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Would you ever wear sandals on the golf course?

It’s a philosophical question that comes with a stigma that Mark Medley is trying to change. Medley, who founded ZORIZ golf sandals eight years ago, has heard the naysayers and read the comments on social media about golf flip-flops.

“They’re downright mean, and these people haven’t even tried them on,” he said.

For some golfers, especially men, wearing flip-flop sandals to play golf is a bridge too far. As someone who has walked 18 holes in Reef flip-flops, I am not opposed to the concept. In fact, I believe there’s a time and place where playing in sandals is actually the best way to enjoy golf.

Medley recently spent a year redesigning his Zoomy golf sandals to make them the most comfortable, durable golf sandal on the market. He has a patent to protect their design, which was created to handle the torque of the golf swing. The Tornado spikes on the bottom can be removed for use after the round. “We went completely back to the drawing board,” he said. “We made them a lot softer. They are very comfortable … They look like a flip-flop, but they’re actually a high-caliber tennis shoe.”

It’s logical that golfers in warm-weather climates like Arizona, Florida and Hawaii might invest in golf sandals, but Medley believes they should be a part of every player’s wardrobe. Women love them because they’re fashionable. “I know women who want every color we make to match their outfits,” he said. “Women love it because there is no ankle tan line. They can wear their heels at night.”

It’s a harder sell to convince men that wearing sandals won’t affect their performance. Medley recently had a golf pro friend who wouldn’t wear them finally try them on league night. He still shot even par.

“It is really hard to break that male ego,” admitted Medley, who says he wears sandals for 95 percent of his rounds. “You have a lot of guys who are bogey golfers at best, but think they are scratch, and they try to dress like it.

“The thing is you can pair these with a nice polo, shorts and hat and look good. Just because they are sandals doesn’t mean you have to wear cut-off jeans and a tank top.”

To me, there are simple dos and don’ts about wearing golf sandals on the course:
* Do wear them in summer when it’s super hot. You’ll stay cool and won’t suffer through sweaty, wet socks.
* Don’t wear them to an important round of golf, whether it’s for business, a tournament or an invitation to someone else’s private country club.
* Do wear them on winter golf vacations in places like Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, California, etc.
* Don’t wear them while walking 18 holes.
* Do wear them while playing a casual round in a cart or walking a short course.
* Don’t be embarrassed about wearing them. Your playing partners will be curious (or jealous!) and ask plenty of questions about cost and comfort.
* Do ask your home club if they’re permitted before buying.

If you follow these simple suggestions, no one will shame you for wearing golf sandals. As the game shifts toward more casual attitudes regarding fashion and music on the course, you could be among the first adopters of a growing, new trend.

“I can see such a difference from now to eight years ago,” Medley said in addressing the push toward more casual dress codes. “In that time span, you have Rickie Fowler wearing a Hawaiian shirt on Tour and practice rounds wearing shorts and LIV Golf. You see Air Jordans on the course, something you would never see. We are here at the right time. We are not trying to disrupt or be disrespectful. We are trying to bring joy to golfers.”