If you’re not on social media, you might not know this is a trend, but surprisingly, it is.
More and more people are showing up on the golf course, jumping into their cart, kicking off their shoes and socks, and playing barefoot. Trust me, I was just as confused as you when I first heard about it. Why anyone would want their dogs out on the golf course is beyond me, but I’ve decided it must be some kind of fetish.
If you look at any sport, golf should be the one that avoids weird stuff like this, but golf is all the rage right now. It seems everyone loves to play golf and the game is growing at a nice pace. That being said, you can’t have the good without the weird.
Having said all that, I decided to give it a go.
My experience
Before you come after me, I tried it on a $14 executive course in Utah at a bachelor party. Most of the guys, except me, were new to golf. It was a good time to see if there was any weight to the claim that barefoot golf was worth trying.
While it was mostly good, there were some definite cons. Let me explain.
Cons:
- Better keep your ball in the fairway at all times. If you get lost and end up in trouble or worse, you’ll tiptoe through every little obstacle.
- The chemical risks are much higher than anyone should be comfortable with. You will be shocked to find out how many different chemicals are used to maintain a golf course. Do your research.
- If you are used to wearing spiked golf shoes, you will experience a significant decrease in traction. Be aware.
- Your dogs are constantly in shows. I don’t like it when people look at my feet, but you look at me, I guess.
The pros:
- This counts as a positive factor only if you believe in grounding effects. If you do, the grounding aspect is great. For those of you who don’t know what grounding is, it’s the idea that connecting to the Earth can ease tension and anxiety. I struggle with anxiety so I enjoyed trying barefoot golf for that reason.
- Your feet will remain less sweaty during the course. If you hate the feeling of your feet being cramped, sweaty and heavy, barefoot golf is a pretty easy solution to that problem. Just make sure you bring sunscreen!
- If you like minimal shoes that try their best to give a barefoot feel, this solves the problem without buying bare shoes.
Leave the dogs outside? Or keep them on a leash?
Whether you decide to give in to the barefoot golf trend is entirely up to you.
If you are going to try it, choose the right course. No guest should go to Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass or your local country club showing their bare feet. Plus, you’ll look much fresher in a brand new pair of golf shoes.
I have zero expectations that barefoot golf will become the next big thing, but I think it will stick around for years to come. This is not a new trend; we’re just seeing more because social media makes trends more accessible.
You may call barefoot players crazy, but they may call you crazy for wearing shoes. Like I said, be you.
