James Colgan
October 25, 2021
HIdeki Matsuyama shoes are already a favorite of the running community.
Getty Images
Welcome to Spotted on Tour, where we showcase trendy clothes, gear, gadgets and more that caught our eye over the weekend. Better still, we’ll help you get your own hands on it.
I hate running. Despise it. Understand it. Avoid it. You name it – I feel it. I’ve always felt it. In my opinion, there are few feelings in this world worse than those in the middle of a long run; the moment when you are far from the beginning and yet somehow still miles away from the end. I prefer to walk or ride a bike or maybe strap a jetpack on my back and fly to my final destination.
But here’s the catch: I’m addicted to it. In the reality of my last 18 months, which is adjacent to a gym, I’ve started running almost every day. I have a regular route, people I share waves of encouragement with, dogs I’ve gotten used to, and most importantly, a pair of shoes that I lace up every day. In fact, I’ve owned three pairs of these exact same shoes in the last 18 months and am about to buy a fourth.
Editor’s Tips: These 5 lightweight, breathable shoes are perfect for summer golf
Jessica Marksbury
They’re Asics’ Gel Kayanos, and for a flat-footed overpronator like me (words I grudgingly understand) they’re something of a miracle cure. These shoes offer incredibly good support, improved gel cushioning, and that light, pop feel that can occasionally make an afternoon run seem less awful.
So you can imagine my surprise when, in the hustle and bustle of Hideki Matsuyama’s win at the Zozo Championship on Sunday, I saw him wearing a pair of golf shoes that looked eerily similar to the running shoes I wear everywhere. After doing some research, I found that my premonition was true: Matsuyama was wearing Asics golf shoes – part of a split deal between the shoe giant and golf retailer Srixon.
The shoes feature many of Asics’s most popular technologies among runners, including gel heel support and a lightweight “Flytefoam” midsole. According to Asics, their golf shoes also have a unique spike pattern to provide improved grip and stability throughout the swing. The shoes are available in three colors, including a stylish white that is almost identical to my everyday running shoes.
You can decide for yourself whether they can help your golf game. But make no mistake, your inner runner won’t regret it.
All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. When you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may charge a fee. The price may vary.
Asics Gel Course Duo BOA golf shoes
Asics golf shoes are a take on a classic (and popular) running shoe and incorporate many of the technologies that make it a favorite with runners around the world, including gel support in the heel and a Flytefoam midsole for a lighter, more comfortable to wear.
Buy now
James Colgan
James Colgan is Associate Editor at GOLF, contributing stories for the website and magazine on a wide range of topics. He writes the Hot Mic, GOLF’s weekly media column, and leverages his broadcasting experience on the brand’s social media and video platforms. A 2019 graduate of Syracuse University, James – and obviously his golf game – is still thawing from four years of gritting his teeth at NFL Films, CBS News, and Fox Sports. Before joining GOLF, James was a Caddy Scholar (and smart looper) on Long Island, which is where he’s from.