Nearly all U.S. golf courses forbid metal spikes on greens. Even competitors on the PGA Tour, which does not require its members to wear non-metal spikes, are embracing alternative spikes. Seventeen official PGA Tour events, including The Masters, were won by players wearing Softspikes brand plastic spikes in 2000. So it's official. Metal spikes are out.
Alternative cleats constructed of thermoplastic or other plastic derivatives, are now commonplace.
Softspikes, Inc., and MacNeill Engineering Worldwide are generally regarded as alternative-spike pioneers. But several smaller companies are also fighting for a share of the growing alternative- spike market. Softspikes, Inc. has introduced the Shadow cleat featuring a flat center design with wider, reinforced legs for greater traction and durability than it's XP design. The XP cleat has been an enormously successful product for us. The Black Widow cleat by Softspikes is distinctive with its eight flexible legs independently suspended from a center disc.