50 Words or Less
The New Balance 2003 golf shoe is one of the best surprises of the year. A great all-around performer that I will be wearing regularly in 2015.
Introduction
I’m no stranger to New Balance shoes – from the moment they released their barefoot-style Minimus running shoe, it’s been my daily walker. Just like the legions of other New Balance fans, I was caught off guard, but was also excited, when I learned that they were entering the golf shoe market. They are now in their second year and have a fully formed line-up with eight different models. For this review, I got to test out their flagship, the new 2003.
Style
The New Balance 2003 is a golf shoe that looks nothing like a traditional golf shoe. In fact, without looking at the sole, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and a New Balance running shoe. For some, that’s a great thing, for others, it will be a turn off. Personally, I have no problem wearing athletic-style shoes on the golf course as long as they perform. My only complaint is that the 2003 is only offered in the silver/red/black colorway that you see here.
Comfort
I gave the New Balance 2003 the most stringent comfort test possible: walking 18 holes straight out of the box. I didn’t take a single swing in these shoes prior to lacing them up in the parking lot. After a brisk 3 hour round, I can tell you that these shoes get the highest marks for comfort.
When I first put them on, I didn’t get the “ooooh, cushy” feeling that some shoes provide, but they were comfortable. It’s not an over-the-top thing, they’re just plain old comfortable. They’re very light (11 ounces) and there’s plenty of cushioning despite the fact that it has very little heel-drop. This is thanks to New Balance’s REVlite cushioning which provides long-lasting cushioning with 30% less weight.
Performance
I’ve tested a few shoes this year, and I’ve been satisfied with the traction on all of them. The New Balance 2003 didn’t satisfy me with its traction – it blew me away. With seven spikes and a sole that doesn’t appear as jagged or aggressive as others, I wasn’t expecting this kind of grip, but these shoes freed me to make extremely aggressive swings with no fear of slipping.
Of course, a stable sole is no good without a similarly stable upper. While the 2003 doesn’t squeeze your foot, it does provide plenty of structure and support. At no point in my testing did I feel like my feet were moving around independent of the shoe.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the waterproofing on this shoe is excellent. Though I’ve been playing in relatively good weather, I put both feet into a puddle of water to test them, just for you, dear reader. When I pulled my feet out, they were still bone dry. New Balance stands behind their waterproofing with a 2-year warranty.
Conclusion
I didn’t think any shoe could challenge the Nike Lunar Control for being my regular go-to golf shoe, but the New Balance 2003 has proved me wrong. This shoe simply has no weaknesses: it’s comfortable, it’s light, and the traction is off the charts. Do yourself a favor and give these shoes a try.
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He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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6 Comments
Matt,
You were playing in puddles with your daughter, no doubt, and enjoying every minute of it! You should get your mom a pair for mother’s day to use while “walking” Dylan. See I read it.
Did they come with Champ Slim-lok spikes or One-lok? I’m finding conflicting info on which spike locking system they have. One-lok has been discontinued and replacement spike are impossible to get so I’d hate to buy these and not be able to replace the spikes.
Mine have the Slim-Lok spikes.
-Matt
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