Jump to content
IGNORED

Switching to blades *advice*

Boosted2g

By Boosted2g,
in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting

 Share
Note: This thread is 3848 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!

Recommended Posts

Boosted2g Member

Boosted2g

I know I don't post a whole lot, more of a browser.  But I really need the advice of some of you more experienced single digit handicappers.  I am currently a mid 80's guy. I have a strong swing with a pretty high swing speed.  I like to move the ball back and forth as my game is progressing.  I am playing a set of Ping G15's but am looking to move to more of players club.  I was looking to trade these off for another set of clubs.  Had a guy offer me a set of mizuno mp67's with rifle 5.5 shafts. I want to make sure I am not getting ripped off on this deal. I hit some mp52's at golfsmith so I am sure I can handle switching to a blade.  Any suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jakester23 Great Member

Jakester23

I'm playing the same irons and also looking to upgrade as well.I think the I20's are worth a look. They seem like a great mix of a players iron with some forgiveness.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

Finley Established Member

Finley

I game the mp-62s. Love them. I went from nike ignite (game improvement irons) to the mp-62s. I wasn't ever comfortable swinging the Ignites because they are just so big, like most game improvement irons. I feel comfortable with the 62s and my scores are showing it. The 52s and 67s will feel a little different, make sure you swing them first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

saevel25 Incredible Member

saevel25

MP 67's are a pretty stout club, pure muscleback. Your going to probably the least forgiving iron out there. As 10+ handicap you'll probably struggle with these irons. If you struggle at all with hitting the ball fat, or not hitting the center of the clubface a good amount of the time, you will loose a few strokes a round on these irons. Game improvement irons can get away with this because they have a large sole and higher bounce, so they glide through turn easier, allowing for slight mishits, and weighting around the edge of the iron expands the sweet spot.

If your looking for a better players club, i would gear towards MP JPX irons, or the H4 or MP 54. They have a slight cavity back and are designed to give a bit more help on miss hits. The JPX will be even more forgiving as well.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: :titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

GaijinGolfer Super Member

GaijinGolfer

My advice is dont do it.  Theres a reason why even the pros dont play blades anymore.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PirateJim Dedicated Member

PirateJim

If you enjoy a friendly wager on the course, or perhaps getting in on the local skins games, your buddies will really appreciate seeing blades turn up in your bag and will no doubt congratulate you on your good and traditionalist taste.

Okay, sorry for the sarcasm, but as another mid 80s guy who has been sniffing around new irons I've been giving this a lot of thought, and spewing those thoughts in other nearby threads, so here goes again.  This is, of course, only my personal opinion.

Golf is hard.  The right clubs can make golf a little bit easier.  The wrong clubs can make golf a lot harder than it needs to be.  A mid 80s guy who would like to be a mid 70s guy isn't going to make the task any easier by playing clubs best suited for a low 70s guy.  Quite the opposite.

Do as you wish.  I'm looking at game improvement clubs.  With all clubs, there is a range within each class.  I think my G20s (similar to your G15s) are off near the super game improvement end of the GI range, and I'm looking at Titleist AP1s which I think, based on the specs, are closer to the Players end of the GI range, but still definitely game improvement clubs.  My game still needs improvement and clubs are just tools.

Good luck!

Driver: Titleist 913 D2 10.5*, Aldila RIP Phenom 50

Fairway 1: Titleist 913F, 17*, Titleist Bassara W55

Fairway 2: Titleist 913F, 21*, Titleist Bassara W55

Irons: Titleist AP1 714 5-PW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95

Wedges: SCOR 4161 48/52/56/60, Genius 9

Grips: GolfPride New Decade Red Mid-size on all of the above.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 - Super Stroke Slim 3.0

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lihu Incredible Member

Lihu

If you enjoy a friendly wager on the course, or perhaps getting in on the local skins games, your buddies will really appreciate seeing blades turn up in your bag and will no doubt congratulate you on your good and traditionalist taste.

