You know, that young Scottish songster Paolo Nutini had it right. There is something special about wearing a pair of new shoes.

It could be pouring with rain, you might have shanked every drive and your playing partner might be swelling off in your ear about the schooling he's giving you.

But you can still walk up the 18th with a smile on your face. Why? Because you're wearing your new shoes. You are walking on air. You are invincible.

Imagine that feeling, multiplied by, oooh a birdie. No - an eagle. Now you're somewhere close to what it feels like to play a round in Ecco's Casual GTX shoes.

I'm not kidding; these things look amazing. If the John Travolta of Saturday Night Fever played golf, he'd wear these shoes. A round of golf, followed by a spell wowing the lady members on the dancefloor in the clubhouse.

Not only do they look good, but the Casual GTX are sensuously comfortable shoes, which is a seriously important factor, when you consider that you're walking about five miles over the course of an average round - more if you're zigzagging across the fairway like a frightened rabbit.

Add the high-grade Hydromax leather providing complete and long-lasting weather protection, and you have another mightily impressive shoe from Ecco.

If the Casual GTX is the John Travolta of the Ecco golf shoe stable, then the World Class Saddle GTX is the Frank Sinatra; a shoe that oozes sophistication and class.

Worn by the likes of Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie (and he is surely golf's equivalent of Sinatra...), the World Class range features some dapper croc-print styling in addition to the finest quality leather uppers and absolute waterproofing due to the Gore-Tex membrane.

On the ladies' side, the Danish shoemaker recently released their spring / summer collection, continuing along the principal of one-piece construction to ensure flexibility, lightness and weather resistance.

They look good, too, with slim fits, lizard leathers and some unique colour combinations - which is critical, because, let's face it, there is a little bit of the show-off in all us golfers.

Ecco: www.eccogolf.co.uk, 01865 728728

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport