Opinion & Analysis

FAQ: How to take care of your golf shoes

Published

9 years ago

May 14, 2015

At ECCO, we’re proud of the praise we’ve received in recent years for our premium golf shoes – especially the hybrid category that we helped pioneer with the help of Fred Couples. Regardless of what model or brand of golf shoes you own, however, there’s one constant. You need to take care of your shoes if you want to keep them looking their best, and enjoy them for as long as possible.

My name is Steve Ryrie, and I’m the Commercial Director in ECCO’s Accessories Division. It’s well known that GolfWRX readers take their golf clubs seriously, but what about their golf shoes? For those who want to know more about how to best care for their treasured kicks, I created this list of frequently asked questions.

How should a golfer properly store their shoes?

Not many golfers take storage into account, but it is actually critical to long-term performance. A leather shoe should be stored in an arid and temperate environment to prevent bacteria from developing and to avoid the leather drying out. Even if your shoes are constructed from textile or other non-leather materials, it is still a good idea to follow these storage guidelines to guard against bacteria-caused odor.

Many golf shoes reside in the trunk of a car between rounds, which is ok for an overnight stow, but it’s not an optimal spot for more than a day or so.

ECCO’s Shoe Care Kit ($35)

Ideally, after your round, remove the insoles after use and let them dry overnight. You can use a product like the ECCO Shoe Refresher Spray to prevent bacteria from developing inside. A cedar shoe tree is a great help for absorbing excess moisture. It also has a natural antibacterial effect.

Is it ok for golf shoes to be worn multiple days in a row?

Of course, but to cut down on nasty odor-causing bacteria, remove the insoles and leave them to dry overnight. Doing this in conjunction with a shoe tree is even better.

How often should insoles be changed?

ECCO Men’s Biom Insoles ($20)

We suggest doing so every season and maybe twice a season, depending on how often they are worn. If an insole looks flat and has heavy toe marks, the foam on the backside is getting black or has lost their bounce and firmness, it’s time to change.

How often should shoes be cleaned and what should golfers use?

Once a week is a good rule of thumb, but this depends on how often you play and the weather conditions.

As for cleaning products, there are several methods. The traditional way with which we are all likely familiar uses a shoe brush, cloth and a tin of shoe polish.

First, work the brush over the surface to remove dirt and debris. Using a cloth – an old t-shirt works, too – apply polish in small, circular motions all over, paying attention to areas that receive the most wear. In the golfer’s case, this will likely be the toe. Allow to dry for 15 or 20 minutes and start on the second shoe. Once dry, using the brush, remove excess polish. For more shine, take a soft cloth using a side-to-side motion buff the shoe until it reaches the desired finish.

ECCO Smooth Leather Care Cream ($12)

This method is tried and true, but after spending hours on the golf course, however, many players don’t want to put in the time this requires. Our way to address this has been to create products that keep shoes sharp in just minutes. These focus on a three-step program centered on the philosophy of CLEAN, CARE and PROTECT. It’s very similar to how people care for their own skin.

The water-based CLEAN products we offer are like a shower, removing built up dirt and reviving the leathers. Like lotion, the CARE products soften, moisturize and improve elasticity. They are formulated to shine, retain suppleness and prevent leathers from drying out. Last, just as you’d apply sunscreen, our PROTECT products coat to keep rain and stains away.

What about cleaning PU and rubber midsoles?

A traditional way to refresh midsoles is by simply using a brush – an old toothbrush is a common tool – and applying soap and giving a good scrub and repeating the process until they appear brighter.

However, once again, ECCO tries to simplify this process by developing products specific to these high-traffic areas. From our CLEAN line, the Golf-Outdoor Cleaner and/or Foam Cleaner and a brush are a quick and effective combination for these surfaces.

How does cleaning a leather-soled shoe differ from other styles?

Ecco Men’s New World Class ($450)

While all golf shoes should receive regular attention, a leather-soled product represents the pinnacle of quality and should certainly receive special treatment. After all, you wouldn’t buy a high-end sports car and never take it in for service!

With these type of shoes, like the ECCO World Class for instance, you need to care for both the upper and outsoles. A good tip is to use products such like those we offer – a Universal Waterproofing Spray to seal the pores of the leather; Wax Oil to prevent them from drying out and add a slight water-repellant property.

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Steve Ryrie

Steve Ryrie has held various retail and wholesale positions at ECCO for more than 15 years. Based in Switzerland, Steve is currently the global Commercial Director for ECCO Shoes International, overseeing accessories -- belts, wallets, handbags and briefcases – along with Shoe Related Accessories, which encompasses shoe care products and components such as laces and insoles.

18 Comments

Pingback: How To Pick Your Perfect Golf Shoe! - Golf Blog | RockBottomGolf.com
Fernando San Buenaventura

Apr 13, 2016 at 10:13 pm

How do I remove the dirt stain on the white side rubber sole of my Ecco shoes? Also, I have the color of the toes of my shoes got scratches because it does not have the rubber protection just like the Biom. Is there a touchup paint I can buy to fix it?

