If you aren’t familiar with Crocs, then I assume that you either don’t have kids or have never seen one. I suppose because Crocs are so easy to manage, lightweight, comfortable and a year round choice (yes, even with socks.) they seem to be the shoe of choice in at least my neighborhood. As a parent, what I love about the boys’ Crocs are that they are odor and bacteria resistant – very beneficial with 3 boys in the house. Yet, I have never owned a pair nor really thought about needing a pair. So when I heard Crocs now has women’s golf shoes, I was more than excited to try them out, but for a different reason.

Not your kids Crocs

If you have read any of our shoe reviews you may have noticed at least half of us have miserable foot issues. In my case I recently had foot surgery that went horribly wrong. What should have been a relatively simple outpatient procedure turned into a serious 9 day hospitalization. The recovery was brutal and I am only now beginning to wear “real” shoes. When I say real shoes, I mean running shoes because I am still not able to comfortably wear anything else, including golf shoes.  This, of course is not ideal as golf sometimes requires you to hit shots out of the sand or other areas of bad footing (not that I am ever in such a position). Therefore, I was very excited and a bit anxious to try out the Crocs Golf Shoes for women. I mean, our kids seem to be on to something, right?

Yes, that’s the inside

Croc’s Golf Shoes for Women are part of their Hank Haney Collection. (Hank Haney is an internationally recognized golf instructor who is best known for coaching Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara, but I am SURE you already knew that.) He has paired up with Crocs to design a shoe that is intended to be worn both on and off the course. Crocs Golf Shoes with Hank Haney was selected as one of three overall “Best New Products” at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show. So far this has my name written all over it – golf to dinner?? Excellent.

You can go with this, or you can go with that

I received the Women’s Bradyn golf shoe in white and fushia. The first thing I noticed is that these golf shoes look like a sneaker. They are super cute with interchangeable leather kilties and shoe laces in either white or pink. I feel like I have 2 different pairs of shoes! The second thing that I noticed is the inside of the shoe. It has the same look as the kids’ Crocs, including the bright color and Croslite material that provide form to foot cushioning. (I’m not going to lie – I wore my son’s Crocs when I had to walk the dog – and, dang it, those bumpy shoes WERE comfortable.) Lastly, I turned over the shoe to check out the bottom. My Crocs Golf Shoe has a multi-traction TPU pink outsole that looks like hard rubber cleats, although they are spikeless and fit into the hybrid category of golf shoes. Cute, but how are these going to feel on my messed up foot??

Are nubs the new norm?

Did I mention the Crocs Golf Shoes for Women looked like a sneaker? Well, they feel like one, too. I was THRILLED to be able to put this shoe on and not immediately want to take it off. These shoes are so incredibly light and not tight at all with regards to width. Ok, so they felt fine for the moment, but I thought I better take my running shoes with me in case these Crocs start to hurt. Guess what – I never needed to change shoes. I couldn’t believe it. I played 18 holes of golf, with a foot that has lawsuit written all over it, and never thought about changing into my running shoes. If there could ever be an endorsement for a pair of shoes, this is it. Crocs Golf Shoes for Women will be your new favorite golf shoe, even if you don’t have dreadful feet.

You can learn more about Crocs golf on their website. Crocs Braydn run about $99.

Ecco Women’s Street Golf Shoes: There would be no future without the past. The game of golf has a rich history, which has given way to our present day game. Old wooden drivers have been replaced with titanium and carbon fiber technology. Five woods and low lofted irons are more and more being replaced by hybrid clubs. So are our traditional spiked shoes heading the way of the “wood?” Let’s face it, there will always be the old school players that scoff at riding in carts and wearing shorts on the course, and they will probably insist on keeping their spiked shoes. But, If Ecco has anything to say about it, their new Ecco Women’s Street Golf shoe is going to buck tradition.

