Callaway Lux Golf Shoe Review: Old school styling with a modern twist
Classic styling meets modern performance in Callaway's new Tour Series Lux golf shoes
Callaway Lux Tour Series Key Features
- Cabretta glove leather lining
- Full Grain leather upper
- Waterproof Opti-Dry Construction
- Crush-Foam energy return midsole
- TPU Hybrid Spikeless outsole
One of the best and most well-renowned club manufacturers in the game, Callaway needs no introduction. However, despite the brand's reputation in the club and ball departments, its shoes don't carry quite the same pedigree. With the brand's 2023 offering, though, is that all about to change?
Based purely on years in pro shops and out on the course, we can honestly say that we've rarely seen Callaway golf shoes in the wild and owned fewer pairs ourselves. So it was with a degree of both excitement and scepticism that we slipped into the new Tour Series Lux shoes to put them through their paces.
With classic styling and a whole host of comfort and performance-based features packed under the hood, we were curious to see just how well they could perform on the course.
Without wanting to spoil the review too much, these shoes have certainly earned a place to sit at the top table with more established brands in the shoe category, like Adidas, FootJoy and Nike.
Let's get into it.
Callaway Lux Golf Shoes: Looks
Genuine leather upper, camo detailed saddle and subtle Callaway heel detailing, the designers in California really knew what they were doing when they put these shoes together.
When we think of a traditional pair of golf shoes, the classic leather upper with a single saddle is probably the first image that comes to mind. Typically associated with old-school country clubs and trousers starched within an inch of their life, this style could have easily drifted into becoming boring and old.
However, with only a few subtle details, Callaway has managed to modernise the design for a younger, more casual market. While still maintaining the classic silhouette that many golfers still desire, the addition of a subtle camo print provides just enough edge to keep the shoes relevant in a market where bold colours and modern tech dominate the landscape.
Switching out spikes for a hybrid outsole also helps bring the shoes up to date, with off-course wear now an option. While far from groundbreaking, the look of these shoes really hit a chord with us. Similar to the G/FORE Gallivanter with its camo sole, we are big fans of brands taking a classic design and adding subtle changes to completely alter the look and feel of a shoe.
We tried the all-white colourway and absolutely loved it, but it was very tricky to keep the shoes clean. If, like us, you prefer a clean shoe, then these will likely need a bit of TLC after each wear. While by no means a negative, it's just worth bearing in mind if you find any blemishes or stains to be a distraction when standing over the ball.
Callaway Lux Golf Shoes: Comfort and Performance
Brands can't really get away with not providing straight out-of-the-box comfort these days, and credit to Callaway, these shoes slipped on like a glove when we tried them on for the first time.
The Cabretta leather lining allows your foot to slide in with ease and provides a snug fit around the heel. Typically used for gloves, Cabretta leather is incredibly soft to the touch, and it has a noticeably luxurious sensation when worn on foot.
The Crush Foam insole is designed to return energy with every stride, and it does exactly that. You receive a very noticeable bouncing sensation when walking that we really enjoyed. You need every bit of help you can get when walking 18 holes, and these shoes gave us an enjoyable spring in our step, even when walking off the final green.
The shoe's construction provides a solid locked-in feel at address, and we didn't experience any movement within the shoe during our swing, which allowed us to really commit to every shot without fear of sliding around.
Despite being spikeless, these shoes grip the turf really well. The TPU hybrid sole has relatively small lugs that performed admirably during our testing in dry conditions, but we do fear that with wet mud and grass underfoot, these shoes could struggle to provide the same level of traction.
The full-grain leather was remarkably supple, and we didn't notice any discomfort from folds or creases in the material during our swing.
All in all, the shoes performed admirably during testing, and despite our concerns over the shoe's traction during wetter conditions, we think Callaway has succeeded in creating a fantastic pair of golf shoes that can compete with any of the big boys in the market.
Should you buy the Callaway Lux golf shoes?
If you're looking for a pair of stylish shoes that combine old-school looks with performance-enhancing features, then these could be the pair for you.
Comfy, stable and good-looking, these shoes tick a number of boxes that we think will appeal to a broad audience. At £179, these shoes fit in nicely at the premium end of the market, and we think the price is worthy of the quality you receive.
As with all shoe purchases, we highly recommend you head to your nearest pro shop and try them on before purchase, but trust us, slide these on for the first time, and you'll struggle to not reach for your wallet.
