Cuater by TravisMathew’s journey into the golf shoe space was worth the wait

May 1, 2020

The newest golf shoes from Cuater by TravisMathew, from left: The Wildcard, The Ringer, The Moneymaker and The Legend.

Jeffrey Westbrook

Cuater by TravisMathew is officially in the golf shoe business. And no, it certainly didn’t happen overnight. The accessories brand agreed to a licensing deal with TravisMathew in 2017, and now it pumps out stylish lifestyle performance goodies perfect for both on and off the golf course, things like golf shoes, casual kicks, belts, socks, hats, gloves and more.

Cuater hit the wholesale market in March, so its four golf models are readily available. But this was no small project. According to TravisMathew president Ryan Ellis, the focus was to create something comfortable, technical and clean. They brought in an expert from a prominent footwear company to help with the project and set a goal to complete the shoes in 18 months — six months for R&D, design and merchandising, six months of prototypes and sampling and, finally, four to six months of production lead times. Due to the meticulous nature of the project — and a staff obsessed with getting it right — the entire process took about two years.

“We had one simple goal,” Ellis says. “Create an amazing golf shoe with incredible comfort, performance and durability.”

Mission accomplished. Two of our favorites are The Moneymaker and The Ringer. The Moneymaker, the brand’s top seller, has a sporty aesthetic, is comfortable and sells for a reasonable price, and The Ringer is sleek and boasts SweetSpot technology and a lightweight midsole performance foam that’s like walking on clouds. All four golf shoes are big on functionality and look fresh to boot. We call that a win-win.