I Really Wanted to Like These Shoes

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried:

MUNICIPAL’s Sportcross ATG Shoes. Designed for both the trail and the golf course.

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Content and resident sneakerhead. My wife doesn’t know that I’ve been storing extra shoes at work. She seems to think I’ve outgrown of my problem. Nope! The only thing I’ve outgrown is my closet. Can a man get a walk-in around here?

What’s the big deal?

The Sportcross ATG is the Wahlberg-founded brand’s first ever golf shoe. With a name like MUNICIPAL, it was only a matter of time.

Speaking of municipals, the Sportcross ATG leans more towards trendy and fun than it does classy and traditional. And that’s okay! I love the way this shoe looks. The shaping, the chunkiness … let’s just say this pair was made for the weekend warrior like me.

Looks are one thing. Performance is another. If the Sportcross ATG wants any chance of making my rotation, it better be a good golf shoe, not just a good looking golf shoe.

Performance Pitfalls

I really, really wanted to love this shoe. I love the suede detailing and reflective rope laces. The construction and quality are top notch. Of that there is no doubt. But the rest of the shoe left me wanting more.

It was oh, so close. But just didn’t quite nail it.

Let’s start with the cushion. The high stack of MUNICIPAL’s proprietary M.FLOAT foam is comfortable, at first. It’s not a problem at all for a few hours of walking. But it just doesn’t have enough give or rebound to provide ample impact protection. Translation? Lower back pain.

It’s not a bad walking shoe. Just not a perfect one, either.

The traction was lackluster as well. This was to be expected as soon as I saw the less-than robust pattern. The rubber here is too soft and, for those that know, translucent rubbers tend to be less durable. So I’d expect this pair to wear out more quickly.

Just not ideal.

The rest of the shoe, including the fit, waterproofing and stability were good. No complaints from me at all.

Try again

I’d love to see MUNICIPAL go back to the drawing board and try again. You can tell they’re looking for that special recipe, but haven’t quite gotten the balance of ingredients right just yet. When they do, I’ll eagerly await adding another sweet looking golf shoe to my closet.