ECCO…ecco…ecco

The Ecco Women’s Street Golf shoe that I received was sharp footwear indeed. It looked more like an updated version of an old fashioned canvas sport shoe than leather golf shoe. Ecco has pulled off a classic look without being “in your face overcool.” It was tan with contrasting deep purple shoe strings and sole. I got an immediate thumbs up from my 14 year old daughter and her approval is rare. I would slip this pair of shoes on and head out to a back yard BBQ or to the movies. So, as far as style is concerned, the Ecco Street Golf shoe is a winner. But how do they perform?

The traditional spikes have been replaced with a sole full of small round spikes. Leaving no detail undone, each spike is topped off with the recognizable Ecco “e.” At no time did I ever feel like I didn’t have a good grip on the tee box or fairways. But, if I’m being completely honest with you, I have days that I spend a lot of time in the sand traps . . . they are like magnets for me. These shoes outperformed my expectations in the sand. I had a great feel for digging myself in and setting myself up -what a plus! They look great and as far as the sand is concerned, I had great outs all day. The comfort level was right up there with my well worn 2 year old sneakers. You can’t ask for much more.

There are plenty of days that I go straight from the course to my daily routine and vice versa. In these shoes, I can go straight from the course to just about anywhere without looking like I just walked off the course. I can also put my shoes on before I leave my house and still get a few things done inside without the fear of scratching my floors or snagging a rug. The future has arrived and the Ecco Women’s Street Golf shoe is definitely here to stay.

Like the men’s counterpart, the Ecco Street are not waterproof, although I have worn them in dew type situations without leakage. The ladies version comes in six color variations and retails for about $150.

You can see the whole line of Ecco women’s golf shoes on their website. 

Antiqua Golf Shirts: Just before I embarked on my summer vacation to the outer banks of North Carolina, Three Guys Golf (hey, what about the girl?) received a package from Antigua. Antigua is a designer and marketer of men’s, women’s and children’s lifestyle apparel and sportswear. As usual, my first thought was “ok, it just a shirt with a collar, buttons and needs to be tucked in. How can these shirts be different or better than any other?” Well, it was my duty to give it a try and see what I think.

Antigua Women’s Golf Shirts

In Georgia, every summer day feels as if global warming is beating down your door, and no type of shirt on the golf course is going to make a huge difference . . . we all wear some type of quick drying material to combat the heat as best we can. I set out for the course with my new Antigua golf shirt and hardly any expectations. How different can it be? Oh how little I knew. It was a relatively cool 93 degrees on that Friday with the humidity at about 70 percent. I do not profess to be an expert in the textile industry but I do know what I like and what I don’t.

Being a mother of two very active kids, I am well versed in the moisture wicking materials and I can absoluetly say the Antigua shirts are top notch in that regard. It was an extremely busy day on the course and slow play is an understatement – I spent more than my fair share of time waiting at each tee box baking like a Georgia peach pie. However, the best way I can describe this shirt is tissue paper. If you could wear tissue paper without it ripping and getting soaking wet, this shirt would be it. Seriously, at times, I felt as if I didn’t even have anything on. I was truly impressed.

Fast forward to my vacation on the tiny island of Ocracoke, NC. I went into a shop one day with my sister and ran into another vacationer in a golf shirt. The shirt had an LGPA logo on the front and the Antigua brand on the sleeve. Well, there isn’t a golf course within a two hour drive of this island where tanks and tees rule so this lady stood out. I approached her and started talking about her shirt. She was a golfer, and it was her favorite and coolest shirt, so she brought it with her to this island hot spot. There you go, it wasn’t just me that thought so much of this shirt, she too had high praise for the brand.

On the men’s side the styling is also very pleasing. Like the women’s, some of the Antigua golf shirts have sleeves that are longer than usual but we found it to be a nice change from the euro cut. Additionally, we dug the heavy contrasting over stitch on the shoulder and sleeve which is prominent on the Antigua Journey shirt.

Mens Antiqua Journey

Mens Antiqua Journey

The Antigua men’s golf shirts also feature the Desert Dry technology. While the Journey material was a bit thicker, the Antiqua Relay was extremly light which of course is wonderful for those burning hot days. In short, we were very impressed with both the styling and material of all the samples we received. Moreover, the Antigua product line has a huge offering with many color combinations in each style so that you will have little fear of ever running into someone with the exact shirt as you (am I the only one who worries about this?)

