Question for Walkers

[howaboutme]

Alrighty, another 18 hole, 7+ mile walk yesterday in the bitter cold and I felt great during the round and, more importantly, the best post round including the following day. Yesterday I went back to the Feeture socks. It looks like Ecco's are the one for me plus a good pair of socks will do it.

[Squanchy69]

On 10/4/2020 at 1:57 AM, eastriver said:

I’ve been using gore-tex  trail running or hiking shoes instead of golf shoes with good results wrt comfort and support.   The heavy treads seem to do as well as spikeless golf shoes for providing stability while swinging.

What brand/model do you use? I’m in the market for the same thing giving up on golf style shoes. Chodechaos were comfortable in store but painful after a round bc they creased and dug into side of  foot/pinky toe. Can’t seem to find a lower profile/drop goretex TR

[howaboutme]

19 minutes ago, Squanchy69 said:

What brand/model do you use? I’m in the market for the same thing giving up on golf style shoes. Chodechaos were comfortable in store but painful after a round bc they creased and dug into side of  foot/pinky toe. Can’t seem to find a lower profile/drop goretex TR

 

The Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 GTX does the trick for me. For me, it needed a break in period to fully understand how tight to tie the laces and to get some of the leather to loosen up. After about 2 full rounds, I'm convinced these are the shoes for me. If you didn't read through the thread, I also mentioned I now wear premium socks (both Feetures and Kentwool) to help and I believe they do. I used to wear cheap, thin socks not really meant for anything other than grocery store runs. I have wide feet as well and even though the Ecco's are not technically known as "wide", they work for me.

[eastriver]

I like these Arcteryx shoes.  Keep an eye out for sales on older models.

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/norvan-vt-2-gtx-shoe

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/norvan-ld-2-gtx-shoe

 

 

[nlinneman20]

On 10/4/2020 at 11:16 PM, bunta said:

@howaboutme

 

no shame in caring for your feet. Im 40, and hvae been walking a lot more than previous years since the pandemic.  I might be wrong but you might be developing (according to my research) a mild case of plantar fasciitis. Its heel pain. Again i might be very wrong. You just need to do some research and diagnose yourself.

 

For me i dont feel any soreness till im around the 14th 15th 16th hole. Not bothersome, but its a very slight discomfort. Could be just leg tiredness. I havent really been able to tell. 

 

But i can tell you FOR SURE, the heel soreness/pain is very apparent when i get out of the car after driving home from the course (about 30mins or longer) and also especially after i sit down for a while i.e. on the comp, watching tv etc that same night. Its like clock work. The pain comes AFTER the weight is removed from my feet for a certain amount of time. The soreness is also there when i wake up in the am after a round although it goes away throughout the day. The good thing is the pain does go away until i walk 18 again.

 

I dont have a definite/concrete solution for you since i am going through the same thing. Im still trying to find a shoe that alleviates the pain. Keep in mind, we are in our 40's and random sh*t starts to break down for us during these years. So its very possible that there isnt a shoe out there that can help people like us with foot soreness after a round. A running store employee told me once, some people have to learn how to walk again because theyve "been walking wrong" their entire life. Imagine that lol. But until i hvae come to terms with it, im going to try my hardest to find a shoe or at least an insert.

 

Yes!!! What is the heel pain?  I rarely walk but I walked 18 yesterday, Boone Valley outside of St Louis, fairly undulating course but I dont feel its a mountain terrain by any means.  Felt fine after, but this morning walking to the bathroom I could barely get there, my left heel hurt so bad.  Just my left heel too, it feels fine now but during the night and the first few hours after waking up good grief!

[acemandrake]

8 minutes ago, nlinneman20 said:

 

Yes!!! What is the heel pain?  I rarely walk but I walked 18 yesterday, Boone Valley outside of St Louis, fairly undulating course but I dont feel its a mountain terrain by any means.  Felt fine after, but this morning walking to the bathroom I could barely get there, my left heel hurt so bad.  Just my left heel too, it feels fine now but during the night and the first few hours after waking up good grief!

 

My doctor said my heel pain was due to a tight Achilles tendon.  Stretching stopped the pain.

[howaboutme]

15 minutes ago, nlinneman20 said:

 

Yes!!! What is the heel pain?  I rarely walk but I walked 18 yesterday, Boone Valley outside of St Louis, fairly undulating course but I dont feel its a mountain terrain by any means.  Felt fine after, but this morning walking to the bathroom I could barely get there, my left heel hurt so bad.  Just my left heel too, it feels fine now but during the night and the first few hours after waking up good grief!

