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Oh, so you thought spikeless shoes were taking over? Think again. Despite the growing number of spikeless golf shoes on the market, the tried-and-tested spiked golf shoe still reigns supreme among the professional ranks.
But the benefits of spiked golf shoes aren’t reserved just for the pros. Average Joes like yourself could massively benefit from the switch to spiked. Here’s why.
Spiked shoes, while thought to be less comfortable than their spikeless counterparts, offer unparalleled stability and traction. Translation? More power and balance. And who doesn’t want more of that?
Better golf awaits. Here are the best spiked golf shoes of 2024.
If you’ve been on the fence between spiked and spikeless shoes, it’s time to take spikes for a test drive. Spiked shoes have never been better and you’ve never had so many great performers to choose from.
Year in and year out, the best spiked shoes are so good that’s it’s almost too close to call. That said, we’ve spent countless hours testing in order to narrow them down to a few top picks that exemplify comfort, stability, traction and waterproofness.
In short, our expert staff has tested shoe after shoe to ensure you’re left with an easy buying decision. Here are the shoes you should consider as you make the spiked switch.
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Price
The TOUR360 24 has a comfortable midsole and a soft leather upper. It doesn't feel like a spiked shoe, which is a good thing.
The TOUR360 24 provides great stability thanks to its rigid TPU sole.
The TOUR360 24 fits a little narrow, especially near the toe.
The adidas TOUR360 24 is the best spiked golf shoe of 2024. It has fantastic stability, great comfort and stellar traction. The return of the iconic TOUR360 line was well worth the wait.
Testers loved the BOOST in the heel and the leather upper. The TOUR360 Wrap system was also praised.
Some testers thought the fit was a little narrow overall.
Nothing gets me going quite like BOOST. The TOUR360 24 is as comfortable as it looks. And the stability is unmatched. This one is going to be hard to beat.
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The premium leather upper on the Tour Proto is absolute money.
The PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS has beefy traction and well-placed cleats that provide great grip.
The PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS is built more like a running shoe in terms of stability – that is to say, it's more flexible.
The PAYTNR X Tour Proto RS continues a long-standing dominance in shoe testing by PAYNTR. Like the shoes before it, the X Tour Proto is as comfortable as it gets.
Testers loved the leather upper and comfortable foam midsole. Testers praised the traction and grip. Some testers felt the shoes were a little unstable, especially for a spiked shoe.
If you want something premium and comfortable, you won’t find much better than the PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS. This pair is pricey but worth it if you’ve got the cash to spend.
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The Drive Pro is very stable thanks to its S3 system.
The dual-foam setup on the Drive Pro provides excellent energy return and step-in comfort.
The Drive Pro fits a little narrow in the midfoot.
The Under Armour Drive Pro is an all-around beast. Under Armour stepped their game up in a big way this year, and the Drive Pro is evidence. It’s comfortable, stable and makes you feel powerful.
Testers loved the comfortable midsole and lockdown lacing. Testers also noted the traction was great. Some testers felt the shoe was too narrow. Others wish the upper felt more “premium.”
No one has had a bigger year for golf shoes than Under Armour. Compared to where they finished last year, the jump UA has made in performance is nothing short of remarkable. If you’re on the fence, you’ve got to give the Drive Pro a try.
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The Skechers Go Golf Blade provides good value and comes in cheaper than some of the competition.
This is the most comfortable spiked golf shoe. Period.
While plenty serviceable, the Go Golf Blade's traction wasn't quite as good as its other performance attributes.
The Skechers Go Golf Blade is the most comfortable spiked golf shoe of 2024, reasserting Skechers dominance in the comfort game. Not only is it comfortable, but it’s one of the top overall performers as well.
Testers loved the comfortable midsole and arch support. Testers felt that the traction wasn’t as good as it should have been.
Not only is the Go Golf Blade a great value, but it’s flat-out one of the top-performing shoes we’ve ever tested. It’s just darn good. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most comfortable spiked golf shoes I’ve ever worn.
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The Tour Alpha is the most stable spiked golf shoe. Period.
The FootJoy Tour Alpha has fantastic traction.
Stability comes with tradeoffs. The Tour Alpha just isn't very comfortable.
The FootJoy Tour Alpha is the most stable spiked shoe for 2024. If stability is your No. 1 priority, you won’t find a shoe better suited to handle the torque and power of the golf swing.
