Golf shoes having outsoles with sections of differing hardness

Abstract

Golf shoes having improved outsole constructions are provided. The golf shoes include upper, midsole, and outsole sections. The outsole includes interior (central area) and exterior (perimeter area) traction projections. Materials having different hardness properties are used to construct different sections of the outsole. For example, thermoplastic polyurethanes may be used in the exterior region and rubber materials may be used in the interior region. The outsole has improved stability and flexibility.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf shoe, comprising:
 an upper,   a midsole, and   an outsole, the outsole having forward, mid-foot, and rearward portions, wherein each portion of the outsole includes: i) an interior region having first traction projections, the interior region and first projections being made of a first material; and ii) an exterior region having second traction projections, the exterior region and second projections being made of a second material, wherein the Shore A material hardness of the second material is greater than the Shore A material hardness of the first material.   
     
     
         2 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper is made of leather. 
     
     
         3 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole is made of ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         4 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first material of the outsole is a rubber material selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrenic block copolymer rubbers, polyalkenamers, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is a thermoplastic compound selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, ethylene acid copolymer ionomers, polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyamides, fluoropolymers, polystyrenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polycarbonates, polyethers, and polyimides and copolymers and blends thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The golf shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a rubber material and the second material is a thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         7 . The golf shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the rubber material has a material hardness in the range of about 50 to about 70 Shore A points; and the thermoplastic polyurethane has a material hardness greater than about 70 Shore A points. 
     
     
         8 . The golf shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the hardness of the thermoplastic polyurethane is at least 25% greater than the hardness of the rubber material. 
     
     
         9 . The golf shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the traction projections in the interior region have a first height and the traction elements in the exterior region have a second height, the height of the projection in in the interior region being greater than the height of the projections in the exterior region. 
     
     
         10 . The golf shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the outsole further comprises multiple cleats, each cleat being positioned in a different area of the outsole.