Mens Antigua Replay

Mens Antigua Replay

Antigua started out as company with roots firmly in the golf market. It has since moved into the growing corporate market as well as other sports leagues. They currently hold licenses with the NBA, MLB, and NHL among others. Antigua clearly wouldn’t be where it is if were not a good product. My endorsement might not be much, but having lived my entire life in the south and now almost half of it in “Hotlanta,” I do know that beating the heat is never going to happen. But I also know I can do my best to try, and now Antigua is at the top of that list.

You can find the whole line of Antigua shirts on their website.

Tracey Lynn golf attire is a clothing line where fitness, style, and femininity all come together. Tracey Blake is the owner of Tracey Lynn golf attire and for years she had searched for fashionable clothes to wear on the course. Unfortunately, Tracey suffered a life altering event that left her paralyzed from the neck down for 3 months. During her lengthly ICU visit Tracey reevaluated her life. After she recovered, Tracey started her own company for women who want “fashion with function.”

When I first went to her website, my first impression was that the line was very frilly as many styles featured ruffles or prints. However, after taking a closer look I found many collections that were both sporty, great looking and versatile.
While the gear we get typically comes in a plain box, Tracey Lynn sent my outfit as she handles all of her orders – beautifully wrapped in a bright green tissue paper with a Tracey Lynn sticker holding it in place. Honestly, I felt as if I was opening a birthday present (yeah me!). This attention to the detail is always a sign of a company that truly cares. So I guess it was just icing on the cake when I read the enclosed card that said  “America is Beautiful, proudly made in the USA.” How refreshing to find quality golf products that are made right here in the USA.

Tracey Lynn Golf uses Sportek® performance fabric, which lets you move and stretch with confidence. The material and cut are designed for women who want to look good and feel good about their figure. The lines of their clothes allow for stretch to adjust to the shape of your body, but not look tight or constricting. Tracey Lynn not only has SPF protection, but it also is wicking so you can stay cool and dry while on the course. Additionally, Tracey Lynn clothing never needs to touch an iron – it looks great and ready to wear after washing and folding or hanging!

Tracey Lynn’s skorts have either LYCRA® or Spandex. The skort I have has Spandex and I love the way it fits. All of Tracey Lynn’s skorts include an elastic waistband, which makes them extremely comfortable and flattering. My skort has two hidden pockets underneath and a back pocket that has a Velcro® closure. But my favorite thing about the skort is the fuchsia stitching. It seems as if this skort would be a fit for any body type because the stitching appears to break the skort up into individual panels that stretch and give exactly where necessary!

The Tracey Lynn shirt that I have is the same fuchsia color that is in the stitching in my skort. SO cute! It also has a micropoly/lycra blend that is wicking and has UV protection. Yet what I love most about this shirt is the zipper. It is not a short zipper made for looks. It is a long zipper that is functional and you can adjust it to your personal style. The pull on the zipper is a round circle about the size of a penny. Not only is it stylish, but it is easy to adjust.

Here is the real reason I fell in love with this outfit: I played 36 holes with my husband in the 85 degree heat. Tracey Lynn’s clothes are truly wicking, and I never felt overheated or uncomfortable. After golf, we went straight out to dinner with Susan and her husband. Yes, I was still in my Tracey Lynn outfit and even got compliments on my outfit at the restaurant. If that is not the true test for cute, functional golf clothes that make you feel good, I don’t know what is!

So ladies, go check out the Tracey Lynn website. Whether your style is classic or more fun and daring, Tracey Lynn truly has something for everyone.

I have to be honest here, I was a little skeptical about the True Linkswear ‘True Isis’ ladies’ golf shoe. First of all, I have always worn the traditional shoes with spikes. This shoe is very different, but, that is not a bad thing.

