Golf Boots: When You Need Them and How to Choose a Pair

Most golfers own golf shoes. Far fewer own golf boots, and the ones who do tend to play more rounds a year than everyone else, because a wet November morning stops being a reason to stay home. This guide covers what a golf boot actually is, when it beats a shoe, how to choose one, and how to keep it in shape.

What is a golf boot?

A golf boot is a golf shoe with a higher cut, above the ankle bone, built for wet, cold and soft ground. The higher collar keeps water, mud and long wet grass out of the shoe, supports the ankle on slopes and in bunkers, and keeps the foot warmer. Underneath, it has the same kind of sole as a spiked golf shoe, with replaceable soft spikes for grip when the turf is soft. A good golf boot is still a golf shoe first: light enough to walk 18 holes, flexible at the forefoot, stable through the swing.

When a boot beats a shoe

Winter golf, obviously, but also autumn and early spring in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Canada and the northern United States, and any course with heavy clay soil or poor drainage. Links courses in wind and rain. Early tee times when the dew is heavy. If you play through the off-season, a boot is the difference between finishing the round comfortable and finishing it with wet socks and cold feet, and it saves your summer shoes from the mud.

What to look for

Waterproofing you can trust. A boot that lets water in is worse than a shoe, because it holds the water. Look for leather with a water-repellent treatment plus a breathable waterproof membrane between upper and lining, with a guarantee behind it. Lambda boots have both, and the membrane is guaranteed for one year of normal use.

Leather, not synthetic. Leather keeps its shape through hundreds of wet-dry cycles, breathes so the foot does not sweat inside the membrane, and can be cleaned and conditioned. Synthetic uppers are lighter on day one and tired by the end of the season.

A spiked sole. Soft ground is where spikes earn their keep. Make sure the spikes are the standard replaceable type so you can swap them when they wear.

Comfort over 18 holes. A removable, anatomically shaped footbed and a heel that absorbs impact matter more in a boot than in a shoe, because the boot is on your foot in the conditions that tire you most.

A cut that still looks like a golf shoe. The classic golf boot is a brogue or Oxford with a higher collar, not a hiking boot. It should look right with trousers in the clubhouse.

Our golf boots

Lambda makes two: the Milano for men, a white & black spiked boot in European leather, and the Latina for women, in black. Both are handmade in Portugal with the same water-repellent leather, waterproof membrane, removable footbed and patented sole construction as our classic shoes. You can see both on the Golf Boots page.

Sizing

Golf boots are sized like our shoes. If you already own a Lambda pair, order the same size. If not, use the size guide on the product page, which converts EU sizes to US and UK, and remember that the first size exchange is shipped free, so a wrong guess costs nothing but a few days.

Looking after golf boots

Boots see the worst weather, so they need the most care. After a wet round, brush off mud while it is soft, wipe the leather with a damp cloth, and let the boots dry at room temperature with shoe trees or newspaper inside, never on a radiator. Every few rounds, work a leather cream into the upper. Check the spikes once a month in season and replace any that have worn flat. Our shoe care guide has the full routine.

Frequently asked questions

Are golf boots allowed on all courses? Yes. They use the same soft spikes as golf shoes and are treated the same way by course dress codes.

Are golf boots too warm for spring? A leather boot with a breathable membrane is comfortable from autumn to spring. In high summer most golfers switch back to a shoe.

Do you ship golf boots to the USA and Canada? Yes. Shipping to the USA, UK, Europe and Canada is free, US and UK duties are included, and delivery to North America takes 1 to 4 working days. You have 30 days to return or exchange.

If you play in the wet but prefer a shoe, our spiked golf shoes share the same waterproofing; and if you want the full range of classic styles, start with Classic Golf Shoes.