Review: ECCO Golf Casual Cool Ribbon Shoe
by Jeffrey Reed

ECCO men’s golf shoes are not only some of the coolest looking shoes on the PGA and LPGA tours, but they’re also some of the most comfortable shoes from tee to green. And, the great thing about ECCO shoes is, they look great at the 19th hole, too. ECCO golf shoes are classy performers, so it’s no surprise that great golfers like Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie, Aaron Baddeley, Thomas Bjorn, Thongchai Jaidee and John Bickerton depend on ECCO for comfort, style and performance.

If you attended the LPGA Tour’s 2006 Canadian Women’s Open, you may have noticed the ECCO shoes worn by star Sophie Gustafson. She’s one of the longest-hitting women on Tour, and puts her faith in ECCO for stability off the tee.

When the Casual Cool Ribbon shoes from ECCO crossed our desk here at London Ontario Golf, the first thing we commented on was the aesthetics. These shoes really are cool! An update to the extremely popular Casual Cool series, the Ribbon shoes from ECCO feature colour-matched textile straps that interlock with the lace system for enhanced instep fit. They do, indeed, fit snugly for extra support. No one wants blisters on the course, let alone slippage-inducing hooks or slices.

The Casual Cool Ribbon shoes are designed to appeal to golfers seeking a less formal look. This is true, but ECCO has done so while still making a classy-looking performer. It’s made of high-grade ECCO Lexi leather with a soft, natural, tumbled texture for a distressed look. Heck, these shoes would look great if you went clubbing (off the course and after-hours) and wore a pair of distressed jeans. The Casual Cool Ribbon shoes are instant contemporary classics.

Additional performance technologies include: a direct-injection process unique to ECCO in the golf industry which ensures durability, comfort and shock-absorption; internal stabilizer which reduces torque and provides a stable swing platform – important to the likes of Boom Boom, Badds and Gustafson. There’s a double-insole for extra cushion which absorbs heel force to reduce stress on the knees, hip and back.

The Casual Cool Ribbon shoe for men also features an internal air-circulation system for a fresh, dry, cool foot environment; a Dynamic Energy Return System that provides a trampoline effect during foot-strike and follow-through to reduce fatigue during the course of a round; Stinger cleats from Champ, utilizing the Q-Lok system; and secondary traction elements for added stability and support.

The Casual Cool Ribbon shoes with a MSRP of $220 are available in an array of funky colours: white/orange; white/kiwi; white/baja blue (our favourite); and ascot/titanium-pink.

For more information on all of ECCO’s golf shoe offerings, visit www.eccogolf.com.