How to Waterproof Golf Shoes

Is there anything worse than having wet feet on the golf course? Knowing you have all those holes left to play while also feeling very uncomfortable has a negative impact on your game.

But you should not find yourself suffering in this way.

Instead, even those older golf shoes can have a new lease of life. All that’s required is to waterproof them.

However, most people find themselves feeling uncertain as to how this is actually achieved. The truth is that waterproofing your golf shoes is easier than most expect.

The Step-By-Step Guide to Waterproofing Your Golf Shoes

To achieve this, you have several key steps to work through. No previous experience is ultimately required.

1.The Supplies

To begin, you need supplies. 

The most obvious item is the waterproofing spray. Aside from that, you also need some saddle soap, a cloth for cleaning, and some water.

Apart from that, you need nothing else.

However, a quick note. Saddle soap is for a leather golf shoe. If you do not have one that is leather, then make sure you get the correct soap for cleaning according to your shoe.

2.The Cleaning

This entire process of waterproofing your shoes will only work after having cleaned them. That’s why the soap, cloth and water are so important.

Never soak a leather golf shoe when cleaning. Instead, dampen the cloth to wipe away any dirt. Make sure you clean every aspect of the shoe until it looks as if it could be fresh out of the box.

After cleaning, do make sure you leave the shoes to dry for a few hours. If possible, leave them outside to speed up the drying process.

3.Polishing The Shoes

Once you have cleaned the shoes and left them to dry completely, you then need to turn to polishing them before the waterproofing process.

Stick to the polish previously used for your shoes. There’s no need to change what you have been doing at this point as it’s still connected to getting your golf shoes into pristine condition.

Apply the polish in a liberal fashion. Make sure you buff them up well as that will make a genuine difference when waterproofing your golf shoes.

One other point, that will also come up later. 

Check to see if the waterproofing spray you purchase also recommends a certain polish or cleaning gel for the shoes before you apply any other polish. Some companies do recommend their own by stating it helps with the entire process.

While this may come across as a marketing ploy to get more sales, it’s better to play it safe and follow the instructions. It will make a difference to the level of waterproofing you can achieve with your golf shoes and prevent you from feeling rather disappointed at it all.

4.The Waterproofing Spray

The final step is to use the waterproofing spray, and you do have several to choose from on the market. However, the way in which you use the spray will not generally differ no matter the brand you choose to use.

What you get here is a small canister that you spray onto the shoes. 

Do take note of the instructions on the brand you bought. Some will tell you to go ahead and wipe away any excess spray. Other brands will tell you to spray it on all over the shoe and then leave it all to dry on its own without wiping away anything.

At the same time, check how often they recommend you redo this waterproofing process. It will vary depending on how often you play as well as the brand. Generally speaking, this process will last for a number of months before you need to repeat the process.

That is how you go about waterproofing your golf shoes. It’s quick, easy to do, and also very effective. 

But Will You Encounter Any Problems?

A full leather golf shoe is easy to waterproof, but things become harder when you have a shoe made from another material. 

The biggest problem comes when you have some type of mesh on your shoes. With mesh, you cannot keep your feet 100% dry, it’s just not possible.

Aside from that problem, the only other issue is then connected to you not correctly cleaning your shoes beforehand. 

But which sprays should you look at using? You do have a number to choose from, but we have identified several that will do a fantastic job of waterproofing your golf shoes.

Nikwax Fabric and Leather Waterproofing

The first one we recommend is the Nikwax fabric and leather waterproofing spray. Quick and easy to use, they do state it’s best if you use this spray in conjunction with their very own cleaning gel. 

The cool thing about this spray is you can also use it on gloves and other leather-based items. Also, spraying it on GORE-TEX is also not an issue, so if your jacket requires some additional help, and it’s made of that material, then go right ahead.

What we love about this particular spray is it comes with no smell attached to it. Also, it’s quick and easy to use, as well as not taking an eternity to dry, while it also doesn’t cost as much to purchase compared to other products.

If you sit there wondering how effective this product is, and whether it will keep your feet dry, then people use it on mountaineering boots. If it keeps feet dry in those types of conditions, then a golf course will not pose any kind of problem.

Tarrago HighTech Nano Protector

Next, we have the Tarrago HighTech Nano Protector spray, and this spray will help to waterproof more than just your shoes. 

The manufacturer states it uses something called the ‘lotus flower effect’ and while it sounds fancy, it means something a whole lot easier.

Here, it puts this layer over the shoes that will then mean any spots of rain will land and simply slide down the shoe instead of sitting on it. Basically, it just does what you would expect from a waterproof spray, but they have gone ahead and worded it differently.

One cool aspect is their nano technology. After spraying, it does waterproof your shoes, but it does so without hampering the breathability. 

This is important because you want it that your feet can breathe or you start to get another problem, which is sweat building up. 

This company has produced these types of products for over 80 years, and there’s little doubt about their level of effectiveness. 

Crep Protect Spray

The final option we have is Crep Protect Spray, and while you see people using it on sneakers, it’s also perfect for leather golf shoes.

The only problem with this spray is people using too much of it at the one time. It’s best to apply it using it in layers instead of hammering your golf shoe with pretty much the full can presuming that more is best.

Doing that makes it harder to buff in the product, and it can lead to you having marks appearing on your golf shoes. So, take your time and it will deliver pretty good results.

As like other waterproof sprays, this version uses its own nanotechnology. This means it creates its very own barrier where water simply bounces off and runs down the shoe instead of just sitting there.

But where this spray is different is with its resin layer. Here, you get an additional barrier on your shoes that will dramatically reduce the chances of anything getting through and into your feet. The company also states that this applies to debris, but that’s less of a concern when out on the golf course.

Conclusion

Waterproofing your golf shoes is a quick and easy process that anybody can do. As we have said a number of times, the main thing is to clean your shoes thoroughly before spraying as that makes a huge difference to how effective the spray is going to be.

Any of the three products listed above will make your golf shoes far more waterproof than you would expect. However, don’t believe it will end up the exact same as waterproofing that comes from the manufacturers as that’s not the case.

But then, if these sprays help you to keep using those comfortable golf shoes without stressing about your feet getting wet in horrible conditions, then any is a good buy.