Golf shoes have changed dramatically over the last few decades. Modern golf shoes are now made of tough yet light-weight materials and have been designed to very high standards. But one of the most intriguing changes is located on the sole.

Not so long ago, metal spikes were the only way to go when it came to adding traction to golf shoes. Generally speaking, they were easy to care for; you simply scraped the mud off of them or unscrewed them entirely and put new ones in. As for their holding ability, they were very good at providing players with the needed traction and stability on both dry grass and wet grass. But they were not perfect.

Anyone who has worn golf shoes with metal spikes will tell you that these metal spikes could easily damage greens. Careless players, especially those who dragged their feet, could literally ruin a green in a matter of moments.

Metal spikes were also notorious for ruining clubhouse floors and carpeting inside carts. All in all, they could be a nightmare for groundskeepers and maintenance personnel.

Then along came golf shoes with a different slant on how to keep the player’s feet steady. They call these little wonders soft spikes.

Soft spikes are made of hardened rubber or plastic. They do the same work that metal spikes do, namely, keeping the player’s feet solidly planted during the swing, but they do far less damage to greens or other surfaces.

Like metal spikes, most golf shoes that now come with soft spikes allow players to replace the spikes as they wear down or become broken. Replacement spikes are inexpensive, and they are easy to change. You simply unscrew the old ones from the sole and screw the new ones in.

Many players who have worn both metal and plastic spiked golf shoes say the newer soft spikes are more comfortable to wear on the course. They also say, however, that the plastic or rubber nubs wear down faster than metal. This only makes sense, but since new nubs are so inexpensive, this should not be a major deterrent to buying these types of golf shoes.

It should be noted that because metal spikes can do so much damage, they are now being outlawed on many golf courses. If you plan to buy a new pair of golf shoes, and you are considering metal spikes, you may want to check with the club you play at to see if they still allow metal spikes. You don’t want to waste your money on golf shoes that you will not be able to use.

If you are buying golf shoes for younger players, your best option is to go with the rubber nubs or plastic spikes. The hot, new styles in golf shoes that kids love almost universally avoid the metal spikes of yesteryear. And, frankly, for younger players, the soft spikes are just more comfortable to play in, especially if they are walking the course.

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Category: Sports
Keywords: golf shoes, modern golf shoes, golf shoe, spiked golf shoes.