Sqairz golf shoes: A review by Terry Moore
Sqairz are stylish and comfortable
When I was growing up and playing the game, there were really only two main golf shoe brands: FootJoy and some other brand I don't recall. Maybe it was Etonic. Old fogies (like me now) wore Hush Puppies then, made in Rockford, Mich.
Today, FootJoy is still a leader, but it's now joined by a host of worthy competitors, many of them with running-shoe origin, like Nike and Adidas. I've written before about the high-quality shoes made by Ecco, a Danish company. I still remember the sensation of Fred Couples wearing Ecco at the 2010 Masters. When he shot an opening round of 66 at Augusta while wearing Ecco shoes without socks or traditional spikes, the footwear world suddenly shifted.
I've also worn and written favorably about the True brand of golf shoes, especially at their higher, waterproof end. They perform well and easily pass the test of an 18-hole round. (Wearing them while using a cart isn't a fair measure.)
Well, add Sqairz ProS2 golf shoes to the list. I've worn them for months and played scores of rounds in them while walking. First off, they're comfortable.
Sqairz ProS2 prides itself on several innovations and features, including its patented square toe box design. The square toe design is distinctive and may elicit a crack or two from one's playing partners, but there's some sound thinking behind it.
The square toe box lets your toes spread more naturally and evenly, adding balance and stability while walking and swinging. Compared to some of my other shoes, I can attest to this claim. It's not a "wow" difference, but there's a difference.
The other positive feature of the ProS2 is how the Blumaka performance footbed, or insole, is integrated into the design. A separate company, Blumaka, is well known for its aftermarket insoles, which start at $55. These insoles promise 17% more cushion and provide more comfort and shock absorption. And again, I definitely noticed the difference in comfort while walking and playing 18.
Sqairz was founded 7 years ago, in 2019, by founder and CEO Bob Winskowicz. But its origin—or Aha moment—began 30 years ago in New England. Winskowicz arrived at a golf course without his shoes and resorted to wearing his square-toed dress shoes at the practice range. He immediately noticed how well the shoes felt while swinging and surmised the square-toe design had its advantages. Some would say this is another example of the old saying "Necessity is the mother of invention."
But unlike many would be dreamers and entrepreneurs. Winskowicz was uniquely qualified to follow up on his intuition. At the time, he was a veteran golf executive with successful careers at MacGregor Golf and Arnold Palmer Golf Company. So the idea of a better design for golf footwear began to percolate. Slowly.
After years of research and development and consulting with footwear engineers and sports science experts, he launched the company in 2019. He patented the "square toe box" with its wide base positioned directly under the ball of the foot to "optimize energy transfer.”
A few other items I liked about this shoe: its laces and eyelets.
Both are quality items for the ProS2. The laces are nicely made and sturdy. Ditto the eyelets,, which I've learned to notice now. On another brand of shoes I wore, the eyelets weren't reinforced and a lace subsequently ripped through them. Poor design. (The company did send me another pair.)
So with that as background: when you step on the first tee and your playing partner takes a shot at your shoes, say, 'it's hip to be square" and "envy is one of the seven deadly sins."
For more information about the brand, visit www.sqairz.com