It's long....enjoy!



REVIEW: FOOTJOY SYNR-G

Color: White/White Lizard
Size: 10.5 Medium

Rounds Played: 12 rounds
Rounds Walked: 8 rounds
Rounds Cart: 4 rounds

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

When I received my SYNR-G shoes, I decided it was important to give them a good initial inspection as part of my review. I took the shoes out of the box and inspected the leather as my first priority. I performed a slight abrasion test using a smooth plastic surface on the inside heel of the golf shoe, which would be primarily be caused by the insides of the shoes rubbing together or the shoe making contact with the outside of the golf cart while stepping in and out. The test showed a minimal amount of piling of the leather and performed as expected. Next, I examined the inner fabrics of the shoe. I removed the insole and was slightly disappointed in the bulk of the insole, but I did wait to form judgment until the insole was used in conjunction with the rest of the shoe. A nice discovery was the use of memory foam in the inner edge of the shoe that was designed to fit snugly around the ankle. The tongue was well padded as well which was another additional positive with the shoe. Finally, I tested the sole of the shoe by twisting the shoe with a moderate amount of force to see if the sole would stay rigid and strong or if it would buckle. I was very satisfied with the results given that the sole remained extremely rigid and gave me confidence that my feet would be controlled in over-manipulating my swing as I made my transition into the golf ball. I also was impressed with the dedication given to the traction on the bottom of the shoe. The molded plastic traction support spikes were a nice touch to keep the foot grounded during the swing and on wet and dewy mornings.

ASTHETICS

The overall shoe appearance was a little disappointing at the intended MSRP. First, the shoe is intended to sell at a price in the range of the Footjoy Classic Dry Premiere which I have owned several in the past. The lizard leather motif that adorned the edge of the shoe was hardly noticeable when comparing it with my other Footjoy shoes. Also, the lizard material had a more plastic hand to it than the rest of the leather. This could be construed by the end consumer as a cheap alternative to other lizard materials on the market. Secondly, the shoe lacked pizzazz. At this price point, you are appealing to the hard core enthusiasts of the game. The targeted demographic would probably fall between 30-55 year old males that have more disposable income and can afford to spend extra on their equipment. The problem is that I don’t feel like you separated the shoe adequately from the rest of your line outside of the memory foam ingredient that would make a consumer “have” to buy this shoe. Ecco is regarded as one of the best feeling shoes on the market and you just reached their price range and appearance without addressing a true need in the golf shoe; the comfort in the sole (although you did make an effort to address this problem). The only other negative I would give the shoe in this department came during one particularly wet round of golf. I noticed as the round wore on, that the white leather of the shoe (not the lizard material) was turning a slight shade of grey. I assumed this was from the waterproofing chemicals applied to the leather, but I couldn’t be sure. Upon closer inspection in the parking lot, the shoes were definitely a slight shade of grey, but returned to their original white color after they had dried.

COMFORT

I found the SYNR-G to be a solid shoe right out of the box and walking my first 18 holes. I didn’t have any blisters or rub marks at the end of the round (which would come as much from having the right fit as the materials used). I walked 4 rounds of golf originally on the hills of North Carolina and came away feeling satisfied in the overall comfort of the shoe, but not “wowed” when comparing them with my Eccos or other line of Footjoys. The memory foam did support my ankles well when climbing hills and gave me an extra degree of confidence that my foot would not slip and cause blisters to form. At the end of each round, I did find that my heels and forefoot were a little uncomfortable as I took the SYNR-G’s off and found a nice degree of relief when sliding my tennis shoes on. I will say that the arch support in the shoe seems to be at a medium level and not high, which fits me better as I have slightly flatter feet. The next 4 rounds, I decided to ride and see if I noticed any difference in the shoe when jumping in and out of the cart. The shoe performed admirably, especially given that I stepped in a hole while exiting the cart on one hole and the rigidity of the sole kept my foot stable and prevented my ankle from twisting. Next, I decided to try my Ecco Casual Cool Premiere’s for another round as a comparison tool. I immediately noticed that my ankles were not nearly as supported as the SYNR-Gs and that the sole is much more flexible than the rigid bottoms of the SYNR-G. After 18 holes though, my feet still felt airy and refreshed. I walked an additional 4 rounds of golf with the SYNR-G and while the rest of my foot was well supported, I kept coming back to the dull pain in my heels and forefoot as a problem that needed to be addressed. Overall, the shoe was one of the more comfortable shoes I’ve worn and the extra support was a nice feature that will keep me coming back to Footjoy.

