There are few things worse than breaking in a new shoe.
For me, it usually means blisters, stiffness and sore feet after the fact. Most of my experiences with this issue started on the basketball court with some shoes that were added to my personal “don’t buy” list because of how poor the break-in experience was.
The main culprit? Donovan Mitchell’s original adidas shoes. I felt my legs Terrible after two days of basketball play. If I’m going to spend a pretty penny on a new shoe, I better make sure it’s break-in-free.
Golf shoes are no exception with most players walking anywhere from 1.5 to six miles per round (including cart players).
With that much time and distance on your feet, you’re going to be in a world of hurt if you’re not prepared for the break-in process of your new golf shoes. In this article, I’ll (1) help you set realistic expectations for how long it takes to break in a new pair of golf shoes, and (2) give you some tips and tricks on how you can make the process easier.
Breaking in new golf shoes
To make things simple, I’ve created a ranking system based on three levels.
Level 3: The golf shoe takes more than a full round to break in.
If the golf shoe you’re wearing needs more than 18 holes to feel good on your feet, you have what I like to call an “L-7-Weenie” golf shoe. Avoid Level 3 like the plague.
Level 2: The golf shoe takes you a full swing to break in.
Honestly, 18 holes of golf is a pretty typical timeframe to break in a new pair of golf shoes. There is nothing wrong with this level and you can feel safe buying models with this history.
Level 1: The golf shoe takes less than a full round to break in.
You will notice a level 1 find very soon. The moment you step into the shoe, you will feel that it hugs your foot in the best way. Level 1 shoes feature a perfect blend of comfort, stability, traction and durability.
How to determine the size of golf shoes
When you buy a car, it is necessary to take it for a test drive before taking it home. Most people don’t have the ability/desire to follow a golf shoe-like routine. You are taking a huge risk when you take a golf shoe home without any details to back it up.
We test more than 100 golf shoes each year to make sure you get a “test drive” type of experience. If we can give you an expert’s opinion, you can buy with much more confidence. Our testers focus on every single aspect with most scores weighted heavily on comfort and stability.
In terms of breaking in a golf shoe, the areas to look at in our scoreboards are also comfort and stability. For example, it was advertised as “so comfortable you’ll forget you’re wearing it.” This is the kind of feedback you can base a purchase on.
Tips and tricks
In closing, here are my basic tips and tricks that can help ease the process of breaking in your new golf shoes.
- Use your hands to bend them and move them around a bit.
I find it helpful to bend the shoes in every direction for a few minutes after taking them out of the box.
- Prepare yourself mentally for mild pain.
A good pair of golf shoes will not provide instant comfort. If you go into it with the knowledge that it might not be immediate, you’ll save yourself some disappointment. Think of the quote, “if you expect disappointment, you will never be disappointed” from Spiderman.
- Wear socks that prevent the heels from rubbing.
A big problem I keep running into when breaking in new golf shoes is blisters on the soles. This does not necessarily mean that you have a bad golf shoe; meaning the break-in process will take a bit longer than the best shoes in the game. Tie them up tight and wear socks that protect those heels.
- DO YOUR RESEARCH.
This is easily the most important piece of advice I can give. Dive into our most wanted testing and look for golf shoes that deliver out-of-the-box performance.
Following these simple tips and tricks will not only save you pain and frustration, but will make your golf game better.
Let’s be honest. We all play our best golf when we can focus strictly on the golf we are playing. Some golf shoes take longer to break in or may never break in and this will certainly affect your game.
Here at MyGolfSpy, we do the research for you and you can find the best spiked and non-spiked shoes of 2026 by clicking the links below.