Yeah, my partners were not all that happy with my blades, and they even mentioned that wasn't I part of some golf forum? Where's the good advice, and all that... :-P

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

dbuck Great Member

dbuck

I am not a single digit, but I am mid-high eighies most of the time, and I have been playing golf for 40 years. I frequently play blades and persimmon, and I score about the same as with Titanium and cavity backs, but not as consistent. You indicate that you have a strong swing and high swing speed, but what blades require is a precise strike. They are not as hard to hit as some folks say as far as getting them in the air and such, but the thing is a slight miss will cost more than with a cavity. If you hit your G15's with your strong swing and get say 190 from your 5 iron, you can miss a little and still get close to 190 and close to where you are aiming. With a true blade, depending on how they are set up, you might still get 190 from a perfect 5 iron, but a less than perfect might be a club or more short. Your margin for error with a blade is about half a dime on the face, a good cavity is maybe a quarter. You can work the ball with a cavity; more and more pros are playing some sort of more forgiving iron. I am not discouraging you away from blades. They feel great when properly struck, and tell you when they aren't . Personally, I play them more for tradition and nostalgia than anything else; much the way some people hunt with muzzle loaders, fish with hand tied flies and such. For what it's worth, I am not "good enough" for them. I love blades, and I love persimmon. I grew up with them. But you would probably laugh at the thought of switching to a persimmon driver. My first thought would be to pick up a used 5 or 6 iron blade of recent vintage with a shaft you like and try it out with real golf balls on the course. You will know pretty fast if it is something you want to pursue.

Don

In the bag:

Driver: PING 410 Plus 9 degrees, Alta CB55 S  Fairway: Callaway Rogue 3W PX Even Flow Blue 6.0; Hybrid: Titleist 818H1 21* PX Even Flow Blue 6.0;  Irons: Titleist 718 AP1 5-W2(53*) Shafts- TT AMT Red S300 ; Wedges Vokey SM8 56-10D Putter: Scotty Cameron 2016 Newport 2.5  Ball: Titleist AVX or 2021 ProV1

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1

Boosted2g Member

Boosted2g

  • Author
Dbuck thanks for the info. As far as distance I rely heavily on my distance. I am around 220-225 with a five iron.I play a lot of irons off the tee. If I lost my ability to be consistant then my game would suffer. I have pretty much decided to go with a forged cavity. I hit the ap1 and 2 today, and was very happy with the result. Thanks for all the advice everyone.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ernest Jones Incredible Member

Ernest Jones

Dbuck thanks for the info. As far as distance I rely heavily on my distance. I am around 220-225 with a five iron.I play a lot of irons off the tee. If I lost my ability to be consistant then my game would suffer. I have pretty much decided to go with a forged cavity. I hit the ap1 and 2 today, and was very happy with the result. Thanks for all the advice everyone.

That is some serious distance!

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

PSA - "If you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING!"

My Whackin' Sticks: :cleveland: 330cc 2003 Launcher 10.5*  :tmade: RBZ HL 3w  :nickent: 3DX DC 3H, 3DX RC 4H  :callaway: X-22 5-AW  :nike:SV tour 56* SW :mizuno: MP-T11 60* LW :bridgestone: customized TD-03 putter :tmade:Penta TP3   :aimpoint:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1

guiseppe Established Member

guiseppe

I just moved away from Callaway musclebacks to Mizuno MP59.  I loved the Callaways; gorgeous clubs and like shooting a bullet when flushed. However, there really is a big forgiveness difference with a cavity back and I just love my new clubs.  Immediately improved my game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

saevel25 Incredible Member

saevel25

MP 59's are not really a cavity back, they are a muscle back iron with extra perimeter weighting due to the titanium insert in the back being a lighter metal than the rest of the club.

They are a more forgiving club on the Mizuno line for better players.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: :titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

  • Moderator
TN94z Super Member

TN94z

  • Moderator

I went from the Nike Slingshots when I was shooting mid 80s to the MP32s and never looked back.  I feel I hit the ball better and felt the feedback was much better and helped my game. It's just an individual thing.

But only you know how you hit each and it sounds like you have that figured out. So to answer your original question, when I look to do something like that, I usually go on ebay and see what both sets are bringing and make my decision.  Having a club that fits your eye and swing better is worth some extra as well.

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1

ClayHbg Established Member

ClayHbg

Give the MP-54s a serious look.  I've been playing the JPX-800s for a few years now, lowered my handicap to 10.5 and I'm looking to make the same upgrade as soon as I can save the cash.  They are forged cavity backs but they look like blades at address.  If you go hit them you'll immediately fall in love.  Guaranteed!

nike.gif  VR-S Covert 10.5*

nike.gif  SQ2 15*

  Idea Black Hybrid, 19*

mizuno.gif  MP54, 4-PW

vokey.gif SM 50*, 54*, 58*

nike.gif  Method 001

nike.gif  RZN One

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rehmwa Super Member

rehmwa

Give the MP-54s a serious look.

