PAYNTR Eighty Seven SC—Performance (and Comfort) Multiplied

Playing Through: PAYNTR is one of the newest brands to break into golf footwear, and it could be said that 2025 was their year—several new models plus a brand partnership with Jason Day. That’s because while other up & coming brands try to do something different, PAYNTR has taken (in my opinion) a different approach: just do “performance” footwear, but better. The Eighty Seven SC is just proof that PAYNTR has its eyes locked in on that target.

You may have noticed in recent years that golf footwear has become a style piece, with many shoes being branded as options that can be worn on and off the course. The problem, however, is that when you want to increase your range, you frequently need to sacrifice your focus.

And that’s what PAYNTR, founded in 2020, sought to remedy. Rather than following the trends, there was an overlooked opportunity: golf shoes that prioritized on-course performance.

“Performance Multiplied” is PAYNTR’s Guiding Principle
and They Deliver On It

It should come as no surprise, then, that the brand was founded on the tagline “Performance Multiplied.”

However, the catchy tagline isn’t something concocted by a marketing team. The PAYNTR team, instead, was guided by someone who had a wealth of experience: Mike Forsey, who had spent 30 years with various athletic industry brands, including Reebok and Under Armour, saw that the real key to building a high-performance golf shoe was developing something that would allow explosive energy transfer, ample traction, and a lightweight construction.

In 2020, the 001 debuted; it is PAYNTR’s original golf release, showing the company meant business from the start. The spikeless design was praised for delivering on the characteristics that Forsey identified.

But it’s one of PAYNTR’s most recent offerings that may also be its most important: the Eighty Seven SC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jason Day (@jasondayofficial)

Developed with the help of brand partner Jason Day, the Eighty Seven SC was a hit before it even hit the golf course. You see, the initial batch sold out in 90 minutes… And let’s keep in mind that we’re not talking about concert tickets for a farewell tour.

And the reason why its been a success is that the Eighty Seven SC truly is a sum of its parts—a CLARINO microfiber upper is waterproof, in addition to being lightweight with some flexibility; the PMXNitro+ and CARBITEX footbed and sole, respectively, provide comfort, but also a responsive base that allows you push off with force; and spiked TPU outsole means there’s plenty of traction so you don’t lose that power when you’re hitting from a tee box, wet rough or a fairway bunker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After walking and riding numerous rounds in a range of conditions, from pouring rain during early spring to blistering hot, humid summer days, I can confidently say that PAYNTR is a footwear brand that should always be on your short list.

The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Eighty Seven SC was the quality. While many young brands compromise on materials to keep costs low and attract customers, PAYNTR went in the opposite direction and committed to using top-tier materials to release a true, “premium” shoe. Indeed, the quality—from the raw materials to their assembly—surpasses what I’ve seen from some competitors; excess glue hasn’t leaked out from where the mid and outsoles are connected, the steel eyelets ensure that regardless of how tight you like your laces, they won’t tear, stretch, or rip.

But, with footwear, believing takes more than just seeing, and slipping your foot into the Eighty Seven SC is equally impressive. As soon as your foot sits into the PMXNitro+ footbed, you notice that it’s comfortably secured in place by the ARIAPRENE tongue and booty—think the “sock” built into the shoe.

Look Good, Feel Good, Perform Better
the Eighty Seven SC Check All the Boxes

But feeling good, remember, is just a part of the performance puzzle. The next ingredient in Forsey’s recipe was a lightweight construction. At just under a pound per shoe, the Eighty Seven SC is one of the lightest golf shoes that I’ve ever worn by a considerable margin. That means while walking lengthy, hilly courses like Bethpage Black, you aren’t burnt out from moving excess weight every step of the way. Instead, you stay fresh through the round and with feet that feel fresh. Combine the lightweight design with the fact that the Eighty Seven SCs also breathe, and a case can be made that these are the “every” condition shoe—dry, hot, humid, rain, whatever mother nature can throw at them, they’re ready.

Finally, there’s traction and performance, and this is where the Eighty Seven SC truly shines. Whether it’s a perfectly manicured tee box, a wet, sidehill lie, or one of those bunker shots that makes you think it’s time to pick up yoga, the Eighty Seven SC provides tons of confidence-inspiring traction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On this front, I truly believe that CARBITEX is an essential element in the Payntr secret sauce. Much like the Trainer X 001s, which have become my go-to workout shoe, the CARBITEX sole and propulsion plate help rebound energy back into your swing. The only way to explain it is that while you shift weight and pressure in your backswing, the CARBITEX sole helps return it as you initiate the downswing, i.e., where you want (and need) the power most.

And while everybody has some variation of this rebounding technology, the proof is really in the Payntr pudding: during a recent round, I faced a nightmare lie—my third shot into a par-5 from a fairway bunker approximately 160 yards out. The distance, remarkably, wasn’t the biggest problem; it was the lie: my front foot on the bunker’s grass lip, back foot in the sand, and the ball sitting on some side-sloped grass. But with the Eighty Seven SC’s spiked, TPU outsole, I was able to get a secure footing, and thanks to the CARBITEX, what energy I could put into my swing was returned and helped me execute the shot (and escape with a 2-putt par).

The only thing I was thrown off by was the Eighty Seven SC’s sizing. It seems that in the effort of developing a more comfortable shoe, PAYNTR went to a slightly wider design so your foot could sit naturally inside the midsole, and, as a result, the Eighty Seven SC seems to leave a little more room than other shoes in the same size, including the Trainer X 001’s that I do every workout in. Scrolling through PAYNTR’s reviews, however, suggests that this isn’t an uncommon situation, as others have found that a 1/2 size smaller is the way to go.

While I went with the same size as my PAYNTR Trainers,
the Eighty Seven SC had a Little More Space in the Toe & Heel Sections

This is to say that next time, I would consider exploring a 1/2 size smaller to ensure my foot doesn’t slide and slip when making those explosive swings on the course. Fortunately, PAYNTR’s offerings are now available at big box stores like PGA TOUR Superstore and Golf Galaxy, so there’s a simple solution to confirm you’re in the right size.

PAYNTR is a brand that’s on the rise; their mission focus and commitment to “Performance Multiplied” has helped them turn out a number of great performing golf shoes, and I am confident after playing the Eighty Seven SCs this year that this is a great preview of what’s to come from what is, arguably, the one of golf’s top footwear brands.