Golf sandals

A genuine category rather than a novelty, but the dress code question decides whether they are worth owning.

A golf sandal is a spiked or lugged outsole under an open upper. The sole is doing the same job as a normal golf shoe; the upper simply lets air in.

Check the dress code first

This is the whole decision. Plenty of public and resort courses permit them; a meaningful number of private clubs still require a closed shoe. If you own one pair of golf shoes, do not make it sandals.

A phone call to the pro shop settles it faster than any policy page.

What you gain and lose

	Sandal	Closed shoe
Heat	Much cooler	Warmer, even in mesh
Lateral hold	Less — the upper cannot brace the foot as well	Better
Wet grass	Feet get wet immediately	Stays dry until it does not
Debris	Sand and grit get in	Stays out
Where allowed	Variable	Everywhere

What to look for

• A back strap. A sandal that is effectively a slide will not hold through a swing. The heel must be secured.
• Adjustment at two points — instep and heel. One adjustment point is rarely enough to stop movement.
• A real golf outsole. Spikes or substantial lugs. A flat sandal sole slides on damp grass regardless of what it is called.

Realistic use

Sandals are a second pair, for hot weather on courses you know accept them. As a primary shoe they cost you grip in exactly the conditions — morning dew, slopes — where grip matters most.

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