Comfort is king when it comes to the golf shoe and the Skechers GO GOLF range has been a favourite of golfers of all ages, genders and abilities for this reason. To test out the brand’s latest models in the GO GOLF series, we invited four Golf Monthly readers to The London Club to tackle 36 holes around the long, often hilly, International Course.
Video: 36 holes in the new Skechers Go Golf range
Olly Cole (handicap 14.5), Brian Tracy (handicap 7.3), Jonathan Knowles (handicap 2.8) and Karen Sharman (handicap 18.3) were each tasked with scoring as many Stableford points as possible across the 36 holes with two brand new pairs of Skechers shoes to assist them on their journey.
Headlining the range this year is the Skechers GO GOLF Elite 5 Slip ‘Ins, and all four of our readers played their first 18 holes in one of the three colourways available. The hands-free, slip-in design allowed them to put on their new shoes without having to bend over, simply tightening them with the Twist Fit lacing system. They also feature Arch Fit technology which has now become synonymous with the comfort Skechers shoes offer golfers. This technology is used throughout the midsole and reduces pressure on the foot by distributing weight over a wider area. The shoe also features a Heel Pillow which provides ample comfort while walking but also offers a locked-in sensation during the swing.
After their first round, the Elite 5 Slip ‘Ins were a real winner with our readers. “I like the look of the shoe, they’re very smart,” Karen explained. “I was a bit unsure about the Heel Pillow at the back to start, but as soon as I slid my foot in the softness was there. The Twist Fit dial was my favourite part as it meant I could quickly adjust how tight or loose I want the shoe as I went along.” Brian was similarly impressed with the combination of the Slip ‘In technology and the Twist Fit dial. “Simply put, I had great comfort out there today. Drop them on the floor, stand on them and you’re in, it really is as simple as that. The Twist Fit dial really does make it so fast to put them on and tighten them.”
After the first round Olly, Brian Jonathan and Karen were on 20, 32, 32 and 34 points respectively and, as they all changed shoes ahead of the second 18 holes, each of them was confident they’d be able to achieve the same, if not more, points second time around.
On display for the second 18 holes was the Skechers GO GOLF Pro 5 Hyper, the shoe of choice for Matt Fitzpatrick on Tour. Jonathan Knowles wore these for his second 18 holes of the day and found them very much to his taste in looks and performance. “This shoe felt really stable to me, really like a pro’s shoe. I loved how athletic it looked too and that spiked outsole was ideal for walking and playing in these conditions today.” For his second round, Olly changed into a pair of the GO GOLF Elite 5 GF shoes, adopting a standard lacing system rather than the Twist Fit dial on the Slip ‘Ins. “Again, I found so much comfort with the Arch Fit under my feet. The spikeless outsole on this shoe and the Slip ‘Ins were impressive too. For me, I don’t normally wear spiked shoes because the grip on spikeless models like these is always so good. There was a bit of surface water around this morning so it was good to know I had solid grip and that both pairs were fully waterproof.”
In the end, Brian’s impressive 68 points across the 36 holes saw him beat out his fellow Golf Monthly readers, but all four played some excellent golf right up to the final hole of the day. It was proof, if ever we needed it, that supporting the feet and legs with plenty of comfort and support is the key to playing your best golf for as long as possible out on the course.
