Another major player is emerging in golf footwear, G/FORE Golf Shoes. The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R is our first test of G/FORE golf shoes but they’ve been around since 2011 and were acquired by Peter Millar in 2018.
A few athletes and celebrities have repped G/FORE gear with Thomas Detry, Justin Timberlake, and Bill Murray topping the list.
At first glance, I felt like G/FORE models looked like K-Swiss & traditional golf shoes had a baby. G/FORE does a good job at combining golf and pop culture styles. The colorway I was sent is Snow/Nimbus, a pleasantly plain upper with vibrant lime green accents.
Now that you’ve been properly introduced, let’s dive right into another potential addition to your golf closet.
G/FORE GALLIVAN2R
Price: $175
Sizing: True to size
- Rundown: Pop culture meets golf with the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R and the performance is solid.
Fit
The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R claims to be true to size and this statement was ratified after many rounds of testing. I wear an 11.5 and these fit like a true 11.5.
The tongue was the tightest spot on the shoe. I felt an insignificant amount of tightness underneath the tongue, but it wasn’t enough to not wear them.
Traction
The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R features rubber cleats on the bottom which led to solid traction on the course.
I really liked how minimal the cleats felt from my car to the course. It can be hard to walk in cleated golf shoes when you’re making your way to hole one, but these weren’t annoying from car to course.
I felt an added level of traction during shots from all different types of lies, which led to me shooting a few strokes under my handicap in the rounds where I tested the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R. When you have a shoe that is performing well in the traction department, you can focus more on the shot in front of you. I enjoyed this aspect of the GALLIVAN2R and would give the traction a 10 out of 10.
Price
Sitting at $175 before tax, the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R golf shoe is right in the middle of the main price band we typically see for high end golf footwear.
Based solely on performance, $175 is close to what I’d pay for them. When you combine the style and quality, $175 is a solid deal for the GALLIVAN2R.
Cushion
The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R has a cushioned interior.
It reminded me a bit of Dr. Scholl’s Gel Inserts. It added an extra level of comfort for the middle of my feet. I noticed the added cushion at the middle of my feet but this led to more soreness on the outer sides of my feet. The GALLIVAN2R is definitely focused on providing arch support.
If you need extra arch support, the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R will be a solid fit. On the flip side, if you’re seeking more support for the outer edges of your feet, you’ll want to read our other golf shoe reviews.
Overall, these shoes felt good on my feet. I walked 18 holes in them and my feet were a tad sore, but it felt like a typical amount of soreness for walking 18.
I’d give them a solid 8.5 of 10 for the cushion.
Style
The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R is a very classy golf shoe. I tested the Brogue Saddle version which contains beautiful saddle accents. Made popular in the early 1900’s, the saddle style creates a vintage looking shoe while maintaining a certain level of today’s look with the vibrant lime green on the bottom.
It reminded me of the saying “business in the front, party in the back.” In this case we can rewrite that as “business on the top, party on the bottom.” I enjoy having a little bit of both business and fun in a golf shoe, and the GALLIVAN2R combined the two perfectly.
The GALLIVAN2R also comes with lime green laces if you prefer more color on top.
Since the GALLIVAN2R is mostly white, it got dirty easily, but the lighter scuffs came off quickly with a rag and a small amount of dish soap. The deeper scuffs were harder to get rid of, so if you prefer a shoe that looks pristine for a long time, you may want to pick a model that isn’t snow white.
I really enjoy the style of the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R, so style-wise it’s a 9.5 of 10. The only thing that kept it from a 10 in this category is the fact that they scuffed pretty easily and some scuffs were hard to get rid of.
Support
The G/FORE GALLIVAN2R performed well in terms of support.
As listed above, you get a lot more support for the bottom of your feet than the outsides of your feet. The gel interior led to increased arch support making this shoe perfect for those with balky arches.
There really isn’t much to say about cushion besides the gel interior. I would’ve liked to see some extra compensation for the support of the outside of the foot, but there really wasn’t that much there.
I give the GALLIVAN2R a 7 out of 10 for support.
THE WRAP on the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R
I’m a big fan of the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R.
The only thing that kept this shoe from a 10 out of 10 was the small amount of soreness on the outsides of my feet. I love the dual style that G/Fore achieved with the GALLIVAN2R and I appreciated their arch support approach with the interior gel technology.
As noted earlier in the article, these are shoes for celebrities and golfers alike. Pop culture meets golf with the GALLIVAN2R and I’m here for it. While I think the GALLIVAN2R is currently being marketed to style oriented golfers, I believe in the coming months/years we’ll see more tour players repping G/Fore golf based on performance.
How the Author Golfs
Tyler Allred (19 handicap): Golfs 2-3 times a week spending the bulk of his time playing actual rounds. Mostly pushes himself to improve every part of his game, but also enjoys a casual round of golf every now and then.
Disclosure
While G/FORE did send a pair of the G/FORE GALLIVAN2R to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and have not attempted to influence it.