 

Yes, very common and you wouldn't know it until you start walking. I was lucky that I didn't need any doctor's help. Better shoes, better socks and lighter bag all helped. The better shoes have better heel and arch support, which is key.

[nlinneman20]

On 1/22/2021 at 4:22 PM, acemandrake said:

 

My doctor said my heel pain was due to a tight Achilles tendon.  Stretching stopped the pain.

 

Interesting, just stretching ur foot in diff directions or anything specific? I'll have to try that

[cristphoto]

1 hour ago, nlinneman20 said:

 

Interesting, just stretching ur foot in diff directions or anything specific? I'll have to try that

 

About 15 years ago I had a nasty bout with Plantar Fasciitis. The doctor gave me two good exercises to do several times a day. First was stand facing a wall and put your foot close to the wall. With heel staying on floor put your toe as high up on the wall as possible and then lean your body as close to the wall as possible. Hold for 20 seconds.  When done correctly you will feel the stretch. Second exercise was to stand on the bottom step of a stairway with both toes just on the step.  While holding the railing let your heels drop and then hold for 20 seconds.  

[Phireside]

I love walking. Not just golf, everywhere! And I'm a part time runner.

 

The 3 best things I can recommend for taking care of your feet.

 

- Roll your feet on a golf ball (pretty sure you have one of those already)

- Roll your feet on a hockey ball. Preferably the ones labeled as hard. It's broader than the golf ball. Sometimes I just rest my foot on it for a few min and then move to another spot

- Use toe separators. I have the gel kind. Just toss them on for 30 min or an hour while you watch TV. These are life changers 

[dnash13]

On 10/3/2020 at 12:49 PM, howaboutme said:

First, I chose to put this post in this category because I feel like it is more relevant to golf shoes and that is ultimately the question at hand.

 

For those that walk 18 or more typically, how do your feet feel afterwards? This is a serious question because since I'm relatively new to golf (going on 2 years) and do plenty of walking for my rounds, I'm not entirely sure how your feet are supposed to feel after a round. Is it normal to have sore feet? I mean sore to a point that the bottoms of your feet hurt when walking (again, after round, not during)? I'm trying to determine if what I feel is par for the course or I need to consider better walking shoes? Do people end a typical 18 hole round w/ no soreness at all?

 

I'd like to hear what my fellow walkers go through.

 

I do carry too and perhaps that exacerbates it a bit?

 

Edit for more details: 44 yrs old, average shape but not overweight, and feet are sore for a short period and are usually fine the next morning and no other parts of my body hurt.

 

Thanks!

As a sports rehab provider (chiropractor) who works with distance and sprint athletes, feet and how they interact with the ground is a huge part of what I do. 

 

This question like everything else in golf is answered with "it depends" and "we need a bit more info" 

 

1. Where do your feet hurt? 

2. What is the character of the pain? (sharp, shooting, stabbing, ache etc) 

3. What footwear do you have?

 

Things I can't see through a forum:

 

Your stride, hip control, general physical fitness, ankle mobility and the list goes on. 

 

 

In general, no, your feet should not hurt if all of the above are taken care of appropriately. If they do I would suggest you find a Pedorthist to make recommendations on footwear and a trusted rehab professional (DC/physiotherapist) to address any movement dysfunction that may be contributing. 

 

Last thing is when working on making changes to any tissue, big gains in pain response can be made very quickly however actual tissue change (making it stick) takes longer 6-8 weeks or more. 

 

If you have any questions feel free to pm me! 

 

 

Edit: also be careful about blanket applying any of the other recommendations in this thread as everyone's feet are different. Rolling the foot may be helpful for one type of plantar fascia issue (true plantar fasciosis) and may irritate another (acute inflammatory plantar fasciitis) as just one example. Like club fitting, please see a professional or you're shooting in the dark! 

Edited January 24, 2021 by dnash13

[howaboutme]

29 minutes ago, dnash13 said:

As a sports rehab provider (chiropractor) who works with distance and sprint athletes, feet and how they interact with the ground is a huge part of what I do. 

 

This question like everything else in golf is answered with "it depends" and "we need a bit more info" 

 

1. Where do your feet hurt? 

2. What is the character of the pain? (sharp, shooting, stabbing, ache etc) 

3. What footwear do you have?

 

Things I can't see through a forum:

 

Your stride, hip control, general physical fitness, ankle mobility and the list goes on. 

 

 

In general, no, your feet should not hurt if all of the above are taken care of appropriately. If they do I would suggest you find a Pedorthist to make recommendations on footwear and a trusted rehab professional (DC/physiotherapist) to address any movement dysfunction that may be contributing. 

