Foot movement inside golf shoes .

Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.

During a golf swing , how much movement occurs between the back foot and the golf shoe , and does this movement have the potential to affect shot accuracy ?

 

So for a right handed golfer the back foot is the right foot .

A golfer takes his/her stance on the tee . He /she is hitting a driver . Ok , so in the back swing ,the golfer rotates away from the direction of the shot and develops torque around the right foot and leg . Cleats stop the shoe twisting on the grass but how much does the foot move inside the shoe .
Recent evidence has shown that athletes can improve their turning ability by learning to better use their toe flexor muscles ( those that press the toes down ) inside footwear , and this skill is likely transferable to getting a more consistent foot/shoe relationship during execution of a golf swing .

Why do many golf shoes have a toe spring ? Surely this disconnects the toes ,which are vital for balance , from the ground , making dynamic balance tasks more difficult . Try putting on on a windy links course with your toes intentionally lifted inside your golf shoes . Toe springs built into golf shoes make no sense to me !

 

If you look at shoes worn in situations where postural stability is key, you will usually see that the toe spring is missing ,allowing the toes to exert pressure through the shoe to the ground .

For example the soles of pistol shooting shoes are completely flat . Ditto most Olympic lifting shoes . Toe springs may assist competative walking / running but are , in my opinion, misplaced on the golf course . You are a poorer putter with your toes up .

 

Digging around a bit further , I had a look at ten pin bowling shoes . If shooting shoes and weightlifting shoes often have no toe spring , since they are all about postural stability ,then wouldn't the same be true of bowling shoes .

I googled "professional bowling shoes " and right enough these shoes have little , or sometimes no toe spring . Also noticeable , are the low heels and the thin nature of the soles of these shoes in general . Very little cushioning and so better feel through the foot .

So what on earth are professional golfers doing playing shots whilst wearing , what look like , heavily padded training shoes ?

 

Calculate the time spent swinging a club versus the time spent walking the course and I think you’ll find your answer.

 

General question . Do shoes with toe springs negatively impact postural stability during weight shifting (1) in the general population (2) in the elderly ?

 

A number of studies have linked falls in the elderly to reduced toe flexor strength . If a research group wanted to see if increasing toe flexor strengthening could contribute to falls reduction then I feel it would be a good idea to consider footwear , and toe springs in particular , as part of the same study .

During weight shifting activities ,which is when most falls occur , the functional base of support is , in part , dependent on toe flexor strength . But how can the toes create ground reaction forces if they are raised off the ground by a toe spring . Even if you strengthen them , they will do far less good in terms balance if their action is simply to flex the distal part of the shoe .

Still can't believe that professional golfers use shoes that hold their toe in the air . Will never watch golf on the Tele' in quite the same way again .

 

Yesterday I went into a big sports store to buy a few bits of kit . Out of interest I had a look at the football boots , which had small levels of toe spring or , in some cases non at all , and then I took a look at the golf shoes , which , like the football boots , were all set out on glass shelves .


Displayed in the way the were , I could see that some golf shoes had such marked toe springs that the toes of the shoes were an inch and a quarter off the flat shelf .

So basically ,as indicated by Simon above , golf shoes are designed for walking and not playing golf shots . Even at the professional level . Amazing.