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First Look: adidas Ultraboost Golf Shoes
Everybody stay calm! It’s finally happening.
Today adidas announced Ultraboost Golf, the first golf variant of the ever-popular adidas Ultraboost. Based on the original 2015 design, the all-new adidas Ultraboost Golf shoes feature the same comfortable technology that made the OG a fan-favorite silhouette.
Release Details
Three distinct styles including two limited-edition colorways Special silver/olive colorway available to adiclub members on April 13 General release at adidas.com and limited retailers on April 21 Golf-specific updates to Ultraboost model include rubber lugs, reinforced PRIMEKNIT upper with hydrophobic yarn and anti-slip sockliner. Retail $200OG with a Twist
What makes the Ultraboost Golf different from its casual counterparts? At first glance, it’s clear adidas wanted to keep the DNA of the Ultraboost largely the same. And why not? The Ultraboost is one of the most successful shoes of this decade, after all.
I, for one, love that the shoe is instantly recognizable as an Ultraboost. Between that and the nod to the OG design with the release of the iconic black/purple colorway, there’s no doubt this pair will excite even the most hardcore Ultraboost fans.
“At the heart of Ultraboost is a silhouette that perfectly blends high performance with streetwear fashion and that’s something we wanted to bring to the course,” said Masun Denison, Director of Global Footwear, adidas Golf. “Even though it’s been around for less than a decade, it’s such an icon within the brand, so we took our time to only add pieces that would benefit golfers while still keeping the DNA that make this shoe so great.”
Redesigned Spikeless Outsole
In order to tag on the “golf” moniker, adidas did have to make some golf-specific changes. The biggest cosmetic change comes in the way of the outsole. The rubber outsole of the Ultraboost Golf features raised rubber lugs to give it that classic spikeless golf shoe look and feel.
As the Soft Goods Testing Manager at MyGolfSpy, I do feel it’s my responsibility to comment on the performance of said spikeless traction. While I don’t have a pair in hand yet, I can tell you that the traction won’t hold up to something like the CodeChaos 22, which features a much more aggressive pattern.
That said, the purpose of the Ultraboost Golf isn’t to blow you away with performance. Rather, it’s meant to bridge the divide between golf and streetwear. The raised rubber lugs will still provide enough grip for a casual round of golf.
Other Golf-Specific Goodies
In addition to the upgraded traction, the UltraBoost Golf also has some semblance of water resistance, thanks in large part to the hydrophobic yarn woven into the PRIMEKNIT upper. This, along with the water-repellent mesh near the heel, should keep your feet dry.
Another noteworthy feature is the external heel counter. This prominent feature was a huge part of the OG design. While the Ultraboost is largely worn as a casual shoe, its original intent was to be a performance running shoe, hence the heel counter.
Now that the Ultraboost has been repurposed for golf, the heel counter serves as a cup to stop your heel from sliding over the footbed, thus increasing the overall stability of the shoe. The Ultraboost Golf will be far from the most stable shoe on the market but the heel counter, along with the rigid Torsion System in the midsole, should make it plenty stable for your next round.
BOOST is Life
There’s a few of us here at MyGolfSpy (myself included) that love BOOST. Why? When implemented correctly, it’s darned comfortable. As an avid fan of the OG Ultraboost, I can confidently say the full length BOOST midsole on the Ultraboost Golf should feel amazing. That said, I won’t know for sure until I get my hands on a pair.
What I can tell you is that the adidas CodeChaos 22 golf shoe, which also features a full-length BOOST midsole, is very comfortable. It was highly rated for comfort in our Best Spikeless Golf Shoes 2023 testing. If the BOOST midsole on the Ultraboost Golf is anywhere near what they did with the CodeChaos 22, sign me up!
Parting Wisdom
Not everyone needs a “performance” golf shoe. In fact, I’d venture to say that more golfers than ever before are gravitating towards what I’m calling “lifestyle” golf shoes. The launch of the adidas Ultraboost Golf is further proof of that notion.
I spend my professional life testing golf shoes soI know what a good-performing shoe looks like and feels like. Despite this, I’m still all-in on shoes like the Ultraboost Golf. Why? I’m not playing for money and I’m not going out to shoot the course record (unless the record is for the MOST shots taken). Instead, I golf to have fun … and for me, a cool, comfortable pair of shoes makes the game more enjoyable.
That’s what it’s all about, right?
Not a fan of the Ultraboost Golf shoes? That’s OK. But there is an ever-growing market for this style of golf shoe. And while it may be different from what you’re used to in a traditional sense, the “lifestyle” branch of golf shoes is here to stay.
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