I am not your average golfer. I am a full time mom of two teenagers and my primary job is that of taxi driver. This being said, I am known to squeeze in a couple of hours for golf, but get sidetracked for errands around town in my golf attire. This is a true test of shoe comfort, playing golf then getting stuck in your golf shoes while driving to baseball practice, dance recitals, etc. You all know what I mean . . . I am not recommending that any athletic shoe be your “around town” shoe, but let’s face it, it happens. So, if you have any foot issue, e.g. bunions, plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, etc., and you are comfortable in a golf shoe for 18 holes plus some, you have accomplished something. Enter, True Linkswear.

I admit that I wear orthotics with all of my shoes. I have the feet of an old woman! Therefore, when I pick out new shoes of any sort, needless to say, I am very picky. For my first day in the True Isis from True Linkswear, I decided that the true test would be sans orthotics. This is not a decision I made lightly – the fear of the sore heels for the next three days loomed over my head. I purchased a new bottle of Aleve and set out on my mission . . . first up, the driving range.

I spent 45 minutes on the range just getting used to my new shoes. I looked them up and down. It took me a few to get used to my view. They are wider than the traditional shoe at the toe box. For me, this is a very good thing. At what point did shoe cobblers decide that making shoes more pointed at the toe was a good idea? Maybe the appearance of the narrow toe is more appealing? I’m not really sure, but I will say, that I do not wear a wide shoe, just a traditional width, but my foot, like most of the human race that has five toes per foot, is wider at the toe than the heel. No question about it, these shoe were, by far, the most comfortable athletic shoe I have worn in quite some time. The wide toe box allowed plenty of room for my toes and there was absolutely no squeeze factor.  This might be a little weird, but my test then went to the tennis courts. Not with this shoe, but I had to play in a charity tennis event for about two hours, on hard courts. I switched to tennis mode, after which my feet are always achey.

The true test here came when I switched back to golf mode and played 18 holes, in my True Linkswear True Isis. No way will my feet hold out, I thought. Again, no orthotics. No problem. While it took me a few minutes to adjust to the feeling of walking more on my heels, which is what it felt like after my traditional heel tennis shoes, I got the hang of it. I played 18, waiting with baited breath, for the aches and pains to begin. Not even a twinge. So, driving range, check, tennis, check, 18 holes check, now back to real life. Off to the afternoon of errands without switching from my True Linkswear True Isis shoes. I walked the grocery store, the post office and finally, a trip over the black asphalt drive in Georgia temperatures to check on the progress of the charity event. These “spikes” on the bottom of the Linkswear shoe can’t hold out for this. Or can they? After a full day, most of which was spent in the True Linkswear True Isis, I got home ready to inspect the damage I surely inflicted. To my surprise, other than a little Georgia red clay left behind, these remarkable shoes barely looked worn. How is this possible? I’m not saying that you can wear these for the next five years with no wear and tear, but they are definitely much more durable than you might expect.

All that is fine, but, how do they work in my game? Again, I am used to the traditional shoe and was very weary of this “barefoot” technology. Will I slip without my spikes? Do I want to feel barefoot on the course? Will my foot suffer when I step into the shallows of the magnetic water hazard? Here you go: no, yes, and yes. After my initial worries about slipping without spikes, I relaxed and did my best to shove the ball down the throat of the fairways. My best Happy Gilmore impression couldn’t even coax a slip out of the True Linkswear True Isis. Now, in golf, weight balance, not your spikes is the key to not slipping. That being said, when you do get carried away, the mental note that you have ground hugging spikes on your shoes does make you feel a little more confident. Never once did I feel as if I was not firmly anchored when I most needed it. I had full range of motion while maintaining steady, planted feet.

Fast forward a few weeks. Now my True Linkswear have been everywhere with me, from my home course to a local par three course to a mountain course in South Carolina and let’s not forget all the menial tasks in between. My shoes and my feet are still in excellent condition. There is still no sign of wear to the bottoms of these shoes and I have retired my traditional golf shoes so this is the only pair I wear. I can’t tell you the physics behind any golf swing or paraphernalia. What I can tell you is what works for me, the average, learn as I go along golfer. This shoe, the True Linkswear True Isis, works. It is comfortable, durable and innovative. I would recommend it to anyone, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned golfer.

