It’s tough to discern value in the golf shoe market. Some golfers are happy to spend $150 or more on one of the best golf shoes they’ll wear regularly, but for some, it’s tough to warrant spending over the $100 mark when they don’t play that often. Nowadays, it’s tough to buy a new golf shoe that you can wear all year round for under $100/£100, but I think I’ve found the solution for the budget-conscious golfer that still values performance, looks and comfort.
The shoe in question is the Under Armour Drive Fade. In the UK, where I test these shoes, they retail at £109 but can already be found at £99 in some places. This almost seems too cheap for a spiked golf shoe from such a well-recognised golf brand. ‘What’s the catch?’ I thought to myself. Well, it’s certainly not in the looks department. While they’re not a jaw-droppingly gorgeous golf shoe – see the FootJoy Premiere Series Packard LX for this – they blend in nicely. It’s a classic spiked golf shoe silhouette with some decent colourways on offer. I wouldn’t go for the all-white or all-black version, as I think the red accents on the shoe I tested elevate the overall look nicely.
For a ‘cheaper’ golf shoe, I think the looks are excellent. Solid and understated.
(Image credit: Future)
Perhaps the one area this shoe falls down is the quality of materials, but you have to expect this at the price point. The upper materials are synthetic, a little firm to the touch and don’t soften up in the way a leather shoe does. That being said, they’re still fully waterproof but aren’t as breathable as something like the Adidas Tour360 24.
No expense has been spared on the excellent outsole, though. It uses the same S3 spikes used on the brand’s leading Drive Pro spiked golf shoe. These spikes were developed in-house by Under Armour for the Drive Pro’s launch in 2024 and are some of the best on the market. There are seven on each shoe, all strategically placed to offer the best traction through the swing. Under Armour probably won’t like me saying this, but I could hardly differentiate between the grip on offer here versus its more premium Drive Pro shoe. This comes in at £129 – so £29 more expensive – and I do worry if the quality of performance from the Drive Fade may cannibalise what is still a great shoe in the Drive Pro.
The outsole of the Drive Fade is superb, making for all year round wearability.
(Image credit: Future)
As with pretty much all of the best Under Armour golf shoes I’ve tested, it isn’t the…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Latest from Golf Monthly in Reviews…