Puma has come a long way in the golf shoe world. Their new Ignite shoe is proof they are on the move forward.

You have to wonder if the person who brought Rickie Fowler and Puma together has a guaranteed lifetime supply of Puma gear. Before Mr. Fowler’s success in Puma gear can you recall anyone walking the fairways in Puma shoes? Let along Shorts, shirts, and flat-brimmed hats? Nope, me either.

You have to take your “P” hat off to Puma and their marketing team. They have jumped on the opportunity and have built up the Puma name to be a serious player. The list of Tour players who are showcasing the jumping feline on their chest is growing. Beyond the PGA your seeing players on the LPGA, Web.com, European and Ladies European Tours, Latin Ameican and Symetra Tours. Also some great ambassadors as well.

The shoes are where it all started and for me seeing a wide variety of styles from Puma has been great.

Puma is not scared to think outside the box or the building for that matter. They have a different look and feel to the golf industry. If you’ve ever attended a PGA Show where Puma has a booth, you know what I mean. They understand the younger generation and how to reach them. The styles they release are fresh, unique and turn some heads. Not always in a positive way but that bound to happen when you’re changing the landscape of an industry. An industry which happens to be founded on old-school money and politics.

Just check out the comments in this Facebook post:

Regardless if you think they look like Orthopedic shoes or silly high tops, the truth is Puma is doing things in the industry that is making people talk. And I like that!

The buzz surrounding the new Puma Ignite shoes was a little hectic.

I had heard some many great things about the Ignite shoes it was hard to believe. I even made a special trip out to our local PGA Superstore. There was a need; I wanted to try them on to see if the buzz was legit. But, it was such a new shoe when I went, they were not stocking them yet.

Next up, I reached out to an Instagram friend Bryan LaRoche (aka @bryangolf) to get his opinion and feedback on the new release. Follow him by the way. He has a great golf Instagram account. After hearing from Bryan, I was 90% convinced the buzz was real. But, it was the endorsement from Randall Smalley (aka @golfasreligion) that was the icing on the cake. Plus, I got to see the shoes in person when we played out at Rio Secco.

More Traction + More Comfort = PWRADAPT

The first time I slipped on the Puma’s the comfort portion of the PWRADAPT was self-evident. Puma did a fantastic job with the overall comfort of the shoe. It didn’t take some break-in period. Immediately after slipping on the shoe, it felt like I had already walked 100 rounds in them. To me, that’s quite an accomplishment for a golf shoe. Up until then the only shoe I’ve experienced instant comfort with has been TRUE Lunkswear.

The IGNITE PWRADAPT gives you the power to adapt. Revolutionary and proprietary PWRADAPT Technology provides more traction and comfort with every move you make. The new full-length IGNITE Foam cushioning platform and PWRADAPT Technology provide responsive comfort and 3-dimensional traction that adapts to the way you move. More Traction + More Comfort = PWRADAPT.

Probably the easiest golf shoe to put on your feet.

The inner sock, that’s what I call it, is very similar to the TRUE Outsider. It seems to me the shoe manufacturers have figured out a good fix. Instead of trying to make the out shell crazy waterproof, they’ve moved to an inner neoprene liner. Doing so allows the style and looks of the shoes to feature some of the brands’ influences still.

I love the laces. It’s crazy how many different varieties of laces there are in the shoe industry. The ones Puma uses in the Ignite shoes have the “spongy” effect to them. When you tie them, they stay tied. For the most part, shoelaces coming untied during a round of golf is rather slim. I don’t recall a pair that I own, of late, that have any issues.

The shoes are a little on the big side. I wear a size 8, and there is plenty of room in the toe area. To my surprise, this didn’t hinder the comfort at all. I was worried about the extra room up front the flex point when you take a step would dig into my foot. The fabric in that area of the shoe is very soft, and there is no stress on your foot at the flex point.

The comfort side is a huge win, let’s look at the traction.

I like to put on new golf shoes and walk around my putting green. It’s designed to have some flex in it while you walk, but it’s still different from the real thing.

