Did you ever play with steel spikes?

[WUTiger]

I played in metal spikes form the late 1960s (when I started) until courses in Texas and Oklahoma started forced changeover in 1998 or so.

I prefer the metal spikes in wet weather or unusually hilly courses because they hold better. But, they could be rough on your feet. In my last month in metals, I played 36 holes one day down in Lawton, Oklahoma, walking. The temperature was about 95°, but the breeze was cool and the day nice - and the clay soil was hard!

 

I got through 27 holes OK, but had to take a cart for the final nine. I had the energy to walk, but my feet and ankles were swollen from the pounding of the metal spikes into the turf. I was walking tenderly for a couple of days due to bruised feet.

But, the early nubbie spikes had a drawback - not much traction. I was taking a golf lesson in spring 1999, working on my weight shift, when my left foot slipped and I did a standing split. Result was a torn groin muscle - could not exercise at all for six weeks. I went out and got the most aggressive soft spikes I could find after that.

[JBailey]

Since I didn't play golf for the last 20 years all my golf shoes had metal spikes.  There weren't any other.

Since starting back up this summer, I've found that cross training shoes are very comfortable and give plenty of traction.  I walk and my feet don't bother me at all.  They're cheaper too.

Later,

John

[pganapathy]

I had spikes a long time ago.  Nowadays I use cross trainers or hockey/cricket shoes.  Find them more comfortable but really good metal spikes are useful for grip in wet/slippery conditions.  In the dry, any sneakers will do.

[jsgolfer]

Played with metal spikes for years, that's all they had when I started playing golf.  Don't miss them at all.

[Tomboys]

Yup, played with them for years.  My first pair were from the Montgomery Ward catalog.  Went out to play my first round in them.  Made it to about the 5th hole and the spikes felt like they were going into my feet.  Barely made it to the 9th.  Tossed the shoes in the trash as soon as I got home.

Moving forward, wore metal until forced to go soft-spikes a few years later.  Aside from the ease of cleaning, don't miss metal at all.

[mchepp]

I played for about the first 5 years of my golfing career in spikes. Even when many of the courses begun the mandatory switch the course I worked and played at did not make the transition a requirement. The owner loved his spikes and poo poo-ed the idea that soft spikes were better. Of course now it is really hard to buy regular spikes anymore.

The early soft spikes were awful. The only ones we could get were these swirls that fit where the old spike went. They were worse than playing in tennis shoes. Today's shoes are pretty good, and I hardly notice myself slipping any more. During the first part of the transition I felt I was slipping a lot. 

I liked how they sounded on concrete and I do miss that. I hated replacing them. I don't miss that.

On November 22, 2015 at 4:17:41 PM, Club Rat said:

One other joy was trying to replace the spikes with tool used years ago. One end was used to repair ball marks and the other end for twisting the spikes out. Spikes had threads which usually rusted and removing them sometimes was a B !!!

Most needed to be replaced yearly as they wore down to just a nub about 1/8" long. You could tell when they were worn, the heel would slip easily when making your swing.

Yeah, I don't miss this. Finding the tool, getting all the grass out. Pain in the butt. Someone invented a tool that I could put on the end of my electric drill and that did make things better, but it was still a pain in the rear end.

[cristphoto]

I played for years with steel spikes until they virtually became banned everywhere. At first I was upset believing I'd slip in the new softspikes. When that didn't happen I simply became used to the new spikes. At the time most all shoes had normal threaded spikes that needed to be re-tightened frequently. I don't miss that aspect. The new fast-twist (or similar styles) pretty much lock in and stay.

