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Thinking about blades


codwater
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I have been taking lessons now for several months, and my swing is on point, although not fine tuned. I hit ping eye 2 irons because they were recomended to me a the mecca of forgiving irons.

I went to my lesson today. I hit three bad shots to start the lesson. My instructor put me through a little drill, and I was back to hitting nice lofty 100 yard shots with my wedge. They were a lengthy and as inaccurate as my shot are when I play a round.

When I play a round, I can pick the right club distance wise, but my aim is way off. I told my instructor and he gave me a few tips and drills. I am not slicing or hooking, just straight shot that ends up 20 yards left or right of where I am aiming. I took the instructors advice, and improved to hitting 15 yards to left or right from where I was aiming. My instructor told me it had to do more with my swing that my aim, and we moved on working on my wicked driver slice.

Once I finished my lesson my wife was up. I decided to go to the bucket of lost clubs to grab a blade and see what blades were all about. I have heard, "practice with blade if you want to learn true accuracy and playable shots." Well, I found a Spalding blade that had some tour guy's signature on it. It was four iron. I looked it over. It was much smaller than my eye 2s. I grabbed a handful of balls from my wife's bucket and took the stall next to her. I hit all my shot dead on. They were about 30 shorter than what I normall hit, but they were exactly where I was aiming. My instuctor kept tossing a couple of ball into my stall, and I just kept wacking accurate but short shots. I am going to try to hit some more with the blades this week. I think the accuracy came from the small club head. Because the head was smaller, I took more care to aim more carefully at my ball.

This is just an account of my lesson today. If anyone wants to interject, please do. I talked to my father in law and he said he would give me a set of 2 year old Callaway blades, because he can't hit them. He also told me he doubted my story because for the most part, only tour players play blades. I told him I would try then next time we are together, and if I hit them well, I will take them off of his hands.

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I use Diablo Edges on the course but practice with Hogan blades.  I find the blades to be easier to aim over the wide soled thick top line of the Edges.  When I hit the Hogans right it feels better and the ball goes futher than the Diablo Edges, but when I don't hit the sweet spot there's a pretty significant yardage penalty compared to the Edges which is why I'm still gaming the Diablo Edges on the course.

Most people will tell you that most pro's don't even play blades because they want the forgiveness of cavity backs or at least muscle cavity backs, but it's your decision so see how the next lesson goes with the blades.

Joe Paradiso

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Unless you are a low single digit HC at the very worst......................... Just say no to blades.

Blades are no good for 99% of golfers.....unless, of course you are very, very good.  If you have good feel and are a better player, choose forged clubs with cavity forgiveness.....

I'm a 1hc and I don't use blades......Say yes to forged.....

hell, many tour pro's don't use blades!!!   Don't choose the wrong club.....

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch

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Blades are fine if you have the time to work on your swing.  I personally love blades even if they arent as friendly as a cavity back.

If you want blades and go into in understanding that you will have to spent more time working on your swing, then theres nothing wrong with it.

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Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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If you are a good player.....there are plenty of good forged clubs with cavity forgiveness...........a great feel/forgiveness combo....Straight blades......you might be doing your game a dis-service.  I'm just sayin'............if you are a low HC player......nothing beats the forged FEEL......

that said....I hope you don't get in over your head and choose a club that isn't best suited to you.........

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

If you are a good player.....there are plenty of good forged clubs with cavity forgiveness...........a great feel/forgiveness combo....

Straight blades......you might be doing your game a dis-service.  I'm just sayin'............



I agree.  Some people love blades though and even a forged cavityback doesnt have the same feel.  Personally, Ive tried CBs are few times but I always come back to the looks and feel of blades.  You just need to work with them more and lets be honest, most people simply dont have the time or that level of dedication.

Keep in mind, Im the crazy person who is the only person at the driving range on a January day bundled up with all the heaters cranked trying to work on his swing.

Honestly, thats OK.  Thats why they make BOTH blades and cavity backs.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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Try to find a used set of mizuno mx-23 irons they can be had pretty cheap. They were the first forged iron I ever used and I can say that the feedback they give is really good.  It's a good blend of forgiveness but yet if you miss hit a shot you will know it. 3,4,5,6,7 are all cavity backs and 8,9,PW are more of a muscle back.

I don't buy into the theory of blades help you become a better ball striker unless you started out learning with blades. If you hit errant shots with GI irons blades will only make the problem worse and set you back. A good ball striker is a good ball striker regardless of what type of iron they are playing.

Driver: i15, 3 wood: G10, Hybrid: Nickent 4dx, Irons: Ping s57, Wedges: Mizuno MPT 52, 56, 60, Putter: XG #9 
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Before last year I had never hit a blade, and had only used Cavity Back irons.  The CBs were Cleveland TA5s from a long time ago, but they worked awesome for nearly 10 years.  Why did I switch?  My handicap was low enough at the time to take the warnings about blades into consideration, and really I wanted to try something new.  But in all honesty they aren't all blades.  I bought a set of MacGregor irons where the long irons are full CBs and the further you go, the more MB (Muscle Back) they are.  They're meant for better ball strikers than the CBs, and meant for people who want to intentionally work the ball from right to left or left to right, etc.  If you're not a good ball striker and tend to mishit the ball more than you hit it purer, stay clear from blades just so you don't get discouraged.  Eventually you'll get there if you want to, but really, if you can't hit blades, why buy 'em?  Don't be ashamed to get the most forgiving irons available.  Blades are awesome but you need to know how to use them.  I still am getting used to my clubs, mostly because I don't get out very much anymore, but also because it just requires more work.

