How does one improve on perfection? This is a question I've been asking myself every morning as I gaze into the bathroom mirror, and I'm yet to find an answer. I also imagine this is what the FootJoy design team was asking itself when it came to updating its now legendary Premiere Series Packard golf shoe, already one of the best golf shoes on the market.
It is a model, alongside the Premiere Series Field, that has been hugely popular on Tour for a sustained period of time and equally popular on the fairways of country clubs and municipals across the globe. Quite remarkably, around 40% of all shoes on the DP World Tour and PGA Tours are Premiere Series.
It's the epitome of classic golf shoe design language and high-end materials married together into a golf shoe that has the technology a modern athlete producing 190mph ball speeds needs. I was lucky enough to receive my sample pair about two months ago and can report back that, despite similar looks, plenty has changed for the updated 2026 model. So, has FootJoy done the impossible and improved on perfection?
To the naked eye, not a lot has changed. But, to a trained eye, there have been some subtle design changes. As for what you can't see from a first glance, there have also been plenty of changes that have somehow improved on what I didn't think was there to improve upon.
I'll start with looks. Very much evolution over revolution. While the stripe of colour and different texture running through the middle has been changed and is available in a number of different colourways, not much else has.
There's some neat lizard leather detailing across the saddle, hand-selected, premium full-grain leather across the upper and premier EVA midsole comfort through the midsole.
Some, myself included, would never have declared that any previous FootJoy Premiere Series was the definition of comfort. Often, they take a little bit of breaking in, and there are some areas where the shoe argues against the foot rather than works with it. This was a key area the designers looked to improve upon, and they have done so superbly.
Firstly is the new padded and moulded Ortholite tongue that locks the foot in place while also offering more padding on an often problematic area of rubbing on the foot. Indeed, the new tongue is much more comfortable than the last Packard I wore.
There is also noticeably more padding around the heel area, another problematic area of pain for some golfers, which only further enhances the increased comfort the shoe offers versus the outgoing generation. Those who have doubted the Premiere Series for its comfort before need to reassess for this 2026 model. It still takes a round or two to break in, but once you power past that there is ample comfort on offer.
These still aren't the softest shoes underfoot - shoes like the FootJoy Quantum or Skechers Prestige provide that - but they certainly offer the right amount of support and power through the swing as well as the walking comfort you need for the nearly 13,000 steps golfers average on the course.
The latest Packard has also been given a fresh outsole for 2026. The new ArcTrax outsole benefits from nine spikes and offers perfect grip on the golf course while still remaining brilliantly low profile compared to some of the other best spiked golf shoes on the market.
Ultimately, you'll be buying a pair of shoes like this simply because of how gorgeous they are - and they really are even better looking in real life. Thankfully, FootJoy has done a perfect job of marrying these looks with modern technology and even more comfort than ever before.
I think everyone who loves the game of golf should wear, play in and enjoy a pair of FootJoy Premiere Series shoes at least once in their life. The new Packard is the best of the Premiere Series to date and the culmination of all that is great about what a brand like FootJoy offers the world of golf.
