FootJoy Tour Alpha Shoe Review
In this FootJoy Tour Alpha shoe review, Joel Tadman takes to the fairways to put it through its paces
The Tour Alpha provides the optimum blend of comfort and performance, specifically stability through excellent heel support and grip that allows you to swing freely on maximum power. The clean, premium styling will have a broad appeal, as will the snug fit and choice of three colors.
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Exceptional swing support
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Snug and comfy
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Premium, modern styling
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Likely to be too substantial for the casual golfer
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FootJoy Tour Alpha Shoe Review
Joel Tadman tests the FootJoy Tour Alpha on the course at West Hill Golf Club
The Tour Alpha becomes FootJoy’s premier performance shoe for golfers seeking the ultimate in grip and stability. As a FootJoy Tour X shoe wearer last year, the shoe that this replaces, we were keen to see how it stacked up.
Visually, it looks packed full of technology, especially around the heel area but when you pick up the Tour Alpha it feels surprisingly light for a performance cleated shoe. Slide your foot in and the comfort is immediate - the padding around the ankle and underfoot is substantial enough to take away the pressure when walking, but not too soft where walking 18 holes would feel like hard work.
The fit is also worth mentioning - in the correct size (we often come down half a size in FootJoy golf shoes) the fit is snug and really encapsulates the foot evenly without pinching in any areas. As a result you feel completely locked in, like the shoe is an extension of your foot, which sets you up for powerful swings with control.
Visually, this shoe is on point. There’s lots going on in the rear but when you’re wearing them, looking down the shoe looks clean and classic. With the cleats being positioned so close to the perimeter of the outsole, the pods that house them do stick out slightly but it’s not enough to distract you or put you off wearing them.
Plus the performance benefits outweigh any negatives visually, because this shoe really stands out from the crowd as one of the best golf shoes of this year. The connection with the ground you forge with Tour Alpha is so obviously strong, it gives you the confidence and ability to swing full tilt in the knowledge that your feet will stay locked in position. Much of this comes down to the clever design of the outsole, with nine cleats scattered around the edge and lots of quite sharp smaller nubs in between getting down into the ground with ease.
The heel especially feels very well cupped, which certainly seemed to help us manage aggressive weight transfer in the downswing. In fact, anyone that requires more support from their shoe will really enjoy and benefit from the structure that the Tour Alpha is able to provide.
Despite all this stability and support, it’s a comfortable shoe to walk in thanks in part to the thicker Ortholite Impressions FitBed. At no point did our feet feel fatigued - our little toe started to rub a little towards the end of the round but that aside, the user experience was flawless.
From a practical perspective, the uppers wipe clean and the loop at the back of the heel allows you to hang or carry them more easily while the waterproof protection kept our feet bone dry during testing, even in damp conditions.
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