Equipment
Is the CAGE ECCO’s next big golf shoe?
Let’s say you’re in the midst of a remarkable run as a leader in the golf shoe industry, based in part due to your ability to own and manage every aspect of its leather and shoe production, as well as retail sales. And let’s further hypothesize that your bullpen of world-renowned playing professionals wearing your shoes across the globe includes the likes of Fred Couples, Ernie Els and Graeme McDowell, among others.
And finally, imagine you have a long line of loyal customers dedicated to your products because of the consistent quality of those same products. What’s next for a company like that?
ECCO CAGE in White/Black/Red ($200)
For ECCO, it’s the CAGE golf shoes, a cleated model designed to be every bit as comfortable as your favorite pair of footwear. Aiming for the sweet spot of classic styling, comfort and stability, ECCO employed its state-of-the-art direct injection wrap system (DiP) to give the shoe a “cage,” which looks a lot like webbing. It works its way from the heel to the midsole and ultimately to the toe box of the shoe, and allows the upper and outsole portions of the shoe to bond without the use of glue or stitching of any kind. The one-piece construction allows for increased swing stability, flexibility when walking, and less movement overall when shifting your weight during the golf swing, according to ECCO, as well as increased memory and a water-tight seal.
There are two different CAGE models, the CAGE CAGE EVO (pictured below, and soon-to-be tested by GolfWRX Members), which uses a textile, or multi-material upper. It’s otherwise identical to the CAGE, which has a calderra leather upper that offers a broken-in feel and toughness.
ECCO CAGE EVO in Bermuda Blue ($190).
Rounding out its features, the CAGE is anatomically designed to provide an outsole that aligns and moves with your foot. There’s no glue, no “cement,” and nothing piecemeal about the CAGE’s one-piece design, which ECCO says helps the shoes move “in unison with the foot’s essential ligaments and muscles.” The CAGE may not improve your footwork, but it can’t hurt.
For some golfers, the CAGE’s traction elements could be the most important part of the discussion. The company has made itself synonymous with top-of-the-line spikeless golf shoes, but the CAGE is unapologetically a cleated golf shoe, using Champ’s Slim-Lok soft spikes to appeal to golfers seeking maximum traction on the course. The shoes also employ ECCO’s HYDROMAX leather treatment, which will keep your feet dry in the heaviest dew.
ECCO CAGE in Black ($200)
Unlike other golf shoe companies, ECCO isn’t driven to get its stable of players to only wear its newest product. Instead, the company leaves that decision to the individual to determine what best fits their game. For example, Graeme McDowell has historically been loyal to the World Class line, given his sense of style. Ernie Els, on the other hand, has shown broad allegiance to various types of shoes found in the Hybrid line.
As a result, the CAGE has yet to be worn by anyone other than PGA Tour member Will Wilcox, but don’t be surprised to see any number of ECCO’s tour stars wearing them soon.
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- Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
6-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2011 (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X Denali Blue 105 TX (3), Project X 6.5 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Callaway Jaws Raw (60-08C)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Mini DB
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy PistolLock 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s clubs in the forums.
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What are the driver and shaft combinations of the best golfers in the world? For gearheads, it’s an endlessly interesting question — even if we can only ever aspire to play LS heads and 7 TX shafts.
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, GolfWRX got in-hand looks at the driver setups of a wealth of players.
Check out some of the most interesting combos below, then head to the GolfWRX forums for the rest, as well as the rest of our galleries from New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alex Fitzpatrick
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Daniel Berger
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Rasmus Hojgaard
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alejandro Tosti
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
James Nicholas
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (8 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Kevin Streelman
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Sang-moon Bae
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9+ @8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Russ Cochran
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6 X
Grip: Golf pride MCC Align 
MJ Daffue
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 65 TX
Grip: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord Align
Check our more photos from the Zurich Classic here.
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- Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.
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Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
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Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees...
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Josh
May 23, 2016 at 5:51 pm
These look how I imagine golf shoes made by Crocs would look
j
May 19, 2016 at 8:33 am
So ugly would never buy
Dj
May 19, 2016 at 12:03 am
Some of the ugliest I’ve seen.
Joey5Picks
May 18, 2016 at 9:18 pm
“Is the CAGE ECCO’s next big golf shoe?”
No.
MP-4
May 18, 2016 at 5:43 pm
CAGE ECCO a.k.a. the CROCK ECCO?
No they are too gimmicky looking.
Way too much form over function.
Although the top mesh on the CAGE EVO isn’t so bad.
On my second pair of BIOM Hybrids. Best shoe ever.
SB
May 18, 2016 at 3:31 pm
no
Jake
May 18, 2016 at 7:08 pm
No
CCShop
May 18, 2016 at 2:48 pm
EVO looks like a rip off the Hyperflex. The first gen Ecco is still the best
John Krug
May 18, 2016 at 1:23 pm
The article should have described the last of the shoe. For example wide in front, narrow at the back.
Bar
May 18, 2016 at 10:52 am
Are they going to make them in half sizes. Bought Bioms and nearly had my ankles amputated. Not for me until they show a bit more interest in their customers.
Desmond
May 18, 2016 at 3:49 pm
If you go from a 44 to 45 – it’s a half size for me.
Scott
May 19, 2016 at 12:12 pm
I love Ecco shoes. However, sizing can be trying. At one point I owed a 45, 46, and 47 for 3 different styles. It is hard to buy Ecco shoes on line.
Bar
May 18, 2016 at 10:49 am
Are they going to make them in half sizes. Bought Bioms and nearly had my heels amputated. No thanks.
Carlos Danger
May 18, 2016 at 9:16 am
Huge fan of the ECCOs. Have a pair of Hybrid and the Biom. They are as or more comfortable than any shoe I own including slippers etc…
The only down side to the pairs I have owned is that they are not necessarily a pair of shoes I would wear in wet conditions, even if its just a dewey morning. They seem to absorb moisture opposed to resisting it. My hybrids actually look like a stepped in a puddle if its super hot out and I am sweating alot.
Desmond
May 18, 2016 at 8:49 am
I find the BIOM line very comfortable – Hybrid 2 and BIOM Lace (cleated), and would tend not to deviate from BIOM, which does not have much cushion, which I like, because I use my feet to read the greens.
In the Cage, I think the white on Blue looks good, as does the Black. The gray Cage on white is not to my taste. I would think the Cage is very stable. My bet is the cushion here is still in the insole as it is in the Hybrid 2. At $190 (Evo) and $200, my first preference would be to find a Biom Lace on sale ($240 retail) if I wanted cleats – the Lace is very comfortable. If you do not want cleats, the Biom Hybrid 2 GTX with Goretex is the shoe.
KJ
May 18, 2016 at 8:41 am
Ecco makes great shoes…but for the most part they are just not very stylish.
Nath
May 18, 2016 at 8:23 am
Yea, i’ll give these a go.
Now where in aus can i find em?
Mikec
May 18, 2016 at 7:50 am
I tried these on and hated them. Big miss IMO for Ecco, just like their zero (or whatever they were called). Leather is too firm. Plus the overall look is just plain ugly. That being said, with the exception of the BIOM Hyrbrid, not a fan of the new BIOM cleated either. Still gaming the first generation BIOM cleated and hybrid as if you take care of them, the YAK leather lasts forever.
TCJ
May 18, 2016 at 10:02 am
Agreed, first gen bioms are awesome! I should of picked up some hybrids when I had the chance…