Make Golfing More Enjoyable with a Fresh Pair of Golf Socks

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IT'S TRUE golf socks might not be the most important equipment on the fairway, but choosing the best pair of men's golf socks for you is still important. Making your way through a golf course can be tough on your feet. Even with a cart, you’ll be hoofing it most of the time, so you want all the cushioning and chafing protection that you can get. And although modern golf shoes have come a long way in terms of support and performance, the best golf socks provide a welcome additional layer of comfort.

Just like with any athletic endeavor, maximizing your golf game starts with your feet. We’re not saying that wearing the best golf socks will necessarily lower your handicap, but it will improve how your feet feel after that last hole. Essentially, golf socks incorporate all the same features as other athletic socks, and compression socks, these days. Strategically placed compression and padding, combined with sweat and heat management make up the fundamental criteria. You want to cushion your feet in all the right places while keeping them as cool and dry as possible. While most sports include short bursts of intense motion, golf keeps your feet moving at a steady pace for a much longer period of time. So any tiny little flaws in your socks will magnify and intensify as the game wears on.

Read more: How Men's Health Tests Products

It doesn’t look like traditional golf knee breeches—known as plus fours—will be making a comeback any time soon. Which means that you probably won’t be showing off flashy high ankle socks, but you can still have fun with your golf socks. Flashy patterns and bold colors are a welcome aspect of golf style. Your golf pants will be covering them up for most of the game, but you can still show off fun socks in the same way as with suiting. Of course, on hot days you’ll probably want to stick with low ankle socks and golf shorts to stay ultra-cool. So, we curated a list of the best men's golf socks available right now in each distinctive purpose and look.

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FLITE XT Zero Tab

The Flite XT line from Swiftwick is as meticulously engineered as some golf shoes. Elastic compression around the mid foot provides arch support, strategic padding protects the ball and heel where you carry most of your weight, reinforced under panel prevents chaffing, while vented upper panels let your feet breathe. Our favorite feature is the ankle tab that provides extra protection against heel chaffing.

You will have to pay up a little for Swiftwick golf socks, but when it comes to how well Swiftwick combines comfort, compression, and breathability, there's no brand making performance golf socks better. Our Senior Gear and Commerce Editor, John Thompson, is a loyal fan to the Flite XT and has been using the socks on the links for years.

ProDry Crew

High ankle socks are the more traditional option for golfers. Some clubs have strict dress policies and there is just no way of getting around them. When you're going high ankle in the heat, the ProDry Crew from Footjoy will help regulate heat and sweat to keep you cool and dry. The exclusive Comfort Seam technology eliminates any chafing points. Our editors appreciate how high the padding runs up the ankle for additional support.

Read more: Best Golf Gloves

Men's Golf Ankle Sock 3-Pack

Bombas designed these socks specifically for golf, placing abundant padding in all the right places. The heels and toes feel like walking on little pillows. Proprietary honeycomb arch support keeps your feet bouncy all day long. What we liked best about these golf socks is the exceptional heel protection from the blister tab. Next time you need to break in a new pair of golf shoes, these are the socks you want to wear.

Performance Crew Sock 3 Pack

If you're looking for optimal performance and a little flash of style on the links, Stance has you covered with the Performance Crew. Each 3-pack comes with three distinct designs, all in a common color theme. Every pattern is a welcome alternative to solid golf socks, but respectable enough for a country club. On the performance side, you get exceptional moisture and heat regulation; and specially designed nylon protects against any chafing in common problem areas.

Power Stride Tab Sock 5 Pack

Heat is one of the biggest issues golfers have to deal with for most of the year, especially in the south. Your feet can take hot temperatures the hardest which is why you need golf socks that are really good at temperature regulation. Lululemon makes a perfect example with the Power Stride Tab Sock. Specially knit nylon is ultra breathable and lightweight. The PerformaHeel design creates exceptional heel support, while the high ankle tab protects from chafing. The best part is how incredibly light they feel on your feet, almost like you're not wearing socks at all.

