spikes banned on my local course.
It`s a good thing (best thing they have done) Greens use to look like WW2 in the afternoon`s after 200 players have gone by, spike marks everywhere.
The problem with it been. Rule on the greens (only allowed to repair your own pitch mark) not allowed to improve your line (repair other players pitch marks, pat down spike marks in your line to the hole) with spikes can make for a hop skip and jump to the hole)
After they banned spikes the greens are not to bad in the afternoon.
(rule)
Rule 16-1a states that the line of putt must not be touched. Fortunately, there are seven exceptions to this Rule, which are;
(i) the player may remove loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down (loose impediments may be removed by any means, e.g. with the putter head, a glove, the back of a hand, or even with a brush!)
(ii) the player may place the club in front of the ball when addressing it, provided he does not press anything down (this is a practice sometimes used by players as part of their putting routine)
(iii) in measuring - Rule 18-6 (e.g. to see whose ball is further from the hole)
(iv) in lifting or replacing the ball - Rule 16-1b
(v) in pressing down a ball-marker
(vi) in repairing old hole plugs or ball marks on the putting green - Rule 16-1c (but remember that no other damage to the putting green may be repaired on the line of putt, e.g. spike marks or flagstick damage)
(vii) in removing movable obstructions - Rule 24-1 (remember that if you accidentally move your ball while removing anything from the putting green, whether it is natural or artificial, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced, Rules 23-1 and 24-1a).