50 Words or Less
The Johnston & Murphy McGuffey golf shoe is a shoe with broad appeal. Go-anywhere sole isn’t elite in terms of traction. Very cushioned and comfortable out of the box. Roomy fit.
Introduction
The McGuffey makes up a substantial part of the Johnston & Murphy catalog. It’s their best-selling shoe, and it comes in a wide array of colors and styles. With J&M looking to expand their golf business, making their most popular shoe golf-worthy seemed obvious. I took a walk in a pair to see just how much performance Johnston & Murphy packed into this go-anywhere shoe.
Check out J&M’s new golf apparel line HERE
Looks
“Dress sneaker” is the vibe that I get from the Johnston & Murphy McGuffey GL2 Hybrid. This shoe has a classic silhouette and uses high end materials and thoughtful touches to stand out. J&M’s notes on the McGuffey emphasize that it’s a shoe for any occasion, and the look is equally at home with golf shorts or slacks.
The Johnston & Murphy McGuffey golf shoe comes in two styles and four colors. There is a McGuffey GL2 Hybrid Plain Toe, shown here, that’s available in white, tan, and navy. The McGuffey GL1 Hybrid Lace-to-Toe is offered in black and white.
Comfort
Sliding into the Johnston & Murphy McGuffey golf shoe, it was immediately clear why this is their most popular shoe. I found the McGuffey to be roomy, especially in the toe, but not loose or sloppy. Despite the laces running along a fairly small segment of the shoe, they were very capable of locking my foot in place.
Underfoot, the McGuffey features TRUFOAM cushioning with a textile/leather cover. Particularly in the heel, this is very soft and cushy. If you like a shoe to swaddle your foot in marshmallow softness, this is for you.
In terms of sizing, I found the McGuffey to run similar to FootJoy. For me, that means it’s on the larger end of true-to-size. J&M offers free returns and exchanges if you’re unsure about what to order.
Performance
The biggest question about “go anywhere” golf shoes is always traction, so let’s start there. To be blunt, it’s not great. You can see above that the tread pattern is not very aggressive. The result is a shoe that holds the turf better than a gym shoe but can’t compete with “real” spikes or more aggressive soles. For a quick nine in nice conditions, these will be fine. Ditto for a casual range session. But if the conditions get sloppy or there’s money on the line, you’ll want a better grip on the turf.
In terms of stability, the McGuffey golf shoe hits a middle ground between stability and mobility. The sole isn’t soft and pliable, but it’s not super rigid either. Similarly, it’s not light but the weight is well-distributed making it a fairly easy walker. This is a solid, middle of the bell curve shoe that’s going to work pretty well for nearly any golfer.
The Johnston & Murphy McGuffey golf shoe does come with a one year waterproof warranty. It performed as expected in the kitchen sink test. During that test, I also found that the upper was particularly easy to clean. This is a big plus for those that like to keep their shoes looking fresh.
Conclusion
While some golf shoes try to appeal strictly to niche markets, the Johnston & Murphy McGuffey golf shoes aims to be accessible to all. It has a look that anyone can wear in almost any setting and comfort that everyone can appreciate. While it doesn’t have elite traction, it makes for a pleasant walking partner on the range or during a mellow twilight nine.
Visit Johnston & Murphy HERE
Matt Saternus
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