Lee Janzen is DQ'd in US Open Qualifier for wearing Metal Spikes

[mvmac]

Veteran PGA Tour player Lee Janzen, who won the 1993 and 1998 U.S. Opens, was disqualified from the sectional qualifier held at Woodmont Country Club in Maryland -- for wearing metal spikes, according to a tweet from Jenzen himself:

Metal spikes are allowed at the actual U.S. Open, but if the host club for a sectional qualifier prohibits spikes, players are not allowed to wear them.

Golf Channel's Jay Coffin tweeted out a photo of the USGA's letter to competitors that details the metal spike prohibition:

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Veteran PGA Tour player Lee Janzen, who won the 1993 and 1998 U.S. Opens, was disqualified from the sectional qualifier held at Woodmont Country Club in Maryland -- for wearing metal spikes, according to a tweet from Jenzen himself:

Kudos to Woodmont for enforcing the rules equitably regardless of a player's fame. Not like they had much of a choice, though. Makes me wonder how he was "caught", though. Was he turned in by someone else, did a competitor "clue him in" and he self-reported, or did an official spot the infraction?

But honestly, the whole spike thing has always confused me.  When I started playing 30 years ago soft-spikes were gaining popularity (I seem to remember the FootJoy soft-spikes were the big thing).  I was cheap and would rather put my money into actually playing golf than equipment, so I played with what I already had:  Nike Field Generals.  Great traction (turf shoes), but weight distributed well between the surface so they didn't dig into the greens.

A few years later I hear stories about how soft spikes were being banned on most courses because they bruised the greens, so I bought metal spikes and played with those.

Several more years later, and I hear stories about how metal spikes may be better for the greens (most of the time), but they're being banned from most courses because lazy golfers don't pick up their feet and end up damaging the greens.

Honestly, I'm a little tired of the changes and even with the soft spike requirement I STILL continue to see damage from golfers who drag their feet.  I have yet to see how the change has had any effect whatsoever.

Having said all that...a rule is a rule is a rule.

Just wish the starter had caught it before he played his first shot.

You'd think that sound of metal spikes on the cart path would have been a dead giveaway.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by dave67az

I have yet to see how the change has had any effect whatsoever.

They've been showing "Golf's Greatest Rounds" on Tuesday nights on the Golf Channel for the past several weeks.  A few weeks ago they showed the 2004 Players Championship, and when they showed a close up of the green for a putt, all of the little pieces of grass were very noticeable, whereas now, for the most part, you don't see those anymore.

Obviously, people who wear soft spikes and drag their feet are going to jack up the greens, but I don't see that very often.  Especially now that so many people (including myself) wear shoes without spikes of any kind, the only real issue on the greens is unrepaired ball marks.