AREA GOLF COURSES SAY, `WALK SOFTLY...'

Walk softly and carry a big stick.

That's the trend in golf in an age of radical advances in golf club technology and new green-conscious footwear.

While there are a myriad of choices in the club department, there appears to be just one trend in golf shoes -- soft spikes.

The trend is becoming one not so much of preference, but of mandate. While the big stick is optional, golf courses around the country are making their golfers walk softly.

Not only is Southeast Missouri involved in the effort to stamp out metal spikes, it has become a soft-spike hotbed.

Of the 26 courses listed above, 10 currently require soft spikes. Three other courses will be switching to soft spikes in the next year while two courses are soft-spikes preferred.

"They're making improvements in soft spikes all the time," said Cape Girardeau Country Club professional Jack Connell. "I'm glad I don't have stock in any of the metal spike companies."

It may not be much longer before golf museums are the only place where metal spikes can be found.

"I think this time next year you won't see any metal spikes," said Bent Creek Golf Course co-owner Mike Litzelfelner, whose course has adopted soft spikes only last fall.

Cape Girardeau Country Club adopted `soft spikes only' last spring after the redesign of its front nine. It was decided the new, larger bent grass greens would be spared the gouging of metal spikes.

Connell said the main benefit of soft spikes is the absence of spike marks, which can play havoc with putts. Greens can also damaged easily by golfers who drag their feet.

"The firmer the greens, the better soft spikes are on them," said Connell. "Soft spikes make dents if greens are soft. But for a guy that drags his feet, there's no comparison. You're going to cause a lot more damage with steel spikes than soft spikes. That's one of the biggest things I see."

Connell said soft spikes aren't as big in the South where bermuda greens are common. But in colder climates where Bent Grass is the norm, courses are adopting soft spikes.

Connell said the policy has been warmly received at his course and he hasn't had to do much shoe watching himself.

"Our members actually police the soft spikes situation," said Connell.

Through the course of last season, several other area courses adopted soft spike policies.

Bent Creek went to soft spikes last September. Litzelfelner had mixed feelings on the move.

"From an ownership standpoint, I was real positive," said Litzelfelner. "For my personal playing, I was a little skeptical. Now I wear spikeless shoes. Once you get used to it, they're a lot more comfortable."

The course posted the new policy in advance and for the first six weeks changed golfers spikes for free. Litzelfelner said golfers took the change a lot better than he expected.

"At first I thought it might be real negative," he said. "I think people realize it's better for the course and greens and that it's more comfortable."

He said during the early stages, the course changed the spikes on about 75 percent of the golfers. That number has now dropped to about 10 percent.

"Some days we'll have 200 golfers and not change out a pair of shoes," said Litzelfelner.

The move away from metal spikes is not only at the amateur level, but among professionals.

Many Senior Tour golfers have switched to soft spikes and even the hottest golfer in the game, Tiger Woods, is walking softly.

Commercials on TV and in magazines tout the newest in soft spikes.

Litzelfelner said of all the shoes shipped to their pro shop, none are equipped with metal spikes.

"It used to be everyone looked at uppers," said Litzelfelner. "Now the first thing a person does is turn it over and look at the bottom."

Cape Jaycees Municipal Golf Course will be going to a soft-spike preferred stance as of July 1.

Recreation coordinator Sabrina Tate said the course is presently encouraging soft spikes.

"First because of the greens," said Tate. "Second, third and fourthly, the carpet in the clubhouse gets torn up and the carts get scratched up. It just tears up a lot of equipment. And there's not a lot of difference between the two."

Kimbeland Country Club, a semi-private course in Jackson, also went `soft only' when it re-opened all 18 holes last June after extensive renovation.

Nearly all championship style courses in Southeast Missouri have taken the soft route.

Eagle Lake in Farmington adopted soft spikes only late last summer.

"It was mainly to take better care of the greens," said club professional Steve Roberts. "We have enough play in the early part of the day that by afternoon they were all spiked up. It's made a big difference for us."

