoe we review individually is personally tested on the course, not every shoe mentioned in our buyer’s guides has gone through this process. We clearly label our life-tested picks so you can easily tell which ones are based on our first-hand experience.

We test every pair of golf shoes on the course before recommending them. Each shoe receives a 1–10 score in five categories to help you find the right fit for your game:

Scoring Scale:

• 10: Best-in-class. Outstanding in this category with zero meaningful drawbacks.
• 8–9: Excellent. Performs very well with only minor trade-offs.
• 6–7: Good. Reliable but with some noticeable limitations.
• 5: Average. Gets the job done but with compromises.
• 1–4: Below average. Issues significantly affect performance or enjoyment.

We rate every shoe we test using the same process so you can confidently compare models year after year.

Each review also includes a final verdict — a short, plain-English recommendation about who this shoe is best for. This way walkers, all-weather players, and value-seekers alike can easily pinpoint the best golf shoes for their needs.

Not every golf shoe is designed to be waterproof, and we don’t think those shoes should be penalized for that. For models that are not marketed as waterproof, we calculate their score based on the four remaining categories (comfort, traction, style, and value) for a maximum of 40 points.

Their final score is then converted to a percentage — so a shoe that earns 36/40 would receive a score of 90/100. This keeps our ratings fair and allows non-waterproof shoes to compete on an even playing field.

When possible, we update our reviews after a full season of use to report on outsole wear, waterproofing over time, and overall durability.

Our consistent testing and review process means you can trust our recommendations, because we actually play golf in them, just like you.

You may notice a note on some of our older reviews:

“This review was written before we formalized our testing process in 2025. Our current methodology includes at least 36 holes of testing — read more about it here.”

This lets you know exactly which reviews were written under our new process.

Most of the golf shoes we review are provided as samples by the manufacturers. These samples are not returned, allowing us to continue wearing them and update our reviews over time.

Receiving a sample never guarantees a positive review. We only recommend shoes that perform well in real-world testing. Our editorial team maintains full independence, and all opinions are our own.

When we buy shoes ourselves, we disclose that as well. Our goal is simple: give you honest, experience-based recommendations you can trust.