Welcome back to our Peak Performance series, where we take a closer look at the five key advantages SQAIRZ shoes deliver: a wider foot base, better balance, increased swing speed, greater distance, and improved comfort. Each provides an essential link in the chain of movement that produces your strongest game—from the ground up.
In our first post in this series, we learned how SQAIRZ’s wider foot base adds power to your swing by increasing the ground force reaction and improving balance. Good balance is essential to a well-executed swing and overall performance, yet many golfers underestimate the importance of stabilizing footwear—or think all you need are a few spikes dotting the soles. Here we answer five common questions about balance and examine the big impacts the right shoe has on your game.
Why is balance important in golf?
A swing that starts from an uncontrolled position is on a flawed trajectory towards the ball that won’t correct itself before you make contact. That’s because poor balance leads to faulty footwork, shifting your weight to the wrong place at the wrong time. To ensure accuracy, speed, and solid contact with the ball, you need proper weight distribution on the correct areas of your feet throughout every stage of the movement. In other words, good balance is the foundation on which an effective swing is built.
What’s the difference between balance and stability?
“Balance” refers to holding yourself steady against the force of gravity, whether you’re standing still or in motion. “Stability” refers to controlling your body throughout a movement, which requires a combination of balance and postural control. The ability to maintain both—consistently, under all sorts of conditions—is the single greatest difference between a tour player and an amateur, according to clinical exercise physiologist Phil Stotter, Director of Sports Science at V1 Sports. “The pros are able to control their body and create an accurate, consistent swing every time they do it,” he says. “That’s what really separates them from the rest of us.”
How does better balance increase swing speed?
As we discussed in the first post in this series, a solid connection with the ground maximizes the ground force reaction during your swing, harnessing a chain of kinetic energy to create greater speed and distance. Good balance also promotes the correct alignment of your body, which is critical to swing speed. The slightest change in weight distribution or body angle can alter the position of your hips and shoulders, increasing or decreasing your range of motion and the force generated by your swing. The better your balance, the more easily you will achieve the correct alignment of hips and shoulders in your starting position, as well as the stability needed to maintain proper alignment and technique throughout the motion. The result is more controlled, predictable movements that add power and consistency to your performance.
How do second-rate golf shoes throw off balance?
Put your golf shoes to the test: grasping one of the shoes by the heel and the toe, can you twist it? If so, your shoes don’t have sufficient structure and are robbing your performance of balance and stability. Lightweight, sneaker-like shoes not only lack a stable base, they’re often made with substandard materials that have too much give in the upper area. This causes your foot to slide around inside the shoe—and that’s before you find yourself on uneven, sloped, or wet terrain. Consequently, your toes may instinctively clench or curl in an effort to grip the ground, tension that’s further exacerbated when your toes are squeezed into a rounded toe box. Some golf shoes also inhibit the rotation of the ankle as you shift your weight, destabilizing the movement. Others lack spikes—or have poorly designed spikes—which decreases overall traction and your ground connection during a swing.
How do SQAIRZ shoes improve balance?
SQAIRZ shoes have a squared toe box that allows your toes to spread into a natural position at the center of the shoe, giving them a better feel for the ground. With a wider base under the ball of your foot than any other golf shoe and strategically placed spikes, you benefit from greater ground coverage without excess room inside the shoe. The premium materials and structure of the upper area, coupled with the unique design of the silicon-painted Sta-Put laces, provide a glove-like fit that keeps your footwear comfortably secure all day. This solid foundation under your feet boosts every aspect of your performance—producing more of those triumphant, brag-worthy shots that keep you coming back to the game.
Return for our next post in this series to explore the beginning-to-end mechanics of a stronger, faster swing supported by SQAIRZ shoes.