Can You Golf Barefoot (Are Shoes Required?)

There’s nothing more natural than kicking your shoes off and walking all over the golf course in your bare feet as you feel the grass between your toes. Playing golf barefoot is not for everyone but can be an extremely liberating experience, and most importantly, may even improve your golf game. 

However, most people want to ask the following questions:

• Can you golf barefoot?
  
• Are shoes required?
  
• Do golf courses allow barefoot golf?
  

At most golf courses you cannot golf barefoot. Most golf courses will not allow you on the course if you’re not wearing appropriate clothing and footwear, particularly during tournaments and competitions. 

Playing golf barefoot isn’t the recommended dress code at most golf courses, but that doesn’t mean you can’t practice golf barefoot, especially if you’re at the driving range.

You may end up getting some stares and strange looks from onlookers and players, but you can improve your swing’s tempo and balance by practicing golf with bare feet. That will potentially help you lower your scores on the golf course and beat your friends in a round of golf. 

I would advise you not to push your luck and try playing golf barefoot in competition rounds if you don’t wish any problems with the club. However, there are several benefits of practicing golf barefoot.

Sam Snead is one of the greatest ever golfers in the sport’s history and is the record holder for the most wins on the PGA Tour with 82, and often used to practice golf barefoot. He became famous at the 1943 Masters for playing nine holes barefoot in a practice round because he wanted to regain his trademarked smooth swing and tempo and regain his form.

The Benefits Of Playing Golf Barefoot

Playing golf barefoot can vastly improve the tempo, rhythm, and balance of your swing. One flaw most average golfers experience is overswinging, and playing golf barefoot ensures you’re not going hard when striking the ball by helping create a fluent and smooth motion.

Most players think that hitting the ball far means they must swing as hard as they can. Therefore, removing your shoes allows you to slow down your swing, focus on its rhythm, and not slip over when swinging the club.

That helps you achieve a balanced swing, which translates into a better strike consistency, meaning you will hit the straighter and longer with increasing regularity while you use less energy. To achieve the perfect golf swing, players must face away from the ball while ensuring their front leg gets all the pressure and clear their hip as they come to the downswing.

That will help them retain balance when finishing the swing, as their eyes and chest will face the target. When you practice golf barefoot, it removes the urge to strike the ball hard so that it travels far and allows you to focus on achieving a smooth and consistent swing.

So, if you’re constantly overswinging, try removing your socks and shoes next time you’re at the driving range and take some swings barefoot. You will get some strange looks and stares from other players, but you shouldn’t care if it helps improve as a golfer.

Is Playing Golf Barefoot Illegal?

Most golf courses worldwide don’t allow golfers to play golf barefoot. Even if there is a relaxed dress code, players will be required to wear shoes that are covered. 

You won’t be thrown into jail if you play golf barefoot, but it will go against the golf club’s dress code and you may be barred from playing there again. 

The standard golf attire is a collared jumper/shirt/, neat casual shorts/pants, and enclosed shoes. Trendy players may even be allowed to wear a hoodie, a visor, and joggers. 

Golf clubs must maintain their standards, and the sad thing for men and women who love the feeling of the grass on the fairway between their toes is that they won’t be allowed to play barefoot.

Do Professionals Play Golf Barefoot?

Golf professionals are allowed to practice golf barefoot at some courses, but during competitions and tournaments, they won’t be playing barefoot. However, professional golfers take off their shoes if they hit their golf balls out of water hazards.

It’s rare if you see a professional golfer playing barefoot, but that doesn’t mean it’s never happened before in the game’s history. Sam Snead, a golfing legend, practiced barefoot at the 1942 Masters to rediscover his rhythm and balance.

The Hall of Famer was known to practice golf barefoot regularly and claimed that he felt better when standing next to the ball in bare feet because shoes with thick soles kept you high off the ground. A couple of years ago, Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas, two PGA stars, played some golf barefoot casually during their trip to the Bahamas in the off-season, enjoying the sunshine and having fun. 

However, playing barefoot isn’t permitted for professional golfers in tournaments and the PGA and European Tours. They can’t even play the competition rounds wearing shorts.

Is It Bad for You To Walk Barefoot Around The Golf Course?

Even though it may be liberating and exciting to walk around the golf course barefoot, it’s advised not to go walking for great distances without any shoes on. The leading podiatrists in the world claim that when you walk barefoot, you not only put your feet’s skin at risk but also your foot’s biomechanical function.

Your feet have a natural arch, and even if older generations used to walk barefoot, it’s something the modern generation should avoid. When you walk on hard surfaces barefoot, your foot collapses, resulting in tremendous stress on the foot and the entire body. 

If you aim to prolong your golf career, it’s better to avoid playing golf barefoot and wear sneakers or golf shoes on the course.

Final Thoughts

People prefer to play golf barefoot because it’s an excellent way to improve the tempo and balance of your swing, especially when practicing on the range. However, you will need to wear the correct footwear on the course. 

Wearing golf shoes will give you better stability and grip, allowing you to push into the ground and help you gain more power and distance, resulting in lower scores.

Golf shoes also offer excellent protection and comfort to your feet, so you can keep playing golf for several years without suffering any injuries. Good luck.