Callaway offers a variety of options for golfers in the shoe category. Currently, there are six designs with multiple colorways for men, and four designs with multiple color options for women. With a price range of $85 to $165 (with most on sale currently), it seems like design, profile, and performance can be easily obtained by golfers with every foot shape and shoe preference. For the purpose of this review, the Coronado Golf Shoes were reviewed.
Presentation
Out of the box, the Coronado golf shoe presents itself with a more traditional look than many of the shoes available today. With the majority of the toe and side of the shoe being white, those who lean towards a more subtle approach to dress will have something satisfying to look down upon while swinging. This blends into the heel section of the shoe very well with what they are calling ‘vented’ sides, which are not quite deep enough to puncture the material and lose waterproofing. Callaway then managed to sneak in somewhat of a carbon fiber look to the heel section of the shoe, which works very well for the wearer as it is a much denser profile, and frames the heel well with added stability. A constant black sole upper completes the traditional look, with only the red of the PiViX spikes drawing attention.
Immediate Foot Response
As there are many types of shoes on the market, it may be easier to find a classification for the Coronado before really diving into the experience. On the foot, they respond much more like the typical structured golf shoes. Essentially, they feel more rigid in the right places, and the soles have a bit of a firmness to them rather than feeling like a running shoe. Upon wearing them for the first time (and walking 18 holes, naturally), there was a bit of a concern for fatigue that never became a problem. They are extremely wearable and comfortable despite the experience being a bit more firm than the runner/golf shoe hybrids that have been taking the market by storm. As a matter of opinion, this plays very well for the Coronado. The design build speaks very much to the aesthetics of the shoe. It is a shape that is visually pleasing to the more traditional golfer, but offers enough features to accommodate the golfer who wants their apparel to speak louder.
The Foot Support
For some golfers, having an extremely stable shoe can be an issue (like old nagging hockey injuries). Fortunately, the trend of the Coronado being a bit of a hybrid continues with the structure of the sole, which gives way to the step just beyond the laces. On the positive side, this allows the foot to step a bit more naturally, letting the toes move the way they should. This comes at a cost, only in that a crease will form across that section of the upper.
Removing the liner shows the overall shape of the Coronado being inclined to cup the heel all the way into the middle of the foot, while allowing the toe section to have some freedom. Walking 18 holes, even on day one, did not require immediate removal due to fatigue, proving the combination of materials to be quite effective. With that in mind, it did seem like the Coronado continued to increase in comfort each time they were worn.
Swing Performance
In a combination of dry weather, sand, heather grass, dewy mornings, and rain, the Coronado did not slide away from the swing a single time. Nine SLIM-Lok PiViX spikes are appropriately placed on the base of the shoe to provide a high end traction experience. Additionally, there are built in spikes on the base of the shoe that are quite narrow and deep, which assumingly helped with the overall ability to avoid sliding. Towards the toe, there are two separate locations designed to provide some break in the base of the shoe throughout the swing and walking. While the element furthest from the toe activates first, they both seem to aid in allowing the shoe to shape the foot as it finishes a golf swing. Callaway talks quite a bit about their sole design with PiViX allowing golfers to be closer to the ground, and it seems as though they have achieved a nice balance.
Parting Thoughts
The Callaway Coronado golf shoe is a great product designed to accommodate the performance needs and aesthetics of a diverse group of golfers. From the initial wear to the final unlacing, the classy comfort suited well, and attacked the elements with stability, warmth, and dryness. For those looking to find a shoe that has a classy performance profile, visit www.CallawayApparel.com.