Testers loved the overall stability and heel cup. Testers also loved the traction but said the shoe was very stiff and not comfortable.
Nothing comes close to the stability offered by the FootJoy Tour Alpha. Similar to its spikeless cousin, the Pro/SLX Carbon, if stability is your top priority, is the best.
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The Go Golf Torque Sport 2 is among the most comfortable spiked golf shoes. Its comfort rivals that of any spikeless shoes we've tested.
The Go Golf Torque Sport 2 is among the lightest golf shoes we tested.
The traction was just so-so on this pair of Skechers golf shoes
Because of its flexibility, the Skechers Go Golf Torque Sport 2 isn't as stable as other spiked shoes.
The Skechers Go Golf Torque Sport 2 is the best value spiked golf shoe of 2024. You won’t find a better shoe for under $100.
Testers loved the comfort and lightweight construction. Testers said the shoe felt too flexible and unstable at times.
You can’t talk about value without mentioning Skechers. The Go Golf Torque Sport 2 is an incredible value. Seriously, if you have less than $100 to spend, you won’t find anything better.
With so many terrific spiked golf shoes to choose from, it’s hard to highlight all of the great ones we tested this year. Here are a few more stand-out performers you should consider on your quest for new spiked golf shoes.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over decades of testing golf shoes, it’s that not all shoes are created equal. While marketing jargon and fancy terminology may have you convinced that every golf shoe is “the best”, there are a few key factors that separate the true top performers from the top pretenders.
Your hard-earned cash deserves to be spent on something that doesn’t pretend but performs. When performance matters, so do these key attributes.
Don’t think spiked golf shoes can be comfortable? Think again. While I generally agree with the notion that spikeless golf shoes are more comfortable, the modern spiked golf shoe doesn’t lack in the comfort department.
Take, for example, the Skechers Go Golf Blade. This wildly comfortable spiked shoe is just as comfortable as most any spikeless golf shoe we tested this year. From top to bottom, the spiked golf shoe category is filled with comfortable kicks, including the likes of the Under Armour Drive Pro. PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS and the overall winner, the adidas TOUR360 24.
Comfort is more than just how a shoe feels underfoot. The fit, the upper, the width and the flex of a shoe all factor in to how comfortable (or uncomfortable) a shoe is. The best spiked golf shoes feature holistic comfort – they are comfortable in all facets of golf. From walking to swinging and everything in between, a comfortable spiked golf shoe could be the performance upgrade your game is craving.
What good is a spiked golf shoe if it isn’t stable? Stability is often thought of the antithesis of comfort. That’s partly true. It’s hard to make a golf shoe that’s super stable and super comfortable. However, after years of testing and researching golf shoes, it’s become clear to us that some brands know how to find a correct balance between the two.
This year, adidas and Under Armour are the two that come to mind. Both the TOUR360 24 and Drive Pro provide fantastic lateral stability and torsional support without making the shoe uncomfortable. This is a feat that’s seldom achieved.
On the other hand, if stability is your No. 1 priority, you also have some solid options that sacrifice comfort for the stake of enhanced support and stability. Shoes like the FootJoy Tour Alpha and FootJoy Premiere Field LX reign supreme in this regard.
We’ve talked stable shoes but what the heck is stability, anyway? Most often, stability refers to rigidity within a golf shoe. If a golf shoe is prone to twist and bend when force is applied, it’s unstable. A stable shoe, on the other hand, should provide great torsional rigidity or twist resistance. A stable shoe should also stop your foot from rolling over the foot bed and, thus, decrease the risk of rolling an ankle. Stability also takes into account things like outsole width, heel and lateral support, and even fit.
Above all else, the reason you’re probably reading this piece and considering a switch to spiked golf shoes is traction. Simply put, a spikeless golf shoe just can’t offer the same level of traction as a spiked golf shoe.
That said, not all spiked golf shoes feature fantastic traction (most are pretty good). There are always a few standout performers here and it mostly boils down to secondary traction lugs, not the cleats themselves.
Most cleats themselves work well, sure, but the backup or secondary traction is what separates the standout spiked golf shoes from the rest. Shoes like the FootJoy Tour Alpha and Field LX are great in this regard. The adidas TOUR360 24, Under Armour Drive Pro and PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS are also solid options.
For a sleeper pick, the PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO is really good – and bizarre. Instead of a typical cleat form say, SoftSpikes, PUMA created their own amoeba-likes spikes that worked surprisingly well.
