Golf Shoes
Keeping Your Feet on Course
A Foot Care Guide

Women golfers and any of the women golf professionals will tell you that problems with your feet, even a corn or callus can dramatically affect your scorecard at the end of the day. Foot problems can impede your balance and affect your timing leaving you wondering what happened to your usual great game of golf. Women are usually more mindful of taking care of their feet but women golfers may not be aware just how taking care of their feet can help maintain their excellent game.

How does golf impact my feet?

The physical impact of golf on the body is usually underestimated. Which on one hand is why it is so healthy and on the other why it is so important to understand that you need to keep taking care of your body while playing golf.

The torque of a golf swing can strain the muscles in your legs, abdomen and back. The fact that the game is usually played on hilly terrain usually increases the impact on these muscles and may lead to injury.

However, on the more healthy side a round of golf adds up to a four or five mile workout that can reduce stress and improve cardiovascular health. With an increase in the numbers of women facing heart related health issues – women golfers are a step ahead in terms of looking after their long term health.

If you combine the muscle strain required for your golf swing and the miles on the golf course, you can soon see why your feet are so impacted by the sport you love to play. Also if you want to keep enjoying your game, you need to make the investment in time and money to look after your feet.

Five general tips for women golfers on looking after their feet:

1. It is tempting to go all out from the first hole showing your fellow women golfers just how good you are. If you really want to take care of your body and ensure your longevity as a woman golfer, we suggest you start out easy and build up your playing time carefully. This allows your body to become used to both the physical impact of golf and build up strength in all of the impacted muscle groups.
2. Make sure that stretching becomes part of your warm up routine, especially before you hit off the first tee. Stretching during your round of golf also helps to keep your muscles warm and limber while your fellow women golfers take their shots. Just be mindful not to do your stretches in their line of sight – it may win you the game but not any friends.
3. Fit your golf shoes with the socks you plan to wear on the green. This ensures you have the perfect fit. Golf shoes are an investment in your game and for this investment to pay off, you need to ensure you have exactly the right fit when your all geared up for golf.
4. Just as stretching at the beginning and during your golf is important. It is vital that you stretch at the end of your game. This helps to avoid the stiffness following a good round with your women golfer buddies.
5. Women golfers are making a large number of strength adjustments while they are playing golf as well as when they are carrying very heavy golf equipment around the course. It is important that you bend with your legs and not your waist when you’re lifting your golf bag. This helps to avoid straining your back, which is already doing some amazing physical feats during your swing, and putting an overload on your feet.

What can I do about blisters after golf?

How to prevent blisters:

• Keep your feet dry.
• Always wear socks as a cushion between your feet and shoes.
• Wear properly fitting shoes.

If a blister does occur:

• Do not pop it!
• Cut a hole in a 1.5”piece of foam or felt, forming a ‘doughnut’ over the blister; Tape the foam or felt in place or cover with a soft gel-type dressing.
• Treat an open blister with mild soap and water and cover it with an antiseptic ointment and protective soft gel dressing to prevent infection and speed up the healing process.(The society of chiropodists and podiatrists)

How should women golfers choose the right golf equipment and golf apparel to take care of their feet?

Socks

Good socks will not only help keep your feet comfortable within your shoes but will also keep them dry by drawing moisture away from the feet. Whatever you do, don’t wear 100% cotton socks - they hold the moisture against the skin, causing painful blistering.

Wool and silk are often found blended with the latest generation of synthetic materials. If you find wool too warm or irritating, you could try an acrylic blended sock.

Golf Shoes

Men and women golfers of today live in an age where golf shoes have advanced from the stuffy brogues of old. Today’s golf shoes are subject to the best technology has to offer while also integrating style and comfort. Some of the golf shoe manufacturers have advanced to the point of golf shoes being hardly noticeable on the feet and more like a natural extension of your leg.

Long hours on your feet are nothing new for women. Golfers know the value of golf shoes enhancing their comfort, balance and stability. If you’re investing in a new pair of golf shoes, there are some practical tips you can follow to find the optimal in comfort, style and overall care for your feet.

Make sure the shoes fit well in the store before you purchase them by:

• Shop for golf shoes in the afternoon, when your feet are slightly swollen, this then mirrors the size of your feet on the golf course;
• Try on golf shoes with the same socks you will be wearing during the game, to make sure you have the perfect fit;
• Make sure you try on both the left and right shoes, as the size of your feet may differ slightly; Tie both the left and right shoe tightly and walk around the store or pro shop for a few minutes to ensure you are really fitting the shoes for the ultimate care of your feet during the long hours on the green;
• Women golfers do not need to sacrifice style these days in choosing the perfect pair of golf shoes – manufacturers such as Nike, Footjoy, Sandbaggers, Ecco, Pumas and Adidas have all invested large amounts of time and money to give women golfers style as well as integrating the latest sports technology in their golf shoes.

For further information on taking care of your feet you can try the Sporty Feet website:

Choosing a sports shoe Keeping feet healthy for sportspeople

You can find further information on the different types of golf shoes available for women golfers in our Golf Apparel section. We have a number of articles regarding shoes, so you may also want to do a search.

References: The society of chiropodists and podiatrists. Sporty feet essential foot care advice for anyone playing sports (2) (www.feetforlife.org, Ed.) (14). Retrieved October 10, 2007, from www.feetforlife.org: http://www.feetforlife.org/download/3291/FFLM-A5-28pp-v6.pdf.