Just as I hailed Fred Couples last week for being the embodiment of classic golf style, he shows up at the Masters in some tragically hip kicks.

Golf knows no age, 50-year-old icons can pal around with the most-skilled thirty somethings on the course and even give them a run for their money. Fred Couples proved that this past weekend with a stellar performance at the Masters. Granted, Couples walked off No.18 seven strokes shy of eventual champion Phil Mickelson, but he did remain in contention all four rounds and receive tons of TV airtime.

I think most will agree that the camera loves Fred Couples—from his smooth swing to his signature preppy attire—I, like many other fans, have enjoyed watching Couples ring in his fifties looking handsome as ever and playing even better. Unfortunately, Couples is not immune to a fashion faux pas (gasp). While age knows no boundaries in terms of golf play, it certainly does in terms of golf apparel.

Exhibit A: Ecco’s Golf Street Shoes.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think this is one of the most fabulous-looking golf shoes to hit the scene in a while. The array of colors is funky and certainly adds a little some’in some’in to a bland golf wardrobe. With hues like Cactus Green, Fanta Orange, Chili Red and Silver, Ecco’s Golf Street Shoes, which are made to go from the street to the course to the town, are truly versatile. And while Couples wore them well, there was something about his look that just didn’t jive. Perhaps the shoes didn’t really match all that well with his ensemble or I’m just not used to Couples sporting trendier designs. I’d rather see the shoes on a Rickie Fowler or Anthony Kim type. Not to say that mature gentlemen can’t work the look, rather the shoes require an element of funkiness throughout one’s wardrobe, not as the sole statement piece themselves.

What the shoes do epitomize is golf’s movement toward multipurpose equipment. Just like hybrid clubs that combine the best aspects of woods and irons, Ecco’s Golf Street Shoes combine fashion and wear-ability off the course with functionality on the course. You may be wondering how the shoes could perform on the course without cleats? The Answer: Ecco’s engineers have crafted an outsole with approximately 100 molded traction bars that provide more than 800 angles of traction. So players can swing freely without worrying about swinging out of their shoes. Before you slip on a pair, make sure your game can hold up to the attention and swagger these kicks will bring you on the course.

To Learn More

Ecco Golf, www.ecco.com.