Buyer Guide
Spiked versus spikeless is the real decision here, and it depends more on your conditions and priorities than on any single 'best' shoe.
Updated September 2026
FootJoy is one of the longest-standing golf shoe brands, offering both spiked and spikeless models across a wide range of widths.
Best for: Golfers who want a wide range of width and waterproofing options from an established brand.
Adidas's spikeless golf shoes lean on the brand's broader athletic-shoe comfort technology, positioned as a shoe that also works off the course.
Best for: Golfers who want a shoe comfortable enough to wear beyond the course and prioritize all-day comfort over maximum traction.
Golf shoes are one of the more personal equipment categories, since fit, width, and how a shoe is actually used off the course vary enormously between golfers. Two factors matter more than brand: traction needs and versatility.
A dedicated spiked shoe with a genuine waterproof membrane gives the most reliable traction and stability through the swing, particularly valuable on hilly courses or for golfers with a more aggressive lower-body move. See our golf shoes equipment guide for the fit considerations that matter as much as the spike decision.
A spikeless shoe built on athletic-shoe comfort technology gives up a small amount of wet-weather traction in exchange for all-day comfort and a shoe you'd actually wear running errands — the performance gap versus spikes has narrowed enough that this is a reasonable trade for most golfers in normal conditions.
Golf shoe sizing and width vary meaningfully between brands. Whichever format you choose, prioritize trying the shoe on (or buying from a retailer with an easy return policy) over assuming your regular sneaker size translates directly.