Introduction
The Premiere Series are a popular seller in the men’s game but this is the first time FootJoy have released them in the women’s range. These are a traditional looking spiked style that have a heavy, sturdy feel but how do they perform? Nicola Slater put them to the test to find out…
Keywords
Traditional, sturdy, comfort, leather, spiked, traction, synthetic outsole and upper, easy clean
NCG Summary and rating
NCG Summary
Tradition meets style with the new Premiere Series Packard shoes. They’re a timeless looking design that has a sturdy construction.
The spiked sole gives a great amount of grip and traction both during the swing and walking around the course.
Overall, they are very much more comfortable than I initially thought the firm leather design would. No niggles, just comfort.
PROS
- Solid build
- Easy to clean leather upper
- Great stability and traction
CONS
- Not the most breathable
Key Facts
| Sizes | 4-8 (UK) / 5-11 (US) |
| Width | Medium and Wide |
| Waterproof warranty | 1 year in the UK / 2 year in the US |
| Materials | Premium waterproof leather |
| Lace system | Traditional |
| Cushioning | Firm |
| Spiked | Yes |
| Colours | 1 (2 in the US) |
Key benefits and downsides
| Key benefits | Downsides |
|---|---|
| Out the box comfort – surprisingly these were comfortable from the start, no niggles | Not the most breathable – The full leather make up means that you feet don’t have any air getting in and so feet can get hot and sweaty. |
| Stability – the firm spiked sole means that no matter the ground condition these shoes have you covered | |
| Easy to clean – the leather upper is easily wiped clean | |
| Waterproofness – no issues after a thorough soaking under the tap |
First Impressions
In the golfing world these shoes are the ultimate smart yet stylish pair of golf shoes. It’s a combination of tradition in a world wear the 70s style is absolutely back in – and these deliver.
You can’t doubt that these are a sturdy golf shoe. The premium full grain leather has a premium look. Unlike some shoes these aren’t lightweight, they’re heavier with a solid feel.
The timeless styling is finished off with a spiked sole. The Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes® are sharp feel like they’re ready to grip the ground.
Sizing
In terms of sizing, I wore these in a UK 7.5. Putting these on for the first time I did actually wonder if they were too small but after a couple of holes they stretched a little to perfectly fit my foot. I tend to be a UK 7.5 in most shoes but size up to an UK 8 in brands like Adidas that are a little smaller fitting. I wore these in the medium width as a standard which was fine for my foot but if you did have wider feet these wouldn’t work for you – wide width is available but only in the US.
The tongue has OrthoLite® padding and molding to help lock the foot in place. I found that my foot did feel very secure and locked in place.
How I undertook the review
I undertook the review by wearing the golf shoes over two full rounds at my local golf club, allowing me to evaluate their performance in real playing conditions. At the time of testing the weather in the UK is somewhat mixed and so the shoes had to encounter damp and muddy conditions. So, a good test of their stability and ease to clean.
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During these rounds, I paid close attention to comfort, grip, and durability.
What I found
I was a little unsure if these shoes would be comfortable out of the box or not, considering how firm the leather felt. I was actually really surprised that I didn’t need any time to bed them in and they were comfortable straight away. They’re not a shoe packed with padding and have a firmer underfoot feel – similar to the other FootJoy’s I’ve tested in recent years. This is the Premiere EVA midsole with performance cushioning.
The leather make up of these shoes means that there isn’t any aeration holes. This meant that by the back nine my feet were getting pretty warm. This was on a day that was about 15 degrees and so I would probably avoid wearing these on a warm summers day but they’d be fab on a colder day.
Stability
The sole of these shoes is ARCTrax Outsole technology. Attached is Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes®, which can be replaced if needed. These are firmer traditional cleats that grip the ground with every step and certainly during the swing. Whilst these are sharp cleats it was nice to see that they didn’t tear up the greens like some cleats do.
Easy clean
The premium leather make up means that these shoes were very easy to wipe clean ready for my next round.
Waterproof qualities
In terms of their waterproof-ness, I didn’t get the chance to wear them in the rain but I did get through some wet muddy puddles. FJ does offer a one year waterproof guarantee with these shoes.
NCG Final Say
Overall, these shoes look stylish and provide a great amount of stability. Out of the box I did question their comfort but numerous rounds in I’ve not experienced any discomfort and for me that’s a real win!
How they compare to other shoes
These shoes very much compare to the FootJoy Performa golf shoes. Whilst the Performa are Spikeless they offer a very similar feel and amount of comfort.
Price information
RRP: £160 / $225
Other product details
Colours:
- UK – White-White-Navy
- US – White-Pageant Blue / Jet Black
Midsole: Premiere EVA midsole delivers firm, performance cushioning
Tongue System: Secure, contoured comfort from the OrthoLite® TruFit tongue system
Outsole: ARCTrax Outsole technology with renewable Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes®
Underfoot: All-day underfoot comfort from an OrthoLite® EcoPlush FitBed®
More information: FootJoy UK / FootJoy US
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