For FootJoy, HyperFlex isn’t just a successful line of shoes, it’s a sign of where modern golf footwear is heading. A trend in athletic silhouettes is setting in and the HyperFlex checks all the boxes of a true FootJoy design with both function and fashion.

“We want to ensure that we’re providing the people that want that specific styling to have a pinnacle expression, which is our HyperFlex in that athletic silo,” FootJoy product manager Dan Buonomo said. “We’ll always continue to lean on our classic heritage, but as we continue to focus on the athletic silo, we want to ensure that we’re providing them with that comfort, that performance that they’re always look for that FootJoy is known for.”

The FootJoy research and development team took in Tour feedback on how to improve this newest version of the HyperFlex and made some impressive updates that will maximize comfort and function for even elite players with high swing speeds.

The shoe will have the Optiflex traction design with updates from the innovation team on angles of traction and where the traction elements need to be placed. It will also now feature a full STRATOFOAM midsole, which is a proprietary cushion system for shock absorption and return energy.

FootJoy is also switching from a bootie upper to what the company calls the True Fit System. The engineers created an internal bootie system by combining the heel collar lining to the tongue lining, which gives the comfort of the previous model with a traditional lacing system.

“We essentially combined the heel collar lining to the tongue lining to create an internal bootie system,” Buonomo said. “So, you still have the comfort versatility that a traditional lacing system would provide, but then you still have that True Fit System in here that gives you the benefits that a bootie construction typically would have.”

FootJot took in feedback from past iterations and found that the bootie system was polarizing to some consumers and that the traditional lacing combined with True Fit would be the best of both worlds.

FootJoy knows that HyperFlex is already a popular shoe, the designers didn’t want to stray too far from what it offered while also making those important updates. Another one of those updates is what FootJoy is calling control net, which means there will be no exposed mesh throughout the entire shoe.

“The overall cleanability of the shoe. Some consumers were getting some dirt maybe on the collar area or the tongue,” Buonomo said. “This season, we went with the fully coated version. So, not only do you still get the benefits of the engineered knit underneath, but then you get the breathability, comfort and support and cleanability over the top of the entire shoe.”

With those updates, FootJoy has seen an increase in interest from Tour players who are looking for the comfort of an athletic shoe, but the durability and tour level performance of a traditional golf shoe.

Tour pros have given feedback to the FootJoy team that there is an uptick in comfort without sacrificing anything in performance.

“I think it’s style, look, comfort and performance,” Buonomo said. “So, people that you would typically only envision being in a Premiere Series shoe are heavily interested in what we have coming for HyperFlex. The comfort factors in, but the performance hints at the great innovative technology we have, as well.”

To ensure there is no drop off in performance, each shoe goes through a meticulous testing process that includes flex testing, mid-foot twisting and traction testing on three different types of grass.

The researchers test every shoe, stretching them in different directions on each type of grass and what FootJoy found was that the newest iteration of the HyperFlex has out-tested past models.

As golfers continue to view themselves as athletes and look for comfort combined with function, FootJoy is putting its best foot forward with the all new HyperFlex.

“We want to provide that golfer that wants that athletic look and feel, but wants the high level, Tour level golf performance that not a lot of brands in the industry can do,” Buonomo said. “We can.”