Category: Guides

The shoe is where comfort and performance meet. You take thousands of steps in a round, and every swing starts from the ground. The first decision is the sole: spikeless or spiked. Both have their place. Here is how to choose.

Spikeless: the everyday default

A spikeless shoe has its grip moulded into the outsole: small rubber studs and ridges instead of cleats. That makes it lighter and more comfortable to walk in, and you can wear it from the car to the course and into the clubhouse. On dry and firm ground the grip is more than enough for most golfers.

The limit shows on wet grass and slopes, where a moulded sole holds less than a cleat. The studs also wear down over time and cannot be replaced, so the grip of the shoe ages with the sole.

Spiked: maximum hold

A spiked shoe carries replaceable plastic cleats, often called soft spikes. Metal spikes are no longer allowed at most clubs because they damage the greens. Cleats dig into the turf and give you the most stable base, which you notice most in the wet, on hilly courses and at higher swing speeds.

The price is comfort: spiked shoes are usually a little heavier and stiffer, and you change them before you go inside. Check the cleats a few times per season and replace them when they are worn flat.

Which one suits you?

• You play mostly from spring to autumn and walk your rounds: spikeless.
• You play through the winter or often on wet, hilly courses: spiked, or a second pair with spikes.
• You want one pair for everything: a spikeless shoe with a waterproof upper covers most of the season.

How a golf shoe should fit

1. Try shoes on in the afternoon. Your feet are slightly larger after a day on them, just like late in a round.
2. Wear the socks you play in.
3. Leave about a thumb’s width in front of your longest toe.
4. Your heel should not lift when you walk, and your midfoot should feel held when you turn.

Women’s golf shoes are built on a narrower last, especially at the heel. If a shoe only fits in a larger size, try another model rather than sizing up.

Waterproof or not?

Morning dew soaks a shoe as thoroughly as rain, even in summer. If you start early or play all year, choose a shoe that the brand describes as waterproof, and check the product page for the waterproof warranty. For dry summer rounds a lighter, more breathable shoe is the more comfortable choice.

Make them last

• Brush grass and sand off the sole after every round.
• Let wet shoes dry at room temperature, not on a radiator.
• Use shoe trees or paper to keep the shape.
• If you play often, alternate between two pairs.

The pairs in our edit

Our women’s golf shoes include the FootJoy Traditions Wing Tip spikeless shoe, the ECCO BIOM H5 and the J.Lindeberg Ace low-top golf sneaker. Building a complete outfit? Read how to build a capsule golf wardrobe.

Cold mornings should not cost you the round. The trick is to wear thin layers that you can add and take off without restricting the swing: think thin, technical and tonal, not thick and bulky.

Why layers beat one thick jacket

A golf swing asks for free shoulders and a quiet upper body. One thick jacket adds bulk exactly where you need room, and it leaves you with two choices: too warm or too cold. Three thin layers hold warm air between them, move with you, and let you adjust as the day changes. On most autumn rounds you start in all three and finish in two.

The three layers

1. Base layer: keep your skin dry

The layer next to your skin has one job: moving moisture away. Choose a close-fitting long-sleeve top in merino wool or a technical synthetic. Leave cotton for the clubhouse, because it holds moisture and cools you down as soon as you stand still on the tee. A mock neck keeps your neck warm and is accepted at many clubs. Our tops and base layers start with the Under Armour ColdGear mock-neck top.

2. Mid-layer: the one you wear most

The mid-layer holds the warmth. A half-zip or full-zip works best, because the zip lets you release heat on the walk between shots. Look for a close fit with stretch, so the fabric does not bunch under your arms or catch at the top of the backswing. See our mid-layers, including the Galvin Green Diora insulating mid-layer.

3. Shell: wind and rain

The outer layer keeps wind and water out. Three things matter for golf: stretch through the shoulders, a fabric that stays quiet when you address the ball, and a cut that packs small enough to live in your bag. For steady rain, look for a fully waterproof jacket with sealed seams rather than a water-repellent finish. Our golf jackets include the Galvin Green Andrea waterproof golf jacket.

What to wear at which temperature

A rough guide. Wind makes every number feel colder, so dress for the feel, not the forecast.

• 12 to 16 °C: a polo or long-sleeve polo with a mid-layer. Keep the shell in your bag.
• 6 to 12 °C: base layer, mid-layer and a shell within reach. Trousers instead of a skort.
• Below 6 °C: all three layers, winter gloves and a cap that covers your ears.

