soft or hard

[clubchamp07]

Spike's I'm talking about here.

I'm going to bring it up at our next meeting about banning metal spikes. I think they do alot of damage to the green's. Especially whenever people can't be bothered to lift their feet. How many time's have you had a 4 footer with a long scrape across it?

I know alot of course's have banned the metal spikes.I'd like to hear what the gang think!!!!

 

[MVP]

My old course banned metal spikes. i see why you dont like them. I know lot of people do wear them and they argue that in winter months they give you better stability(reduce slipping/injuries) around the course.

What is more important the safety of the golfer or the condition of the course???

 

[thecraw]

Soft spikes are more comfortable however the downside is that they are lethal on wooden bridges when they are wet and also on rubber matts.

Soft spikes also scuff the green if you drag your feet, however research shows that thwey do less damage to greens in the long run so I am all for them. I dont honestly know when I last wore metal spikes.

Banning electric trollies in the winter will help your course as well they churn up sodden grass quicker than a heard of coo's!

 

[HTL]

I reckon you could be running the risk of getting sued if you did that mate, if some coffin dodger slipped and fell due to not being able to wear their long spikes you could be in serious trouble.

Jimenez (don’t know correct spelling) refuses to wear anything other than spikes due to himself slipping and scuffing an important shot.

 

[Parmo]

Yes hard spikes should be banned, the argument that they give more support through winter is non sense, soft offer the same if not better support all year round without damaging the courses.

Next to get rid of are trolley users

 

[Parmo]

I would of thought at least 60% of clubs have banned hard spikes already, and a warning on any slipping surface would do to take away the blame for claim sickos.

 

[TonyN]

Have never worn metal spikes but i have never had a problem with my soft ones. Never slipped and never really seen any eveidence of damage to the course either. But i always see the greens scuffing with the older golfers who get to tired to take full steps and drag there spikes.

Maybe this should be individual to the club with all the members having the casting vote???

 

[tpred]

Most courses have a soft spike ony ruling nowadays.
The main pain in the butt about spike marks is that you cant repair them when you are on the green.

 

[Mr_Top_Shot]

I find my soft spikes on a round collect way to much crud and by the end of the round they are like grassy bumps on the bottom of the shoes. I do however agree that the damage metal spikes cause is a far stronger case for banning them than a slight loss of stability with the soft spikes

 

[toonarmy]

I used to think that metal spikes were a necessity in winter, but it turned out that I just had rubbish shoes. I played a round in my old Stylo's with metal spikes and had OK grip. I then played the next round in my Reelfit's with soft spikes and had much better grip!

Obviously some players' swings will probably be better off using metal spikes, but not the majority. At that point, it's up to the clubs to make sure they offer safe, secure passage around their courses for this kind of footwear.

 

[Dormie]

Soft, if only to ensure the greens take as little punishment as possible.

 

[medwayjon]

I agree that hard spikes should be banned, soft spikes are better for the course and are perfectly comfortable and grippy in my eyes.

 

[GB72]

Always used soft spikes but agree that they do get clogged very quickly. Would be ideal if courses added brushes to clean your shoes on every other hole at the same time as they introduced a ban on metal spikes.

 

[billyg]

All the courses ive played have banned hard spikes. The soft spikes or cleats offer much better grip and each cluster is usually 5 spikes round so five or six of them is a lot of grip.

Downside is that they wear quickly and you have to get the right fitting for your shoe (of which there seems to be two or three types). Thy're not that expensive but they do pick up clag along the way.

Overall I would like to see metal spikes banned completely.

 

[madandra]

I like the Adidas soft spikes that are in the 360's but I am not so keen on the ones in my Footjoys. I did go ar5e over t1t on a wooden bridge 2 seasons ago and limped into the shop and bought steelies.

 

[thecraw]

That is the worst part of softies they are lethal on wooden bridges and on the rubber matting that some clubs put down on pathways.

I dont think they clog any worse than steel studs but its that long since I have worn steel that I may be mistaken. Think the last steelies I had were Adidas Torsion!!!!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I may be a voice in the wildnerness but my club have allowed metal spikes this year and I have to say I'm enjoying it. I feel very secure on the tees particularly in the wet and I feel I have much more grip on side hill shots than I did with soft spikes.

I do take on board the damage they can cause but I use to wear spikes in the 1980's when the only option were those old pimple soled shoes (anyone remember them) and I was always taught about not scrapping my feet on the green and being aware of standing too near the hole for any period of time so not to leave spike marks.

I think they still have a place particularly in winter. I will nonetheless be changing my shoes for soft spikes (hopefully by easter)

 

[viscount17]

I have both, I prefer spikes in winter both because of the better grip and because they are far less trouble with clogging.

I have yet to find any soft spikes that are any good (mine are the Q-lock), they wear out far too quickly and on some parts of the sole, I'm lucky if they last a round.

We need our legal eagles on this, but I'm not convinced that simply putting up a notice saying 'slippery when wet' would necessarily protect you in court.

As an aside, does anyone else think that the manufacturer's have got it wrong and spikes should be left-hand thread?

 

[Leftie]

As an aside, does anyone else think that the manufacturer's have got it wrong and spikes should be left-hand thread?

No problem for me!

Leftie

 

[USER1999]

I go with metal in the winter, and soft in the summer. My current course doesn't have wooden bridges, but my old one did, and they were unbelievably slippery on frosty mornings. No way a disclaimer sign would be enough if someone fell 6 ft into a concrete ditch off a bridge with no guard rails.

I mainly wear metal in the winter for the tee shots when there is a hard frost. On days whan you can't get a tee in the ground, plastic spikes are rubbish.