[gatsby47]

I played with them for many years, Liked the sound, I liked the way fresh spikes felt stabilizing your stance, Too many people didn't pick their feet up when walking including on the greens and left them gouged,  but I have still seen marks on greens today left by scuffers.  Lee Trevino, after two lightning strikes, highly recommended removing them in the rain.  One of the pleasures of golf used to be taking the spikes OFF after a round.   There is no doubt soft spikeless  are more comfortable. . I have 2 pair of spikeless nubs from ashworth  Cardiff and they are great, I also have a foot-joy soft spike which I wear in wet weather for some gripping

[DaveP043]

I'm another old guy, I played with metal spikes for 20 years or more.  I can't say I've missed them, but the talk of the sound of spikes on concrete makes me think back to the old days.  Talking about sounds, how many of you walk and carry your bag, and get that nice "clack" sound of the irons bumping each other with every step?

[No Mulligans]

Another old guy.  I used them and I don't miss them. 

I gave them up before soft spikes appeared on the scene.  It happened when I forgot the spikes and just played in my running shoes.  I liked the running shoes better and no longer used the steel spikes.

Modern golf shoes are so much more comfortable to me.

[Dave2512]

Don't remember what they were like but I prefer modern shoes with less support. Next season I am going to trail runners. 

[trombettista_vecchio]

I played with steel spikes from 1959 when I was twelve or thirteen to whenever my club and the other courses prohibited them.

I miss them a lot.

Those old golf shoes provided support back when I walked the course, and they also provided a much firmer foundation to swing hard or to follow your own swing when you play the ball left in your stance.   

The modern shoes are comfortable, especially if you ride, and they force the player to swing smoothly or fall on his ass.  They're not all bad.  But if steel spikes were allowed again, I'd go back to them in a minute

[Pretzel]

I never tried steel spikes, but I picture them making my ankles a bit sore after playing enough golf. I know that in my swing my back foot needs to twist to get to the finish and I imagine that a grippier steel spike would only provide greater resistance to that motion.

[ev780]

I loved that sound too.  Hard to explain I guess. But the Ski boot comparison is exactly right. With the new athletic shoes out there my feet survive much better every round.

I think the new soft spikes are just as hard on the turf as old steel spikes.  Dragging your feet is bad either way but the softies have a much bigger surface area and do as much if not more damage.

I am now migrating away from wing tip style and headed to the more athletic looking shoes.  I have a pair of New Balance spikeless that I use for practice and casual rounds.  LOve them and as soon as I need new ones I will pick up the soft spiked version,

[GolfLug]

Didn't start playing until mid 2000's so never had a chance in Golf. But had metal spikes for my cricket bowling shoes growing up, for which you run up and pitch the ball similar to a javelin throw.

For a golf shoe, I always thought the added grip of a metal spike enabled one to overuse hips for power. Not just ankles, but knees and hip joints hate them too..  

 

[Natural Patrick]

21 hours ago, trombettista_vecchio said:

I played with steel spikes from 1959 when I was twelve or thirteen to whenever my club and the other courses prohibited them.

I miss them a lot.

Those old golf shoes provided support back when I walked the course, and they also provided a much firmer foundation to swing hard or to follow your own swing when you play the ball left in your stance.   

The modern shoes are comfortable, especially if you ride, and they force the player to swing smoothly or fall on his ass.  They're not all bad.  But if steel spikes were allowed again, I'd go back to them in a minute

I also would go back to them in a minute if the courses I played would allow it. With the technology the shoe industry has today, I have no doubt in my mind, that they could make a golf shoe with steel spikes. That would be every bit as comfortable as the shoes with soft spikes or no spikes. 

Edited December 4, 2015 by Natural Patrick

[dak4n6]

I played steels 10 maybe 13 years until the mandatory switch over. I agree with another poster that the early softspikes sucked (those swirly models), so I was a bit pissed for the first bunch of years until the spider type spikes came out. I still think that steel provides better grip in wet conditions. Also, I have always walked, and I don't ever remember my steel FJs hurting or being uncomfortable...

[Dave325]

I played with steel spikes for many years.... Then, one day after a couple years off of golf.... I strapped on the spikes and headed to the course to play a round and blow the dust off my game. I was quickly stopped before entering the clubhouse saying that I couldn't play with those spikes. I was in complete surprise finding out that the game of golf technology had moved on without me. I played that round in my sneakers.