Read more: Best Golf Clothing Brands

Training Crew Socks (6 Pairs) Nike Everyday Plus Cushioned

As long as you aren't playing a course with a strict dress code, golf attire offers the chance to have some fun with your fit. Nike offers the best way to match your socks to the rest of your uniform with the Training Crew 6-pack with six different bold colors. Even if you are staying low profile, it's fun to flash a bit of color on your ankles. Of course, you still get high level sporting performance that Nike is known for: moisture wicking, temperature regulation, strategic padding, and arch compression.

Heady Stripe Micro Crew Lightweight

Not all golf courses are built in areas with sunshine and warm weather year round. Cold temperatures and brisk wind are a part of the game that was invented in Scotland. So sometimes you need a sock that will lock in your body heat and keep out the wind. Darn Tough specializes in socks for hiking and outdoors performance sports, which means that they are more than capable of handling a jaunt around a golf course. The Heady Stripe Micro has a balanced construction for what one would want in a cold weather golf sock. Along with warmth, you get exceptional cushioning, no chafing points, and sweat management.

Read more: Best Golf Rain Gear

Gulf Coast Crew Sock

TravisMathew designs socks with athletic performance and every-day wear appeal, which makes them great for the golf course if you want to show off a bit above the ankle. A special fabric blend is lightweight and breathable; and there is extra padding in the heels and toes to prevent blistering. Our favorite feature is a bit of rubber on the cuff to prevent the sock from slipping down your ankle. Because if you're going to wear a flashy sock, you don't want the design slouching down your ankle.

Read more: TravisMathew Partners with St Andrews Links

Why Trust Us

The Men's Health commerce team is constantly testing the latest golf equipment, accessories, and apparel to hit the market. Unlike golf-dedicated publications, we take a lifestyle approach to the sport, where we focus on factors in golf products like affordability, comfort, style, and versatility in use—especially when it comes to golf apparel. No matter how long you've been playing the game, we cater our in-depth product guides to all levels of experience so there's a tailored pick for each individual.

What to Look for in Golf Socks

Cushioning: As with any athletic socks, you want extra cushioning in the heels and toes because that is where most of the pressure goes on your feet. Having some padding on the balls of your feet is especially helpful when walking for long distances during a round of golf. You also want to look for padding along the back of your ankle because that is a common spot for blisters. Most ankle socks come with an extra tab of padded fabric on the back of your ankle, which would otherwise be left exposed.

Arch Support: While your shoes are responsible for most of your arch support, the best golf socks can lend a hand. By adding a compression band at the middle of the foot, your arches will get a little assistance in doing their job. These compression bands also help to keep the socks in place, which avoids blisters. You may not be doing any intense running or jumping but walking for a long time, with repeated golf swings can also put a ton of pressure on your arches. So you want a sock that will help out there.

Moisture Control: Whether it is hot or cold out, you still want to keep your feet as dry as possible. Modern fabric technology has gotten really good at wicking sweat off of your feet and not soaking up moisture like cotton. A round of golf typically takes around three to five hours, so your socks are going to be on for a long time. Being soaked in sweat for that long can cause a whole bunch of irritating foot issues. So make sure to wear a sock that can deal with sweat properly.

Temperature Regulation: Simply put, you want to keep your feet cool if it is hot out and warm if it is cold out. Picking the correct sock is crucial in temperature regulation. A low ankle sock with light and breathable material is ideal for hot days on the course. When the temperature drops, and especially when the wind picks up, you want a high sock with ample insulation. However, you don’t want just any warm winter sock because your feet can overheat and lock in sweat. Make sure to pick an athletic style winter socks, sometimes labeled for hiking or running. These will provide padding, eliminating chafing spots, and regulate sweat as needed.

How We Selected

For the past year, Men's Health editors and writers, including have been testing the best golf socks money can buy. To narrow down our favorites, we evaluated golf socks on cushioning, breathability, compression, comfort, and price. We then looked into the different cuts of golf socks, as we know we all have our personal preferences. Lastly, we considered golf socks that have garnered long-term praise from the golf community for years.

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