Golf Spikes: The Unique Tech You Need to Know

The new Under Armour Golf Drive Pro Clone golf spikes impressed me right out of the box. Why?

It’s probably the best-looking shoe they’ve had in the past several years, it was comfortable enough to walk in (even brand new) and they’ve got one very unique advantage: a directional spike. I took the shoes out for their maiden voyage “straight from the wrapper” and have worn them a few more times since. Here are my initial impressions.

Comfort out of the box

Something I absolutely do not recommend for any golfer is taking a new pair of golf shoes out of the box and wearing them out on the course, especially if you’re going to be walking. Use the range to warm up the shoes, go to the simulators and break them in, do something to not subject yourself to a brand new shoe on the golf course. That said… I took these shoes out of the box and walked 18 holes of golf with them. It was a great test because it was an oddly nice day in February, which means there was still a little bit of snow on the ground here outside of Chicago along with water and mud in areas, so having a nice pair of spikes is mandatory.

I was impressed by the comfort of the new Drive Pro Clones. I haven’t had much success with Under Armour shoes in the past, but these flipped the script. The HOVR Foam and their Charged Cushioning provide lots of comfort in the heel specifically, and it gives a little pep in your step too. The foot gets locked in with the new Adaptive UA Clone upper and it ends up molding to your foot for what feels like a customized fit.

A big issue of comfort for me on golf shoes is always the heel section. If it gets too rigid it rubs the heel and creates a blister, and if it’s not supported enough if feels like the back of the foot is always moving around and slipping out. The heel on the new Drive Pro Clone is structured, but soft. There’s enough padding and structure to tighten the laces and really lock in the heel comfortably without too much rigidity to cause a blister. It’s a nice middle ground.

On the other side of the heel is a very spacious toe box. I normally go half a size up or order a wide pair, and to be candid, I forgot to ask the crew for that, but I am happy it worked out. There’s plenty of room in the toe box without it feeling roomy. The benefit is you can be more particular with how tight you tie up the laces. After speaking with friends and other players, it’s actually quite common for different people to prefer different levels of lace tightening, and having a bit more room up front allows everyone to lock those laces a bit more to secure the top of the foot.

On some shoes I don’t get to tighten down the laces as much as I would like because the toe box is too confined, but for these it’s not an issue. Combine that with the new UA Clone upper and the Swing Support Strap saddle system, and you’ve got a comfy, locked-in feeling.

Traction. Everywhere. All the time.

The one HUGE advantage of any spiked Under Armour shoe is their S3 spike collaboration with the team at Softspikes. The S-3 is a directional spike that provides an increased amount of traction when moving laterally in the swing, and it absolutely is a different feel and has always been my favorite part of any Under Armour shoe. The amount of “locked-in feel” that you get from an Under Armour shoe as you shift weight into the front foot is truly more than any other I have tested.

Softspikes Under Armour Pro Pack

Tour Flex Pro is the perfect combination of traction, comfort, and performance with ten points of contact and three degrees of traction. The Under Armour S3 adds an additional level of balance and traction. The combination of these two spikes provides maximum traction, slippage resistance, and power delivery all the way through each swing. This spike configuration can be found on the 2024 UA Drive Pro.

There are some other shoes that might have better rotational ability in the back foot, or a footbed that gives you more control to the ground itself, but in my opinion there is no better shoe for lateral traction. The S-3 spike is a genuine difference maker.

Because the shoe also has a nice spike pattern that’s filled by Tour Flex Pros in the areas not taken up by an S-3 spike, you also get lots of titled traction, meaning that when you’re standing on side hill lies, or any other lie where you’re feet aren’t perfectly level, you aren’t going to feel like you’re off-balance or going to slip out.

Become a fan

Shoes can be a bit of an odd category because lots of players are loyal to a brand when it comes to shoes. I’m in a position where I get to test out lots of different options, so I get to see the pros and cons of them all. I will say if you’re somebody who’s been loyal to another athletic style company’s shoe like Adidas, Puma or Nike, the Under Armour offerings are definitely worth a shot. There really is something to the S3 spike specifically. Everything has pros and cons, but this spike is a really big pro for players who want as much traction technology as possible.

One last final note — the shoes are awesome for adverse weather conditions. Being comfortable and providing more traction is even more important in adverse weather, and the shoes have a 1-year waterproof warranty. I played several rounds in the rain and mud here in the early golf season and my feet have been nothing but dry and protected (even with my childish instincts to walk straight through puddles). If weather adversity is another box to check for your game, the new Drive Pro Clones have you covered.

Under Armour Drive Pro Clones are available at most golf retailers or on their website for a retail price of $180.00. These are just initial impressions, but I’ll be bringing these shoes and these shoes only with me on an upcoming golf trip. Stay tuned to the Made for the Range and Fully Equipped instagram handles for updates.

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