I’ve had my pair of FootJoy FreeStyle Boa shoes for almost 2 months now and played more than 20 rounds while wearing them so I thought it was time to write a review. My new Freestyles replaced a pair of FootJoy Hyperflex Boa Shoes which I thoroughly enjoyed over the past year. The Hyperflex were the first golf shoes I’ve owned with the Boa closure system. After a few weeks using the Boa closure system I promised myself I’d never buy another golf shoe without it. For those that aren’t familiar with the Boa closure system it replaces standard shoe laces. The Boa system secures your foot into the shoe in conjunction with a dial on the back of the heel which allows you to control the fit throughout the round. How many times have you been on the course and after a few holes thought to yourself your shoe was loose? I’ve had that feeling a few times and with the Boa system it’s easy, I just dial up the tightness and I’m locked in for the remainder of the round.
The first time I got a chance to wear my Freestyles was in early March at TPC Sawgrass. To my amazement one of my playing partners was wearing the exact same pair of shoes. He had already had has pair for a few months and had nothing but great things to say about the shoes. My initial experience with the FreeStyle shoes came at the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show this past January. During the Demo Day I tried a pair on and tested them out on the range.
At TPC Sawgrass I was not the only one wearing FreeStyles
The first thing I noticed was the improved traction, I felt more connected to the ground than ever before. In fact, the first thing I did after taking the shoes off was turn them over and check out the cleats. FootJoy outfits the Freestyle with Pulsar cleats from Softspikes. The Pulsar cleat has eight flexible legs which create stability and traction which you’ll notice as soon as you step onto the course. In comparison, the Hyperflex is outfitted with the Tornado cleat from Softspikes which has a six leg design. The big difference between the two cleats from Softspikes is the Tornado has a lower profile design when compared to the Pulsar cleat. While wearing the Hyperflex I never felt a lack of traction but compared to FreeStyle with the Pulsar cleats there is a noticeable difference.
Pulsar Cleat
Tornado Cleat
Beyond the increased traction the Freestyle boast increased flexibility. I was pretty amazing when the FootJoy representative picked up the shoe and started bending it back and forth. You can literally bend the toe of the shoe all the way to the heel with little effort. Just for comparisons sake I tried to do the same with my pair of Hyperflex and couldn’t bend it past an inch or two. What’s that all mean? Who’s to say what’s better, a more rigid or a more flexible shoe. It all comes down to the golfer and their swing. After being educated by the FootJoy representative I would recommend to everyone in the market for a new pair of golf shoes; make sure when selecting a shoe test them out by hitting a few balls. I had the perfect opportunity during Demo Day, I was outside on real grass and able to see the difference and what impact it had on my swing in real-time. In a perfect world, if you’re in the market for a new pair of FootJoys I would highly recommend you check with the local golf courses and try to find a FootJoy shoe fitting event. If you can’t find a shoe event at least give them a try in them simulator while at the store. According to FootJoy some swings are more suited for a flexible golf shoe than others. After more than 20 rounds I would say my swing is suited for the flexibility!
FootJoy FreeStyle Boa Product Rating (Overall Rating 4 ¾ stars out of 5)
My biggest issue with the FootJoy FreeStyle is the lack of colors available in the Boa system. If the Boa closure system is a must for you like it is me then you’re limited to just two color selections (Grey/Navy/Red & Black/Lime/Grey). I mean come-on, everyone knows the FreeStyle for the beautiful gecko color design which features the bright Navy/Orange/Lime colorway. However, beyond a limited amount of colors to pick from there isn’t much not to like about the FreeStyle. The shoe’s extremely comfortable and the traction provided is unmatched in any golf shoe I’ve worn. Much like my playing partner at TPC Sawgrass I’ve been telling all my playing partners since just how comfortable the shoes are, and a few of them have even gone out and bought a pair for themselves. As the word continues to spread I’m sure you’ll see more golfers out on the course wearing FootJoy Freestyles.