50 Words or Less
The FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA golf shoe is the cream of the crop in terms of technology, stability, and performance.
Introduction
FootJoy is synonymous with golf-specific footwear. Though countless other players have entered the market in the last few years, the FJ brand remains an iconic industry-leader for a reason. The FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA is one of the company’s most recent offerings and while it excels in a number of areas, stability is really the keyword here. Learn more in this review.
Looks
With visible structure and tech and its BOA disc readily apparent on the heel, the FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA looks like it’s ready to blast off like a rocket ship. Ironically though, it’s designed to keep the player locked in to the ground and utilizing as much ground force as possible. More on that below, but in terms of looks, it certainly is in keeping with the FootJoy aesthetic. It presents a blend of traditional golf shoe like the Premiere series (review HERE) series and athletic-style shoes like the ProSL (review HERE).
Overall, it’s a serious looking shoe. It says “I came to play and want to get the absolute most out of my game.” Colorways here are limited. I tested the all white version. Your other choice is all black.
Comfort
You don’t order a cheeseburger for the health benefits and similarly, you (hopefully) aren’t buying this shoe for its comfort. There are many golf shoes out there that make a point to prioritize a cushy footbed and easy all-day wear. This isn’t one of those shoes and that’s okay. That said, it is plenty comfortable for what it is.
They are definitely more comfortable than other FootJoys I have tried in the past. I’ll chalk a lot of that up to its OrthoLite EcoPlush Fit-Bed®. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect it to feel “plush” as the name states, but there’s certainly some quality cushioning there, and FJ states that you can expect that technology to keep the same level of cushioning intact over the life of the shoe. Obviously I can’t corroborate that at this point, but it’s an impressive claim.
Additionally, if you find comfort in stability in the mid-foot and lack of lateral slide, you will definitely enjoy the feel of the FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA. I also found the BOA system to be very effective at helping dial in just the right fit.
Performance
The FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA is all about performance and it absolutely excels in just about every way. Stability and traction are the two performance elements that really stood out for me. FJ credits the shoe’s remarkable stability to a proprietary OPS system (Optimized Performance Stabilizer), “made up of the external 3D molded heel counter, A-Frame and the lateral clip.” I’m not sure exactly what all of that means in terms of the shoe’s design but I can feel a remarkable amount of stability when I slip into this shoe.
Click the BOA fit system into place until it feels nice and snug, and my foot really feels locked in. I wouldn’t say I have an aggressive transition through the ball, but if I did I would definitely feel confident in these shoes to keep me balanced through any kind of swing. I did notice feeling locked in and comfortable in different kinds of lies such as rough, downhill, uphill, and sidehill.
This was my first time testing a shoe integrated with the BOA lacing system. I realize now that it’s not just a quicker and easier way to lace up your shoes. According to FJ, the dial is placed in the heel because it enables the lacing system to close more comprehensively from the heel to the forefoot. Having only ever used traditional laces where the closure is mainly felt across the top of the foot, I could definitely feel a difference.
Plenty of golf shoes will tout that they are waterproof but not all will guarantee it for 2 years. That’s exactly what FootJoy does for this shoe. Obviously no one wants to have wet socks and feet while playing golf but this feels extra important for the serious player for whom I believe these shoes were designed.
Conclusion
The FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA is an ideal golf shoe for the serious player looking to maximize their use of the ground and stay dry in all conditions. At $230 it isn’t one of the more affordable shoes on the market, but considering all the tech that goes into it, it shouldn’t be. It also is available in a standard lace-up version for those who have tried BOA and prefer to stick with traditional laces.
Buy the FootJoy Tour Alpha BOA HERE
Visit FootJoy HERE
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