Why Payntr Golf shoes could be the next big thing in footwear

They say the right pair of shoes is crucial in bringing any great outfit together. As such, for Jason Day, finding a golf shoe that complemented his Australian's famously flamboyant rotation of Malbon Golf outfits was a challenge unto itself.

Having played in an eclectic mix of Nike's shoes during his time signed to the brand, Day departed The Swoosh last year, switching to become the first tour ambassador for Stephen Malbon's LA-based apparel brand. Shortly after, a new, hitherto unknown shoe started appearing on his feet as well. 

The shoes were from Payntr: an Oregon-based brand founded, interestingly, as a project of English pro cricketer David Paynter. Originally founded to make cricket shoes, Payntr pivoted its tech-forward, slightly luxurious approach to the game of golf a couple of years back with the help of renowned shoe engineer Mike Forsey, harnessing advanced midsole and carbon technologies into packages that fit a sense of timeless style out on the course.

Day became an official Payntr ambassador in early 2024, and since then the two have collaborated on a number of shoes that have turned heads both for their style and the substance that lies beneath the upper. In March last year, it was announced the Australian had signed a deal to become a minority equity holder in the brand.

Payntr's range has expanded to include a number of different styles, with the models in the 00 collection typically erring towards the more modern, sporty silhouette commonly seen from brands like Ecco and FootJoy. The SC (Speed Classic) collection, featuring the spikeless Match Day, All Day and Day's signature spiked Eighty-Seven model, takes a more traditional approach, softening the classic golf shoe silhouette slightly with a sportier midsole.

Payntr's appeal lies as much in its combination of technologies as it does the look of the shoes themselves. Each of the brand's tour-level shoes feature a unique stack of PMXNitro+ foam in the footbed and midsole, providing a springy, responsive sensation under foot akin to that of a running shoe. A CARBITEX GearFlex™️ propulsion plate is wedged in the middle of this stack, allowing for the optimal transfer of weight and power from the top of the swing through to the golf ball.

Now, it seems as if Payntr has found its second high-profile fan. As Justin Rose putted home to win the FedEx St Jude over the weekend, he did so in a pair of Payntr's X Tour Proto RS: handing the brand an historic maiden win on tour just four years after debuting its first golf shoe. 

You can browse Payntr's full range at their website.