PAYNTR Eighty-Seven SC Golf Shoes Review: Simply the best golf shoes I've ever worn

Few brands in any area of the golf industry have arrived in quite as much of a disruptive manner as that of PAYNTR Golf.

PAYNTR will be familiar to some as a manufacturer of cricket shoes, however the brand has made an even bigger splash in the game of golf in recent years, harnessing premium materials and fantastic designs to produce some of the best-regarded golf shoes among both pros and amateurs alike, despite most of their marketing coming almost entirely from word of mouth.

PAYNTR in 2026 now looks poised to cement itself as one of Golf's biggest cult brands, with Jason Day installed as both a part owner and an ambassador, and a list of tour endorsees that has grown to include some of the most popular young figures in the game – Justin Rose, Min Woo Lee and Sam Burns among them.

With hype around PAYNTR's shoes at fever pitch, other reviewers waxing lyrical as to their merits and the brand releasing new models at a rapid pace, we thought it time to see what all the fuss is about. 

And we start today with the model that kicked off the brand's path to cult status: the Eighty-Seven SC (Speed Classic), developed with and for Jason Day himself. Does it live up to the hype, and could this be the best golf shoe we've ever tested? Let's find out.

Looks and features

As PAYNTR's flagship golf shoe, the brand has thrown pretty much everything but the kitchen sink at these shoes. Let's start with the looks, however, which are excellent. 

They present closer to something of a traditional golf shoe, with a smart, slightly shiny CLARINO Trivela microfibre upper that looks like premium leather and yet somehow feels softer. We suspect that being so soft it might start to crease after a few rounds, but it should wipe clean nicely and quite frankly feels so buttery that we think it's a fair trade.

This classic styling is offset with slightly chunky, sportier foam midsole that gives it a more modern silhouette. Somehow, the entire package just works beautifully. 

They look excellent on the ever-stylish Jason Day, but importantly, they look just as good on the average player, with a wonderfully clean finish and minimal branding that will blend nicely into just about any style of golf outfit you prefer.

PAYNTR have also taken additional measures to ensure that the step-in feel of the Eighty-Sevens is premium enough to match the price tag. 

The footbed, in addition to the midsole foam, is made from a nitrogen-infused foam, which feels wonderfully plush, while the inner is lined with a breathable ARIAPRENE tongue & bootie that moves wonderfully with the microfibre upper to keep you feeling locked in and comfortable.

Performance

Where the Speed Classics really shine, however, is in their fusion of performance and comfort. Underfoot rests both a footbed and a midsole made from PAYNTR's PMXNITROGEN+ foam, which has a springiness akin to that of a running shoe foam without being overly bouncy or unstable. 

Beneath this sits a CARBITEX GearFlex carbon-fibre propulsion plate, which is both incredibly stable and allows you to better harness ground forces to power through your swing. A set of Softspikes Tour Flex Pro Spikes complete the package, locking you in to the ground with immense traction. 

Put simply, the PAYNTR's offer the most complete, balanced overall package I've ever experienced in a golf shoe under foot, with just the right amount of bounce, cushioning and stability to help you really play your best while keeping you feeling fresh through eighteen holes of walking.

Should you buy the PAYNTR Eighty-Seven SC golf shoes?

At pretty much £200 on the button, PAYNTR's Eighty-Seven model sits atop both PAYNTR's own range in terms of price and pretty much at the very top end of golf shoe pricing full stop. Only the real luxury footwear brands in golf, such as FootJoy, G/FORE and Ecco, really offer shoes at this price point. However we feel that PAYNTR has them all beaten with the Eighty-Sevens.

The SC delivers an uncanny blend of style, substance and genuine comfort. The upper is gorgeous and lends itself nicely to a classic-modern silhouette that other brands, try as they might, simply haven't been able to make work in such a way. 

Add this to the the PAYNTR's incredible comfort, wonderful step-in feel and class-leading blend of support and stability, and you have what in our opinion might be the most complete golf shoes available right now. The price, of course, makes them an investment, but we feel it's one well worth making.

Shop now: £199 at PAYNTR Golf