Jordan Spieth’s fourth signature shoe with Under Armour is now available. The Spieth 4 GTX includes some slight cosmetic changes, but the company is boasting upgrades in traction, stability and durability.
“I had a lot of input into improving this shoe,” Spieth said at a launch event earlier this year. “We wanted to take the last shoe and make it a little bit lighter, a little more comfortable … how can we make it more durable, more waterproof?”
The most noteworthy upgrade to the Under Armour Spieth 4 GTX is the addition of Gore-Tex fibers to make it 100 percent waterproof. Though these fibers get the most attention for keeping groundwater, rain and debris out, they’re also designed to release perspiration to keep the foot cool.
“The No. 1 goal [with evaluating apparel] is to have zero distractions,” Spieth said. “[With the wrong shoe] I’d be less inclined to feel a nice fluid swing with that big weight transfer. I would feel uneasy.”
Leaning on insights from Spieth and European Tour Performance Institute biomechanics expert J.J. Rivet, Under Armour analyzed data on traction and its relationship with torque and rotation in the golf swing to develop a patent-pending traction technology called Signature Rotational Resistance Traction. Typically during a golf swing, the forefoot rotates laterally and the heel rotates in the opposite medial direction; this shoe creates traction through resistance vertically and horizontally to account for that varied foot rotation in the golf swing. With proper traction, the foot is able to rotate securely and better leverage ground contact for better control and minimal power loss.
The microfiber upper and EVA footbed is ultra-comfortable and lightweight. The shoe is an ounce lighter than the previous iteration. For extra stability the quarter and tongue lining are made from a 3D-molding process.
Spieth signed with Under Armour in 2013, the year he turned pro. The first Spieth golf shoe came out in 2017 with a new version every year since. The Spieth 4 retails for $200.