What I like about walking around with the stiffer ground is you get to feel where the shoe impacts your feet more. It enhances the stress put on the bottom of the shoe, and you can get a quick grasp of where some discomfort may arise.

Spikeless shoes it serves no purpose, but when I wear spiked shoes on the green, you can get an excellent feel for the makeup of the shoe.

Right away I could tell with the Puma Ignite shoes just how comfortable they were going to be over the long haul. Instant, recognizable comfort I’ve only found in TRUE’s. That was so refreshing. I’ve been told by a few people the spikes are in a spot where they are very evident on the balls of your feet. I’m not sure if it’s my foot size or what, but I haven’t experienced it so far. For me, they have been very comfortable.

On the course, the play was equally as impressive.

There’s not much for me to “test” in the backyard other than walking around comfort. I was eager to get out on the course and see how the traction held up under some stressful situations.

The first round, only a few holes in I was convinced. Puma has found a perfect combination of comfort and traction. There’s no slipping, there’s no discomfort, and when I played out of some very unreasonable lies, the performance was flawless.

That first round and the next few that followed just solidified my findings. The Puma Ignite is the real deal, and all the hype that was surrounding it was justified. But, it wasn’t until late into my last round I played where I was blown away with the shoe.

Oh yeah, let’s not forget, the Puma Ignite is a waterproof shoe.

I was walking over to my approach shot, and with the lake next to where I was I took the Ignites for a dip.

There I was, standing in approximately 2″ of water for about as long as it would take to make a swing on the ball. I’ve always understood “waterproof,” as far as golf shoes go, to mean if you’re playing in the rain the chances of your shoes getting wet is slightly reduced.

I might remove the spikes and wear them to the water park.

Living in the desert and playing 98% of my golf in good conditions I’ve never really needed to have in my shoe wardrobe a waterproof shoe. That wasn’t the reasoning behind wanting the Ignite shoes. I loved the look from the first time I saw them. However, I saw the lake as an opportunity to “expose” a flaw or reveal a feature that you all reading this would find interesting.

As I climbed out of the water and stood on the grass, I kept waiting for the cold temperature of the water to hit my toes. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting. I couldn’t believe what was happening. As I got back to the cart I mentioned to Andrew “Dude, I just stood in 2″ of water, and my socks are dry as could be!”

I seriously doubt I’ll ever need the waterproofing of these shoes; it just doesn’t rain that much out here. It’s good to know that if I’m ever put in a scenario where I’m going to need some waterproof shoes, the Puma Ignites will undoubtedly be on my feet. It was impressive.

These are not your Grandpa’s golf shoes.

You’re never going to confuse the Pumas for some classic Wingtip golf shoes. The new era of golf has been here for a while, and I love what Puma is doing. It a good look, in this bloggers opinion, is an incredibly comfortable shoe.

If you’re in the market for some new shoes this summer, I’d highly recommend the Puma Ignite. They are lightweight. Very comfortable and a solid performer where it counts, on the course. I’ve been beyond impressed with the shoe and plan in them being on my feet for many rounds to come.

As a self-proclaimed “shoe whore” I’m always looking for the next great shoe to come along. I’ve added a bunch to my closet over the last year, and the Ignites are arguably the best ones I’ve worn. That’s tough to say because there are some shoes I like, a lot.

It took playing a few rounds in them, but I’m a Puma convert now.

The Puma Ignite Pwradapt golf shoes retail for $150 and can be purchased directly from the Puma website. They are available in 4 color combinations. Puma White/Gray Violet, Peacoat/Peacoat/Peacoat, Quiet Shade/Quiet Shade, and Puma Black/Puma Black (shown in the photos). There is also a special Aloha Edition too.

Considering all the features you’ll get with the shoe, that’s a great price. I’ll be paying close attention to how well the shoes hold up over the long hot summer here in Vegas. All indications are they’ll do fine. After the golf I’ve played in them already, they look real close to how they did when I opened up the box. The good impressions keep coming! Well done Puma, well done.