How a 78-Year-Old Golfer Cut 7 Strokes—and Found His Groove Again

“I made three birdies in a row. I’m giving all the credit to the shoes.”

If you ask Sam Fried how he’s playing these days, he won’t tell you about one hot round. He’ll show you a months-long handicap trend that is cut in half. He’ll tell you he’s 78 years old. That he’s walked more than 600 golf courses. That he shoots his age regularly. And then he’ll tell you, with total sincerity, that his shoes might be the best change he’s made in decades.

Sam isn’t your typical golfer. He’s a writer, a Golfweek course rater, a lifelong athlete, a former trial lawyer, a birding tour guide, and a man on a mission to hit 700 courses before he’s done.

And now? He’s a full-fledged believer in SQAIRZ.

“I didn’t believe it at first.”

Sam first encountered SQAIRZ years ago at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.

“I went into the room and started talking to people. They said, ‘We’ll fix you up with a pair of shoes.’ Free shoes? Of course I said yes.”

At the time, Sam says he rotated between brands like FootJoy and New Balance. The early SQAIRZ models felt “a little heavy,” so he wore them here and there. Nothing consistent. But the idea stuck with him.

This spring, something changed.

“I started to feel like, when I used my old SQAIRZ shoes, I was playing better. I couldn’t figure out why. But I just felt more stable. More in balance. Like I had a better platform.”

From 14.5 to 7.3: A Handicap Story

Sam’s not a hype guy. He’s a fact guy.

He went back to check his official USGA handicap trend after he started wearing his old SQAIRZ full-time:

February: 14.5
March: 14.4
April: 13.8
May: 11.6
June: 11.1
July: 9.6
August: 8.7
September: 7.5
Now: 7.3

That’s a drop of over 7 strokes in 7 months. At 78 years old. Using a five-year-old model of our original shoes.

“Especially at my age, that’s a big change. The way I’m hitting the ball is remarkable. I’m not just playing—I’m playing well.”

Course No. 611 and Counting

Sam’s played 611 different golf courses so far and he keeps a list.

His favorite? “Probably the one I’m playing.” But if you twist his arm, he’ll give you a few highlights:

Royal Dornoch, Scotland
Cabot Cliffs, Nova Scotia
Interlachen, Minnesota
Arcadia Bluffs, Michigan
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Shelter Harbor, Rhode Island (where a caddie once said, “Of course it’s in the middle,” after watching Sam’s drives all day)

He’s been a Golfweek Magazine course rater for over 15 years, and he’s currently a contributor to Northeast Golf Magazine, where he’s written articles with titles like “Sex and Golf” (about Ireland) and stories covering historically Black courses like Langston in D.C.

He also spent 20 years as a professional birding tour guide. Yes, golf and birds—Sam ran the only combined golf + birdwatching tours in the world.

Then Came the LTs

Before a recent summer road trip (33 rounds in 79 days), Sam was sent a fresh pair of Pro S2™ LT shoes by our team.

“I knew immediately they were a lot lighter. I wore them for the first time the other day—and something happened that’s only happened once before in my golfing life…”

“I made three birdies in a row.
Of course, I give all credit to the new shoes.”

That’s the kind of quote you don’t touch. You just let it hang.

How Sam Thinks About Footwear Now

Sam admits he used to be skeptical. “I was one of those people who didn’t think shoes made much difference.”

But now?

“If you don’t have good shoes and a good grip, you’re going to suffer. It’s going to cost you strokes.”

After testing over 10 different brands—some purchased, some sent for review—Sam has a few observations:

Other shoes felt the same. SQAIRZ didn’t.
The platform matters most. His word of choice.
Misses go straighter. “Even when I top a fairway wood, it tracks right down the fairway.”
Dispersion improved. “I’m maintaining better position through the swing.”
Distance increased. “I’m 20 yards longer off the tee. 10 yards longer with irons.”
The feel is different. “I’m more grounded. More connected.”

Even better? Sam’s Pro S2™ LTs made walking easier—vital for someone who just played six weeks in Ireland with nothing but SQAIRZ in his travel bag.

“I only brought one pair of shoes,” he said. “Didn’t need anything else.”

Beyond the Game

Sam lives in Florida (Titusville, near Cape Canaveral) but travels constantly with his wife. He’s got a dry wit, a sharp eye for photography (pro tip: “Always aim for the belly button when taking a golfer’s picture”), and a passion for doing things the right way—even if it takes a while to admit shoes matter.

At 78, he’s got more rounds to play, more articles to write, and at least 89 more courses to knock off the list.

But the last word is his:

“I’ve tried just about every brand.
No question at all—SQAIRZ is number one by far.”