It seemed like Justin Rose would have a challenging approach shot into the first playoff hole at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. His tee shot just barely cleared the water left of the fairway, and his ball was sitting precariously above the penalty area line, leaving him little room to stand.
But from 100 yards, Rose stood in and hit a fantastic shot to just 13 feet, turning through onto his left side and holding for a beat before quickly moving his balance right and onto more stable ground.
Rose made par on the first playoff hole and ultimately won with a birdie against J.J. Spaun on their third extra trip to 18 for his 12th PGA Tour title. And the footwear that kept him stable on the first playoff hole was a big reason why.
Rose’s golf shoe of choice is the Payntr Golf X Tour Proto RS, one of a number of sporty and tech-infused designs from Payntr, a footwear company that launched its first pair of shoes in 2021 and is currently the fastest-growing footwear brand in North America.
Why more top pros are wearing this innovative golf shoe — by choice
By:
Jessica Marksbury
Perhaps you’re familiar with the brand through their partnership with former World No. 1 Jason Day, who has a signature shoe with the brand, but many other pros, like Rose, wear the shoes by choice and without any sponsorship agreement.
Rose’s victory in Memphis marks the brand’s first PGA Tour win.
The brand first launched with spikeless options but has since grown to offer both spiked and spikeless shoes. Rose’s X Tour Proto RSs were the fourth spiked option released by the company and have been praised for blending style, comfort and traction.
Many of Payntr’s designs focus on harnessing ground force reactions in the golf swing to help you play your best. To accomplish that, each Payntr shoe sports a propulsion plate underneath the insole.
“Every one of our shoes is based the on-course needs of the golfer and the biomechanics of the golf swing,” Payntr co-founder and president Mike Forsey told GOLF’s Jessica Marksbury in May. “What happens during the golf swing is your feet want to twist out from under you, or rotate. You need horizontal support, and the thing that really sets us apart is this vertical push, pushing into the ground and getting that energy return and responsiveness the golfer can bring to the golf swing.”
Rose’s X Tour Proto RSs, as well as a host of other Payntr options, are available now on Fairway Jockey, so order a pair today to try them for yourself.
PAYNTR X Tour Proto RS (Men’s)
Full Grain Leather upper
ARIAPRENE ® tongue
WATERPROOF+ breathable membrane
NEVERWET™️ superhyrdrophobic treatment
Ventilated TPU Outsole
Tour Flex Pro replacement spike
Graphite power plate
Dual Density PMX Foam™️ Midsole
PMXNitro+ Footbed
View Product
Want to overhaul your bag for 2025? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
