There's no disputing the fact that going to 'soft spikes' has lessened wear and tear on greens. That's not to say that greens don't get abused. They do!
I see golf carts parked next to the green with the cart path only 12 feet away. Compacting the soil makes growing grass difficult and compaction means more frequent core aeration. And we all know how much we like putting on greens full of holes filled with sand.
A pet peeve of mine is the golfer that has difficulty not dragging his feet on the green. Darn, game's hard enough so having to negotiate putts through areas of the green that look like miniature mine fields just isn't right.
Eighty percent of the time, here at the 'Ranch', when called on a point of etiquette, the golfer didn't realize what they were doing. The other twenty percent is a different story. I recall an episode where a golfer was digging in his spikes like he was going to hit a bunker shot from the green. I said something like "hey, be careful. You're only hitting a 12 footer, not shooting a bazooka". Yeah, a bit gruff but sometimes it takes tough love to get your point across.
Did I mention this exchange took place on #4? I could have gone off on any of the first 3 but decided on giving the benefit of doubt in his favor. Nothing like having a member of your foursome playing like they had a sharp stick jutting from one of their eye sockets.
