Golf and cricket may look worlds apart, but for sportswear brands the two markets are getting increasingly more connected, writes Max McVittie.
Not long ago, golf and cricket sat in entirely different corners of the sports industry.
One was built around fairways and country clubs, the other around village greens and international stadiums. But the line between the two is getting increasingly more blurred.
Skechers are a brand that first built a lot of its credibility and momentum in the sport world through golf.
Now they have made the step into cricket and are the latest example of the growing connection between the two sports.
The American brand recently announced a new partnership with Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. It is the exact of opposite of the journey taken by Payntr, who have moved into golf from cricket.
It resembles a growing trend of major sportswear companies finding that the fairway and the cricket pitch share more in common than ever before.
We have all seen the adverts on TV. You know the ones that feature the 2022 US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick and two time major winner Brooke Henderson.
They are a brand that has risen to quite the height in golf and have quite the presence on the professional tours, mixing in major circles.
Skechers has developed a reputation for producing extremely comfortable footwear. We found this sentiment to extremely accurate.
Moving into cricket is not as dramatic a leap as it might first appear. Both sports share similar seasonal windows, overlapping demographics and strong participation bases in big markets such as the UK, Australia, South Africa and India.
From a footwear design perspective, there are also similarities between golf and cricket shoes.
Both have spiked and spikeless options, prioritise stability during rotational movement and require plenty of comfort for long playing periods.
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That makes the transition more natural than it might seem.
Payntr’s journey in reverse
The brand initially built its reputation in cricket footwear, working with elite players and focusing on lightweight performance designs for fast bowlers and batters. The fact Payntr started out in cricket should be no surprise as David Paynter, the founder, is the great grandson of Eddie Paynter – one of England’s all time batting greats with the highest Test average of any England batter who has played 20 or more Tests. His average being 59.23.
After establishing credibility in the sport, Payntr expanded into golf, launching a performance footwear line aimed at serious players.
Few footwear brands have gone on to make an impression as quickly as Payntr. Some are even Jason Day approved with the former world number one having collaborated with the brand in the past.
Other Payntr ambassadors have followed in 2026 with Min Woo Lee and Sam Burns signing up to team Payntr. Justin Rose also chooses Payntr for support on the fairways and greens.
If you haven’t had a look at their offerings yet, check out what we thought of them here for some guidance of which model may be best for you.
A familiar strategy
Skechers and Payntr are far from the first companies to operate across both golf and cricket.
Several major sportswear brands have historically bridged the two sports:
New Balance has long been active in cricket through player endorsements and equipment ranges while simultaneously maintaining a strong presence in golf footwear.
The brand’s reputation for comfort and stability has translated well across both sports.
Adidas, too, has moved fluidly between the two categories. The company has produced everything from cricket whites and footwear to high-performance golf apparel and shoes.
Ludvig à berg prepares to tee off on the fifth hole during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 2) in Village of Pinehurst, N.C. on Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)
Whether its being the kit sponsor of the Indian national cricket team or the clothing sponsor of one of golf’s hottest prospects in Ludvig Aberg, Adidas has quite the presence in both sports.
More recently, Castore has expanded aggressively across multiple sports properties, including cricket teams and golf partnerships.
The relatively new performance brand has positioned itself as a modern alternative to traditional sportswear giants. They have targeted elite athletes across several disciplines, partnering with Fitzpatrick in the past.
