Golf Shoes - Do I Really Need Them?

By Cody Wheeler

It seems like everybody and their brother wants to play golf these days. Stemming from the 1920s when Walter Hagen became the first person to actually make a living by playing golf, to the 1960s when arguably the greatest player ever, Jack Nicklaus, made $33 with his first paycheck as a pro, golf has quickly become a multi-billion dollar industry, with players routinely making million dollar checks for a win, not to mention these ridiculous endorsement deals. Tiger Woods makes grabbing a check for $100 million from Nike look like child's play.

Now you're saying, "Hm, I want a piece of that. I'd better get some golf balls and clubs and hit the course." Ah, such a common mistake. What did you forget? Shoes!!

Now, wait a minute you say. They're just shoes, right? Wrong! Would a basketball player hit the hardwood wearing tennis shoes? Nope. He would risk spraining his ankle and couldn't move as effectively. Would a bowler hit the lanes wearing football cleats? Nope, he'd be on his butt in no time and well, the owner's may not think too kindly of cleats indoors. The case is the same in golf, but even more dramatic.

Not only do proper shoes keep your feet dry during play, but they will keep a very important tool of your golf swing rooted; your feet! Although it doesn't stand out as much clubs that fit properly, proper golf shoes are a key to developing a good swing. Why? Think about how much torque a golf swing puts on your legs and feet throughout the golf swing.

Watch the pros when they blast their drives 330+ yards. As a they turn away from the ball, their feet fight to stay in place, rooted like two tree trunks to the ground by their cleats, and their cleats only. The same happens on the way down. They'll swing through with the torque on their feet almost ripping the ground below them, but their cleats keep them rooted throughout. Imagine how ugly this would be with no traction. They couldn't swing as hard without slipping, thus creating a lesser potential for distance.

A common mistake new golfers make is to hit the links in an old pair of tennis shoes, thinking golf shoes aren't important. Well I have news for you. If you go out in tennis shoes, it's going to be like swinging in socks on a tile floor. It doesn't exactly grip very well, especially when it's wet.

What this can lead to is a bad weight shift from the start, because your body's natural balancing mechanisms are doing everything they can to keep you on your feet. I see it all the time on the driving range. People are out to have some harmless fun whacking some golf balls, which is all in good fun of course. But then I see them twisting, slipping, and sliding all over the place from the massive amount of torque, all while ingraining bad swing habits.

So if you are serious about learning how to play golf, even just for recreation, do yourself a favor and pick up a good pair of golf shoes. Make sure the pair you decide to buy fit well. If your feet slide around in them, your balance can be thrown off as well.

Make sure your toes are in the proper spots. And guys, golf shoes aren't masculine anyway, so check your ego at the door on this one fellas; and ladies, don't try to squeeze into a size smaller. You're gonna be on your feet a lot, so you'll want them to be comfortable. Tie them tight all the way down and you'll have the best chance of being balanced. But of course, be comfortable too.

If you're on a tight budget, you can get a pair of brand new FJ GreenJoys for $50, or an off brand for even less. I promise you, they will make a much bigger difference than that $80 dollar lob wedge you think you need.

Make sure your shoes fit right, have a good set of spikes in them, and you'll be well on your way to a stable base for golf and probably more distance as well.

Check out the link here for an absolutely amazing golf fitness resource. - Fitness for Golf [http://golf-fitness.cwgolfinstruction.biz]

Cody Wheeler is a PGTAA Class A Master Instructor. He has been heavily involved

in the golf industry for over 15 years and is currently authoring an innovative golf

e-book complete with pictures and videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cody_Wheeler