SPIKES

[Tom Roewer]

I found the most interesting stories from the U.S. Open Qualifiers to be those of Steve Elkington and Tommy Armour III.  First, the U.S.G.A. allows qualifying site clubs to enforce their local rules.  Is this prudent?  Do they inform each applicant that there will be no spikes allowed prior to the application?  Well, Elkington withdraws saying that spikes are a piece of his equipment.  Hmmmm?  In a similar situation, Armour switches to softspikes at another site and is medalist!  Interviewed, he stated that he slipped multiple times during the rounds, and that softspikes are for clubhouses and locker rooms.  Maybe he should slip more often.  As a Golf Professional and club official I have always felt that softspikes help preserve floors, benches, and golf carts, but have not been convinced that they are necessary to preserve putting surfaces. How do you all feel?  

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Elkington is a cry baby. Here's an excerpt from an article in the Houston Chronicle about this story:

"... Davis said, Elkington signed an application acknowledging the local rule in effect at Lakeside. Kuhn also sent all 32 players entered in the sectional a separate packet of information that included a reminder that Lakeside prohibits metal spikes.

"The bottom line is Steve signed a document saying he knew about it," Davis said. "He should have dealt with it before he got to the course. If (the shoes) were that important to him, he could have played in New Jersey or Columbus."

Here's the link for the article:

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3941285.html

Softspikes are great for greens. Where have you been? Ever play a softspike public course at 4pm on a busy Saturday afternoon? It's night and day from the old metal spikes on the greens.

[Craig Sweet]

I was asking our super about the use of spikes. He said the greens are 100% better since the switch to soft spikes...we do over 50,000 rounds between March and November and on busy days he said the green around the hole would be brown and chewed up by days end from the wear and tear.

[Craig Sweet]

BillV

"SoftSpikes were originally developed in the mountain west (Montana 99%) so that the repeated freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw (repeat as necessary) cycle that occurs there during winter play and caused significant turf damage would no longer occur."

Winter play? Yeah, we spike up our snowshoes.

[John Chilver-Stainer]

There’s a golf club secretary who can identify the spours of a certain species of golfers by the distinctive markings they leave on the putting green surface. Not yellow or brown marks I may add but nasty scratch marks from a dragged gammy limb. The unfortunate golfer usually has a walking problem – wether it would be any better with soft spikes ?

[Brent Hutto]

I started playing golf in the couple of years before the plastic spike revolution. The difference on the courses I frequent was quite clear once the transition was complete.

I always hear the dinosaurs saying that if people walk properly and never drag their feet steel spikes won't damage the greens. They are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, people do not walk correctly and the do drag their feet. All the time. Even with plastic spikes you can see where someone damaged the green but the damage isn't remotely the same as when someone drags 9mm steel spikes.

In a perfect world everyone would walk carefully and spikes wouldn't matter. In the real world plastic spikes makes the greens on most course much better for the last several hours of each day.

I know I'm not the most graceful, coordinated person on the planet but somehow I manage to walk 100+ rounds of golf per year without slipping and/or falling. The only time my feet ever slip are if I try to walk down a 30% slope in the rain and step in a mud puddle. I don't think anything short of hobnailed boots would help in those cases.

[Craig Sweet]

billV

My experience has been just the opposite...in the spring when we have frost delays the grass is still dormant and the impacts are minimal. I know of only one location, Great Falls, where they get some golf days in winter. And even then, the days are very few.

It's the heat of the summer when steel spikes do their worst damage.

[PThomas]

good to know some people are willing to take a stand on such important issue

[John Kavanaugh]

good to know some people are willing to take a stand on such important issue

Another example of someone hurling insults without using their full name.  Soft Spikes are a serious issue that was thrown upon the golfing public with little or no research.  A slippery slope so to speak that may jump up at us again with little or no warning....what's next..full time cart path only....mandatory slow greens....grip disposal fees...a limit on lost balls per year..etc..etc..

Paul T...Why are you exempt from posting under your real name.  It really isn't fair to the outstanding member Paul Turner at the very least.

[PThomas]

good to know some people are willing to take a stand on such important issue

Another example of someone hurling insults without using their full name.  Soft Spikes are a serious issue that was thrown upon the golfing public with little or no research.  A slippery slope so to speak that may jump up at us again with little or no warning....what's next..full time cart path only....mandatory slow greens....grip disposal fees...a limit on lost balls per year..etc..etc..

Paul T...Why are you exempt from posting under your real name.  It really isn't fair to the outstanding member Paul Turner at the very least.

John, my name is Paul Thomas

YOU of all people telling people to stop hurling insults??  go look in the mirror John, you're being a hypocrite

and I guess you don't consider me to be an outstanding member like Mr. Turner...wow, am I crushed

and I am going to try and not repond to anymore of your riciculous posts unless you go so far that I feel I must

there must be something more productive you can be doing, isn't there John

[John Kavanaugh]

Paul Thomas...Sorry for getting you so upset.  If I had know who you were I would have never questioned your intent.  So tell me...Did you play during the transition from steel to soft spikes...I just don't see it as a throw away issue considering it does have architectural ramifications.

Why did you stop posting under your real name...It would keep misunderstandings like this from happening.  I truly am sorry if I hurt you feelings with that request.

I'd even be curious if modern course slopes have been modified because of soft spikes vs steel...hardly a throw away issue.

