adidas Samba Golf Performance Review

As a young soccer player, the adidas Samba was my holy grail of soccer shoes, although one I never actually attained. I’ve long since dropped soccer in favor of other sports, including golf. And it looks like adidas has followed suit. Introducing the adidas Samba Golf.

On the surface, the shoe is practically indistinguishable from its soccer counterpart. But how does this stand-out soccer performer handle the course? Let’s find out. 

Pros

Comfort

Sometimes all a shoe needs to earn bonus points in my eyes is to exceed expectations; the adidas Samba Golf most definitely did that in the comfort department. 

I’ll be honest. I went into my testing with a fair bit of skepticism regarding the comfort of the Samba Golf. I find that often shoes like this (retros in particular) sacrifice comfort in the name of style or in this case, nostalgia. Despite that, I found the adidas Samba Golf to be surprisingly comfortable and light. 

In no way is the cushion on the Samba Golf going to blow you away, but the beefy OrthoLite insole provides just enough to keep you satisfied. Again, my expectations were exceeded, so that’s why it’s a win in my mind. 

Style

The adidas Samba Golf is flat-out stunning. As mentioned earlier, the fact that the shoe is practically indistinguishable from its soccer counterpart is awesome. 

From top to bottom, the only dead giveaway to this shoe’s performance benefits on the course is the beefier traction pattern…something you’d probably miss at first glance anyways.

Golf is quickly becoming a “cool” sport, and new golfers are trending towards shoes that don’t look like golf shoes (i.e. the Jordan 1 Low G). The adidas Samba Golf fits this bill perfectly. For anyone who wants a golf shoe without the look of a golf shoe, this is an easy recommendation.

Stability

The wide base and rubber sole of the adidas Samba Golf make it pretty darn stable. The sole of the Samba Golf is pretty flat, making it easy to stay balanced. I’ve tested other shoes in the past where the shaping of the sole makes it feel like you’re walking on stilts, and this was absolutely not that.

In running shoes and cross training shoes, the difference between the height of the heel and the height of the forefoot is known as a shoe’s drop. It’s typically not published in golf shoes, so we like to mention when a shoe is particularly flat as we have many readers who prefer that setup.

Cons

Traction

Despite adidas’ efforts to provide adequate traction without compromising the identity of the Samba, I found the traction of the Samba Golf to be lackluster.

You can tell adidas made a real effort. Similar to the Jordan 1 Low G, they opted to keep the spikeless traction as low-key as possible. This is great for ground feel, but not always the best for grip.

Even in the dusty, dry conditions of the Arizona desert, I found myself struggling to keep my lead foot firmly planted when really going after the ball. I believe this would be even worse in a wet climate.

Does the adidas Samba Golf provide more traction and grip than a typical non-golf shoe? Absolutely. But it didn’t quite hit the mark that’s been set by other amazing spikeless performers such as the Puma PROADAPT Alphacat.

Adidas Samba Golf Summary

The adidas Samba Golf is as cool as it is nostalgic, and I’m all here for it. This golf shoe that doesn’t look like a golf shoe is comfortable, stylish, stable, and quite affordable. If you can look past the lackluster traction and you’re a fan of the sunset-inspired color schemes, the adidas Samba Golf is a must-have pair for any golfer looking to up their fashion game.

There’s something to be said about playing your best when you look your best. So when all is said and done, if you buy the Samba Golf because you like how it looks, you’ll be happy with your choice.