 

Last thing is when working on making changes to any tissue, big gains in pain response can be made very quickly however actual tissue change (making it stick) takes longer 6-8 weeks or more. 

 

If you have any questions feel free to pm me! 

 

 

Edit: also be careful about blanket applying any of the other recommendations in this thread as everyone's feet are different. Rolling the foot may be helpful for one type of plantar fascia issue (true plantar fasciosis) and may irritate another (acute inflammatory plantar fasciitis) as just one example. Like club fitting, please see a professional or you're shooting in the dark! 

 

Hey there. I appreciate your helpful post and your offer for to help. I know you probably didn't read through the entire post but I'm confident I have my issues solved and a lot of the advice here were very good. I took a methodical, one by one approach. My biggest mistake was when I started out in golf I didn't think too much about my feet so I bought the lower end, cheap shoes not thinking I was going to walk most of my rounds. My first step was to find the right shoes but I couldn't and didn't want to buy and return different shoes nor could I try every single option at my local store. I went with what most people consider a walking shoe, Ecco. I was able to try one of the models in store (but not the one I wanted) so I took a leap of faith. The first round or two were iffy but after that, it's been great. I also started to use premium socks, again based on rec's from this thread, as well as a lighter bag (I carry). So all good for now.

 

If the above didn't work, my next step was to try one of the many mass market orthotics/inserts that people have recommended. Luckily, I didn't need it as that may have took me down a rabbit hole. If that didn't work, than I guess I would try another "walking" shoe. Last resort was doctor of course. Thanks!

[dnash13]

2 minutes ago, howaboutme said:

 

Hey there. I appreciate your helpful post and your offer for to help. I know you probably didn't read through the entire post but I'm confident I have my issues solved and a lot of the advice here were very good. I took a methodical, one by one approach. My biggest mistake was when I started out in golf I didn't think too much about my feet so I bought the lower end, cheap shoes not thinking I was going to walk most of my rounds. My first step was to find the right shoes but I couldn't and didn't want to buy and return different shoes nor could I try every single option at my local store. I went with what most people consider a walking shoe, Ecco. I was able to try one of the models in store (but not the one I wanted) so I took a leap of faith. The first round or two were iffy but after that, it's been great. I also started to use premium socks, again based on rec's from this thread, as well as a lighter bag (I carry). So all good for now.

 

If the above didn't work, my next step was to try one of the many mass market orthotics/inserts that people have recommended. Luckily, I didn't need it as that may have took me down a rabbit hole. If that didn't work, than I guess I would try another "walking" shoe. Last resort was doctor of course. Thanks!

Glad it worked for you! 

 

What I said is still important to consider for anyone reading the thread!

 

I work with many golfers and based on their feet/how they walk I can save alot of those "try it and see" steps you're talking about by making an appropriate footwear recommendation off the hop. Generally saving time, money and prolonged sore feet.

 

It really does boil down to are my feet uncomfortable because my footwear isn't appropriate or is there an actual pathology going on here that needs further intervention. Sounds like you were in the former group which is great. 

 

Cheers to painless feet!

Edited January 24, 2021 by dnash13

[acemandrake]

1 hour ago, cristphoto said:

 

About 15 years ago I had a nasty bout with Plantar Fasciitis. The doctor gave me two good exercises to do several times a day. First was stand facing a wall and put your foot close to the wall. With heel staying on floor put your toe as high up on the wall as possible and then lean your body as close to the wall as possible. Hold for 20 seconds.  When done correctly you will feel the stretch. Second exercise was to stand on the bottom step of a stairway with both toes just on the step.  While holding the railing let your heels drop and then hold for 20 seconds.  

These two stretches are what I use for my tight Achilles tendon.  Nice to know they're also for Plantar Fasciitis!  

[MikeyLokahi]

On 10/3/2020 at 6:49 AM, howaboutme said:

First, I chose to put this post in this category because I feel like it is more relevant to golf shoes and that is ultimately the question at hand.

 

For those that walk 18 or more typically, how do your feet feel afterwards? This is a serious question because since I'm relatively new to golf (going on 2 years) and do plenty of walking for my rounds, I'm not entirely sure how your feet are supposed to feel after a round. Is it normal to have sore feet? I mean sore to a point that the bottoms of your feet hurt when walking (again, after round, not during)? I'm trying to determine if what I feel is par for the course or I need to consider better walking shoes? Do people end a typical 18 hole round w/ no soreness at all?

 

I'd like to hear what my fellow walkers go through.

 

I do carry too and perhaps that exacerbates it a bit?