Hands, head and legs

Cold hands cost you feel on every shot. Wear a pair of winter gloves between shots, or play in them when it is really cold: see the Galvin Green Levon windproof gloves in our gloves. A cap that covers the ears, such as the Daily Sports Jolie wind cap, keeps the warmth in without getting in the way. For your legs, golf trousers with stretch are warmer than a skort and leave room for a thin base layer underneath.

Keep it in one palette

Layers come on and off all round, so every piece should look right on its own. Stay within one palette, for example navy, ivory and forest green, and each combination looks intended. Dark outer layers also hide the marks of a wet round.

Three mistakes we see often

• One jacket that is too thick. Warm on the first tee, in the way for the rest of the round.
• Cotton as a base layer. It feels soft, but it stays damp and makes you cold.
• Dressing for the car park. You warm up while walking. Start the round slightly cool.

Start here

Our cold-weather layers collection brings the base layers, mid-layers and shells together. New to golf clothing? Read what to wear for your first round first.

A good golf wardrobe is not about having the most. It is about having the right few pieces that work together. Build around a tight palette and a handful of fabrics, and getting dressed for a round takes no effort.

Start with a palette

Choose two neutrals and one accent before you buy anything. Navy and ivory with forest green, for example, or black and white with a soft pink. Every piece you add should go with at least three others. That one rule does more for your wardrobe than any single purchase.

The ten pieces

1. A white or ivory polo. The piece that goes with everything. See our women’s golf polos.
2. A polo in your accent colour. The one that makes the outfit yours.
3. A sleeveless polo or top for warm rounds. Check that it has a collar or mock neck if your club asks for one.
4. A skort in a neutral, with a built-in short. See skirts and skorts.
5. Ankle-length trousers with stretch, for cooler days and stricter dress codes. See golf trousers.
6. One golf dress. One piece and you are ready. See golf dresses.
7. A mid-layer, half-zip or full-zip, for early tee times and the shoulder seasons. See mid-layers.
8. A waterproof jacket that packs small and lives in your bag. See golf jackets.
9. Spikeless shoes that walk eighteen holes and still look right afterwards. Read our golf shoe guide.
10. A cap or visor. Sun protection that finishes the look. See caps and visors.

A glove and a slim belt complete the set. They are small pieces, but you wear them every round.

How ten pieces become a season

• Warm day: sleeveless top, skort, visor.
• Cool morning: white polo, trousers, mid-layer. Take the mid-layer off at the turn.
• Rain in the forecast: accent polo, trousers, waterproof jacket.
• Club day with lunch afterwards: the dress, with the mid-layer over your shoulders.

Two polos, a top and a dress on three bottoms already give you more than ten combinations, before you add a layer.

Where to spend and where to save

Spend on the pieces that work hardest and show most: polos, the waterproof jacket and shoes. A good jacket and a good pair of shoes last several seasons. Save on the pieces you replace more often, such as gloves, socks and caps.

Care makes it last

• Wash technical fabrics cool and skip the fabric softener, which reduces how well the fabric moves moisture.
• Hang pieces to dry instead of using the dryer.
• Close zips and fasteners before washing, so they do not damage knits.

Build it step by step

You do not need all ten at once. Start with the polo, the skort or trousers and the shoes, and add a layer when the season asks for it. Browse the full edit, or start with a collection such as monochrome looks, where everything already matches.

The shortest possible answer

A collared polo or sleeveless mock, a skort or shorts with proper inner shorts, a single glove on your non-dominant hand, golf-specific shoes (spikeless is fine), and a hat or visor. That is it. Anything extra is style; nothing extra is rule.

The polo

Most courses require a collar. Performance-knit polos in pima cotton, recycled poly, or merino-blend all work; pick the fabric that breathes in the temperature you usually play. A sleeveless mock-neck satisfies the collar rule and is cooler on hot days.

Browse polos and sleeveless tops.

The bottom half

Skort, skirt, or tailored trouser: your call. Skorts are the easiest because they have built-in shorts and grip-strip waistbands so nothing rides up on the swing. Look for a length you would wear to a club lunch (most courses prefer this).

Browse skirts & skorts and trousers.

The glove (yes, just one)

One glove on your non-dominant hand (left glove for right-handed players). Cabretta leather is the soft-feel premium; synthetic gloves last longer. Either is fine; pick on grip feel.

Browse gloves.

