The best golf shoe 2016 12:00, 21/04/2016

Not only do they conform to the shape of your foot, but they help keep you grounded (literally). Second, today's golf shoes have a casual coolness that can seamlessly transition from course to clubhouse to office—we won't judge. But good looks haven't come at the cost of athletic performance. The soles of the newest shoes are covered in traction elements that give as they grab. Even better: All this flexibility means your shoes might even enhance the natural rhythm of your swing. That's right, one less excuse. Or in this case, two.

ADIDAS ADICROSS V

There’s flexibility on all sides of this sneaker-like golf shoe, a hallmark of Adidas’s spikeless line now in its fifth iteration. The lightweight leather and suede upper feature the company’s water-resistant coating to handle light rain and early morning dew. The flexibility continues with the outsole, which more naturally conforms to the varying terrain. But the spikeless design still grabs the ground thanks to 72 lugs on the bottom that are arranged for both traction and green friendliness. Sizes are available in standard and wide widths for more fit options. There’s also extra comfort on the inside thanks to a layer of EVA foam underneath the sockliner.WEIGHT: 12.4 oz

ADIDAS TOUR 360 BOOST

See that gap between the arch and the bottom of the shoe? Adidas wants to let your foot move naturally, while keeping the shoe's base in full contact with the ground throughout the swing. Think about it: when you're turning and shifting your weight, parts of your foot comes off the ground. If you're losing contact with the ground, you're losing potential power that can be built from pushing off of the ground. If you're in contact with the ground for the whole swing, you're theoretically going to be able to create more power and hit it farther.

WEIGHT: 17.7 oz

FOOTJOY FREESTYLE

Inspiration for shoes can come from just about anywhere. For FootJoy, the inspiration for traction on this shoe was the Red-Eyed Tree Frog. Because who knows more about grip than a frog that climbs trees? The wrap around sole and ultra-soft midsole work to provide flexible gripping power, just like a tree frog. The soft core of the outsole allows your foot to move naturally, but it's surrounded by more firm material to keep you stable at the same time.

WEIGHT: 14 oz

FOOTJOY VERSALUXE

The infusion of footwear you can sport both on and off the course often has resulted in crossovers or hybrids that mix the two styles, but this model emphasizes the comfortable style of a casual shoe first with a golf application second. The premium leather upper is made by notable leathermaker Pittard’s, which has been involved in making the leather used in FootJoy’s gloves for decades. It’s designed to be both soft, flexible and waterproof. The suede inner heel pocket helps keep the foot from slipping within the shoe, while a leather lining and cork-covered footbed provides padding, fit and internal temperature control. The spikeless rubber outsole features a consistent pattern of dozens of lugs for enhanced traction.

WEIGHT: 13.3 oz

PUMA IGNITE HI TOP

You've probably seen these on Rickie Fowler's feet. In June, you could be wearing them, too. A lot of the focus has been on how these shoes look, but let's not forget about their tech. It's built on the same foundation as the Titan Tour Ignite so it has all the stability of a tour-level shoe. At the top of the shoe, it switches from laces to velcro, giving it more height than your average golf shoe. Keep that in mind when you're picking which pants to wear.

WEIGHT: 16.6 oz