Does Under Armour’s new flagship golf shoe make them real players in the game?

Under Armour recently announced its new flagship golf shoe, the Drive Pro.

The shoemakers at Under Armour are out to blend style and comfort with performance and have made some pretty big claims.

While you have to apply a certain amount of reason to any statement like ‘these shoes will have you driving like a pro’, Under Armour seem to be making the right moves in a growing market.

Golf continues to attract new players across a broad spectrum and many of them have a taste level when it comes to athletic wear that is slightly removed from traditional golf shoes.

Under Armour are out to corner the market for a high-performance golf shoe with a modern athletic look.

“Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed massive growth in more casual golf shoes that offer great versatility & style, which has undoubtedly been a positive trend for the sport” Jake Haley, Senior Product Line Manager for Golf Footwear at Under Armour told equipment experts MyGolfSpy.

“However, for the golfer that’s longing for every possible solution to increase yardage and tighten dispersion (and spending north of $600 on drivers in the process), they need to be investing in the piece of equipment they use on every single shot – their shoe!”

One of the new technologies on the shoe is the S3 Swing support System which they have developed alongside Jordan Spieth.

This promises biomechanical guidance for the foot through your golf swing.

“The Swing Support System (S3) is the differentiator,” said Haley. “Created in partnership with Jordan Spieth and leading golf biomechanist, JJ Rivet, the Swing Support System is a revolutionary 3-layer structure that guides the natural movements of the foot in the golf swing.”

There are encouraging signs that Under Armour can actually deliver on a promise of more speed, better dispersion or more distance for players across multiple skill levels.

Under Armour made a real statement by turning up at the PGA Show Demo Day, where they put Drive Pro to the test with real golfers and were the only major shoe brand with a significant presence at the event.

“We even put our neck on the line at PGA Show Demo Day, where we were the only footwear brand present, and the 55 Demo Day testers added an average of 11 yards, 3.9mph club speed, and 4.5mph ball speed versus their current shoes. Truly embodying UA’s brand mission – to make athletes better.” Haley said.

“We hope that our obsession over every single aspect of the shoe is felt by the golfer when they put on the Drive Pro or Drive Pro Spikeless,” Haley concluded.

The recommended retail price for the Drive Pro shoe is $170 while the Drive Pro SL goes for $150.

Does Under Armour’s new flagship golf shoe make them real players in the game? Golf365.