Course of Style: Throwback golf shoes and the comfort countertrend | GOLF.com.
Golf shoes made in the U.S.A.? Yes, believe it or not. After a hiatus of ten years, the United States is making golf shoes again. But before you go crazy with all of your cheering, just realize that there is only one shoe company that is making American golf shoes. And that shoe company is Allen Edmonds, making shoes in Wisconsin since 1922. They are America’s leading premium men shoe company. (Alden makes Men’s dress shoes as well.)
Google Search
If you do a Google search and type in “golf shoes made in u.s.a.” – the top result will come to a Footjoy site, and it refers to a shoe called XPS-1 which make it looks like it may be made in the U.S. But clicking on the golf shoe: there is no information on the website on where it is manufactured. So, I wrote to the company, and Footjoy, which is an Acushnet company, responded: “Thank you for emailing FootJoy with your inquiry. The new XPS – 1 golf shoes are made overseas as is all of our golf shoes and all of the major golf companies golf shoes. We do not make any golf shoes here in the U.S. any longer. Should you have any further questions feel free to email me back”.- Regards, Donna Guild, Consumer Relations. So, be glad that there is one company that makes golf shoes in the USA.
Allen Edmonds
Allen Edmonds started making upper end golf shoes in late 2011. They are sleek and classic. They are well-constructed and solid, yet not heavy, and quite comfortable. The shoes will make you feel like you are wearing the golf shoes of the PGA tour players, except without paying the price that they do. (Note: many Tour Pros are multi-millionaires, and I do realize that many of these Tour players never even have to reach into their pockets at all as they are supplied with them.) Allen Edmonds makes all the golf shoes under the heading: The Honors Collection. The shoes are a combination of leather and rubber golf sole, an actual full length sole, not just some rubberized/plastic partial sole. The styles are usually wingtips or saddle shoes. They all have soft spikes. Allen Edmonds, in their literature, say that each shoe goes through a 212 step process. The shoes all come in a sturdy cardboard box that is not very easy to crush, draw-string shoe bags and a nice microfiber golf towel with the Allen Edmonds label sewn on (as well as a spike wrench and a few extra replacement soft spikes.)
Comparisons To Other Brands
I own some premium golf shoes. I have the Addidas adiPure and the Addidas Tour 360. And I also own a pair of the Nike Zooms. Sorry, I don’t own the FootJoy XPS – 1, but I have seen them. All of these shoes are a stylish mixture of leather, waterproof plastic and rubber, and are very comfortable and lightweight as well. But in terms of looks, they do not compare to the classic and elegance of the Allen Edmonds. One could take out the spikes of the black 1 – ups, and be dressed for a dinner party (ala “Tin Cup”). And the construction of the sewn Allen Edmonds versus the glue guns of the others can’t compare.
The Honors Collection
Allen Edmonds makes seven different types of golf shoes.
1 – up
1 – up models were inspired by Byron Nelson. They are Black mesh on a Black wingtip, or an alternative is a Black Mesh on a Brown leather wingtip. All the models are light, despite their durable looking appearance and quite comfortable with very little break in time needed. Quite classic.
Double Eagle
The Double Eagle was inspired by Gene Sarazen. They are a mesh on a wingtip. They are either Brown mesh on a Brown wingtip, very classic and elegant, or Gray mesh and Black wingtip.
Legend
The Legend is inspired by Bobby Jones and Sam Snead. These are wingtip saddle shoes with several options: White on a Brown crocodile print, Black on black saddle, white on white saddle, white on black saddle.
First Cut
The First Cut is a brown on brown saddle shoe with a distressed leather appearance.
Mullen
The Mullen was named after the golf course designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. There are two options: black alpine on a brown saddle or a single colored chili country calf grain leather shoe.
Haskell
The Haskell was named after Coburn Haskell, the father of the modern golf ball. The Haskell is a brown crocodile embossed leather shoe very classy and elegant.
Redan
The Redan was inspired by Ben Hogan. They are two toned saddle shoes with the most options of all the models: white with black weave saddle, white with black sharkskin saddle, black with brown saddle, white with chili weave saddle.
My favorites are the 1 ups, the Haskell and the Double Eagle. The 1 ups are $100 off, bringing it down to a more reasonable price of $245. These Allen Edmonds are classics, should last for years and can be repaired if needed. They can also be customized for your special foot needs. Definitely worth a look. I own a pair of the 1 – ups and they are great.
“The only difference in golf and government is that in golf you can’t improve your lie.” – George Deukmejian
Updated March 25, 2013.
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