FootJoy’s 100 year commitment to innovation and excellence | Inside Golf. Australia’s Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers

OF the hundreds of thousands of companies and brands that have been created in the last 100 years, only a small percentage still exist today in any industry or service. 

These brands have endured 20 recessions, one depression, two world wars and now, one global pandemic…among many other cultural, political and financial obstacles.

Even fewer have, not just endured and participated, but have led the way.

In golf, that brand is FootJoy.

While they are the longest running golf brand, FootJoy has not just endured and participated, but have been the leader in golf footwear for 77 years.

Since the first golf shoe count was taken on the PGA Tour in 1945, FJ has been the #1 shoe every single year – for 77 years straight.

Over 8,000 wins worldwide, 1000’s of players – many if not all those known throughout history by first name – have worn FootJoy shoes at one time or another.

FootJoy has led in a very crowded environment, competing against some of the largest athletic brands in the world through a singular commitment to the game of golf, an appetite for taking risks and a relentless pursuit for innovation.

FooyJoy has an incredibly rich history that began in Brockton, Massachusetts (at the time, the shoemaking capital of the world) in 1857 when a young man named Fredrick Packard decided to break away from his father’s boot workshop to chase his own dreams.

Packard had a true entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for innovation, operating one of the first factories to deploy new automated stitching machines, allowing for mass production of shoes while being one of the first to manufacture “Left” and “Right” shoes, sold to General Grant and the Union Army to improve their performance in the Civil War. 

A major turning point for the company came around 1910 when Perley Flint, a young Harvard graduate with a passion for golf, joined Packard. They tinkered with new designs – making shoes lighter weight, working with spikes, and redefining shapes specific for golf.

While the company was thriving in the early 20’s and had a well-established reputation, Field and Flint was struggling with the growing need for eye catching, descriptive names for products. 

In 1923, the Field & Flint Company conducted a naming contest ana a woman in the stitching room submitted a name that took away what was an enormous prize at the time – $50. And FootJoy was born.

The first commercial use of the name came in 1925, when a new line of Burt and Packard Shoes with the “FootJoy Features” was introduced to the market, well received by the trade, then eventually shortened to just FootJoy. The tagline “A Shoe that’s Different” was added and the FootJoy brand was on its way.

Since 1910, FJ has maintained a singular focus on the game of golf, with an unwavering commitment that has resulted in consistent quality, performance, innovation, and widespread adoption across multiple categories. 

FootJoy has enjoyed 75 straight years of leadership success in a crowded category that features deep-pocketed, global athletic brands. 

It is a brand with resolve, focus and success, but also elasticity. Iconic, leadership brands like FootJoy continue to reinvent themselves to remain relevant with their key customers, while also appealing to those who haven’t yet experienced the brand. 

For 100 years, 77 in the golf industry, it has been a singular commitment to innovation and product excellence, leading golf style and love for the game that fuels FootJoy’s determination to earn its #1 position in all categories, every day.

FootJoy through time – Special moments and milestones

• 1857 

Fredrick Packard broke away from his father’s boot workshop to start his own shoe business in Brockton, MA. 

• 1910 

Perley Flint, a Harvard graduate and avid golfer, designs the company’s first golf shoe.

• 1923

A woman in the stitching room comes up with the name ‘FootJoy’.

• 1925

“FootJoy Features” was introduced, eventually shortened to just FootJoy and the tagline “A Shoe that’s Different” added.

• 1927

FootJoy shoes were chosen as the official shoe of the first US Ryder Cup team captained by Walter Hagen.

• 1928 

Johnny Farrell defeated Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff at the U.S. Open for the first Tour victory wearing FootJoy shoes.

• 1945

FootJoy achieved the #1 position on the PGA Tour, a distinction maintained for an unprecedented 77 consecutive years. 

• 1957

Brothers Bill and Dick Tarlow bought the FootJoy brand and consolidated all manufacturing into their large modern factory in Brockton, MA, focusing FootJoy exclusively on golf.

• 1970

 Field & Flint Co officially became known as FootJoy, Inc.

• 1979

FootJoy enters the glove business with the launch of the FJ PowerStrap Golf Glove

• 1981

FootJoy launch the “Sta-Sof” Glove. They also enter the sock business. Golf socks are FootJoy’s third core category.

• 1983
StaSof becomes the #1 glove in golf and on tour. FootJoy continues to dominate the glove category, having sold nearly 300 million gloves to date.

• 1989

DryJoys® golf shoes are introduced, setting the standard for waterproof golf shoe technology. 

• 1996

The “modern” FJ logo is created, symbolizing the separation of the Titleist and FJ brands into individual entities.

• 1997

FootJoy enters the outerwear category with the launch of DryJoys Performance Outerwear. Also become the first golf shoe brand to integrate soft spike technology in their footwear.

• 1999

Launch of Sign Boy marketing campaign – a celebration of FootJoy’s unique brand personality and close relationship with PGA Tour players, while also introducing the waterproof welted golf shoe, Classics Dry® Premiere.

• 2001

Introduction of the Contour Series™ franchise, which at one time accounted for nearly 15% of all golf shoes sold in the United States.

• 2003

Introduction of MyJoys™ custom golf shoes for Men & Women. The first customisable golf shoe.

• 2005

FootJoy is #1 Shoe on Tour for an unprecedented 60th year. 

• 2008

FJ Celebrates 25 Years as the #1 glove in golf. 

• 2009

Introduction of FJ ICON and SYNR-G golf shoes 

• 2010

FootJoy achieves the #1 position in the rain wear category and is recognised as the clear leader in technology and innovation in performance golf outerwear.

• 2012

FootJoy enters the full-line men’s apparel golf market, also signing its first Tour player apparel agreement with Steve Stricker. Contour Casual is also launched and becomes the #1 selling spikeless golf shoe.

• 2014

FootJoy launches D.N.A. – DryJoys Next Advancement – furthering a focus on progressive design, development and innovation.

• 2016

FJ, the #1 women’s shoe and glove announces its plan to expand into women’s performance apparel with the launch of FJ Golfleisure. 

• 2016

Launch of the ProSL, redefining the spikeless shoe category, becoming the #1 shoe on Tour and the most popular shoe in the industry.

• 2018

The brand celebrates 35 years as the #1 Glove in Golf, In apparel, FootJoy achieves #1 position On Course with sales topping 3.5 million units worldwide, while the launch of the FJ 1857 line of shoes pays homage to FJ history and golf heritage

• 2019

FJ introduces the innovative FJ Flex category, with the Flex continuing to be one of the best-selling franchises in golf. 

• 2020

FJ launches the HydroSeries™ line of rain gear featuring multiple rain jacket options, including HydroTour™, HydroKnit™ and HydroLite™ constructed from materials that deliver 100% waterproof, breathable protection.

• 2021

Introduction of a new flagship footwear category, Premiere Series Collection, the #1 shoe on the PGA Tour worn by Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Will Zalatoris, Adam Scott and many more.