Srixon/ASICS Golf Shoe Review

Srixon/ASICS Golf Shoe Review

Srixon/Asics Gel-Kayano Ace Golf Shoes
Grade: A+
Teacher’s Comments: Among the best walking golf shoes I’ve ever worn.

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ASICS — renowned for its running shoes — has teamed with Srixon to create one of the best golf shoes for walking I have ever worn.

The Srixon / ASICS Gel-Kayano Ace shoes put a spring in my step as I tread the hills at Washtenaw Golf Club. They are light, flexible and have something going on in the soles that powers me speedily along.

I think the running shoe roots are evident here. ASCS’ Gel-Kayano 28 running shoe has the same GEL heel cushioning, TPU heel cradle and FlyteFoam midsole. The FlyteFoam in the running shoe is described as offering “energetic and highly responsive cushioning and bounce for an efficient ride.”

That’s got to be what I’m feeling.

Where the Gel-Kayano Ace differs significantly from the Gel-Kayano 28 is the soles. The Ace’s spikeless design has what I would describe as a fairly aggressive tread pattern. There are lots of little nubs that are 6mm deep. Lateral ridges are located in the heel, toe and inside edge.

I’ve found that the sole traction provides plenty of stability, even with aggressive swings on wet, uneven, slippery ground (and there has been plenty of that in Michigan in the Spring of 2022). I am by no means a big hitter, but can hack it out of deep wet rough with the best of them.

And while on the subject of deep, wet rough, I will note that the waterproofing on the Gel-Kayano Ace is effective.

My two caveats to this very positive review are that:

1. I have not worn them in anything resembling summer heat. They’re fine in cooler weather, but I have no idea how they’ll feel in 90 degree temperatures.
2. I don’t know about durability. I’ve worn them on nine rounds thus far and they seem fine. I wonder, however, if the lightweight foam won’t lose its spring over a couple of dozen more. If you’re a rider, though, it likely won’t affect you.

A couple of quick notes about ASICS, since it’s not as well known in the US as a golf shoe.

ASICS is a Japanese corporation founded in 1949 to manufacture basketball shoes. Its original name was Onitsuka.

Onitsuka merged with GTO and JELENK in 1977 to form ASICS.

ASICS is an acronym for Anima Sana in Corpore Sana, a Latin phrase which means “a sound mind in a sound body.”

Today, ASICS has annual revenues of $3 billion. That is six times the annual revenues of Acushnet/Footjoy/Titleist, but one-eighth the revenues of Adidas.

In 2019, ASICS teamed with Srixon/ Cleveland Golf / XXIO to distribute ASICS golf shoes in North America. In 2022, Srixon/Cleveland Golf/ XXIO were subsumed under the name Dunlop Sports America.

Dunlop, in turn, is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries. The name Srixon comes from the acronym SRI (Sumitomo Rubber Industries).

Got all that?

Good.

Trivia: Bruce Lee was a fan and helped popularize the Onitsuka/ ASICS shoes. Note the distinctive ASICS stripes on his Onitsuka Tiger shoes.

If they’re good enough for Bruce Lee, they’re good enough for me.