You can learn more about True Linkswear Isis on their website.

Ladies Loudmouth Golf: For the past few years, a good friend of ours has shown up at the annual Member Guest golf tournament in some rather eye catching golf pants. He plays with the same partner each year, and they never disappoint with their matching ensembles. With each passing year, they get better and better. This sharp twosome has been such a hit, they have actually started a new trend at this annual event. More and more partners are showing up in ensembles, each one trying to outdo another. None however, can compare with the originals, and their key ingredient every year: Loudmouth. Each year, we eagerly await the first round of the tournament so we can see their grand entrance and which pattern they will have this year. I have always been envious.

Imagine our delight when we found out Loudmouth Golf now has a ladies’ division. Now, this is not your mama’s golf wear. It is bright, colorful and screams for attention. No more khaki shorts and blue button down shirts. Not at all! Ladies Loudmouth golf is fresh and exciting. So while not all of us can break 90, at least we can all look good trying to. Right out of the box, we were sold on the look of Loudmouth but we were equally impressed with the quality and attention to detail.

The first thing that caught our attention was the “hook and eye” at the top of the zipper of the skort. All you ladies can understand what a necessary nuisance this small hook is. You need it to keep your zipper up and create a smooth, buttonless line. But, the standard seems to be, loop a few strands of thread around it, and by the time it is washed twice, you’re hoping it will just hang on until you can remember to sew it back on. Not the case with Loudmouth. This small hook has been sewn on in three places. This little sucker is NOT coming loose. Next, we noticed the waistband on the inside of both the skort and shorts. Both are reinforced for a nice, clean look and feel. The sturdiness of the waistband also contributes to the ease of a simple wash and wear without the hassle of the iron.

The shirts are made equally as well. First, there are four buttons at the collar, where more times than not, there are only three. In our opinion, this is a huge bonus. We have found that shirts with the traditional three buttons do not move with you as easily which for women who are chestier really makes a difference. In other words, we love the four buttons! Next, the collars and sleeves have a small line of contrasting color at the edge. This is a small detail that makes the shirts stand out. Finally, most women’s shirts have vents on each side at the hipline. The vents promote freedom of movement and a sharp, finished look for an untucked shirt.

Now, let’s talk logo. While Loudmouth’s flashy patterns are sure to turn heads, the Loudmouth logo is just the right low key, yet distinct, embroidered finishing touch. The logo appears on the shirts, skorts and shorts in the traditional places. For an added bonus, Loudmouth appears across the shoulder blades of one of the shirts in bold outline, and we really like this.

Finally, let’s talk fit. When ordering our Loudmouth ladies, we went strictly by the inch measurements. I am typically an 8 and according to the inches, my order was a 6. Sue was a 2 according to the inches, but is typically a 4, and she got the skort and it was slightly snug, but wearable. I got the shorts, but typically wear skorts because they always seem to be cooler. The Loudmouth shorts were the first shorts in a very long time that I have worn and not gotten hot in, and it was in the 80’s. I am not a fabric expert and don’t know why, all I can tell you is that I wore something I am not accustomed to, and to my surprise, was extremely pleased. My shorts fit perfectly and they were cool! The added bonus was, it is one of the few size sixes I have in my closet and I love that. Therefore, we recommend that you order your typical US size. The shirts ran slightly small. They are a good fitted shirt, but if you are more comfortable with a slightly less fitted style, order a larger size. I ordered a medium, but might have been a little happier with a large and Sue got a small and it fit her to a tee, no pun intended.

We wore our Loudmouth on a beautiful day with the sun on our faces and the breeze blowing in our hair. We actually got a few compliments about our look from other players who had no idea that we were testing the clothing. Bonus! We were comfortable and stylish, the way it should be. And, by the way, both Sues agree, we played LOUD!

You can see see all of the styles on the Loudmouth website.