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- Andrew
  
  Aug 18, 2016 at 3:37 pm
  
  Exactly, I have the same problem. Nothing works for white Ecco soles. I have tried everything, including acetone (nail polish remover) – which works great on my runners. It is something about the type of material that is used in Ecco soles. It attracts stains like crazy. I’m returning the white soled ones that I bought.
  
  Reply Report comment
Pingback: How To Waterproof My Golf Shoes | Big Foot Golf Products
Cbad Kent

May 15, 2015 at 1:52 pm

You totally forgot the all important care of the bottom (performance) part of the shoe. Putting new cleats on your spiked shoes should be part of the overall care as well. Re-cleating the shoes every year is like getting a new set of tires on your car and give you out of the box traction.

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Pingback: Scratch The Golfin' Caveman's Blog » Blog Archive » How To Pick Your Perfect Golf Shoe!
Dave S

May 14, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Biggest issue I typically run into with cleaning golf shoes is that the white laces get dirty and are almost impossible to clean (short of removing them and washing them in the washing machine). So I end up with a shiny white shoe that has dirty white laces… and there’s no real easy fix.

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Golfraven

May 14, 2015 at 2:20 pm

I see Ecco is well advertised here. However what I don’t like about Ecco’s golf shoes is the new smooth leather that is not like the traditional leader but more the mix of nubuk and smooth leather – see above laddies model. Horrible to clean or maintain and just is not suited for golf shoes. I always had the impression that these shoes sucked lots of moister and were not dry inside in heavy rain – my wife and I have some pairs. They obviously expect you to purchase their expensive shoe care system. I prefer my traditional Icons or any FJ shoe with normal smooth leather which I can treat and care like a traditional shoe.

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Mike

May 14, 2015 at 2:19 pm

I recently used minks oil on my eccos and it worked great!

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DanT

May 14, 2015 at 12:45 pm

I have two pairs of ecco hybrid golf shoes, and both are really comfortable. so i read this article with some interest, and did look for some of the products recommended in the story. However – i could NOT find the products anywhere. True the web site will tell you where ecco shoes are sold – but none of the places carry any of the golf shoe “stuff” recommended. NO one know how to order new insoles. That is a shame.

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- DanT
  
  May 14, 2015 at 1:02 pm
  
  MY BAD – a little more work on the ecco web site and i did find where to order the “stuff” discussed in the article.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Mat
    
    May 14, 2015 at 10:32 pm
    
    It sure would be nice if ECCO would stock this kit in their retail stores… but yet they don’t. Silly.
    
    Reply Report comment
Adam

May 14, 2015 at 12:14 pm

I think with a leather soled shoe with leather upper, you would treat them as a normal “dress shoe” where a regular waxing and proper storage would keep the leather supple. However, the treatment is only as good as the leather so I don’t know if the Ecco shoes can be expected to last very long no matter the care considering the “abuse” they’re put through.

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- Golfraven
  
  May 14, 2015 at 2:22 pm
  
  Undortunately those will not last long – years or couple of seasons unlike FJs or maybe previous Adidas models. Speaking from experience
  
  Reply Report comment
c masty

May 14, 2015 at 9:55 am

More sponsor laden pay for play, pay for posts dribble.

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- ron
  
  May 14, 2015 at 11:45 am
  
  If that’s the case, whats wrong with that? Still good info here that you can apply to all shoes, not just ECCO. I’m sure WRX have operating costs the need to be paid.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Brian
    
    May 14, 2015 at 2:05 pm
    
    Truth. At least it’s not a post about cleaning a carburetor on an ’85 Mazda Miata. It’s like product placements on tv shows. Better that than the show gets canceled due to lack of funding. Synergistic cross-enterprise marketing dynamics!
    
    Reply Report comment
Jonny B

May 14, 2015 at 9:49 am

I switched to Ecco golf shoes last year and have to say my feet have never been more comfortable. I wear the Biom Hydromax shoes for 2-3 rounds per week and have started to notice they are wearing after about 6 months of use. Thanks for the care tips. I’ll be sure to take good care of them given the cost… I want them to last at least 2 seasons. But seriously – nothing comes close in terms of comfort and stability. I dread the moment I have to take them off and put my office shoes back on, it’s that big of a difference.

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Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1

Published

1 day ago

Apr 18, 2024

Terry Koehler

Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.

Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.

But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.

To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.

Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.

If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.

In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.

Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.

While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.

So, what about grooves and face texture?

Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.

Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.

But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?

The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.

So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.

And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

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In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

4 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.

Past Winners at Harbour Town

2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
2019: CT Pan (-12)
2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
2016: Branden Grace (-9)
2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
Tom Hoge (+1.27)
Corey Conners (+1.16)
Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

Brice Garnett (88.8%)
Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
Brian Harman (+1.89)
Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
Taylor Moore (+1.02)
Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
Corey Conners (+69.0%)
Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.

Course History over past 24 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
Cam Davis (+2.05)
J.T. Poston (+1.69)
Justin Rose (+1.68)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

Shane Lowry
Russell Henley
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Corey Conners
Wyndham Clark
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Matt Fitzpatrick
Cameron Young
Ludvig Aberg

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

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