The Bootheel Golf Club in Sikeston is not mandatory soft, but has gone to a `soft preferred' format.

Crystal Highlands just south of Crystal City is one of the lone championship style courses to still have no spike policy.

But soft spikes have undoubtably taken hold.

"There are a lot of really great alternatives to metal spikes and I think that will just continue," said Litzelfelner.

Golf courses in Southeast Missouri

Arcadia Valley Country Club

(Ironton)

546-9508

(Semi-private)

9 holes/par 36/3,330 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$13.50 weekdays, $20 Weekends

Cart: $12 per cart

Bent Creek Golf Course

(Jackson)

243-6060

(Open to public)

18 holes/36-36--72/7,000 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$20, $32 with cart, Weekdays

18-holes/$30, $42 with cart, Weekends

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft only

Bootheel Golf Club

(Sikeston)

472-6111

Head professional: Jeff Ketterman

(Open to public)

18 holes/36-36--72/6,800 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$25 with cart, Weekdays

18 holes/$30 with cart, Weekends

Twilight (after 3 p.m.): $16 with cart

Carts required

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft preferred

Cape Girardeau Country Club

(Cape Girardeau)

335-7224

Head professional: Jack Connell

(Private, must be guest of member)

18 holes/(men)35-35--70/6,415 yards

18/holes/(women)35-36--71/5,035 yards

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft only

Cape Jaycees Municipal Course

(Cape Girardeau)

335-7224

(Open to public)

18 holes/34-36--70/6,298 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$9 Weekdays, $11 Weekends

Cart: 9 holes, $10 per cart; 18 holes $16.85 per cart

Spike requirements: Soft spikes preferred as of July 1

Caruthersville Country Club

(Caruthersville)

333-4325

(Open to public)

9-holes/par 36/3,043 yards

Greens fee: $12/all day, Weekdays

$20/18 holes, Weekends

Cart: $12.50 per 18 holes

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: No

Charleston Country Club

Charleston

683-4433

(Private)

9 holes/par 35

Driving range

Crowley Ridge

(Bloomfield)

568-4698

(Open to public Tues.-Fri.)

9 holes/par 35/(played twice) 5,646 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$10

Cart: $12.50 per cart

Spike requirements: Soft preferred

Crystal Highlands

(Crystal City)

(314-931-3880)

Head professional: Doug Castellari

(Open to public)

18 holes/36-36--72/6,480

Greens fee: 18 holes/$21 Weekdays; $42 Weekends (required cart included)

Cart: 18 holes/$11 per person

Spike requirements: No

Eagle Lake Golf Club

(Farmington)

756-6660

Head professional: Steve Roberts

(Open to public)

18 holes/36-36--72/7,093

Greens fee: 18 holes/$20 Weekday; $30/Weekends; $20/Twilight (with cart after 2 p.m.)

Carts: 18 holes/$10 per person

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft only

Fredericktown Country Club

(Fredericktown)

783-6236

(Open to public)

9 hole/par 36/2,961 yards

Greens fee: 9 holes/$6.50 Weekdays, $9/Weekends; 18 holes/$13 Weekdays, $18 Weekend

Cart: 9 hole/$8 per cart; 18 hole/$16 per cart

Spike requirements: No (Will be as of Jan. 1, 1999)

Hidden Trails Country Club

(Dexter)

(Open to public, residents of Stoddard County only allowed six rounds per year)

624-3638

Head professional: John Barge

18 holes/par 36-36--72/6,692 yards

Greens fee: 9 holes/$15, Weekdays and Weekends; 18 holes/$24, Weekdays and Weekends

Cart required: $15 single, $18 double

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: No

Kennett Country Club

(Kennett)

888-9945

(Open to public)

Head professional: Stewart Tapson

18 holes/par 36-36--72/6,389 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$15, Weekdays,

18 holes/$20, Weekends

Cart: $18 per cart

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: No

Kimbeland Country Club

(Jackson)

243-3923

(Semi-private, must live at least 30 miles away, in October locals can play with members only)

