You know that feeling when everything just clicks?
We’ve all experienced it in one way or another. Maybe it was the first time you learned to ride a bike. Or perhaps it happened when you finally nailed every note of that piano solo you’d been practicing. Surely, the first time you made solid contact with a driver, you felt a little serendipitous.
That’s how I felt when I first stepped into the Eighty-Seven SC, Jason Day’s new signature golf shoe with PAYNTR. I’ve worn hundreds of golf shoes and very rarely (if ever) have I had the same kind of initial reaction.
To quote Goldilocks: “Everything was “just right!”
Luckily for PAYNTR, Day felt the same way the first time he tried on a pair of PAYNTR shoes.
In order to fully understand and appreciate the beast of a shoe that is the Eighty-Seven SC, you first need to understand how the former World No. 1 hooked up with the Portland-based performance shoe brand.
The story is not dissimilar to how PAYNTR managed to explode onto the scene with a flurry of commendable Most Wanted finishes. No one saw it coming (well, no one except for the brains behind PAYNTR Golf: Mike Forsey and Mike Glancy).
PAYNTR knew if they could get Day to try their stuff, that he’d fall in love. It started with a 40-minute meeting that spiraled into an hour-and-40 minute meeting. Then, a pair of PAYNTR insoles in Day’s “other” golf shoes.
Finally, on recommendation of fellow international golfer Denny Mccarthy, Day took the PAYNTR plunge. The rest, as they say, is history.
For months, PAYNTR and Day have worked to design a golf shoe with modern performance and traditional appeal. They’ve kept the design under wraps (except for the occasional teaser at big events).
The gold standard in golf footwear has arrived and it’s called the Eighty-Seven SC.
Behind the design
I was surprised to learn that the Eighty-Seven SC, while technically a Jason Day signature shoe, does not bear the Day name nor signature. Most signature shoes (think LeBron, Tiger or even Spieth) feature the athlete’s logo and/or signature.
But Day is different (and so is PAYNTR). The Eighty-Seven SC doesn’t need Day’s name … PAYNTR wants the performance to do the talking. So does Day. This isn’t about fueling egos or taking credit. It’s about putting out a product that golfers will gravitate towards and resonate with.
That doesn’t mean the shoe isn’t full of references to Day. “Eight-Seven” refers to Day’s birth year. You’ll find various Easter eggs throughout the shoe, including Roman numerals printed on the signature PAYNTR propulsion plate that make references to this number.
It’s still a Jason Day shoe, even without his name plastered all over. That much is evident when you understand how involved Day has been from the jump.
For a lot of athletes, signing off on a signature shoe is just that. The design is pretty much done and complete and all they do is give a nod of approval. Not PAYNTR, not Day. When PAYNTR approached Day about a signature shoe, they worked hand in hand (often communicating daily) to build the shoe from the ground up.
And that’s exactly what the tandem did. Seemingly every tournament during the 2023-2024 season, Day wore a different iteration of the shoe. Often not noticeable to the naked eye, each pair featured slight tweaks or changes to the design as the two worked together to create a golf shoe both could be proud of.
The gold standard
Gold is Day’s favorite color. It’s also PAYNTR’s color of choice for their logo on the Eighty-Seven SC. Why? Because every design choice was made with performance in mind. No corners cut, no shortcuts taken.
This is clear when looking at the Eight-Seven SC. The premium Clarino upper and laser-etched perf details are evidence of that. But small design details, like using PAYNTR’s signature PMX Nitro+ Foam on the midsole and the foot bed, really make it clear that PAYNTR is serious about performance.
How many golf shoes have a paper-thin, cheap foam footbed or insole? PAYNTR easily could have done the same. Instead, they used their flagship foam to elevate their foot bed because that’s what a company whose sole mission is performance would do.
PAYNTR spent a countless amount of time and money finding the exact right angle to bend their signature Carbitex GearFlex Propulsion Plate to. It would have been cheaper and easier to leave it flat but it had to be bent in order to achieve the propulsion and energy return PAYNTR was after.
No stone was left unturned during the design and execution of the Eighty-Seven SC. Don’t believe me? Just put on a pair. It’s easy to see why Day was so impressed from the jump.
When you’ve worn bad golf shoes, the good ones stand out even more.
Tech story
If you’ve made it this far, congrats. Here’s where the real nerdy shoe stuff begins. If you don’t care about a deep dive on PAYNTR’s shoe tech, keep scrolling. For the five of you who, like me, can’t get enough, here’s what you need to know about the tech that makes up the Eighty-Seven SC.
Propulsion plate
PAYNTR’s bread and butter is creating more power via a propulsion plate. In this case, the propulsion comes by way of a Carbitex GearFlex plate. This carbon fiber plate flexes in one direction for explosive energy return but stays rigid in the other to provide stability.
This isn’t dissimilar to what we’ve seen in the super shoes worn by the world’s best marathon runners. If it’s good enough for the best athletes in the world, surely a propulsion plate can provide some performance benefit to the golfer.
Speaking of super shoes, let’s talk about cushion.
Know your gases
There’s been a trend among running shoes to use nitrogen-infused foams. This promotes energy return and excellent comfort. PAYNTR is one of the few brands that uses a similar approach to cushion for golf shoes. The Eighty-Seven SC features PMX Nitro+ foam which is both remarkably plush without feeling unstable.
Nitrogen makes your typical foam lighter and more responsive. Would it have been easier to use a typical EVA and forget about the nitrogen? Probably. But your typical EVA doesn’t feel this dang good.
Traction in 3D
For years, PAYNTR has had a monopoly on the traction game. Their shoes are perennial top performers in this category during Most Wanted testing for a reason. PAYNTR thinks of traction in three dimensions: rotational, vertical, horizontal.
PAYNTR doesn’t just rely on spikes to get the job done. Their traction pattern is well thought out. It works in tandem with the spikes to keep you grounded at all times.
The total package
If I had to sum up the PAYNTR Eighty-Seven SC? It’s the total package. There’s not one detail, design element or performance attribute that PAYNTR didn’t think of. In my estimation, it has the potential to be a perennial winner for years to come (we’ll see about that).
In the meantime, you can catch the Eighty-Seven SC on the feet of Jason Day at golf’s biggest venues …. and in my ever-changing golf shoe rotation.
If you’re interested in picking up a pair, you can do so starting today at PAYNTR. The Eighty-Seven SC will come in white (for now) and retails for $220.
