Why does someone look online for reviews of a product? For the most part we look for the performance of the product and if that performance lines up with the price we’re being asked to pay. When I tested the NOBULL Golf Shoe there was one thought that continuously played in my mind, “yes this shoe is good, but is worth $120?”
Note: I’m using the discounted price on the NOBULL website because the non-discounted price of $180 would completely remove this shoe from consideration.
That’s not to say that this shoe isn’t a good performer, because it gets the job done. I think the problem that NOBULL is facing here is that the competition in the market right now is extremely tough, and there are better options from more traditional golf brands. It’ll be easier to explain why as we go category by category.
NOBULL Golf Shoe
Price: $120-$180
Sizing: True to size
Style
I work with a few people who are extremely into CrossFit and who wear NOBULL shoes regularly. The NOBULL golf shoe would fit in well with anything those guys have worn into our office. For the most part, the NOBULL Golf shoe has a minimalist look. Where it all falls apart for me is the NOBULL towards the back of the shoe. I know that’s the company’s signature but to me it interrupts the overall look of the shoe and doesn’t fit what I’m looking for in a golf shoe.
The other thing I should mention is the color. On the website these shoes are listed as white but in person they appear to be more of a brownish gray. Normally it wouldn’t be a huge issue, but the sole of the shoe is very clearly white and the difference is noticeable.
Traction
I’m beginning to think that my footwork on the golf course is really good or really poor, with no room in between, because I didn’t experience any of the traction issues that other people online have reported having in the NOBULL Golf Shoe. While the traction pattern isn’t as aggressive as say, the Curry Spikeless from Under Armour last year, it wasn’t bad enough to notice any significant issues.
Cushion
If you’re looking for something that’s going to provide you with a ton of cushion, then I think you would be better served looking elsewhere. This might be something that NOBULL fans are accustomed to, but the shoe felt very lacking in responsiveness and bounce as my rounds progressed.
One annoying instance with the bottom of the shoe and the cushion overall was when I stepped on a rock in a bunker. I put my foot down and immediately knew where the rock was, which is helpful for the other golfers on the course, but not the best feeling in the world on my foot.
Support
This is the part of the review where I start to feel bad. The support isn’t terrible in the NOBULL Golf Shoe, but it isn’t the type of support that I want in a high performance golf shoe. It could be the fact that I’m more comfortable with basketball shoes, but there wasn’t much of a lockdown effect when I laced these up. A couple of times while testing these shoes I felt like I was sliding laterally like I was trying to make a golf swing in a pair of HEY DUDEs.
NOBULL Golf Shoe Summary
When testing the NOBULL Golf Shoe, I was trying to figure out what NOBULL was trying to accomplish with this shoe. I was hit with paradoxes in almost every category. This shoe is clearly meant to be a minimalist type of shoe, but there’s large branding on the side that destroys the aesthetic. There’s also a clear attempt to jump into the athletic golf shoe market, but the trademark characteristics of athletic shoes are almost nowhere to be found.
And perhaps with the NOBULL Golf Shoe more than any other, the price stuck out to me. For a shoe that is discounted to $120 (with a full retail price of $180), I just don’t see the technology or materials that would justify anyone spending that kind of cash. Especially considering that other options on the market (for example the adidas S2G SL 24), are performing much better and retailing for less.
I’m willing to admit that maybe I missed the boat here, and I fully expect some blowback from the NOBULL stans out there. People really like a lot of their models (see our other NOBULL reviews here) but judging them solely on this entry into the golf shoe space, it’s a swing and a miss.
How the Author Golfs
Aron Carroll (5 handicap): Although Aron doesn’t play as many 18 hole rounds as he used to, he still manages to do something to improve his game at least once a week. His new focus with golf is to get his kids more involved with the game.
Disclosure
While NOBULL did send a pair of the NOBULL Golf Shoe to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.