18 holes/35-36--71/6,657 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$20 with member, All times; 18 holes/$30 without member, All times

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft only

Lakeview Country Club

(Neelyville)

989-6221

9 holes/par 36/3,118

Greens fee: $8 all day Weekdays; $9 all day Weekends

Cart: 18 holes, $9 per person

Spike requirements: No

Lead Belt Golf Club

(Bonne Terre)

314-358-3573

(Open to public)

9-hole/par 36/3,024 yards

Greens fee: 9 holes/$8 Weekend and Weekdays

Cart: $8 per cart

Driving range

Spike requrements: Soft only

Malden Country Club

(Malden)

276-9991

9 holes/par 36/6,340 yards (white, blue)

Greens fee: 18 holes/$10 Weekdays, $30 Weekends

Cart: $15 per cart

Spike requirements: No

Malden Municipal

(Malden)

276-3879

(Open to public)

9 hole/par 36/3,450 yards

(Played from whites and blues for 18 holes)

Greens fee: 9 holes/$7, Weekdays and Weekends; 18 holes/$10, Weekdays and Weekends

Cart: $8 per cart for 9 holes, $15 per cart for 18 holes

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: No

New Madrid Country Club

(New Madrid)

748-7794

(Private, but can be played by public if notified in advance)

18 holes/Par 36-35--71/5,751 yards (Nine holes played twice from different tee boxes)

Greens fee: 18 holes/$15 Weekdays; 18 holes/$25 Weekends

Cart: $10 per 18

Driving range: No

Spike requirements: Soft only

Perryville Country Club

(Perryville)

547-8036

(Open to public)

9 hole/par 35

18 hole/35-35--70/5,679 yards (same green, two tee boxes)

Greens fee: 9 holes/$8 Weekdays, $15 Weekends; 18 holes/ $12 Weekdays, $20 Weekends

Cart: $5 per person 9 holes, $8 per person 18 holes

Spike requirements: Soft only

Poplar Bluff Municipal

(Poplar Bluff)

686-8634

(Open to public)

18 holes/35-35--70/6,400 yards

(Note: New back nine will open on June 1. Greens fee will change at that time.)

Greens fee: 9 holes/$9, Weekdays

9 holes/$11, Weekends

Cart: Single person $4.25, doubles $8.50

Spike requirenments: No

Sikeston Country Club

(Sikeston)

472-4225

Head professional: Kevin Collins

(Open to public, except 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. and Sun.)

18 holes/35-36--71/6,385 yards

Greens fee: 18 holes/$18 Weekdays; 18 holes/$28 Weekends

Cart: $16 per cart

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: Soft only

Ste. Genevieve Country Club

(Ste. Genevieve)

883-2949

(Semi-private)

9 holes/par 36/2,949 yards

(Note: Will have 18 holes as of Aug. 1)

Greens fee: 9 holes/$8 Weekdays, $10 Weekends; 18 holes/$15 Weekdays, $18 Weekends

Cart: 9 holes/$8 per cart; 18 holes/$15 per cart

Spike requirments: Soft only as of June 1

Terre du Lac Country Club

(Bonne Terre)

562-7091

Head professional: Cliff Easum

(Semi-private/public)

Two courses:

18 holes/36-36--72, 6,279 yards (Private, but public allowed at limited times)

Greens fee: 18-holes/$18, $30 with cart

9 hole/par 36/3,461 yards (Public)

Greens fee: 9-holes/$8, $13 with cart

Driving range

Spike requirements: Soft only

Viburnum Golf & Country Club

(Viburnum)

244-5688

(Open to public)

9 holes/par 36/3,226

Greens fee: 9 holes/$8 Weekdays, $10.75 Weekends; 18 holes/$12.75 Weekdays, $17 Weekends

Cart: $8 per nine per cart

Driving range

Spike requirements: No

Westwood Hills Country Club

(Poplar Bluff)

785-8211

(Private)

18 holes/par 36-35--71/6,239 yards

Driving range: Yes

Spike requirements: Soft only