“What shoes are those?” It’s a question I’ve already been asked half a dozen times over the course of three or four rounds. No one I’ve played with so far has heard of Heathlander (I’m based in the UK), but everyone has been complimentary about my new golf shoes. They are, even if I may say so myself, very smart.
Heathlander was founded by passionate golfers Teddy Lynn and Mark Himmelsbach. Lynn grew up playing heathland beauties in the south of England, including the likes of Sunningdale and The Berkshire (lucky Teddy); Himmelsbach spent a lot of his youth playing heathland gems in Michigan, one of the few states in America where this type of golf course can be found.
Now working together for a boutique advertising agency in New York - which has involved some time in the golf industry - they’ve also managed to create a fairly niche golf brand. The mission, so they say, was “to build a golf brand for proper golfers - golfers who have the spirit of Heathlanders".
Well, I’m pleased to announce that I am a Heathlander, and now the owner of a snazzy pair of the brand’s shoes, as well as a Heathlander wind sweater and quilted vest. In this review, I’m going to see how they stack up against the best golf shoes as well as the best spikeless golf shoes on the market.
As you can see, these are a classic-looking model, but with a rather striking sole (I have the Surrey/Pink, but there’s also the Berkshire/Yellow, Devon/Light Blue, Wiltshire/Green, and Norfolk/Purple). Very bright and quite different.
I couldn’t wait to try these on, especially on my home course, Formby (and Formby Ladies), which - and you’ll forgive me for being biased - offers an unrivalled mix of dreamy links and heathland holes (the perfect place for the Heathlander test).
Despite September being very wet so far in the north west of England, I was quick to unzip the shoe bag, slip them on and head out. Inside, you’ll find a smaller reusable shoe bag (very useful) and an alternative pair of laces (mine were light blue). As far as first impressions go, top marks.
Hooking one left off the 1st tee on Formby Ladies, I found the heather - and I continued to do so for much of the round, purely for testing purposes. The signs are good, in that the pebbled leather upper doesn’t scratch too easily, always a concern on courses with lots of heather and gorse.
Heathlander hasn’t gone overboard with the tech talk. We know from its website that exceptional comfort and all-weather traction are priorities. We also know that the shoes have been built with a proprietary rubber outsole and shock-absorbing PeBax® insole for lasting support and grip.
I’ve now played three rounds of early autumn golf in them, where it’s been quite wet and slippery underfoot. It’s not unusual for heavier shoes of this type to need a little time to soften unlike some of the most comfortable golf shoes. This has been the case; in fact, I did change shoes after nine holes when wearing them for the first time. Since then, they’ve become a lot more supple, to the point where I’d now say that they feel very soft and comfortable.
Grip-wise, they’re impressive too. The soles are composed of three layers: a foam sockliner/insole, an EVA midsole, and a rubber outsole with 9mm rubber tread pattern. It’s unlike anything I’ve tested before, and I’ll be interested to see how durable it is. However, given that they’re not designed for off course wear they should give the wearer a good innings.
There has been a bit of chat online that the rubber tread could potentially damage tees and greens, although the shoes have been endorsed by Rob Collins, a renowned golf course architect and Heathlander fan, who hasn’t seen any evidence of this. That Heathlander also received an award for “Best New Product” at the 2025 PGA Show is another fine endorsement.
If I could change one thing about these shoes it would be the pink soles. I really like the Heathlander logo - which features this same color - but I find it a bit garish on the whole of the sole, even if you only show off the full splash of color when you hold your finish position. I’ve said the same thing about G/FORE golf shoes in the past, and I’m happy to be called boring.
I’ll also accept that some golfers are going to really like the pink. It might not be my preferred color - maybe we’ll see a choice of sole colors at some point - but I do really like the overall design style. I can’t fault the performance, either.
I think we’re going to see more good stuff from the brand, so I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled.
