Jack Grace Innovator Golf Shoes

Ever seen those pants that turn into shorts when you unzip them at the knee? Sounds good on paper, but somehow it just does not translate. Seems whenever a company tries to make a product into more than one thing it just ends up being not great at either.

While not exactly the same idea, Jack Grace is trying a similar stunt with their golf shoes, but unlike the zip-away pants, this novel concept has legs. Here is the gig: make a solid golf shoe that can be easily modified for tons of unique looks. 

Any golfer who is over the age of 30 has owned at least one pair of saddle shoes.  Even to this day, they probably remain the most popular style of golf shoe which is odd because exactly no one wears a saddle shoe off of the golf course. Regardless of why people like saddle shoes, the fact remains they are everywhere on the links which is likely why Jack Grace chose that style as a baseline. I say baseline because it is exactly the saddle which makes Jack Grace golf shoes unlike anything I have seen.

Scanning the Jack Grace website, you will find three basic colored shoes: black, white and grey.  While those colors may be limited, the saddle options are plentiful and varied and are the reason why Jack Grace golf shoes are so interesting. Utilizing base colors for the shoe allows the user to add virtually any color saddle. Additionally, there are dozens of patterns to choose from. The net result is that with just a few base models, Jack Grace is able to sell hundreds of versions of their shoe (probably more, but the math is above my head). What is it? The number of basic shoe styles to the power of the number of saddles?? Please, someone help me here.

Moreover, because each saddle can easily be taken on and off, you can use the same shoe with all of the saddles. For those watching their dollars, you basically get another pair of shoes for the price of a saddle which is around $40.

My experience with Jack Grace Innovator Golf Shoes:

As a blogger, I like to test the fashion limits. To that end, I ordered a pair of black shoes with a red saddle, a fairly bold choice and one every NC State fan is sure to love (for the record, I am NOT an NC State fan). Not stopping with red, I added a flamingo and Kapalua pattern. While they would be over the top for everyday use, they are no less than awesome for special outings. In my case I took them to Costa Rica for a round at the Four Seasons. 

Ease of use:

With any new gadget, there is concern that the idea does not work as well as advertised. Fortunately, I found changing out the saddles to be crazy easy. All you have to do is find the spot to grip the saddle, they gently tear away. Slipping the new saddle on is just as easy. Simply line up the saddle near the sole, then fold it over letting the Velcro and magnet do the work. Once the saddle is in place, the shoe looks like it was all stitched together as one piece. While I have only worn the shoes a few rounds, I have had zero issues with movement or any problem for that matter. The laces work just like any other shoe and you are free to tighten them as much as you like.

Comfort and sizing:

One thing to note about Jack Grace golf shoes is that they are fairly narrow. Not crazy narrow, but certainly not wide. I ordered size 11 1/2 which is my normal size. They were plenty long enough but I had to go to a thinner sock for better comfort. I am not sure if ordering a 1/2 size bigger would have helped (I suspect not). Basically, I would just say that this shoe is best for those who do not have wide feet.

Outside of the width, I found the Jack Grace shoes to be quite comfortable and very appropriate for walking. The sole features a nubbed pattern that is just fine for grip.

Quality:

The one thing that really struck me out of the gate is the quality of the leather and shoe. At $170 a pair I think it’s a fair request but as we all know that does not have to be the case. Just looking at the Innovator, one can easily tell that this shoe is well made. All of the stitching is top notch, the interior is well designed and the overall shoe is quite light. Finally, I found the midsole to have a decent amount of cushion and just felt like a quality golf shoe.

Bottom line:

I get tons of inquiries to see if I would write about new and innovative products and most of them are pure junk. While the Jack Grace Innovator may fall under the quirky new idea, it does not fall under the junk category. On the contrary, Jack Grace is making a solid golf shoe that just so happens to also be a fashion design unicorn. Having reviewed hundreds of golf products, I can’t really compare them to anything else. I really, really dig the swappable saddle idea, but more importantly, the quality of the saddle designs is super cool. Whether you like a solid color, your alma mater pattern of just something funky, Jack Grace has a look for you. My only hesitation in recommending them is if you prefer a wider shoe, since they only offer one width and it is narrower than many brands.

Check out all the Jack Grace shoes on their website