A lightweight golf shoe is, in general, a more comfortable golf shoe. While weight isn’t factored into overall scores, it’s worth mentioning that the difference between the lightest and heaviest spiked golf shoes was six ounces.
Not every brand or shoe relies on outsourced cleats. While the majority of spiked golf shoes tested use SoftSpikes cleats, some shoes, like the PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO and Skechers Go Golf Blade, use their own version of cleats.
With the spiked shoe category, you’re going to pay a pretty penny if you’re looking for leather. Shoes like the adidas TOUR360 24, PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS and FootJoy Premiere Field LX all fall into the $200-plus price range.
Spiked golf shoes are evaluated on based on comfort, traction, stability and elements (waterproofness).
Spiked golf shoes are scored based on the following criteria which we mentioned above.
Comfort
A good golf shoe must be comfortable. This accounts for the upper, midsole and overall flex of the shoe. If you can’t walk comfortably, it won’t score well. Insoles, heel cups and the construction of the tongue are also taken into account.
Traction
Spiked golf shoes should provide excellent traction. Shoes are tested for traction indoors and outdoors.
Stability
How resilient is a shoe to the pressures and twisting of the golf swing? Stability takes into account overall lockdown, fit and torsional rigidity.
Elements
A golf shoe must be waterproof. All shoes are run under water for 30 seconds in order to determine whether water is able to permeate the membrane. A good spiked shoe should be easy to clean.
Connor is MyGolfSpy's resident sneakerhead who believes that golf is more enjoyable with a fresh pair of kicks. When he isn't scrolling Twitter to find his next golf shoe purchase, you can find him at the piano or trying a new dessert place with his wife. #Lefty
| Driver PING G410 SFT | Hybrid Cobra KING TEC |
| Irons Srixon ZX4 MK II | Wedges Titleist Vokey SM10 |
| Putter L.A.B Mezz.1 Max Custom | Ball Maxfli Tour X |
1 week ago
I have always loved Adidas Tour 360 shoes. I could take them out of the box and walk 18 holes with no issues. I have too many pairs of shoes now, but these will be on my wish list.
1 week ago
I agree with Scott, Barry, BH, and others. You need to list what golf shoes come in wide widths. I now wear a 4E width… double wide. I mostly wear TRUE Linkswear shoes. They work well for me. In addition to wide toe boxes, a few of their models are “extra” wide (4E).
1 week ago
Best BOA shoes?
1 week ago
Really need an award for best shoes for wide feet. I know you don’t do separate awards for lefties, but so few shoes are available in wide widths. Some shoes say they’re a wide but they’re actually the same width as the standard medium width.
1 week ago
Agree 100% with Scott. Every other attribute you test doesn’t matter if the shoe won’t fit. I have been wearing New Balance ever since they came out with a golf shoe because they come in 4E widths. It would be great if you could identify what shoes come in 2E and 4E widths.
1 week ago
As more people are walking, hope you guys can provide a guide for the best shoes for people who have plantar fascia.
1 week ago
Connor, I’m picking up that you’re a fan of “luxurious” leather uppers, but I’m curious to know if there’s a noticeable performance benefit or if this is just personal preference? What does a leather upper give you that synthetics don’t?
1 week ago
Personal preference, yes, I enjoy leather. But there’s not any performance difference, imo. Leather may actually stretch a little overtime if anything, making the fit different. Textile and synthetics are probably a little lighter, too.
In short, leather looks, feels and wears nice. But synthetics are light and often more durable.
1 week ago
You advise which shoes to avoid if you have wide feet…but which shoes are best suited FOR wide feet? Thanks!
1 week ago
The Blade does not have replaceable spikes so it should be category B, a separate list
1 week ago
I’m becoming increasingly frustrated that I cannot view the test results/scores for every item tested. I want to decide for myself if I need the extra, or can live with the lesser, performance you measure.
1 week ago
Agree. The guide for this year’s spikeless shoes did show the breakdown in scoring for all of the shoes that were reviewed. The same was not done for the spiked shoes. Why?
1 week ago
Adidas again with the narrow shoes…… I really want to give you my money, but you make it so difficult for a guy with wide feet. Please make a true wide!
1 week ago
I’m beginning to think no one in Europe has wide feet!
Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls
Gary
4 days ago
No G4? How come? What about Boxto? There are quite a few brands not represented here? How come?