Jordan Spieth didn’t grow up dreaming of the day he’d have his own signature shoe. The 25-year-old was always destined for success on the course, but with immense success comes endorsement deals and, in Spieth’s case, signature shoes bearing his name.
As the face of Under Armour’s golf line, and one of the most marketable athletes on the planet, Spieth has taken on a role that very few twentysomethings ever get the opportunity to experience, offering feedback and creative direction for one of the largest athletic apparel brands in the industry.
When Under Armour initially approached Spieth several years ago with the idea of collaborating on his own shoe, he was hesitant about moving forward with the project. For Spieth, he admitted he was worried ego could be driving the decision.
“That was my hesitation to start with the shoes, to be honest,” Spieth told GOLF.com. “But then I looked at it from a whole different perspective. Not like a [Michael Jordan] type of thing; more like a, hey, I get to have a collaboration with Under Armour using their technology and what I want to see in a shoe to help produce performance-enhancing equipment on your feet.”
Spieth doesn’t consider himself a sneaker-head, but he’s embraced the shoe design process and the need to create a product that benefits his game. With the Spieth 3, that meant finding a way to make a shoe that was noticeably lighter than the previous version, with traction that could handle his swing.
He found inspiration for the Spieth 3 in an unlikely place: A couple pairs of beat-up trainers he wears to the gym on a regular basis.
“I wear them every day, a couple of them are like two or three years old, the laces are all messed up, but they’re my favorite Under Armour shoes that I use in the gym doing the moves that I train for my golf swing,” he said.
In the latest equipment episode of the GOLF.com Podcast, Spieth discussed the role the trainers played in the creation process, texts he received recently from NBA star Steph Curry about the shoe, and why he’s suddenly forgetting to take off his golf shoes when he leaves the course.
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