so, i've been wearing exclusively classics for a number of years now. for me they're the most comfortable shoes, bar none, and i like them. a 9.5D fits perfectly. i have several pairs of newer classics premier dry, with the rubber and leather sole. they are built on the laser last. they fit great.

so i recently picked up 2 pairs (1 used, 1 brand new) of the older ones (not too keen on some of the newer styles), with only the leather sole, size 9.5D. i think they're also the laser last, but i can't be sure. they certainly look like a newer pair of the all leather sole classics, but i'm not sure about that. all my classics are the saddle style, and i think they've only been using the laser last for these for a while.

anyway, these are tiny. i can barely even get my foot in them. i had one pair of classics with the all leather bottom, and i remember having trouble when i got my first pair of the newer ones. but, i thought maybe those were like a 9 or a B or something, so i didn't think they actually fit any differently.

so, does anyone know if these are indeed smaller?

anyone know how to see what last the older ones are?

anybody have a similar experience?

thanks for the help. i'd love to hear from the footjoy people who participate here....

Here's a reply from Mike Foley at FootJoy. For additional questions about your FJ's, feel free to also contact us via the FootJoy Blog. We can probably get back to you more quickly through that direct channel although we will, of course, continue to monitor WRX and try to help on here as well.

http://www.footjoyblog.com

Anyway, on to your question and Mike's response. Hopefully this helps.
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Astamm8,

First of all, sorry to hear about the fit issues with your Classics shoes. Our Classics Family used to be made up of Classics Dry Premiere (Leather and TPU outsole) Classics Dry (full leather outsole- waterproof) and Classics (full leather outsole, water resistant). In 2004-05 we introduced Classics Tour (replacing Classics Dry and Classics) which offered the same upper materials and construction of the Classics Dry Premiere but instead of the leather/tpu outsole, we incorporated a lighter/softer EVA midsole. In addition to the category segmentation changes, it is important to note that Classics shoes have been and continue to be made using a variety of lasts in order to try and offer specific fit-characteristics for as many players as possible. The shoes you have purchased may have been made using the Rex last which was developed to offer a fit with a narrow toe character, narrow fit across the forefoot, high instep with a slightly narrow heel. Prior to '02-'03 most of our Classics shoes were built on the Aintree last, while also offering a few styles in Rex and Grant lasts- then in 2002-2003 we transitioned into the Classics Laser last which was developed using data from thousands of consumer foot scans. The primary difference between the Aintree and Classics laser last is there is more room in the lateral forefoot area- the location of the 'pinky toe' in shoes made using the Classics Laser last.
By the sound of it you may have purchased Rex lasted shoes although it could be an Aintree which despite the fact that this is a minor difference from the Classics Laser, it certainly could be something you would feel-- especially since you seem to be pretty in tune to your feet.

You also mentioned purchasing a 'used' pair of Classics. In this case, the fit could be problematic because Classics shoes by nature will form to the wearer's foot over time. The combination of high quality calfskin leather, full leather linings and the layers of cork and poron - which are used in the fit-bed layer of the shoes to offer a customized fit- will have been set for the prior wearer and may not match your specific foot characteristics, etc.

Hope this info helps.

Best,

Mike

Worst move ever going away from the leather bottoms. I wore only classics until they introduced the rubber bottoms. Best golf shoe ever made was the original classics dry with leather bottoms. I would have stocked up had I known they would become dinosaurs.

you're not looking for an old pair (all leather bottoms) in a 9.5D are you?

i actually prefer the rubber bottoms (of the dry premiers) as the leather ones tended to get pretty chewed up for me on the old ones and i find the rubber to be subtle. that and they seem to fit me a whole lot better. i'm definately not keen on the classics tours though, just too much going on down there for me.

and a big THANK YOU to the footjoy people for the helpful response. i'll just put it down to the last being different.

the reason that i was getting older ones is because i'm not at all keen on the footjoy brass plaque that's been on the side of the heal of many of the latest models. i've noticed that some of the newest models ('09, i guess) are again without it (including the all black and all white saddle models!), which i think is great.

Nope, I'm a 12. I think I rushed my earlier comment. The shoes in the pic below are the perfect golf shoe. No need to change anything about them. Style wise I mean.

a man after my own heart.... i definately prefer that bottom to the old all leather one. and that shoes doesn't have the brass plaque on the sole that i so abhor. i have a pair nearly identical to those at footjoy for a repair right now. although i slightly prefer these from the new collection...

they're the ones in the middle of this picture, all black with a pebble grain leather

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