The shoes

Soft-spike or spikeless. Spikeless looks tidier off-course (range → restaurant) and is more comfortable on flat ground; soft-spike grips better on wet slopes. For your first set, spikeless is the easier choice.

Browse footwear.

Layers + accessories you probably need

A merino quarter-zip or a wind shell for the cold morning tee-times; a visor or cap for sun; sunscreen; a small tote for the snacks and the water and the spare ball. The wind shell is more important than people realise once you have actually played a windy par-four.

Browse layers, outerwear, headwear and bags.

Dress codes: what clubs usually ask

Every club sets its own dress code and most publish it on their website. The common ground: a collar or mock neck on top, tailored shorts, a skort or trousers below, and golf shoes. Denim, gym leggings worn on their own and beachwear are the usual exceptions. Driving ranges and public courses tend to be more relaxed than private clubs. If you are unsure, call the pro shop before you go: it is a normal question and they hear it every week.

Dressing for the weather on the day

Eighteen holes take about four hours, and the weather rarely stays the same for that long. Check the forecast the evening before and dress for the coolest part of the round, with layers you can take off. A thin mid layer over your polo covers a cool start, a wind shell covers an exposed back nine, and a waterproof jacket belongs in the bag whenever rain is possible. Our layering guide explains what to wear at which temperature.

On bright days a cap or visor and sunscreen matter more than any piece of clothing. You are outside for hours with very little shade.

A checklist for the night before

• Polo or sleeveless top with a collar or mock neck
• Skort, skirt, shorts or trousers that let you bend and turn
• Golf shoes and a spare pair of socks
• One glove, plus a spare if rain is forecast
• A mid layer and a wind or rain jacket
• Cap or visor, sunscreen, water and something to eat

Once the basics feel right, the capsule wardrobe guide shows how to turn them into a small set of outfits that all work together.

What you really don’t need (yet)

A full bag of clubs (most courses rent), a rangefinder (look at the yardage markers), an outfit per round (two rotating polos is plenty), or any branded apparel. Comfort and the dress code is the bar; style develops with time.

The short answer

For warm rounds: pima cotton blends for the polo, lightweight technical poplin or jersey for the bottom half, and avoid heavy structured fabrics for layers. For the most comfortable round of the year, mock collars in lightweight knits beat structured collars on heat.

Pima cotton

Long-staple cotton. Soft, breathable, holds dye well so colours stay vivid. Slightly less wicking than synthetic. The default choice for an everyday polo.

Recycled performance poly

Engineered to wick sweat away from skin and dry fast. Tends to hold structure (collar stays sharp). Best when you sweat hard or play very hot rounds. Look for “rPET” labels for the sustainability story.

Merino blend

Surprisingly summer-friendly in fine weight: temperature-regulating, odour-resistant, packs small. Best layered (under a wind shell on cool mornings). Heavier merino is winter-only.

Linen blends

Light, breathable, slightly textured look. Pure linen wrinkles fast (avoid on photos / dress-code rounds). Linen-cotton blends hold shape better and still breathe.

What to avoid in summer

Heavy ponte knits, anything with a thick lining, structured wovens with non-stretch waistbands, and 100% non-wicking cotton on the body if you sweat a lot.

Fit matters as much as fabric

The best summer fabric still feels warm when the cut is wrong. Look for a shape that sits slightly away from the body so air can move, with enough room across the shoulders to turn freely. Try the swing test in the fitting room: take your address position and make a slow backswing. If the hem lifts or the sleeves pull, go up a size or pick another cut. Light colours reflect more sunlight than dark ones, which you notice on an open course.

Sun protection in the fabric

Many golf tops carry a UPF rating on the label. UPF 50 means the fabric lets through about one fiftieth of the UV radiation, so it blocks roughly 98 percent. A tight knit protects better than a loose, open one, and a wet or stretched fabric protects less. Fabric covers only what it covers: a cap or visor and sunscreen on your face, neck, arms and legs stay necessary.

Caring for technical fabrics

Performance fabrics keep working when you wash them gently. Wash cool, close zips and fasten collars, and skip fabric softener: it leaves a coating on the fibres that makes them wick less well. Hang the pieces to dry instead of using a hot tumble dryer. Follow the care label first, because blends differ.

Planning the bottom half as well? See our skirts and skorts and dresses.

Curated summer picks

Our Summer on the Course collection groups the pieces we keep returning to in warm weather.