Under Armour HOVR Drive

​Can the HOVR Drive restore this Hacker’s faith in Under Armour Golf?

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Over the past couple of years, Under Armour Golf has become an afterthought for this Hacker when it comes to not only apparel, but shoes as well. I felt that UA Golf was going through a lull period after riding the massive success of Jordan Spieth and his Major successes. That was until this year; Under Armor released a golf shoe that was so intriguing that I was willing to give them a chance to redeem themselves in my book; and that shoe is the HOVR Drive. The HOVR Drive offered something which I was not use to seeing with Under Armour products. Subtlety and style which wasn’t over the top, flashy, or too distracting. As soon as I saw these shoes when they released I wanted to put them to the test.

Design/ Style:
Under Armour’s HOVR Drive shoe comes in two colors: black and white. These neutral colors are very easy to pair with any outfit whether you dress traditionally, or more like Jordan Speith. The HOVR Drive has subtle hints of navy sprinkled throughout the shoe which make them easy on the eyes. The HOVR Drive shoes are accented with two 3M reflective eyelets on each side which are used to hold the blended white and navy laces. The HOVR Drive has a bit of what I’d call “traditional UA styling” with bold red coloring on the inside of the toe box and on the heel. The red offers a nice pop off color and compliments the white and navy perfectly.
The HOVR Drive is a truly athletic looking golf shoe designed to perform at your local Muni as well as the PGA Tour. The HOVR Drive features a few different areas for ventilation to keep your feet cool during the blistering summer heat. The UA branding is subtle with a logo on each side of the shoe and an additional one on the sole. ​

Durability:
The HOVR Drive was built to be worn and tested to the limits! During my testing process (as well as my poor golfing skills) I encountered multiple scenarios where I found myself either in tall fescue or ankle deep in a mud just to get keep my ball in play. Each time the HOVR Drive was able to keep me stable and dry no matter where my ball ended up.  My swing is beautifully accented (heavy sarcasm) with a deep front toe drag. That toe drag abuse usually wears shoes out faster than normal, and way faster than my wallet would like! That wasn’t the case with the HOVR Drive; toe drag after toe drag these shoes have held up to and have yet to show any signs of wear…which is a HUGE plus for me!  I’m less than impressed with the cleaning of these shoes. With previously owned golf shoes I was able to take a damp towel at the end of the round and wipe off any excess turf easily keeping my shoes looking nice and clean. The synthetic leather-esque materials the HOVR Drive is made of has left me with grass stained areas, which is highly disappointing. 

Performance:
Under Armour nailed performance with these shoes, especially when it comes to comfort. The HOVR Drive is equipped with Under Armour’s HOVR Cushioning system which is designed to give your foot stability while putting a little spring back in your step after chucking two shots within 50 yards of the green. Between multiple rounds of walking, and riding, I never found my feet aching or uncomfortable. Stability is another important feature I look at when selecting a golf shoe and having the heinous swing I do, stability is extremely important. The HOVR Drive is equipped with unique “Tornado Spikes” from SoftSpike. These cleats are specifically designed to help maintain stability throughout your swing and they did not disappoint! Another component which is important to me is waterproofing. Being from the Midwest; spring time golf conditions are less than ideal as a good amount of rounds experiencing some sort of rain.  UA equipped HOVR Drive’s with their UA Storm Technology, which is just fancy wording for really good waterproofing. These shoes do an excellent job keeping your feet dry and comfortable no matter the conditions you may encounter while out on the course. 

Final Thoughts:
This shoe has restored this Hacker’s faith in Under Armour. You’d be hard pressed to find a spiked shoe that offers better comfort, style and performance than the UA HOVR Drive. Now if only I could play like Jordan Spieth while wearing them.
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You can grab a pair for yourself at the link below:
 
Men’s: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/mens-ua-hovr-drive-golf-shoes/pid3022273-100
Women’s:https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/womens-ua-hovr-drive-golf-shoes/pid3021211-100