I am a massive Akshay Bhatia fan, so TravisMathew had my attention before I opened the Modern Tour box. There is no attempt at neutrality on that point. A new golf shoe carrying Bhatia’s fingerprints was always going to get a longer look from me.
By the time TravisMathew announced the Modern Tour on Sept. 8, the shoe already had months of PGA Tour use behind it. Bhatia, a three-time Tour winner, had helped test and refine the model while wearing it in competition during the 2026 season. The company also made custom designs for him at the Masters and U.S. Open.
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The Modern Tour had been hiding in plain sight on Bhatia’s feet. Until Sept. 8, golfers watching him had no name to attach to it and no pair to order. TravisMathew’s “mystery shoe” was finally a retail product.
The white TravisMathew Modern Tour features a clean one-piece vamp, restrained branding and a traditional golf-shoe profile. Photo by Brendon Elliott.Photo by Brendon Elliott.
DEVELOPED WITH AKSHAY BHATIA
A Tour Shoe, Layer by Layer
The Modern Tour keeps the visual profile clean while placing its performance technology underfoot.
01
THE UPPER
Synthetic leather and a one-piece vamp
TravisMathew says the construction is designed to breathe during hot rounds, help keep feet dry in wet conditions and make post-round cleanup easier.
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02
UNDERFOOT
NuRise Tech Insole and NuAge Foam
The insole and foam midsole are designed to provide support, cushioning and rebound throughout a full round.
03
GROUND CONNECTION
TPU outsole and nine replaceable soft spikes
A pressure-point-tested outsole and nine-spike layout are intended to improve grip, stability and contact with the ground through the swing.
WHAT THE SPEC SHEET CANNOT SETTLE
Heel hold, toe-room comfort, late-round cushioning and wet-course traction still need to be judged during an 18-hole test.
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What Akshay Bhatia Actually Contributed
The release is specific about Bhatia’s involvement. He worked with the footwear team, tested the Modern Tour, offered refinements and then trusted it during PGA Tour rounds. His name helps sell the shoe, certainly. His competition history in it is the part I find useful when judging the partnership.
The custom Masters and U.S. Open pairs were fun to spot, especially for a fan paying attention to what Bhatia was wearing. I place more value on the ordinary tournament weeks. A special design can own a few television close-ups. Months in the regular shoe say more about whether the player wanted to keep using it.
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“The team and I worked closely throughout the entire process, testing and refining each detail,” Bhatia said in the announcement. He described comfort and performance as the priorities and said he had enjoyed wearing the Modern Tour throughout the season.
I was excited about the release because I am such a big Bhatia fan, full stop. He is the reason I wanted to know what had been under his feet. The shoe kept me interested once I could turn it over and see what TravisMathew had built.
Nine Spikes Make the Performance Priority Obvious
A top-and-sole view of the TravisMathew Modern Tour highlights its clean white upper and nine replaceable soft spikes. Photo by Brendon Elliott.
The top view is deliberately quiet. The white pair supplied for this first look has a clean toe, a one-piece vamp and restrained branding. It resembles the sort of traditional golf shoe that can sit comfortably beneath tournament clothes without becoming the loudest part of the outfit.
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Flip it over and the personality changes. Nine black, replaceable soft spikes sit across a pressure-point-tested TPU outsole. TravisMathew says their placement is intended to provide grip, stability and control as course conditions change.
That choice matters to me more than a lifestyle photograph. A golf shoe has work to do while the player pushes into the ground, turns and then tries to finish in balance. There are also damp mornings, sloped lies and the occasional awkward stance well outside a level tee box. Nine visible spikes tell the buyer exactly where this model has placed its bet.
I like that the nine spikes can be replaced. Once the originals lose their bite, the golfer can swap them out and keep the shoes in play. TravisMathew does not identify the cleat system in the release, so I would check that before buying replacements.
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The Clean Upper Will Have to Earn Its Keep
White golf shoes look terrific in a box. Golf courses are less considerate. Wet clippings gather around the sole, bunker sand finds seams and the walk from the parking lot can leave a mark before the first tee.
TravisMathew uses a synthetic leather upper that it says helps keep feet dry in wet conditions. The one-piece vamp is also meant to simplify cleaning. On the pair in hand, fewer interruptions across the toe give the shoe the clean appearance promised by the packaging and eliminate some of the visual clutter that can make a technical shoe look busy.
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Inside, the company pairs its NuRise Tech Insole with NuAge Foam cushioning. TravisMathew describes the combination as supportive and responsive from the opening tee shot through the final green. Those are the claims that require miles, not photographs. Cushioning can feel wonderful while standing indoors and change considerably by the back nine. Heel security, toe room and how the upper flexes also need an actual round.
A First Look, With the Real Test Still Ahead
The TravisMathew Modern Tour arrives in a black presentation box finished with the brand’s raised logo. Photo by Brendon Elliott.
The Modern Tour makes a convincing first impression because its design is easy to understand. It is a clean, traditional-looking shoe up top and an unapologetically spiked golf shoe underneath. The product card in the box calls that combination, “Classic Look. Next-Gen Performance.” The first half is visible immediately. The second half has to be played in.
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I still have to answer the ordinary questions that decide whether a golf shoe stays in my rotation. Does my heel move? Does the toe box begin to feel crowded several miles into a round? Is the foam still comfortable coming home? Bhatia’s role makes me more interested in trying the Modern Tour, but only my own walk can answer any of that.
NOW AVAILABLE
Shop the TravisMathew Modern Tour
Developed with PGA Tour winner Akshay Bhatia, the Modern Tour combines a traditional white upper with a fully spiked performance platform.
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CURRENT PRICE
$219.95
COLOR
Sleet
LISTED SIZES
8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12 and 13
TRACTION
Nine soft spikes
SHOP THE MODERN TOUR AT TRAVISMATHEW →
Price and availability checked Sept. 10, 2026. Retail details and inventory may change.
TravisMathew says the Modern Tour is available through its website and select retail locations. The announcement did not include a price, size range, width options, official color names or a waterproof warranty, so shoppers should verify those details before ordering.
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Being an Akshay fan made this a release I wanted to see. Opening the box added a second reason: TravisMathew had built a serious nine-spike outsole beneath that quiet white upper. I am excited to wear the Modern Tour. Whether it becomes a favorite will be decided during the walk, not while it is still clean enough for photographs.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on RG.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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