Most of you have likely not heard of Goatlane, a relatively new golf brand, producing premium golf shoes, apparel and accessories. I'm here to make a change to that, and by the end of this review, you'll know exactly what Goatlane is all about. Its latest shoe, The Contour, might well be the best-looking shoe I've ever tested - and I want to tell you all about it.
The looks are what set this apart from any of the other best golf shoes on the market. In the black and white colourway I tested them in, these look more like a luxurious off-course golf shoe than something worn to play 18 holes in. Each pair is handmade in Portugal, and you can see that quality and craftsmanship as soon as you take the shoes out of the box. The soft leather touchpoints across the shoe
It also means any £220 investment into these shoes suddenly feels like decent value for money, considering the amount of wear you'll get out of them on and off the course. If this black-and-white option isn't to your taste, there are some similarly smart and stylish colourways to choose from. The silhouette is nice and has a low profile, while the overall styling of this shoe reminds me of non-golf shoes designed by Arne or Axel Arigato. When you consider the dustbag and extra pair of laces that come with every order, the £220 price tag seems to represent decent value for money for a product of this quality.
Though this shoe looks like it leans more into the off-course wearability than out-and-out performance on the course, I was pleasantly surprised. It can't stack up against the best spikeless shoes made for performance, like the Adidas Adizero ZG or Under Armour Drive Pro SL, but then again, this shoe wasn't built to. The outsole is certainly built for golf. Using 4mm rubber nubs across the outsole, it offers decent grip in both dry and wet conditions, with the water-resistant upper meaning you can use these in a sharp rain shower or if there is a little surface moisture on the ground.
My heel felt pretty well locked into place, too, adding to the impressive performance on the golf course. The footbed is incredibly comfortable, while the shoe itself is supportive enough through the swing without feeling too constrictive - it really does a great job of blending on-course and off-course comfort.
Such are the premium materials used throughout this shoe, they do take some taking care of. Keeping them in the accompanying dustbag and cleaning them thoroughly after every round will be vital to keeping these in good shape, and will require much more attention than cheaper golf shoes for sure.
All in all, this is by far one of the best-looking golf shoes I've ever tested. I've never received so many compliments about a pair of shoes before. Truth be told, I've been wearing them more off the course than on them, but I was still really impressed with the quality of performance from a shoe that looks more at home away from the golf course. If you're looking for something a little more luxurious and a little different this year, Goatlane's Contour is a beautiful and unique option.