I have the 53's (cavity design with a bit more cavity feature on the long irons) and they are great.  In retrospect, I should have gone straight to the 63's (straight up player cavity offering).  The milled cavity in the long irons on the 53's isn't a big thing for me.  But they all look great at address, the cavities are completely hidden and the profile is nice and thin.

that said - it appears the 54's are nice upgrade for this year's offerings.  AND, i understand that they took out a lot of forgiveness in the new 64's since the 54's seemed to be so nice and able to boost the player level coverage into what was the covered on the edge of the 63's.

So, the MP 54's, a good cavity profile (not much different than on the 63/64's) on the short irons and the milled extras on the (is it 6 through 3 irons?) is a pretty decent setup for sure.  Thought I'd skip buying the 3 and 4 irons and fill that gap with a nice hybrid.

nothing wrong either with looking at used MP-53's right now too.

Bill - 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1

Note: This thread is 3848 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!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up

  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.

  • Posts

    • Darkfrog
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By Darkfrog ·

      Day 12: Same as last couple days, but focus was on recentering aspect of flow. When I recenter earlier I make decent contact most swings but if I recenter late or not at all it’s a roll of the dice. 
    • pganapathy
      A Novice Journey to Building a Bag. (Help Appreciated)

      By pganapathy ·

      A couple of things.  Some of the clubs in your bag should be dropped immediately.  A 2-iron for example with what obviously seems to be a lower swing speed or possibly not great swing yet is a definite no-no.  To be hitting that 120-140 yards, which I assume includes run, is a sign that you are not getting the ball airborne at the correct angle to maximise distance.  The reason your 3 and 5 hybrid are going the same distance is that your launch angle is better with the 5.  Loft is your friend. Ideally I would suggest going to a golf or sporting store where you can hit golf balls on a simulator without being disturbed to understand your club carry distances and hopefully swing speed.  With that information we can definitely guide you better.
    • pganapathy
      Is This Club Blatantly Sandbagging?

      By pganapathy ·

      Let us be clear, unless you have proof of cheating, you just sound like a case of sour grapes.  In our club we have a guy who won club titles for many years.  Yes, he was a low single digit handicapper, but there have been quite a few others who played at his level.  Yet his mental strength and experience helped him win in many years when he shouldn't have.  Did he sandbag.  DEFINITELY NOT.  Did he just minimize his mistakes and pull out shots as and when needed.  Definitely.
    • DaHolla
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By DaHolla ·

      Day 111 - Worked on my grip and higher hands in the backswing. Full swings with the PRGR. 
    • retoid
      A Novice Journey to Building a Bag. (Help Appreciated)

      By retoid ·

      First off please forgive me if this is not a proper post or not in the proper location, still learning the ropes around here. Second, it's important that I mention I am very new to the game with only about 10 rounds of golf under my belt, most being 9 holes. Only this year have I started playing 18. That being said, I am hooked, love the game and am very eager to learn and improve. To give you an idea of my skill, the last 2 18 rounds I played were 110 and 105. Not great at all, however I am slowly improving as I learn. Had been having bad slicing issues with the driver and hybrids but after playing some more and hitting the range, I've been able to improve on that quite a bit and have been hitting more straight on average. Irons have always come easier to me as far as hitting straight for some reason. Wedges have needed a lot of improvement, but I practice chipping about 20-30 mins about 3-5 times a week and that's helped a lot. Today I went to the range and started to note down some distance data, mind you I am averaging the distances based off my best guess compared to the distance markers on the range. I do not currently own a range finder or tracker. From reading some similar posts I do understand that filling gaps is ideal, but I am having a some issues figuring out those gaps and understanding which clubs to keep and remove as some gaps are minimal between clubs. Below is an image of the chart I put together showing the clubs and average distances I've been hitting and power applied. For some reason I am hitting my hybrids around the same distances and I am not sure why. Wondering if one of them should be removed. I didn't notice a huge loft difference either. The irons I have are hand me downs from my grandfather and after playing with them a bit, I feel like they're just not giving me what could potentially be there. The feel is a bit hard/harsh and underwhelming if that makes sense and I can't seem to get decent distances from them. Wondering if I should be looking to invest in some more updated irons and if those should be muscle backs or cavity backs? My knowledge here is minimal. I have never played with modern fairway woods, only the classic clubs that are actually wood and much smaller than modern clubs. I recently removed the 4 and 5 woods from my bag as I was never using them and I don't hit them very well or very far. Wondering if I should look into some more modern fairway wood options? I appreciate any feedback or advice anyone is willing to give, please forgive my lack of knowledge. I am eager to learn! Thank you.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

  I accept
The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...