Under Armour Why Jordan Spieth Wore “Smart” Golf Shoes at The Open John Kell Golfer Jordan Spieth didn't win the 2016 Open Championship in Scotland this past weekend. But he did manage a feat that none of his rivals matched: he wore "smart" golf shoes. Spieth, who turns 23 later this month, has generated a lot of praise early in his professional career on the PGA Tour by notching wins at a speedy pace for a man his age. With all those achievements come key endorsements, including most critically his deal with Baltimore-based Under Armour ( ua ) . Under Armour outfits Spieth on the course under a 10-year endorsement deal signed in January 2015 (the pair first began to work together two years earlier). But Under Armour also happens to be an athletic gear company that is betting big on connected fitness , envisioning a world where athletes—both professional and casual—can track their movements, workouts, sleep and other metrics to boost their performance. That information can be invaluable for elite athletes like Spieth, but there's a catch.

Pro golfers aren't allowed to track their movements with wearable tracking bands, like the UA Band, during competition. So Under Armour took the sensor technology it uses in the company's recently launched "smart" Speedform Gemini 2 Record Equipped shoe and applied it to the brand's first-ever, custom-made smart golf shoe. Throughout the four days of competition, Spieth walked around 54,000 steps, averaging 13,500 steps per day during The Open. (Fitness trackers generally recommend 7,000-10,000 steps per day for optimal activeness). "Data collection is a big part of getting better," Spieth told Fortune . "I want to be smarter about how I train." Spieth says he's tracked his workouts for "a while" now but really started to hone in on measuring his workouts the past two years. He also says he uses the UA Record system to track his sleep and eating patterns. He shared with Fortune that he prefers to sleep at least 8 hours every night (with the goal of about two hours of deep sleep).

In terms of his food intake, Spieth favors "whole, real foods" as much as possible, and his go-to snack right now is granola. He admits he could do better staying more hydrated (his goal is to consume at least 140 ounces of fluids each day). As I learned earlier this year when I tested out Under Armour's line of connected gear, keeping track of workouts, monitoring sleep and other metrics can help athletes perform better on the course (or in my case, while out on a run). Under Armour admits that these goals can vary. A professional athlete like Spieth might not put as much of a premium on say, counting steps, as he's already active. But the intensify of his workouts and ensuring he got the right amount of sleep—especially when traveling abroad—those are metrics that are more critical to his day-to-day performance. "The data around overall performance applies in ways that are more important than just runners and cyclists," says Jason LaRose, senior vice president of global e-commerce at Under Armour.

"Golf is a natural place for us, as it has evolved as a sport over the past 20 years." As LaRose notes, most connected gear has thus far focused on tracking steps, accounting for walks or running strides, and biking. That's because those movements are easy to track using GPS technology. But Under Armour and others are tinkering with ways to bring that technology and insights to other sports, like golf or swimming. The golf segment is a relatively new opportunity for Under Armour. designer trainers uk saleThe company only began selling golf shoes in April of this year, a collection that Spieth tested and gave some key input. best place to buy brooks shoes onlineIf Under Armour were to bring "smart" golf shoes to the market, it could help the brand stand out even more in the estimated $9.6 billion global golf market. sport shoes outlet nyc

About 39% of those sales comes from footwear, according to research firm Technavio. LaRose says its natural that over time, more passive data tracking will come from shirts and shoes, making it easier for individuals to track their progress without having to input much information into their mobile apps. "As a company that makes shirts and shoes, we are excited about that," he said. "We will continue to pursue avenues to make athletes better."nike shoes cheap price india Spieth says that data collection is becoming increasingly important for golfers, a sport that wasn't always seen as "athletic," though that is changing thanks to Spieth, and the more athletic builds of fellow golf stars like Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson.toddler shoes cheap uk "I'm really competitive so it becomes a personal challenge to see if I can work out longer than I did the day before," Spieth said.top 10 most rare nike shoes

It appears your browser may be outdated. For the best website experience, we recommend Style Insider: Jordan Spieth’s shoes are finally here Under Armour releases three styles of FedExCup champion's shoes at retail More than two years have passed since Jordan Spieth laced up a prototype golf shoe from Under Armour at the 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. In that time, Spieth has eight worldwide victories to his name, including two major championships and a TOUR Championship, and was No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for 25 weeks. Besides a small limited edition release prior to last year’s Masters, which sold out within hours, few people not named Jordan Spieth have had the opportunity to slip on a pair of these mystery shoes. Finally, the wait is over, though. Last week, Under Armour revealed its long-awaited golf footwear collection with not one, but three styles of shoes -- the UA Drive One, the UA Tempo Tour, and the UA Tempo Hybrid.

It is rare that a shoe has been worn for two major championship victories before hitting retail shelves, but that is the case with the UA Drive One. It was Spieth’s go-to shoe during his historic run in 2015, and he has continue to wear it in 2016. From the ground up, the Drive One is built for performance. The extra-wide outsole possesses a skeletal-like design that is engineered to deliver a powerful, yet flexible base. It is outfitted with Champ’s Zarma Tour™ Spikes featuring the Slim-Lok® System, which provides aggressive traction and allows the shoe to sit lower to the ground. The carbon heel counter not only looks cool, but it also helps to lock the foot in place for stability throughout the swing. From a comfort standpoint, the Drive One features Under Armour’s lightweight and responsive Micro G® foam midsole, and a dual-density sockliner that forms to the shape of the foot for a custom fit. The perforated microfiber upper is waterproof and breathable, and it provides a unique angular design.

The Drive One will be available in early May in three colorways – white/grey, white/navy, and a sleek black/white – and will be priced at $199.99. Gary Woodland has been sporting the UA Tempo Tour shoe in 2016, and it is easy to see why. With one of the fastest swing speeds on TOUR, Woodland gets a high level of support from the Tempo Tour. A built-in lateral TPU wrap is designed to prevent the foot from rolling over during the swing, and a molded high-performance sockliner provides an extra level of support by cradling the foot. ‘Energy return’ has been the trend when it comes to footwear in 2016, and the Tempo Tour is outfitted with Under Armour’s super-responsive Charged Cushioning® midsole for long-lasting comfort. The outsole is equipped with the same Champ Zarma Tour Spikes and Slim-Lok System as the Drive One, but the upper receives an upgrade in the form of a waterproof and breathable full grain leather for a luxurious feel. The Tempo Tour is set to hit retail shelves on April 4th in three fashionable colorways – a clean white/grey, a sleek black/white/blue with contrast stitching, and white/black/red with black tonal camo on the inner quarter of the shoe.