Use blades to learn how to play!

[JYB]

I know that bladed irons are usually meant for more of a real "player" but, after re-learning my game, i'm so happy that i've got some real blades to learn with and here's why:

i know when i mishit and i know when i don't. Golf is such a game of sounds...hearing the club hit the ball the right way really tells you a lot. Mitch Spearman & Howard Wyckoff, two of the teachers i'm working with, have approved my idea that the blades can only help me learn the RIGHT way and not cover up my mistakes as a cavity beginner/intermediate club would.

Anyway, try it. Go blades to learn to play!

[Razorhog]

I hope this philosophy works because my clubs are some old muscleback Wilsons and the wife will not approve any new club purchases until next season.

[Dent]

Although you are right. Game improvement or super game improvement irons make the game much more enjoyable to play for beginners because even when they mis hit the ball. It gets somewhere for them.

[wolverine318]

This theory is debateable but in the end its going to come down to you and how much work and effort and practice you put into the game. Im a good ballstriker but I dont think I got there because I started off with blades, I think I got there because of the effort I put into becoming the best that I could be at it.

In the grand scheme of it all I think that blades will help you fine tune your swing better than a GI set will. Weather or not you start out with them or pick them up later once you have a better swing and feel for the swing is another discussion too imo.

[Sniper2075]

I was also thinking of getting some blades to practice with and use when taking lessons. But only for the range. When I go play on a course I would use my used set of Ping G5 irons. Would this be a good idea or would practicing with the blades make it harder to use the other set on the course.

I was thinking of getting some good condition used blades all from the set set and get like a 5i, 7i, and 9i. Use those to practice with along with my hybrids and 3w. What would be a good set to get clubs from?

Is this a good idea, I need to get lessons and will be doing that in the next week or so. I'm just thinking that by practicing with the blades with an instructor it would help my ball striking with my cavity backs on the course.

[knuckleballer71]

i agree totally................thats what ive been doin and so far its workin......DEFINATELY can tell when i hit em good and when i dont.......can hera it,can FEEL it...........................i think it makes you better than you HAVE to be...........................my $.02

[DDBowdoin]

I was also thinking of getting some blades to practice with and use when taking lessons. But only for the range. When I go play on a course I would use my used set of Ping G5 irons. Would this be a good idea or would practicing with the blades make it harder to use the other set on the course.

same... trying to find a decent set of used 695mbs

[golf_junkie27]

I believe every active golfer is capable of playing with blades. More than 90 percent of the time, players have no trouble hitting their GW, LW, SW, PW. Most, if not all, are blades. If you can hit these clubs, with little effort, from 60-125 yards, why can't you do the same with other irons for increased distances? Especially, today, where so many players are dropping 3I's and 4I's in favor of hybrids.

[mikelaw]

I know that bladed irons are usually meant for more of a real "player" but, after re-learning my game, i'm so happy that i've got some real blades to learn with and here's why:

amen to that!

[Drunk Driver]

This theory is debateable but in the end its going to come down to you and how much work and effort and practice you put into the game.

Yeah I think it depends on what your goals are. If your goal is to practice intensively and become a scratch player then I don't see any problem starting out with blades... In the long term it's probably the best way to go about it once you get past the initially steep learning curve.

My own personal goal is to get round the course without embarrassing myself. To that end blades are probably not for me... unless I just stand next to them and try to look cool. I'm happy to stick with my cavity backs for now. One thing I am curious about though... Are blades really that difficult to use? I mean I can understand if you are talking about long irons... because long irons are difficult to use regardless, even the cavity backs. But I find the majority of my Iron shots are with the 9i and the 7i which are fairly short and forgiving, would these clubs really be so different if they were blades?

[Jack_2251]

I believe every active golfer is capable of playing with blades. More than 90 percent of the time, players have no trouble hitting their GW, LW, SW, PW. Most, if not all, are blades. If you can hit these clubs, with little effort, from 60-125 yards, why can't you do the same with other irons for increased distances? Especially, today, where so many players are dropping 3I's and 4I's in favor of hybrids.

Longer shaft?

Standing further away from the ball?

[Left Is Right]

I am going blades next season and I am excited, I am a good ball striker so I will see how it goes, but it might be more of a confidence issue. If you can strike the ball in the center of the face with cavity backs then you should be able to do that with blades.

Although, with cavity backs you have something to fall back on if you don't hit in the center while blades you don't have that backstop. So, you might have more pressure to hit it better causing you to get nervous, which makes you want to go back to cavity backs.

[iacas]

I believe every active golfer is capable of playing with blades. More than 90 percent of the time, players have no trouble hitting their GW, LW, SW, PW. Most, if not all, are blades. If you can hit these clubs, with little effort, from 60-125 yards, why can't you do the same with other irons for increased distances?

They have longer shafts and the margin of error is, thus, much smaller. If we apply your logic, everyone and their brother would be hitting the least forgiving drivers, too.

As I've said in the past, I'm glad to have learned on blades. I'll probably always play irons that offer a lot of feedback - something most cavity-back and all Game Improvement irons don't offer. But the feedback - and the results - can be harsh. Irons are usually a choice between "feedback" and "forgiveness." They're inversely proportionate, and usually at about a 1:1 ratio. (See footnote.) If you're going to work at golf and don't mind shooting higher scores when you're ballstriking is off, blades are fine. But if you just want to enjoy golf and play with your buddies every now and then, you probably want "help," not "feel." Footnote: I think that's why the AP2 and AP1 irons are so successful. Instead of being a 9 and a 1 in terms of feel/forgiveness, they stretch that ratio into something like an 8.8/4.6 (for AP2). AP1 might be something like 7.2/5.8. Either way, they're expanding the "10 points" that a lot of clubs have had to work with previously, and golfers are noticing. r7 TP: 6/4. CG Red, 7/3. MP-67: 9.5/0.5. They're all great clubs - but if you want something that offers a lot of feel AND some good forgiveness, a "7" might not cut it for you in the feel department, and even a "3" might be too low for forgiveness.

[golf_junkie27]

Longer shaft?

Yes, I understand. However, I also wrote with the replacement of the 3I and 4I in favor of hybrids, many players start their set with a 5I. A 5I is not that difficult to hit. Many places demo clubs with either a 5I or 6I, depending on your comfort level.

Again, it's just my opinion based on what I've seen from players that can properly swing a golf club. If I did not write that, initially, my apologies.

[GOLFSALOT00]

i am contemplating this theory because at my clubs demo day they had some blads and after a while of hitting them i was hitting the sweet spot 8/10 times and the ball was flying long and straight but might not go with full fledged blades i might try something like mizuno mp 60 or 57 or cobra pro cb( i hit them and really liked them)

[JoeCanuck]

As someone said, it depends on what you goals are. If you're willing to put in the work to become the best player you can be, perhaps blades are the way to go.

I want to get maximum enjoyment from the not inconsiderable amount of time and money I'm investing in this sport.

For now, I'm happy to be able to hit the ball sweet and straight more often than not. My hybrids help me do that.

I pay the same green fees as most other hackers, regardless of their handicap. I also make the same amount playing golf...zilch.

Blades, hybrids or pool cues...I better be having fun at this...agrivation I can get for free.

[JYB]

drunkdriver,

your avatar image is very provacative in a way that i think if anyone looked at it, would know what i'm talking about. lol

[GOLFSALOT00]

my golf game is still growing i plan on playing highschool golf and maybe college so i want some solid players irons that will last me a good ten years durability wise and skill wise so blades or a transition sets seem like the way to go