How often should golf spikes be changed

It’s all about traction and who knows best about that, no other than the famous names that compete in Formula 1 motor racing: McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari... During a race they regularly change their cars tyres from wet weather to slicks dependent on the conditions, to maximise their cars grip on the track to avoid slipping and sliding around.

 

Golfers need to think this way too. It’s a simple fact that the spikes or cleats on your golf shoes can help you improve or maintain your handicap by giving you better grip. This enables you to transfer more of your body energy at impact to the ball, giving you both extra distance and control.

 

So the first rule for golfers must be to avoid playing with badly worn out spikes. Be they metal or plastic they will hold you back from playing at your peak performance. If you are a frequent player – 3 or 4 rounds a week then you should be considering a change at least at six monthly intervals. Now that may come as a bit of a shock to many as all too often local pros sees spikes that are almost  flat. Now these will not only be losing their owners traction but also it’s quite common that they cannot be removed from the shoe. Result, an outlay of may be £50 plus against new spikes for a tenner!

 

The second rule is to think both metal spikes and plastic cleats. Steel are favoured by 70% of European tour players. They give the best traction and have the best wear qualities but are heavier. Plastic cleats, on the hand, are light and above all comfortable to wear. Unfortunately they do wear out more quickly.  As a result regular golfers will need to replace them several times in a season making them a more expensive alternative. However when comfort is at a premium, they are certainly well worth the additional cost. So it may pay to use plastic in the summer and metal in the winter. But what ever your decision it is vitally important to check that your spikes are in good condition whatever the season.