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You can buy the best quality golf shoes on the market, but if you don’t know how loose or tight your shoes are, you will waste your time and effort on the course. Ideally, you want to buy comfortable golf shoes that fit you snugly, but finding the right fitting golf shoe for playing golf isn’t easy.
How tight or loose should a pair of golf shoes be?
Golf shoes should be snug on your feet but not constricting. Ideally you will want ¼ to ½ an increase of space in front of your toes.
You will be walking a lot when playing golf, even riding a cart so the shoes being comfortable is a must.
On average, you can expect to walk at least 6 to 7 miles on foot on the golf course in a round of golf, which is why ill-fitting golf shoes can become a nightmare for players.
Your golf shoes must fit you properly. Otherwise, you won’t be comfortable walking around the course, and your overall game will suffer as a direct result. Besides this, it would be a waste of your money.
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How Tight Should Your Golf Shoes Be?
You must consider several things when buying the perfect pair of golf shoes for yourself. Even if they are the most technologically advanced shoes on the market, they will be worthless if you don’t feel comfortable in them.
Here are some things you must pay attention to when figuring out how tight you want your golf shoes to be. These include:
The Appearance Of The Forefoot
The appearance of the forefoot is essential when you’re figuring out how loose or tight your golf shoes should be. The area on the shoe between the toe and laces has to be smooth and shouldn’t be rippled when you tie your shoes.
A rippling shoe means the shoe has extra space, which shouldn’t be the case.
Lacing
Your golf shoe will have a space between the shoe ties and the top eyelet. You need to ensure this space is at least 5/8th of an inch because the shoe will be narrower and wider if it’s less or more than that.
Shoes That Are Snug-Fitted
A commonly asked question is whether golf shoes should fit you tight? The answer is that they should fit you tight, but you don’t want an overly-tight shoe. Your golf shoes should have a snug fit, so your feet don’t move unnecessarily during your golf swing.
However they should be so tight that it hurts your feet or toes to wear them.
Fully Secured Heel And Forefoot
You should test how the shoes feel in the forefoot and heel by walking around in them and checking if they are slipping or sliding. If they do, it’s an indicator that you won’t maintain your balance and footing while swinging your golf club.
Space For Your Toes
Try moving your toes while wearing your shoes, and if there is no space to move them, the shoes are too tight or small for your feet. You should check if the distance between your shoe’s end and your biggest toe is more than half an inch.
That should be enough space to move your toes easily.
Can Tight Golf Shoes Improve Your Game?
Golf shoes don’t get the respect they deserve, pretty much in the same manner as the parents of teenagers are often ignored. Most teenagers think their parents are hardened taskmasters only meant to stop them from doing fun things and enjoying life, instead of a friend to help them.
Most golfers believe that their golf shoes are the least important golf equipment and don’t pay enough attention to them. That’s where they are making a mistake because knowing whether your golf shoes should be loose or tight can give you a big advantage on the course.
On average, a golfer will walk at least 10,000 steps or more during a round of golf, and knowing the tightness of your golf shoes will help improve your overall performance and gameplay. Most golfers buy golf shoes that are not the right fit.
FootJoy conducted a study, which found that out of 5,000 golfers, more than 75% bought wrongly fitted golf shoes!
Knowing how tight your golf shoes should be will improve your golf swing, stability, and gameplay. Playing with the right golf club takes your game to the next level, and wearing shoes that fit you perfectly helps improve your overall performance.
Tips For Finding The Golf Shoes That Fit You Right
Finding the right fitting golf shoes isn’t as complicated as it seems. It’s the same as buying any other pair of shoes, with the only difference being that you want to wear golf shoes that improve your gameplay.
Here’s how you can do that:
Measure Your Feet Carefully
You should know the length and width of your feet as that helps you find golf shoes that fit right. Measure your feet by standing and wearing socks at the time, so you know exactly how tight your shoes should be while playing on the course.
Focus On The Interior Of The Shoe
Another factor to consider when it comes to whether your golf shoes are tight or loose is the shoe’s interior. The interior of a shoe is where you will detect all the issues related to pressure, specifically in places such as calluses and bunions, where your shoe rubs against the foot repeatedly.
If the shoe has a deep impression, you should consider getting one that has an extra cushion insole inside.
Look At The Cleat
The interior of the heel is where you will find the cleat, and if it shows signs of wear or erosion, you should avoid buying them. When wondering how loose or tight your golf shoes should be, always know that getting wider shoes is better as they allow you to spread out your toes naturally.
Final Thoughts
If you have ambitions of becoming the best golfer in your golf club, you must buy the best golf shoes for your feet, which is why knowing how loose or tight your golf shoes should be is vital.
Irrespective of how the shoe looks, it’s a waste of money if it doesn’t fit you correctly. Hopefully, I have shared enough information to help you buy the right pair of golf shoes to improve overall gameplay and performance.
