50 Words or Less
Traction can make or break a golfer. The Under Armour Spieth 4 GTX shoes are built to give you traction like no other golf shoe.
Introduction
“This is the most data-driven, obsessed-over, tested, and designed pair of men’s spiked waterproof golf shoes we’ve ever built. Just the way Jordan wanted it. Because he’s all about the numbers, like you’ll be.” These are the words from Under Armour Golf about their new Tour golf shoe.
Out of the box, the Spieth 4 GTX looks sophisticated — not in an old school sort of way, but sophisticated in technology and design. You can see the engineering. You can see the wheels were turning. It looks like a shoe worthy of its namesake, Jordan Spieth.
Looks
The Under Armour Spieth 4 GTX comes in one colorway, white with subtle gray and black accents. Out of the box, you might think that the Spieth 4 GTX is somewhat plain. But on closer inspection, you’ll see subtle textures of white on white surrounding the lower portion and sides of the shoe, offering an understated but distinguished design.
The bottom of the shoe is the business end. It features an impressive array of spikes that look like they would grip any terrain in any condition. Overall, it is a very clean and impressive looking shoe.
Comfort
I have 5-6 pairs of golf shoes from 4 different manufactures, and all of them are the same size. What’s different about the Spieth shoe is that it fits narrower and a tad longer than what I would expect. Of course, sizes do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but this could be an important point if you are accustomed to wearing a certain size shoe and typically purchase your shoes online. I would recommend trying on a pair at your local golf store to make sure you get the right fit for your foot.
Out of the box, the 4 GTX shoe has a somewhat stiff feel. I knew I would need to wear the shoes a few times before I’d be ready to play 18 holes in them. The laces are on the thinner side and also have a bit of a rigid feel, with a somewhat tedious lacing pattern. But once laced up, the shoes feel very secure. 3D molded quarter panels and tongue linings envelop your foot for added support, and the wider shoe lace loops at the top really help to pull the side panel up and provide an extra level of stability. The inside of the shoe is also quite comfortable and features a fair amount of cushioning, although the overall shoe weight is kept to a reasonable 13.8 oz.
Under Armour equipped the Spieth 4 GTX with GORE-TEX® fibers, designed to release perspiration to keep feet cool. I was not exposed to extremely wet conditions during my rounds, but my feet stayed dry and comfortable. According to Under Armour, “the material offers 100% waterproof protection and is central to the Spieth 4 GTX shoe,” which is backed by a two-year waterproof warranty.
Performance
A good looking, secure, waterproof shoe is one thing, but performance is where the Spieth 4 GTX really hits the next level. This shoe was engineered and built for traction. The specific type and exact positioning of the spikes provide golfers with maximum control through a swing without loss of power. Although this shoe did not fit me perfectly, I still received all the benefits of traction and support. In fact, I don’t believe I have ever before experienced this level of superb traction in a golf shoe.
The Spieth 4 GTX is scientifically engineered to address both the lateral and horizontal forces of a golfer’s swing. As Under Armour puts it, “The Signature Rotational Resistance Traction™ technology creates traction through resistance in both vertical and horizontal directions to help keep the feet planted throughout the duration of a golf swing.” In other words, these shoes quite literally grab the ground.
Most of my golf shoes are spikeless, and it has been quite a while since I have worn a spiked shoe. The Spieth 4 GTX has a very specific spike pattern that allows the technology to perform at its maximum level. However, the trade-off for this performance is the pressure points that I felt from the spike positions, especially along the outside of my forefoot. If you are used to spiked shoes, this may be less noticeable for you, but I do not feel I could comfortably walk in these shoes for more than 18 holes.
Conclusion
If you are searching for a shoe that will grab the turf, in any condition, and not let go, the Under Armour Spieth 4 GTX is worth a try. There may be shoes in the $200 price range that offer a bit more comfort, but there will not be many that offer the outstanding performance and traction of the Spieth 4 GTX golf shoe.
Michael Feland
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So, these shoes are not a standard size or fit, need to be broken in, have awkward lacing, are uncomfortable to wear and only cost $200. Seems like they are in the same place that Jordan’s game is.
JayKay, as you know, shoes vary in size. I gave these to a buddy and they fit him perfectly. We are both size 11. He loves them. We both agreed that they needed breaking in, but all-in-all, it is a great performing shoe providing traction and waterproofing.
Hello Plugged in Golf, I love that you guys advocate for zero drop or near zero drop golf shoes. I need to make the switch from spikeless to spiked golf shoes and am having a hard time getting drop information from companies. I historically wore True links but the spikeless just wont cut it. I have been looking into the speith 4’s because they are listed as “low profile” but i can;t get an answer from UA at what that means. any help with this would be GREATLY appreciated :) you guys are awesome BTW! Matt
Matt,
Unfortunately you’re trying to mix oil and water. No spiked shoe is going to be as low to the ground as a TRUE. I haven’t worn the Spieth myself, Michael will have to comment on that, but from having seen it in person it doesn’t look much different than a conventional spiked shoe. As spiked shoes go, Nike is about as good as it gets in terms of being close to the ground.
Best,
Matt
Matthew, I would consider the Speith 4’s a traditional spiked golf shoe. Not sure what “low profile” could mean. Maybe they have a more subtle drop, but I would still put these in the traditional spiked golf shoe category. Plenty of cushioning and support. Thanks for following Plugged in Golf.
Thanks guys appreciate the answer, sorry I didn’t mean low profile on the under armour website the Speith shoes are “low platform” which sounds like less of a heel but I’m not sure, I know it’s impossible for me to get zero drop was just looking on suggestions for closest to zero around the 4-6mm range like the true majors. I’m going to check with Nike, the new pumas I got 8mm and all FJs are 12mm.