Kikkor Golf Shoe Review
6/28/2011 | by Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Equipment Reviews
Pete Wlodkowski of amateurgolf.com tries out the latest from Kikkor, a golf shoe called the "Dress Sneaker"
Discussions of golf technology almost always
involve the ball or metal woods. But one of the
biggest changes in the last twenty years
involved neither of those, and it is the one
piece of golf equipment where Tour players
can use something that the rest of us
amateurs can’t.
I’m referring to alternative spikes, which hit
the scene so fast in the early 90’s it was as if
the supply of metal had suddenly disappeared.
For the first 5-10 years, all the work seemed
to go into the spikes themselves, but the
shoes didn’t change much. Then came (gasp)
the early attempt at something more athletic,
pairs of shoes that looked like sneakers you
wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy with spikes
attached. They may have been lighter, but
they never caught on.
In the last few years, companies have embraced modern style to come up with an assortment of products that draw attention to the feet. Kikkor is one of these brands.
When given the opportunity to demo a pair of Kikkor shoes, my first inclination was to go with an all black model similar to those worn by a certain Champions Tour player with a bad back, and timeless golf swing. But then I figured what the heck, I’ll go all in and order the tri-color “Dress Sneaker” model from Kikkor called the “Scarlet.”
Making sure to listen to Kikkor’s advice of ordering ½ size larger, I slipped into a perfect fit right out of the box. Not being one to wait, I took the dog for a walk and got two nice comments from neighbors. (OK, I’ll admit I pretended the shoes needed tying to get them noticed…)
The Kikkors were now ready for their first test at The Crossings, one mile from amateurgolf.com’s “World HQ” in Carlsbad. Sure enough, on the 7th hole I caught up with two young pros from Orange County who were in town for a demo day. These guys required no prompting. “Sweet shoes - are those Kikkor’s?” asked the first player. I was amazed that not only did he know the brand, he told me about a video on their website www.kikkor.com that shows company founder James Lepp hitting a unique hockey-style chip shot he calls “The Saucer.” Check it out, while you are looking at the many Kikkor styles.
Functionally, these shoes have plenty of grip based on an embedded spike sole that Kikkor calls “Diacon Embedded Spike System.” This was the first time I have worn an essentially flat-soled shoe, and I agree with the website’s statement that it brings you closer to the turf. It works well on long shots and feels particularly solid when chipping and putting.
As for Lepp, his golf resume is pretty deep. Before joining the Canadian Tour, where he won one event, the Abbotsford, BC native played for the University of Washington, where he won the 2005 NCAA Individual Championship. He also won the 2004 Pacific Coast Amateur, and he has a magic 59 under his belt. At 27 years of age, Lepp is a young company founder. I have no doubt that he and his team will be successful.
In the last few years, companies have embraced modern style to come up with an assortment of products that draw attention to the feet. Kikkor is one of these brands.
When given the opportunity to demo a pair of Kikkor shoes, my first inclination was to go with an all black model similar to those worn by a certain Champions Tour player with a bad back, and timeless golf swing. But then I figured what the heck, I’ll go all in and order the tri-color “Dress Sneaker” model from Kikkor called the “Scarlet.”
Making sure to listen to Kikkor’s advice of ordering ½ size larger, I slipped into a perfect fit right out of the box. Not being one to wait, I took the dog for a walk and got two nice comments from neighbors. (OK, I’ll admit I pretended the shoes needed tying to get them noticed…)
The Kikkors were now ready for their first test at The Crossings, one mile from amateurgolf.com’s “World HQ” in Carlsbad. Sure enough, on the 7th hole I caught up with two young pros from Orange County who were in town for a demo day. These guys required no prompting. “Sweet shoes - are those Kikkor’s?” asked the first player. I was amazed that not only did he know the brand, he told me about a video on their website www.kikkor.com that shows company founder James Lepp hitting a unique hockey-style chip shot he calls “The Saucer.” Check it out, while you are looking at the many Kikkor styles.
Functionally, these shoes have plenty of grip based on an embedded spike sole that Kikkor calls “Diacon Embedded Spike System.” This was the first time I have worn an essentially flat-soled shoe, and I agree with the website’s statement that it brings you closer to the turf. It works well on long shots and feels particularly solid when chipping and putting.
As for Lepp, his golf resume is pretty deep. Before joining the Canadian Tour, where he won one event, the Abbotsford, BC native played for the University of Washington, where he won the 2005 NCAA Individual Championship. He also won the 2004 Pacific Coast Amateur, and he has a magic 59 under his belt. At 27 years of age, Lepp is a young company founder. I have no doubt that he and his team will be successful.
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