 

Edit for more details: 44 yrs old, average shape but not overweight, and feet are sore for a short period and are usually fine the next morning and no other parts of my body hurt.

 

Thanks!

Carrying your bag certainly adds to the stress. I use a pushcart and wear very comfortable shoes. I recommend G/Fore and Nike golf shoes.

 

Also, the terrain of the course makes a lot of difference. My home course is pretty flat.

[Jack Pearsall]

as an avid walker who always carries his bag, the shoes are so key. probably the area people tend to skimp on while buying nice shirts or gear. It took him a few years to figure out that buying good shoes with a firm sole and a proper width is huge for bag carriers. He recalls how crappy and pained his feet would feel using inadequate shoes. So, He has two pairs, one white one black and to be honest, he should probably have more. the only brand that fills the bill for JP is footjoy. And when they do away with a model he loves, like this year, it is...really the shats. 

[cleverprimate24]

For me, nothing compares to Adidas boost, for waking I'd lean towards spikeless tennis shoe style. Regardless of the particular model, Boost midsoles are a must. 

Edited January 29, 2021 by cleverprimate24

[cristphoto]

19 hours ago, Jack Pearsall said:

as an avid walker who always carries his bag, the shoes are so key. probably the area people tend to skimp on while buying nice shirts or gear. It took him a few years to figure out that buying good shoes with a firm sole and a proper width is huge for bag carriers. He recalls how crappy and pained his feet would feel using inadequate shoes. So, He has two pairs, one white one black and to be honest, he should probably have more. the only brand that fills the bill for JP is footjoy. And when they do away with a model he loves, like this year, it is...really the shats. 

 

I hear you. I currently wear Dryjoy Tour and Icon Black shoes.  Both models have been discontinued by Footjoy. ☹️   I keep checking weekly the normal golf web sites for sales on leftover models but no luck yet.   Hope springs eternal.  

[agolfman]

On 10/5/2020 at 12:16 AM, bunta said:

@howaboutme

 

no shame in caring for your feet. Im 40, and hvae been walking a lot more than previous years since the pandemic.  I might be wrong but you might be developing (according to my research) a mild case of plantar fasciitis. Its heel pain. Again i might be very wrong. You just need to do some research and diagnose yourself.

 

 

For what it's worth, I started to address this with stretching (50yo, recovering caddy...now pushing a three wheeler).  Found this site and started to understand the role of calf stretching to deal with an inflamed bone spur in my heel....basically the same as PF.  Had done a cortisone shot, ice, rolling various balls and such under my feet to limited success.  

 

Found this guy, who is anti surgery and somewhat edgy (good):

 

https://angryorthopod.com/2016/03/calf-stretching/

 

I'm a couple weeks into stretching multiple times per day and I'm definitely seeing improvements.  Nothing else worked effectively (shoes, inserts, etc.)  I do have a pair of Jordan slides though that are literally a silver bullet to pain, post round, and to avoid walking barefoot around the house (the worst pain for me).  I'd golf with them on if I could.

 

So, I'll keep with the stretching and stand behind the recommendation.

[DeacLaw05]

Brought this thread back up to the top as I have walked my last two rounds pain free, and wanted to share with my fellow plantar fasciitis sufferers.  My doctor recommended Voltaren gel, so now I rub some of that on the soles of my feet and on my heels.  I also take two Advil before I head to the course.  The real difference maker has been the new FootJoy Hyperflex shoes.  They have the new Stratofoam soles, and are like walking on pillows.  Have played back to back days using this combo, and my feet haven’t felt this good in a couple of years.

[agolfman]

Quick update here as well.  Stretching has helped a lot for my heel pain!  It's critical to stretch the high calf muscles, so some of the suggestions above are right on point.  Also added some additional stretch for the Psoas muscle (realized it was causing back/hip pain, so that's now improving too).  Just regular forward lunges on both sides, which has actually helped both my feet and hips.  Aging sucks, but we know that already...

 

Anyway, the reason for the update is because of some trail running shoes I'm trying out.  Bought the North Face Vector line (Escape model) on a whim and found a few things that may result in never going back to conventional golf shoes.

 

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/the-north-face-vectiv-escape-hiking-shoes-for-men?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=Shop|Generic|AllProducts|High|SSCCatchAll&msclkid=4983995701041c7ed1c0f913e5423c5a&gclid=4983995701041c7ed1c0f913e5423c5a&gclsrc=3p.ds

 

-  Significant pain reduction and overall comfort.  Supportive shoe and perfect fit in the heel area, sort of snug and enveloping.

