I noticed it the first time I played golf this year.

As I left a local 9-hole track, not known for being the nicest course in the valley, I kept thinking to myself: "Man those greens were nice."Must be because because of all the moisture we had this spring, I reasoned. But that wouldn't make such a big difference since greens are watered every day anyway.

Then it hit me. The greens were spikeless greens. Traditional metal spikes were not allowed on the course anymore.

Metal spikes have been an intregal part of golf for decades. Only over the last couple of years has there been an awakening: Why do we have to wear shoes with a dozen metal spikes in the bottom?

Personally, I've never understood the big deal about golf shoes with spikes. I couldn't figure out why would anyone want to walk around in wingtip shoes suitable for church except that they had a bunch of metal spikes on the bottom.

Confession time. For the first 10 years of my golfing life I never wore golf shoes, opting instead for my more comfortable tennis shoes. Then one day when I was in my mid-20s, I was playing with a couple of local pros. They had a good chuckle over my black-and-white Adidas gym shoes and urged me to pick up some golf spikes.

Properly shamed, I purchased some shoes and started wearing them whenever I played. They made that cool clicking sound whenever I'd walk on cement. And I felt like a real golfer.

Did they make a difference? One time I showed up at media event at Willow Creek without my golf shoes. I was embarrassed having to wear my tennis shoes. It was almost like showing up at a formal dinner in shorts and a tank top. But guess what? I went out and shot one of the best rounds of my life. Spikes? Who needs 'em?

A few years later I won some of those wingtip spikes in a contest. I wore them for a few years, but they were never as comfortable as gym shoes and when spikeless courses starting becoming popular a couple of years ago, I had no qualms about reverting to my $19 running shoes from Mervyn's.

Nowadays, the undisputable trend is spikeless - whether out of personal choice or course mandate.

Currently, the majority of golf courses in Utah, about 80 percent by our informal survey, are spikeless. If you want to wear your old metal spikes, you'll have to venture outside the Wasatch Front to places like Nephi or Kanab.

Some courses like North Salt Lake's Eaglewood, recommend, but don't require you going spikeless. At Richfield's Cove View Golf Course, golfers are expected to go spikeless after being notified.

Utah golf pros and superintendents also think the results speak for themselves.

"The greens are 100 percent better," said Schneiter's Bluff pro Jon Schneiter. "It also saves on the asphalt and carpet. On older courses, you'll notice that the steps are worn down."

"It has made a big difference," adds Dinaland pro Kent McCurdy. "It's so much better in the late afternoon when the balls are still rolling really smooth."

Devin Dehlin, the director of golf in Salt Lake County, which is in its second spikeless year, has noticed another advantage - less wear and tear on the carts. He said golfers have accepted spikeless courses well.

"At first I thought there might be some problems," he said. "But people have been great. I haven't heard any complaints."

Steve Campbell, the assistant superintendent at Mountain Dell, is one of the top amateurs in the state and has been wearing spikeless shoes for five years without any detriment to his game. He too has noticed a difference on the greens.

"Spikeless is way better," he said. "You don't get those spike marks in the afternoon."

Campbell and several other pros and superintendents have pointed out at least one drawback to spikeless shoes. On wet days, the spikeless shoes will leave small indentations on the greens, which can make for some bumpy rolls near the hole. However they agree that's a good tradeoff to dealing up with those unsightly spike marks every afternoon.

So it appears that spikeless shoes are here to stay and that metal spikes will go the way of optic yellow golf balls and wooden woods. The real mystery behind the spikeless craze, however, is why didn't someone think of it sooner?

*****

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Changes - Top to Bottom

The future is now

Currently, there are two different spikeless shoe designs:

- Little swirl-like do-dads (actually changeable plastic or polymer spikes) which screw into the shoe's sole the same as traditional metal spikes. Nike, Footjoy, Etonic and other manufacturers employ this system, currently most popular among golfers.

- Numerous plastic or rubber teeth or cleats are molded into the shoe's sole. A recent wrinkle is Rebok's variation on the cleat in which ribs or ridges about the width of the innersole are molded into the sole's bottom.

Walkabout in these sandals

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Traditional saddle loafers are still tops when it comes to golf shoe appearances, but designers are becoming increasing bolder in their search for the latest look.

Among the legion of different-looking golf shoe are:

- Funky bold athletic-styling in a host of colors that look like they took their inspiration more from the hardwood rather than the 18th green.

- Golfing sandals. Yes, Teva-style sandals complete with changeable soft spikes.

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