Under Armour Golf has officially launched its revolutionary ‘Footwear Optimisation Process’ at its new state-of-the-art Golf Footwear Performance Centre at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire.
By utilising a proprietary combination of BiomecaForce AI-driven Force Plates, launch monitor data, and SIDAS Podiatech technology, the new facility offers an unrivalled custom-optimisation process that helps match golfers with the right model of shoe in Under Armour’s Drive Pro Series range.
Kevin Ross, Managing Director at Under Armour EMEA, who attended the official launch on July 29, said: “This is the most advanced athlete performance tracking technology in golf, which will allow golfers to understand the role footwear plays in the swing, and will ensure they are equipped with a model that gives them maximum performance.”
The first step of the in-depth process uses the BiomecaForce system, where the golfer will begin wearing their own footwear, during which Trackman records key data metrics such as club speed, ball speed, spin rate, strike location and carry distance. After this initial assessment, a spiked or spikeless shoe model is recommended based on peak force and body rotation.
Following a series of further tests, golfers will receive an assessment of their feet using the market-leading SIDAS Podiatech system, in order to better understand the foot’s anatomy and its impact on their golf swing. Once completed, custom insoles are built on site to promote optimised stability and an increased ability to create higher peak forces.
Finally, once the custom insoles are built for the Drive Pro shoes, a further assessment is conducted to highlight the performance gains achieved.
Also attending the official opening was DP World Tour rising star, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who saw an increase in clubhead speed of 2.5mph with a 5-iron during his footwear optimisation process.
Neergaard-Petersen said: “The whole process has been eye-opening and has led to some crucial gains for me, including an increase of peak vertical force of 5%. The level of feedback is incredible and should make a lot of golfers think about how beneficial shoe optimisation can be.”
The talented young Dane was also at Stoke Park to shoot Under Armour Golf’s winter and autumn apparel range. The Ryder Cup hopeful, who signed with the brand in February, added: “It is important to feel good and look good when you play. I’m extremely proud to be part of the Under Armour Golf roster and really excited by the team’s energy, both on and off the course.”
Each session costs £500 and includes two hours of biomechanical analysis, one pair of Drive Pro Series spiked or spikeless shoes, and one set of custom insoles.
To find out more or book a session, contact Chris Murtagh, Head of Footwear Optimisation at Under Armour, on 01753 717184 or via email at cmurtagh@stokepark.co.uk.
