The Best Golf Shoes for Walking 18 Holes

If you walk, your shoes are the most important gear you own — more than any club. Eighteen holes is roughly five miles on uneven, often wet ground, and a soaked, sore-footed golfer plays badly by the back nine. The good news is that golf shoes have never been more comfortable, with sneaker-like cushioning and genuine waterproofing now standard. Here's how to choose, and the best walking shoes for keeping your feet happy from the first tee to the 18th green.

How to choose golf shoes for walking

Prioritise three things, in order. Cushioning comes first for walkers — you feel every one of those five miles, so a well-padded midsole matters more than anything. Waterproofing is close behind, because Arkansas dew is heavy and a wet foot ruins a round; look for a genuine waterproof membrane and a real warranty (one to two years is common). Then grip: spiked or spikeless. Spikeless shoes use moulded nubs, walk beautifully off the course, and grip fine in normal conditions — the versatile everyday choice. Spiked shoes with soft plastic cleats give more traction on wet, hilly or dewy mornings, worth it if you play early or in the rain. Buy in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest, and always break new shoes in before a long round.

The best golf shoes for walking

Skechers Go Golf Elite / Pivot

Most comfortable · spikeless & spiked

Famous for out-of-the-box comfort — Skechers put their walking-shoe cushioning under a golf shoe and the result is the walker's favourite. Available spikeless or spiked, waterproof, and easy on the wallet. If comfort is your priority, start here. Check price on Amazon →.

FootJoy Flex

Best all-round spiked · ~$100

The best value spiked shoe for grip and comfort from the biggest name in golf footwear. Athletic, waterproof and dependable over 18 holes — a safe, popular choice that suits almost everyone. Check price on Amazon →.

adidas S2G Spikeless

Best versatile spikeless · ~$100

A versatile, athletic spikeless shoe that looks like a trainer and goes from course to clubhouse to street. Good cushioning and grip, and one of the best-value spikeless options. Check price on Amazon →.

ECCO Biom Hybrid

Best premium & waterproof · ~$200

Premium full-grain leather, superb waterproofing and yak-leather durability built to last years. Expensive, but ECCO's comfort and weatherproofing are in a class of their own — the buy-once option for the committed walker. Check price on Amazon →.

FootJoy Pro/SLX

Best traditional leather · ~$150

A classic waterproof leather shoe with a premium fit and excellent stability — the pick if you want a smart, traditional look with modern comfort underneath. Check price on Amazon →.

adidas Tour360

Best stability · ~$180

A supportive, stable spiked shoe with plenty of cushioning, good for players who want lockdown and traction on hilly courses. A long-running, well-proven line. Check price on Amazon →.

Nike Infinity / Roshe G

Best sneaker feel · ~$100

Nike's spikeless golf shoes walk like the running shoes they're based on — light, cushioned and street-ready. A great everyday spikeless option for the casual walker. Check price on Amazon →.

Skechers Go Golf Torque

Best budget spiked · ~$90

Waterproof, cushioned and grippy at a friendly price. A strong choice if you want the reassurance of spikes without spending big. Check price on Amazon →.

Puma Ignite / GS-Fast

Best value spikeless · ~$80

Light, cushioned and street-smart, from a brand with real running-shoe pedigree. One of the best-value ways into a comfortable spikeless shoe, and it looks good enough to wear off the course. Check price on Amazon →.

Under Armour HOVR Drive

Best stability spikeless · ~$130

A supportive, cushioned spikeless shoe with UA's HOVR foam underfoot — a good pick for walkers who want a stable, locked-in feel without cleats. Waterproof and durable. Check price on Amazon →.

adidas Codechaos

Best grip spikeless · ~$140

The spikeless shoe for players who worry about traction — an aggressive moulded outsole grips nearly as well as cleats while still walking like a trainer. A great all-weather spikeless option. Check price on Amazon →.

Getting the size and fit right

Golf shoes should fit snugger than your street shoes but never tight — you want your heel locked down so it doesn't slip on the walk, with a little room at the toes for the swing. Two practical tips: buy in the afternoon, when your feet have swelled to their largest, and try them on with the socks you actually play in. If you're between sizes or have a wide foot, look for brands that offer wide fittings (FootJoy is the leader here). A shoe that fits well is the single biggest factor in comfort over five miles.

Laces or BOA dial?

Many golf shoes now come with a BOA dial — a twist-to-tighten wire system — as an alternative to traditional laces. The dial gives a quick, even, micro-adjustable fit you can tweak mid-round without bending down, and it never comes undone. Traditional laces are cheaper, easier to replace, and let you fine-tune tension across the foot. Neither is better for golf specifically; it's personal preference and budget. If you like convenience and don't mind paying a little more, BOA is a genuine nicety on a walking shoe.

Don't overlook your socks

The best shoe in the world can't save you from bad socks over five miles. Skip cotton, which soaks up sweat and dew and stays wet, and wear a technical moisture-wicking sock instead — it keeps your feet dry, warm in the cold and blister-free on a long walk. Many walking golfers swear by a light merino or synthetic blend, and some use a thin liner sock under a cushioned one for extra blister protection on hot summer rounds. It's a small, cheap detail that makes a real difference to how your feet feel by the 18th, so pair good shoes with good socks.

How long golf shoes last

A good pair of golf shoes, well cared for, lasts several seasons. The waterproofing is usually the first thing to go, which is why a real warranty (one to two years is common) matters. Rotate two pairs if you play often so each dries fully between rounds, dry wet shoes slowly with newspaper rather than on a heater, and on spiked models replace the soft cleats when they wear down rather than binning the whole shoe. Look after them and even a mid-priced pair will see you through years of Arkansas dew.

Spikeless or spiked — which should you buy?

For most walking golfers, a good spikeless shoe is the easy answer: comfortable, versatile, and grippy enough for normal conditions, with the bonus that you can wear it to and from the course. Choose spiked if you regularly play early mornings on dewy grass, on hilly courses, or in wet weather — the extra traction genuinely helps. Many keen golfers own one of each and pick by the forecast.

Making them last

Rotate two pairs if you play often so each dries fully between rounds, use shoe trees or newspaper to draw out moisture, and replace worn spikes rather than the whole shoe. If you walk regularly, pair good shoes with a good push cart so your bag isn't grinding your feet into the turf, and read our take on the Arkansas season — waterproofing earns its keep in our wet spring mornings. See the whole walking setup in our gear and gifts guide.