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Offering a durable, comfortable design with a supportive midsole and waterproof features to keep your feet dry. But how do they perform? Nicola Slater put them to the test to reveal all
FootJoy are known for their quality golf shoes. The Tour Rival design is an all new product for 2026. The spiked sole offers a solid base with a stylish upper featuring an ombre pink and purple design. These are a great looking shoe but how do they perform? I’ve put in plenty of steps in to find out…
Waterproof, durable, comfort, easy fit, lightweight, spiked, traction, synthetic outsole and upper, easy clean
NCG Summary
A stylish pair of golf shoes that offers a solid base whilst walking and swinging.
Out of the box I didn’t consider them overly comfortable but they grew on me and over numerous rounds I’ve had a pain free comfortable experience.
They’ve got a durable outer make up with a mudguard protecting the bottom increasing the durability on the toe and stopping moisture from getting in.
PROS
CONS
| Sizes | 4-9 (UK) |
| Width | Medium and Wide |
| Waterproof warranty | 1 year |
| Upper | Performance synthetic leather |
| Spikeled | Yes |
| Colours | 4 |
| Key benefits | Downsides |
|---|---|
| Design – bright and appealing | Not an instant comfort – takes a few holes to get use to them |
| No rubbing – comfortable, even after 36 holes | |
| Grip – spikes produce a secure grip | |
| Easy clean – easy to clean post round | |
| Waterproof – 1 year warranty |
Over the years I’ve had numerous pairs of FootJoy shoes and so it’s always exciting to see what new designs are on offer. The Tour Rival’s are a brand new addition to the 2026 line up. There’s been a big trend with spikeless golf shoes over the last couple of years so it’s nice to have some spiked shoes to try out.
In terms of design, I really liked these. The white synthetic leather upper is complimented well with the pink, purple, white gradient. The black cushioning from inside is shown around the ankle and is matched well with the FJ logo and black reinforced toe front.
In terms of sizing, I wore these in a UK 7.5. I usually find FJ shoes to be on the bigger side but these were borderline being too small. Having worn them for a couple of rounds I would say that they fit well but initially they did feel a little tight. I wore the medium width as I would usually choose. Again these were on the smaller side but FJ does offer a wide shoe option so this is something to consider.
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.
Putting the Tour Rivals on to head to the tee I found them to have a very similar feel to the Performa shoes that I tested last year. They’re not a shoe packed with foam or padding but have a firmer feel. This is the underfoot high density molded EVA FitBed®. At first I questioned the comfort but a couple of holes in this thought was completely the opposite – they were really comfortable! 36 holes later they have been a dream, no rubbing, no niggles!
These are a spiked golf shoe with Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes®. I’m 5ft 9 and felt like I’d grown a couple of inches wearing these as I’m so use to spikeless golf shoes. I did really enjoy the grip these provided especially as my golf course is still fairly muddy. These cleats can also be replaced so no worries about them wearing down. Whilst these are sharp cleats it was nice to see that they didn’t tear up the greens like some cleats do.
During the swing I had a good amount of stability especially around the ankles thanks to FJ’s enhanced molded ankle collar padding.
As mentioned my course still has plenty of mud and so sadly I didn’t walk off with the same pair of bright white shoes that I started in. The synthetic leather upper was very easy to wipe clean.
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. Visually these shoes look to have a high level of protection with the wrap around mudguard. I didn’t have any problems and when I got home I gave them a good soaking to clean the mud off and no water seeped through. FJ does offer a one year waterproof guarantee with these shoes.
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!
These shoes very much compare to the FJ Performa golf shoes. Whilst the Performa are Spikeless they offer a very similar feel and amount of comfort.
RRP: £100 / $170
Colours: White-Silver-Pink / Black-Black-White / Navy-White-Pink / White-White-Grey
Midsole: Plush EVA midsole provides supportive cushioning and stability
Outsole: DuraMax™ Rubber outsole with replaceable Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes®
Mudguard: Wrap around mudguard increases control and durability
Underfoot: Underfoot cushioning from a high density molded EVA FitBed®
More information: FootJoy UK / FootJoy US
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Nicola is a professional golfer, playing on the Ladies European Access Series (LETAS). It is a developmental tour designed for aspiring female golfers.
Having played golf for 17 years, starting aged 8, Nicola has represented both her county and country at junior and senior levels. She currently a member at Hickleton Golf Club but has previously held memberships at five other courses.
Nicola holds a BA (Hons) degree in Sports Studies, from the University of Stirling. She completed a four-year course, with her final year project focusing on the barrier women face in golf. This combination of real-world experience and academic insight underscores her commitment to the sport and her desire to contribute to its growth, particularly for female golfers. At Stirling, she was part of the Golf Scholarship program. Involving regular golf specific fitness and practice sessions. She had the opportunity to partake in tournaments and training camps, worldwide.
Over the years, Nicola has accumulated a wealth of knowledge not just about her own performance, but also about the nuances of the sport. Given her extensive playing background she has a deep understanding of the technical aspects of golf gear and the golf swing itself.
What’s in Nicola’s bag: Ping G430 driver, Titleist TS2 4-wood, Titleist T150/200 irons, Ping s159 wedges, Cleveland putter.
