While the majority of golf courses in America are going spikeless, the PGA Tour isn't moving so quickly toward spikeless. And it may never go totally spikeless.
According to Provo's Mike Reid, a 20-year PGA Tour veteran, only about half the pros have changed to spikeless shoes and the others are standing pat."Surprisngly, nobody feels wishy-washy about them." said Reid. "They either love soft spikes or they hate them."
While Reid may not hate them, he is on the dislike side, although he does wear them when he plays at Riverside Country Club where they are mandatory.
"I occasionally slip," he said. "On a downhill lie I keep so much weight on my left side, I'll slip on a wet morning on my right foot."
The PGA Tour's other Provo resident, Dan Forsman, stands firmly on the other side.
"I think spikeless is going to take over - it's the wave of the future," he said. "The greens are dramatically improved. I haven't slipped at all.
"I think it's going to be a matter of time before everyone starts wearing them. Everyone has a conscience and at some point they'll look and say, am I the one spiking them up?"
Reid, who has gone to half-spikes, which he claims don't mark up the greens, disagrees.
"I don't think it will ever change. There will always be a few who wear spikes."
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Area golf courses
Spikeless
Bonneville
Bountiful Ridge
Copper Club
Davis Park
Fore Lakes
Forest Dale
Glendale
Lakeside
Meadow Brook
Mick Riley
Mountain Dell
Mountain View
Murray Parkway
Nibley Park
Old Mill
Riverbend
Rose Park
Schneiter's Pebblebrook
South Mountain
West Ridge
Wingpointe
Spikes optional
Eaglewood
Glenmoor
Jordan River
Mulligan's South
University of Utah