Our readers get custom-fitted by FootJoy
We thought that custom fitting in golf began and ended with clubs.
We were wrong.
Then again, until a few years ago, we thought that that the only type of golf shoes were the spiked variety. We were wrong about that too.
We invited four readers to Moor Allerton Golf Club in Leeds to meet Russell Lawes, FootJoy’s European marketing manager, and learn more about both of these subjects. Russell gave our readers some background on the company and the latest FootJoy range then personally measured their feet.
We then equipped each reader with a pair of traditional DryJoys Tour and modern spikeless M:Projects in the correct size then sent them out to play a few holes on the course and report back to us.
The first thing to say is that, according to Russell, 75 per cent of people have feet that are different sizes. And on a straw poll of five golfers, including me, it turns out that three of us, so 60 per cent, were wearing the wrong-sized shoes.
Personally, I’ve been wearing size 11 shoes since I was 12. It turns out that my left foot is a 10 and my right a 10 ½.
So that in itself was a lesson. For our testers, trying out the spikeless version of the new M:Project shoes, it was the opportunity to wear a shoe the like of which most of them had not seen before. And also to see how they coped without spikes after, in at least two cases, a lifetime of playing golf in nothing but.
The message is that different shoes suit different golfers:
Locking people down is not always beneficial, says Russell. Some people, for example those recovering from an injury, will find it easier to play in a shoe like M:Project that lets them move freely. Dan Murphy
- Thanks to head pro James Whitaker and the Moor Allerton team for their help (www.magc.co.uk)
"I can see now why shoes are so expensive! It’s a science and there’s lots of R&D involved. The idea of computers being used to show what your feet are doing during the swing had never occurred to me."
Our reader panel
“I really enjoyed this very informative and I am amazed I have been buying size 10 when 9.5 is a better fit!
“The DryJoys are solid, traditional, quality shoes. They are comfortable and very stable throughout the swing. My first thoughts on the M:Projects were that they were really cool and different-looking shoes, very light and comfortable.
“They are maybe not as stable as the DryJoys but can’t say that had any adverse effect on my swing. Did they encourage turn in the swing?
Probably very slightly but at my age I need more than a shoe for that!”
“I really enjoyed learning about shoe fitting and all the technology involved. Custom fitting makes complete sense to me with clubs and the same is true for shoes.
“When I put the M:Projects on I found the weight transition on the downswing just that bit easier. I’m used to playing in soft shoes so I found the DryJoys just a bit rigid.
“I’m going to wear my M:Projects all the time, I feel like they won’t cause any pain after a long day on the course and they are very striking in the right colour schemes. I am certainly going to invest in a pair with a more vibrant look.”
“I can see now why shoes are so expensive! It’s a science and there’s lots of R&D involved. The idea of computers being used to show what your feet are doing during the swing had never occurred to me.
“Straight out of the box, the M:Projects were incredibly comfortable. I’ll wear them straight away whenever I’m playing abroad in places like Spain where the fairways are dry and firm.
“I’d never worn spikeless before but I would like to. My only concern is just the walking down hills – we have quite a few of here at Moor Allerton – aspect when there’s a bit of moisture on the ground.”
“Initially, my feet rolled slightly in the M:Project, so I found I was getting ahead of it a bit. However, the more I’ve played in them the more I’ve got used to them.
“I love the convenience aspect of spikeless and I prefer the comfort of the shoe to walk in.
“In terms of looks, I’m still more of a DryJoys man and I do think they are better for my golf in terms of offering much more stability, so I’d probably prioritise using those in competitions. Interestingly, the fitting revealed that Iˆwas a full half-size smaller than Iˆthought.”
The shoes that were fitted
FootJoy DryJoys Tour
SRP: £125
DryJoys Tour blend tradional styling with cutting edge stability PODS technology to enhance platform stability. Leather Linings provide additional comfort and breathability.
FootJoy M:Project
SRP: £105, or £95 in spikeless
Minimum construction for maximum feel is the M:Project tagline. It is a very lightweight and low-profile shoe available with spikes or without.
