Under Armour’s HOVR Fade 2 SL has become the top selling men’s golf shoe in the UK* after enjoying a strong month of unit sales in July which saw it outstrip the next top-selling model in the market by a factor of nearly two to one.
Offering performance and comfort in a lightweight package, the HOVR Fade range has been developed and improved on since it first came to market in 2020, while maintaining a strong price-to-value relationship for retailers and consumers alike.
For the period January-July 2024, the brand has seen its footwear sales accelerate rapidly in on- and off-course channels, cementing itself as an even more dominant no.2 in the UK golf footwear market with a share now standing at 21.5% in units sold.
In the off-course market for January-July 2024, Under Armour now sits clear as the no.1 golf footwear brand in the UK with 27.5% in unit share – 20% more than its nearest competitor.
For 2025, Under Armour continues to develop the Fade franchise with an all-new Drive Fade that has been receiving highly positive feedback from retailers during the SS25 footwear pre-book period.
These industry-leading results follow hot on the heels of the brand’s official launch of ‘Footwear Optimisation’ – in collaboration with Stoke Park and Biomecaswing. This unique process was designed to offer golfers the pinnacle of performance through the re-invention of how footwear can be ‘custom fitted’ to an individual through the use of AI-driven athlete tracking software.
Richard Palmer-Jones, owner of PJH Brand Management, which distributes Under Armour products in the UK and Europe, said: “To achieve the milestone of the no.1 selling golf shoe in the UK is truly a magical moment for the UA brand. The consumer decides the fate of any brand and to see them choose Under Armour ahead of any other brand for their favourite shoe illustrates the trust and affection with which the UK golfer increasingly holds Under Armour.”
“We started the Fade franchise journey back in 2018 through a European specific footwear development brief designed to speak to the golfer in this specific market. The success of the franchise has propelled us to the position of No.2 in the overall market and year-on-year unit sales growth of over 19% within an increasingly depressed market.
“Our thanks go to our amazing retail partners for their faith in our ability to build a better product that delivers an enhanced consumer experience – we remain truly excited by where we can take the Under Armour footwear category in the future.”
In the latest market share data published by Golf Datatech, the HOVR Fade 2 SL had a 9% share by units sold in the Men’s Golf UK On and Off-course combined market for the month of July, with the nearest competitor at 4.6%.**
*According to Golf Datatech Retail Audits January-July 2024.
**According to Golf Datatech Retail Audits July 2024.