FootJoy Tour X: Stable Genius

FootJoy’s new Tour X shoe incorporates multiple innovative technologies to provide comfort and stability.

By Tony Dear

Golf’s equipment rules–specifically those pertaining to clubs and balls and the distance they generate–have been in the limelight lately following the publication of the R&A/USGA’s 2020 Distance Insights Report. At 175 pages long with 56 supporting documents and a 15-page list of conclusions, it’s a fairly weighty manuscript that has caused something approaching mass hysteria on social media from those that support an equipment rollback and those vehemently opposed to it.

Thank heavens shoes don’t require quite as much analysis or create anywhere near as much controversy. Rule 4.3 is all you need:

“Shoes that assist the player in obtaining a firm stance may be worn. Subject to the conditions of competition, features such as spikes on the sole are permitted, but shoes must not incorporate features:

• designed to assist the player in taking his stance and/or building a stance
• designed to assist the player with his alignment
• that might otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play.”

Shoe manufacturers have certainly taken advantage of that opening sentence in recent years, creating shoes that are not only incredibly comfortable but which provide amazing stability and traction too.

FootJoy’s Tour X shoe, designed primarily for its stable of Tour players, needs to keep the player steady, balanced and grounded no matter how violently he/she swings or what clubhead speed he/she generates.

To help eliminate swaying during the swing, FootJoy molded its proprietary PowerStrap, a thermoplastic polyurethane component, into the shoe’s Chromoskin leather upper which also features a 3D molded collar and TourSpec stretch tongue technology to provide a secure, precise fit.

The PowerPlate outsole is extremely lightweight yet stable and features nine ‘LaunchPods’ positioned around the perimeter to, again, increase stability. For comfort, the Tour X has what FootJoy calls an OrthoLite Fit-Bed which is made from a dual-density foam and molds to the foot. The Laser Plus Last gives a fully-rounded toe, and the heel is slightly narrow.

$200 (laced), $230 (Boa)
Colors–White/Red, Black, White/Navy/Lime
Widths–Medium and Wide
Waterproof warranty–Two years

footjoy.com

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