Is $300 Too Much For A Pair Of Golf Shoes?

Are you sensing a bit of a trend this week?

I hope you’ve already read yesterday’s piece on the new Sunday IV Leather golf bags from Vessel. Much of that sentiment applies to this story on the new ECCO BIOM® C5 Premium golf shoes.

They appear to be very nice shoes and if you’ve ever worn ECCO, you know their shoes are, as we say here in New England, wicked comfortable.

However, don’t bother asking whether the new ECCO BIOM® C5 Premium shoes are worth $300. We’ve only seen the press release photos (but a pair are coming) so we really can’t say. What we can say is that ECCO appears to have gone all out on these shoes. They’re loaded with a veritable kitchen sink’s worth of features and technology.

And each one of them has an ® or a ™ attached to it. For 300 smackers, I want trademark symbols on everything.

So, as with the Vessel piece, let’s unclench what needs to be unclenched and get those undies unwadded. We’re grownups and we intend to discuss the ECCO BIOM® C5 Premium golf shoes in a grown-up fashion.

So there.

What makes the ECCO BIOM® C5 Premium so premium?

As mentioned, ECCO is throwing everything it has at these shoes including elite press release prose. They’re not just “next level,” they are …

“An elevated take on the brand’s modern performance icon, designed for golfers who refuse to choose between performance and aesthetics.”

If you’re still unsure, know that the C5 Premium feature “elevated materials, refined craftsmanship and the highest level of fit precision … for golfers who demand the very best.”

Gee, I love that kind of talk.

For starters, the ECCO BIOM® C5 Performance shoes are made from their signature Performance Leather. ECCO owns its own tanneries (as well as its own factories, wholesale distribution and more than 2,000 retail outlets in 88 countries) and its leather has a unique feel. ECCO is giving the C5 Premium the BIOM® Natural Motion® platform which brings the golfer closer to the ground. The company says it enhances stability and natural movement.

Then there’s the GORE-TEX SURROUND® 100-percent waterproof technology to keep your feet dry while also maintaining a level of breathability (not the easiest trick in the book, by the way). We also have ECCO FLUIDFORM™ Direct Comfort Technology and the ECCO E-TTS® outsole (for stability and multi-directional traction).

Perhaps the most premium feature of the C5 Premium is the enhanced BOA® Fit System. We’ve documented our affinity for BOA® at MyGolfSpy quite consistently over the years. However, anyone familiar with BOA® knows that the plastic dials, while robust, are still plastic and, therefore, not bulletproof. The C5 Premium features an upgraded aluminum dial which, while not technically bulletproof, is a good bit sturdier than plastic.

Again, these shoes lead the league in ® and ™ designations. If you’re going to charge $300 for a spikeless golf shoe, you better bring the ® and ™ heat.

Is $300 outrageous for a golf shoe?

C’mon people, of course it is. But, as with the Vessel Sunday IV Leather bag, asking whether these are worth the price is pointless.

There are plenty of golfers out there who will gladly pay what ECCO is asking for the C5 Premiums. Many of them, no doubt, are very good at this game, too. They’ll be happy with their purchase, will enjoy wearing them and won’t give a horse’s hind quarters what you, me or anyone else thinks.

ECCO does a better job than most at hitting a variety of price points. You can find ECCO shoes for as little as $130 for entry-level styles on sale. Mainline ECCO products run in the $190 to $220 range while the premium BIOM® models run from $250 up to $300.

Yes, you can find really good shoes for less. You can also find really good shoes for more if you really want to. ECCO, like Vessel, understands its core customers very well and has a solid grasp of their needs.

However, selling premium products at premium prices ain’t about the needs, friends. It’s about the wants. Every mother’s son or daughter willingly pays a premium for wants, no matter our price range. Could be features, could be materials, could be style or it could simply be a brand name, but we almost always find a way if it’s something we really want.

The ECCO BIOM® C5 Premium spikeless golf shoes are on sale now. For more information, visit the ECCO website.