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Originally Posted by clubchamp

I don't buy into the theory of blades help you become a better ball striker unless you started out learning with blades. If you hit errant shots with GI irons blades will only make the problem worse and set you back. A good ball striker is a good ball striker regardless of what type of iron they are playing.

With a blade when you miss the center of the clubface you will feel it because it will vibrate so hard that it will literally hurt your hands.  With a CB you dont get that same level of feel.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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On monday i got a set my set of Callaway TA x-prototype irons in the mail.  I've played 25 holes with them so far and from that time, i would only say a CB would have helped 2-4 times.  Now, i hit some shots that no club would have helped like a thinned or heavy shot.  On the other hand, i've hit more GIR's and i've been money with the short irons and PW.

I'm like a 12 hc and im a good ball striker who was scared of blades before but there not that bad.  Life is too short to not play with what you want.

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Originally Posted by clubhousehero

On monday i got a set my set of Callaway TA x-prototype irons in the mail.  I've played 25 holes with them so far and from that time, i would only say a CB would have helped 2-4 times.  Now, i hit some shots that no club would have helped like a thinned or heavy shot.  On the other hand, i've hit more GIR's and i've been money with the short irons and PW.

I'm like a 12 hc and im a good ball striker who was scared of blades before but there not that bad.  Life is too short to not play with what you want.



Blades really arent that hard to hit well.  Last year I was a 15 handicap playing a set of Mizuno MP-32s and my 15 handicap was due to me sucking with the driver, 3-wood, bunker shots and with distance control with my wedges.

Give me a 150 yard or less par 3 and Id hit the green 7 out of 10 times with those blades.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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It doesn't have to be one or the other, and practice blades don't have to be expensive. With the exception of a few collectables the oldies are bargains. Buttery soft and unforgiving. My AP1's allow me to repeat the same mistakes forever, as do Eye 2's. It's good to stick a blade or two into the mix.

Edit: Start with the higher numbers  - not the long irons.

"Quick Dorthy....the oil can!"

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With a blade when you miss the center of the clubface you will feel it because it will vibrate so hard that it will literally hurt your hands.  With a CB you dont get that same level of feel.



while that is true it would also be true if you switched to a Mb type iron. My point was that there is more logical options to getting feedback then jumping to blades. Also how does feeling a bad shot help your game? I can tell when I hit a bad shot with a lot of irons without hurting my hands. What I'm trying to say is there is a perception that playing blades makes you a better ball striker and the only thing that makes you a good ball striker is your swing not the club. The average golfer mis hitting a blade or any iron doesn't know what adjustment to make to fix a swing flaw in the middle of a round.

Driver: i15, 3 wood: G10, Hybrid: Nickent 4dx, Irons: Ping s57, Wedges: Mizuno MPT 52, 56, 60, Putter: XG #9 
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Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Its like we have the same game.  Its not uncommon for me to shot in the mid to high 80's but play all the par 3's even par.  Meanwhile playing the 4 par 5's like 6 over.  Its usually b/c of me trying to bomb a driver or hit some hero shot trying to get home in 2 that i pay for.

Blades really arent that hard to hit well.  Last year I was a 15 handicap playing a set of Mizuno MP-32s and my 15 handicap was due to me sucking with the driver, 3-wood, bunker shots and with distance control with my wedges.

Give me a 150 yard or less par 3 and Id hit the green 7 out of 10 times with those blades.



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When I started playing golf there was nothing but blades to choose from. Forty years later I got the 1998 Hogan Apex's, which are wonderful. Two years ago I got a set of Apex Redlines, which are wonderfuller.

I honestly don't know what the fuss is all about. I hit sweet shots with these clubs. If your f-i-l gives you a set, play 'em and have fun.

And I have never hurt my hands from the shock of an off-center hit. Don't know where that one comes from.

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I'm glad I started playing before it became a taboo to get around the course with a bag full of blades. Hell, apparently professionals shouldn't even be using blades now.

@ the OP: just buy the friggin' blades. It's a HOBBY

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.

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Of course, nobody over the age of 40 started with blades (heavy sarcasm here). I'm sure Bobby, Arnie, and Jack to name a few, would have been SO much better with some SGIs...  ;-)

To the OP: Get 'em. If you've any decent hand-eye coordination, you'll figure it out. But just in case you're like a good friend of mine, (his hand-eye coordination stinks, but he does love to play), keep the others too.

In the Bag

Ping i15 8* Diamana Whiteboard

Titleist 909f3 13.5* Aldila NV

Ping S57 3-PW KBS C-taper

Macgregor 52, 56, and 60 wedges

SC Newport 2.5

 

Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

 

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if you are a weekend golfer and want to struggle......................BLADES!!!

............it's all you need to know.  I've been playing 20yrs and forged is a must for me, but my old sticks have forgiveness.  why would anyone give that up on PURPOSE!!!!!!

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch

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Note: This thread is 4582 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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