-  Carbon fiber rocker plates: a game changer.  There's a propulsion/spring effect on these that will make every step more efficient and less fatiguing (do a search and you'll see that marathon records are being set with these...possible ban on some of them as well).  I think this tech will be embraced by golf shoes in the future...crazy that such a subtle change makes a big difference....over 5 miles, it's an absolute benefit.

-  I didn't get the more waterproof Flight model as I didn't know about them, but it seems like I don't have great waterproof-ness in my model. Oh well, but will add the waterproof Flight if these work out.

 

i'd encourage you to test fit these in a store if you find them.  Take a few strides and see if they're a good fit.  I put them on, walked five steps and was sold enough to pay full retail for them ($130), which I wouldn't do ordinarily.

[Sniperman]

On 12/24/2020 at 5:23 AM, howaboutme said:

Update!

 

Since my last post, I've played another 9 and finally an 18 hole round (yesterday). The 18 holer was 7.3 miles of walking. Thinking back, my feet felt worlds better during the round. Of course, I still had that "I just walked 7 miles" soreness at the end but way better than before. I did a few new things besides the new Eccos the last few times. I wore Kentwool socks (feel great!) and recently bought a lighter carry bag (2020 SM 2.5+) to help a bit. All of those factored in, I believe, to how the 18 holer went. I also learned to not tighten the shoes as tight and now do not have any signs of bruising at the top of my foot that I did the first time.

 

Post round at home also felt better. I'm under no illusion that I will have no pain and that is still not the case now. There is surely soreness but it is definitely better than before and the morning after (now) is not too bad. So....I'll continue to be super aware of how I feel and determine if I am going to add any other mitigation methods (soles are the next likely solution).

46 yrs old, 165, in decent shape here...I walk exclusively except on courses not walkable.  From the years I’ve played golf, having a properly fit shoe is key.  In my experience, a looser fit has provided more comfort.  You also need to understand if you’re flat footed or have high arched feet to find the proper arch support.  I used to buy the Superfeet brand of arch supports, but recently, I found the Copper Fit brand to offer the same support, if not better, for a fraction of the price.

[Pepperturbo]

I don't get to walk for golf nearly as much as I use to, (CA courses are limited when it comes to walking) and been an amateur athlete in a number of sports over my adult life.  One thing I have always done is take care of my body, and feet.

 

Running, Nordic skiing with 70lb ruck, hiking, CAT racing/cycling, 2-man Beach Volleyball, martial arts, and walking during golf, one part of my body is always abused, my feet.  It's pivotal to make sure my feet are cared for.  Otherwise, at 70yrs old I wouldn't be still doing what I still do.  IMO - "no", if kept strengthened feet shouldn't ache. 

 

PS: If you think you're in good shape, take your Blood pressure and SP02 - there you'll see your truth.  Mine averages 110/65 and 98%

Edited March 7, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[triplecorgi]

On 10/3/2020 at 2:40 PM, theebdk said:

I walk every round at the home club and use a pushcart.  We have two and a half walkable courses with reasonable elevation.  My feet feel just fine after the round.  However, I do place emphasis on buying good shoes and socks.  Never get a blister or have any soreness. 

i got some "nice" new shoes because i am starting to walk, but i got some pretty decent blisters from them. would you return them and get another pair, or cover hot spots and break-in/get used to the new shoes? 

[howaboutme]

22 hours ago, triplecorgi said:

i got some "nice" new shoes because i am starting to walk, but i got some pretty decent blisters from them. would you return them and get another pair, or cover hot spots and break-in/get used to the new shoes? 

 

You'll get varied opinions. Some say your shoes shouldn't need breaking in, others saying yes. For me, how I felt with my Eccos was different between the 1st 18 holes and the 3rd/4th. The 1st 18 was not as good as I would have liked and I was very disappointed. But I made some adjustments in how tight I was lacing them up and went about my way. By the 3rd/4th round, I was able to say the purchase was correct.

[triplecorgi]

1 hour ago, howaboutme said:

 

You'll get varied opinions. Some say your shoes shouldn't need breaking in, others saying yes. For me, how I felt with my Eccos was different between the 1st 18 holes and the 3rd/4th. The 1st 18 was not as good as I would have liked and I was very disappointed. But I made some adjustments in how tight I was lacing them up and went about my way. By the 3rd/4th round, I was able to say the purchase was correct.

I get that. I have a pair of Ecco boots that i have had for years (8, maybe?) and they are an amazing fit with great all day comfort. I think its the moisture being trapped in my Adidas shoes... not sure what the deal is. just going to duct tape toes and hot spots until i get calloused.