[Matt MacIver]

My first pair of golf shoes 10 years ago had soft spikes and I've never had a problem.  Metal spikes may be "better" but I'm glad I don't know the difference.  

[John Kavanaugh]

There is nothing quite like seeing a pro running around a course inspecting shoes to see who is the culprit wearing steel spikes.  The transition period from steel to soft had to be a low point in many pros careers...

[Brent Hutto]

The transition period from steel to soft had to be a low point in many pros careers...

I think you greatly underestimate the petty indignities of a club pro's life at most private golf courses.

[John Kavanaugh]

The transition period from steel to soft had to be a low point in many pros careers...

I think you greatly underestimate the petty indignities of a club pro's life at most private golf courses.

Brent,

During the transition I was playing with three guests at a private club where I was a national member.  We had noticed some spike marks in the green when the head pro came flying up in a cart yelling at us about our spikes.  We told him we were all soft and he didn't believe us until we each lifted our shoes and proved the point.  I've never seen a man grovel quite to that extent in my life...I actually felt sorry for the jerk.  note:  The offender was later found to be an 80 year onld man that had not golfed in quite a few years and didn't even know soft spikes existed.

At one point this was happening on a daily basis and I'm not even talking about the bitch of switching every pair of shoes that enters the shop...for free no less.

[Dan_Callahan]

If Sam Snead could play golf barefoot, Steve Elkington and the rest of us can suffer through with Softspikes.

[TEPaul]

My feeling is that softspikes have been a huge benefit in preventing putting green wear and tear.

As for slipping, I don't believe I've seen any more golfers slip with softspikes than I did with metal spikes.

Golf shoes without metal spikes got my attention (during the metal spike era) when Davis Love wore rubber crepe soled teaching shoes during his rounds in the Walker Cup in the late 1980s at Pine Valley.

That was the event that the world of golf, particularly the USGA saw a window into the future of what real distance was going to be. Love only used irons at PVGC but the length he was hitting them, particularly his PING berrylium 1 iron was scary.

Love generated incredible torque and power in that Walker Cup at Pine Valley---God only knows what his swing speed might have been, and if he could do that with rubber crepe-soled teaching shoes without slipping I think it's safe to say that anyone, including any tour pros, can use softspikes without worrying about slipping.

Again, softspikes are so much better for the greens than the old metal spikes were.

[Steve_Lemmon]

I have some torn ligaments in one ankle.  Towards the end of rounds, I noticed that my right foot might drag walking off a green.  Despite conditioning, it still happens occasionally.  With steel spikes, it was ugly.  With soft spikes, it is usually ok.  Finally, especially when walking, I can tell you that soft spikes are a million times better for my lower back.  

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

If Steve Elkington feels that making such a stand is worth not attempting to play in the national Open..so be it..it just about sums  up this arrogant..so and so.
I played a fair deal of college golf with steve and became quite good friends during that time...but he is one of those who once " he arrived" chose not to acknowldge old friends when he saw them at tour events etc...
Unlike Colin Montgomery who ALWAYS makes an effort to say hello whenever he sees me..just a little side bar to sum up Elk the man..I have heard numerous such stories about the guy.....but hey if wearing metal spikes means that much to him?

[PThomas]

on Geoff Shackelford's site Elk is quoted as saying "I made a stand for the sport."

what a courageous, important stand that is

[Anthony Butler]

Golf shoes without metal spikes got my attention (during the metal spike era) when Davis Love wore rubber crepe soled teaching shoes during his rounds in the Walker Cup in the late 1980s at Pine Valley.

That was the event that the world of golf, particularly the USGA saw a window into the future of what real distance was going to be. Love only used irons at PVGC but the length he was hitting them, particularly his PING berrylium 1 iron was scary.

Again, softspikes are so much better for the greens than the old metal spikes were.

Totally agree with you Tom. I can't think of one club I have played at where the greens have not been significantly improved through the use of soft spikes. (One way in particular, less seed heads transferred from the fairways/rough onto the greens.)

BTW-People forget how insanely long Davis was with the Balata ball. Used his caddy from the North/South Amateur at Pinehurst many years ago. Unbelievable where his tee shots ended up.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Elkington has never made a stand for anything other than himself..who the hell does he think he is trying to fool ?

[Jim_Kennedy]

I agree with redanman, may you remain whole, but as someone with several physical maladies I do miss metal spikes, especially under certain conditions.

The #1 reason I miss them is the click they made on the pavers leading up to the Pro shop, it was like an alarm clock waking me up from a 2:30 catnap.  

[TEPaul]

redanman;

You should know that at Aronimink the club's excellent new super had declared all out war, or is about to, against one thing and one thing only----POA.

I could see a few ultra green spots of the dirty little weed the other day on a few greens at Aronimink but I could also hear it screaming for water and he ain't planning on giving it any.

But you're right, fighting Poa seems about as fruitless as fighting Al Queda.

Do you think there's a market for golf spikes or the soles of golf shoes that automatically applies this new roundup product that just attacks poa?  

[Matt_Ward]

What's really amusing about spikes and the general feeling of clubs in protecting their turf is that when the PGA Tour comes to town the players have the option in using spikes irrespective of the host club's penchant in avoiding their usage at all other times.

Nothing like showing concern for the turf when the big show comes to town.

Sort of reminds me of the EDICT at Baltusrol about players not wearing shorts when playing then I see a photo in the Newark Star-Ledger of Tiger and Phil playing together in a practice round and guess what they are wearing?