PERFORMANCE

I would rank this shoe as the top performing shoe that I’ve owned. I never had a moment of instability or slipping during the round, even on the many different lies I encountered and the different weather conditions I endured. The true test came during my 8th round in which I was in a fairway bunker that had soft sand from 205 yards out. The ball was slightly above my feet, which prevented me from digging my feet too far into the sand. I decided this was a true test and I would trust the shoe to perform without slipping. Just as expected, I stayed perfectly in place and hit a well struck shot. The shoe bought a lot of confidence for me at that point.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I would consider the SYNR-G a huge success in my ranking of current golf shoes on the market. The memory foam provided in the shoe and tongue was a nice feature that I believe Footjoy should extend to their line of shoes. There was a noticeable difference in confidence that I obtained by knowing my ankles were well supported throughout the round. I would draw an analogy of a basketball player wearing ankle braces and drawing confidence to attack the basket as a comparison. I also was well impressed with the rigidity of the sole and the traction added to my golf swing due to this. My base was well planted and I didn’t feel any need to sway during the swing. I never once felt like I was rolling to the outside of the golf shoe on my take away, which I have felt in other pairs of shoes. Keep this element in your line as I believe it will be wildly successful.

For my recommendations, I would start with the insole and molded sole of the shoe. I believe you have an opportunity to separate yourself from the pack of branded shoe suppliers by incorporating new technology in this part of the shoe. I am sure you ran tests on the memory foam in the sole, but any materials that will keep the foot cool, cushioned and supported would be ideal. Next, I would address new materials in the top of the shoe where the foot creases as you step. As with all leather, a crease develops along the top toe line of the shoe due to bending. Polishing the leather doesn’t fix the problem as the crease remains and the shoe becomes tired and worn-out looking after 10-15 rounds. You must acquire the balance between support/rigidity and functionality to fix the problem and I know your designers are working on this today. Additionally, I would address the style of the shoe at this price point. If the demographic focus is on the 30-55 year old male that has disposable income and is willing to pay for comfort without the flash, you may acquire that buyer. I am 30 years old and would like to gain a little attention from my friends if I dish out this type of cash for a golf shoe, so I would not be your current target buyer. The lizard material was a nice tough, but a little bulky and not ingrained into the shoe. The name “SYNR-G” incorporates a slightly sportier feel to the shoe, yet I believe you lost that in the design. I believe this shoe falls more into the “Classic” line of Footjoy shoes. Also, has there been no new invention in shoe strings in the market in the last 30 years? For some reason, we are constantly stuck with the thin wax shoe strings from 1970. I know that they are meeting a waterproofing requirement, but there has got to be something better on the market. Finally, be progressive. As a leader in the golf shoe industry, I believe you have obligation to be on the forefront of new technologies and ideas. Memory foam is a nice start and I believe you can expand from there. For example, using recycled materials in your shoes would be another nice move. In an industry that is constantly criticized for hurting the environment, Footjoy could be a leader in doing their part for the planet. I hope you found the review helpful and good luck to Footjoy and thank you for including me in your sweepstakes. You can reach me through email or phone for any additional feedback.

nice review, so in your opinion are they worth $180 or is there a better value somewhere else?

Great review! Any pics of the shoe since the creases have developed?

At last.
A well written objective review of a product - without sounding like a sales pitch.
A separate brand for comparison is always a good idea.
Informative and constructive. Good conclusion and recommendations a nice idea.
Well done.

Ouch, that hurts



Chili, very nice

It's okay Benji, we loved your review too.

Sorry Benj, missed your review.
now that I've read it, I really want a bacon covered Porche.
Extra credit for the addition of pics.
Thank you both!

To answer a couple of questions:

1) Are they worth $180 or should you choose something else?

I will say that this was the best golf shoe I've ever worn in terms of support and stability. I will also say that I've worn other shoes that were better for comfort. I've also worn other shoes that were better in style (other Footjoys as well). If you are looking for a non-flashy, well-supported, very stable, but willing to trade off a little sole comfort golf shoe, then this shoe is for you.

2) Any new pics?

Sorry, I've been busy over the holidays and have gotten slack about getting things done. I'll see if I can get some pics up this week.


Thanks for the compliments on the review. I believe if they took the time and money to send us these shoes, we ought to be willing to give them as much helpful feedback as we can.