Golf Shoe Review: Adidas AdiPure

For some reason, a lot of people think these shoes are hype, but I don't. The idea is that the shoe keeps the feet closer to the ground. Indeed, the soles are thinner (especially in the heel area). I've always wondered why most golf shoes were modeled after dress shoes. When was the last time you walked 5 miles in your wing tips or swung a golf club over 100 MPH while wearing your Ferragamos?

Not recently, I'll guess.

As bad as dress shoes impersonating golf shoes were, the whole tennis shoe as golf shoe era was rather dreary (and apparently over). Wait a minute, I'm getting away from the Adidas AdiPure, which is not my intent. The AdiPures are very well made shoes and they strike a fine balance between a typical sporty looking golf shoe and one with a certain feel of seriousness. The quality of the leather is glorious, easily the best I have seen and felt in a contemporary golf shoe. It's the kind of leather you can imagine will break-in rather than wear out. And, that's a good thing because the AdiPure cost no less than $250 a pair.

Look at it this way: $250 is still a lot less than your driver cost and if you take care of your AdiPures they'll last for years. Your driver will be in the used bin at your local golf shop by the time you're done reading this review.

My fear was that the AdiPure would be too narrow since that's been my experience with Adidas shoes in the past. Thankfully, the AdiPure are available in a wide width and I was able to find a pair of 9.5 W without too much trouble.

I think Adidas is really onto something. Having your feet closer to the ground makes your stance feel more solid and your posture less perched over the ball. It gets even better when you swing hard. There's simply much less of a tendency for the feet to roll over. This is easy to anticipate, really. Which shoe rolls over more easily, one with a 4" stiletto heel (not that I've ever worn one) or a cross-trainer? Well, that's a no brainer.

Even though the AdiPure is a relatively heavy shoe, it flexes nicely right out of the box. I am always surprised by how many golf shoes have forefoot areas that are far too stiff. The AdiPures feel athletic and ready for action immediately.

The story goes that Sam Snead liked to play golf with bare feet. You've gotta figure Snead didn't do it for the extra traction, it had to be for the sense of being closer to the ground. The Adidas AdiPure get me closer to that feeling than any golf shoe I have ever worn. The shoes let me feel more settled over the ball and more well balance when I swing.

Not much more you can ask from a golf shoe. My only slight complaint is that the AdiPure seem to use a cleat for which there's no 3rd party option. Hopefully, that will change by the time I need to replace mine.

What should you do? Go buy a pair. You'll be happy you did.