Comfort is the right thing to buy first
The received wisdom is that a golf shoe is about grip — that you need a stable platform so the swing does not slide out from under you. That is true, and it is also mostly solved. Any modern golf shoe from a real brand grips well enough for a beginner swing speed, on any surface you will meet on a normal course.
What is not solved by default is walking. Golf shoes have historically been stiff, because stiffness resists twisting during a fast swing. A tour professional wants that. Someone playing their eighth round of golf and still learning where the ball goes wants to be able to walk home.
Skechers approached the problem from the other end: build a comfortable walking shoe and add what golf needs. For a beginner that is the correct order of priorities, and it is why this shoe wins its category on our roundup rather than a more serious-looking one.
What waterproof actually promises
The listing describes it as a waterproof golf shoe, and that claim is worth unpacking because beginners routinely underestimate how wet a golf course is at nine in the morning.
Dew is the issue, not rain. A course that has been irrigated overnight will soak through a canvas sneaker within three holes, and once your socks are wet you have fifteen holes of unpleasantness ahead of you. A waterproof shoe simply removes that, and it is the difference between a summer shoe and a golf shoe.
What waterproof does not promise is indefinite immersion, or a warranty that survives a season of heavy use. Waterproof membranes wear where a shoe flexes. Treat it as a claim about a round in the wet, not a claim about a decade.
Spikes, and what they are doing
This model uses soft spikes — small replaceable plastic cleats on the sole rather than the metal spikes that most courses banned years ago. They dig lightly into turf during the swing and can be swapped out when they wear down, which is a genuine advantage over a molded sole: the shoe outlives the traction.
The alternative is a spikeless shoe with a molded pattern, which is more comfortable off the course and less grippy on wet slopes. Neither is the right answer universally, and we have written the comparison in full on our spiked versus spikeless page. The short version for a beginner: spiked if you walk on hilly or wet courses, spikeless if you drive to the course wearing them and want one shoe for the day.
Sizing, and a note about the listing
Golf shoe listings on Amazon are per size, width and color, so the buy link above lands on one specific variant rather than a generic product page. Use the size selector on the listing to pick yours — the price you see can differ between sizes and colors, which is normal for footwear and not a discount you are missing.
Two practical points on fit. Golf shoes are worn for four hours with your feet swelling slightly over that time, so a shoe that fits perfectly in a shop at ten in the morning can feel tight on the fifteenth hole. And a wide fitting exists for a reason — a shoe that pinches across the ball of the foot will be the thing you remember about the round.
What it is not
It is not a firm, structured shoe. The softness that makes it comfortable is the same softness that gives you less lateral support in a hard swing, and a golfer with a fast, aggressive move will feel the platform give slightly.
It is also casual-looking. If you are joining a club with a formal dress culture, or you simply want the classic white leather golf shoe look, this is not that shoe. Our what to wear golfing guide covers what dress codes actually require, which is usually less than people fear.
Who should buy something else
Golfers with a fast swing or a wide, forceful lower body move. You will want a firmer shoe with more structure through the midfoot. The FootJoy option on our roundup is the traditional answer.
Anyone playing mostly in dry, hot conditions on flat courses. Waterproofing traps heat, and spikes are doing very little on dry, level turf. A spikeless, breathable shoe is the better buy.
Women buying for themselves.This is a men’s last, and a men’s shoe in a smaller size is not the same shape as a women’s shoe. Our women’s golf shoes roundup covers the same ground with the right fit.
Is it worth the money?
It sits at the budget end of the golf shoe market while delivering the two things a beginner genuinely needs — comfort and dry feet — which is an unusual combination. Most shoes at this price give you one or the other.
The case for spending more is longevity and support rather than performance. A premium golf shoe is better built and holds its shape for more seasons; it will not make you hit the ball better. If your budget is fixed and you have not bought clubs yet, buy the clubs first and come back for shoes.
The verdict
The comfort-first choice, and the one we would put a new golfer in without much hesitation. It solves the two problems that actually spoil a beginner’s round — sore feet and wet socks — at a price that leaves money for the parts of the setup that matter more.
Buy something firmer if you swing hard, something spikeless if you play dry and flat, and something else entirely if you want a traditional look. For everyone else, this is the sensible first golf shoe.