Some of the gear has gone 14-for-14 this year on the PGA Tour, including Rory McIlroy’s next Masters 2026 triumph. Each winner has chosen shoes with replaceable, studded traction.
Here are three reasons why more pros are choosing spiked shoes over non-spiked shoes and two secrets from the PGA Tour that you may not know about golf spikes.
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What you need to know:
Obvious benefits of withdrawal:
Spiked shoes provide more traction for players in all conditions. Think of just passing debris, mud or wet conditions to uneven lies, dangerous ground conditions and less than optimal terrain. Spikeless shoes may be fine on a dry day with a flat lie, but spikes will always be superior when traction is an essential part of success. Standing on a hillside lie, climbing up to a small half-grown box, or even Rory’s dangerous approach this year on the 18th at Augusta are all times where spikes aren’t just a better option; are mandatory.
Tour Flex Pro Golf Spikes (Fast Twist® 3.0) | Black/Charcoal
The next generation of traction technology is here. Three degrees of traction, ten contact points, designed to provide exceptional control and unmatched stability. Featuring the exclusive center sting post, the Tour Flex Pro is the perfect combination of traction, comfort and performance – specifically designed to meet the needs of the world’s best golfers.
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Wear them and replace them:
A very underrated benefit of studded shoes is the ability to replace traction whenever you need it. As spikes or unspiked shoes are worn and used, the spikes will degrade. Swing after swing you are losing traction. With a pair of shoes without spikes you have no choice but to spend hundreds of dollars on a new pair of shoes. With yeast, you simply pay for what you made for lunch today and get fresh, brand new pull in minutes.
PAYNTR Jason Day Eighty Seven SC (Men’s)
In collaboration with Jason Day, our newest model, the Eighty Seven SC, has arrived! CLARINO Trivela™️ microfiber upper provides lightweight support and flexibility Full WATERPROOF + breathable membrane fused to liner and sealed with bottom gasket. ARIAPRENE® tongue and boot provide supreme foot closure to ensure maximum stability and lightweight, breathable support. The TPU outsole, with the Fast Twist insertion system, provides traction in three dimensions for the life of the shoe. The PMXNitro+ Footbed provides responsive lightweight protection for the life of the shoe. PMXNitro+ Midsole provides maximum energy return and ultimate underfoot support. The CARBITEX GearFlex™️ drive plate allows players to more effectively utilize ground reaction forces. Almost sold out! See Match Day SC for a comparable model.
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Attraction isn’t the only benefit:
Wearing spiked shoes isn’t just about creating more stability, it’s about creating more durability. According to third-party testing done for Softspikes, the manufacturer of replaceable spikes, players saw a 46% increase in impact consistency on the clubface, resulting in 60% better distribution down the range and a 5-foot increase in distance. Not because the stability of the spikes allowed them to swing faster, which it does, but because they were able to find the center of the face more consistently, leading to higher averages across the board. I even tested this indoors and sure enough, it worked there too.
Secrets on tour:
Metallic tires are still there:
Most people don’t know that metal spikes are still very popular on the PGA Tour. Their use has declined in recent years since the release of the Tour Flex Pro points, but they still see a lot of use on Tour each week. Metal oysters offer the greatest downward drag as well as the best chance of penetrating through any debris. This can include pine straw, like Rory and others face at Augusta, mud, leaves in the fall, or other conditions that may require pushing past debris for better posture. Just ask Hoatong Li. He certainly used his spikes at Augusta.
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Combined Spike Nations:
The craziest thing I’d heard about using tops on the Tour led me to a spiral that I still tease regularly. Of all the professionals who use spiked shoes on the PGA Tour, about half of them use more than one type of spike on their feet. This is determined using pressure displacement measurement during the golf swing, testing on the course, and through trial and error with the player. Some players will take a single metal nail and place it at the “last effort” point on their trail leg. Other players, like McIlroy, will use a combination of wedges to ensure they are getting the best benefits for their unique swing and the way they use the ground. Your feet and the shoes you choose to wear are the only connection you have to the ground you are standing on. Treating them like any other piece of gear in your bag is one of the best things you can do for your game.
Are you ready to put your scorecard online?
Confidence in traction is up to you. Are you willing to risk it?
I’ll be honest, the first time the folks at Softspikes approached me about wearing spikes versus continuing to wear the spikeless shoes I’d fallen in love with, I thought they were crazy. How could a simple shoe wrench actually help me play golf better? As it turns out, every claim they’ve made has come true. So much so that I refuse to play golf unless I’m on top.
It has become a huge trust issue if nothing else. I’m not a great golfer, but I have a very strong ability to use the ground and generate more power than my 5’7″ frame needs. Much of this is helped by my ability to trust my shoes to keep me grounded and swing hard enough to gain an edge over my much larger competition. I’ve even converted Johnny Wunder after a full-on podwear walk-up. Rep. Softspikes tournament, Charles Woodward, remember, every single winner took home the variable traction device on their feet.
