Master "Forged vs. Cast" or "Blade vs. Game-Improvement" Iron Thread

[bprater13]

Surefire,

That variation is a little more than was implicated I think tho. In the article the distance difference was 8 or 9 feet short or long, so if you hit an 8 iron 150 yards then it may come up at most 9 feet short, so you hit it 147 yards.

[fitpro3]

I recently took my callaway x-14 pro series out of my bag and put Titleist 690mb in (2-pw), and the switch really helped my game. I can work the ball out of the fairway or the rough. I do notice a big difference in distance on off center shots with the blades. Hopefully soon the blades will be coming out of the bag for the new Titleist AP2 to help with more distance on off center shots, and for the updated technology.

[JYB]

i play blades and i'm not happy with them lol. but that's because they're way too short for me firstly and secondly, the lie angles on them are way off. perhaps if they fit me properly i wouldn't be so unhappy with them.

[lazebones]

I do not think everyone should play blades however I do recommend playing forged irons over cast irons because the feedback is much greater on misses and you don't lose that much distance from miss hits as you would blades but the forged irons will surely give you enough feedback for you to figure out what happened.

[winders]

I do not think everyone should play blades however I do recommend playing forged irons over cast irons because the feedback is much greater on misses and you don't lose that much distance from miss hits as you would blades but the forged irons will surely give you enough feedback for you to figure out what happened.

I am sorry, but this makes no sense. Feedback is function of design, not the type of steel used.

S-

[lazebones]

Ill explain what I meant than. I dont think people should be using the clubs that claim they are more forgiving and ect. (IE Taylormade R7 irons) I had a set of them and I just hated it when I would miss a shot and not feel it and be able to figure out what I did wrong so I switched to a Forged CB Rac TP which has a lower profile than the R7s and I am able to figure out immediately what went wrong such as a thin,heel,toe shot. In conclusion people should want to use the "players club" such as the Titleist AP2 or the Rac TP MB so they can get their swing good enough to be able to hit those clubs. Just my opinion again. I go off of what I am informed and know.

[ScottySnapps]

Ive read with interest the various posts regarding folks here using blades...it is, I guess, a little puzzling. Aren't we playing to shoot better scores ? And if so, shouldn't we play with what helps us score lower...regardless of the "cachet" associated with it ? I ayed in a Golf Channel Amateur Tour event this weekend - the Par 3's ranged from 170 yards to 205 yards. I hit my 3,4, and 5 hybruds - and did not miss a green. My playing partners were firing their MP33s, and Titleist muscleback blades...and no one hit all 4 greens except me. I think I was better off...even tho I was hitting the less "fashionable" clubs. What do you guys think ???

[iacas]

Aren't we playing to shoot better scores ? And if so, shouldn't we play with what helps us score lower.

Some of us are playing for better scores, some for the enjoyment of a well-struck muscleback. Some of us appreciate the shotmaking that musclebacks can give us that cavity backs cannot (which directly improves scoring). Some of us appreciate that musclebacks can make us better players in the long run than the "immediate score-lowering" potential of a game improvement iron.

Read above or the other threads on this very topic; I think you'll see there are at least two sides to the debate.

[winders]

Ill explain what I meant than. I dont think people should be using the clubs that claim they are more forgiving and ect. (IE Taylormade R7 irons) I had a set of them and I just hated it when I would miss a shot and not feel it and be able to figure out what I did wrong so I switched to a Forged CB Rac TP which has a lower profile than the R7s and I am able to figure out immediately what went wrong such as a thin,heel,toe shot. In conclusion people should want to use the "players club" such as the Titleist AP2 or the Rac TP MB so they can get their swing good enough to be able to hit those clubs. Just my opinion again. I go off of what I am informed and know.

In other words, the actual way the steel is formed does not matter even though you said it did. You just think people should be playing forged cavity back "players" irons because you think they should. It doesn't matter that what is right for you is not right for everyone else.

Classic.... S-

[Cody]

Some of us are playing for better scores, some for the enjoyment of a well-struck muscleback. Some of us appreciate the shotmaking that musclebacks can give us that cavity backs cannot (which directly improves scoring). Some of us appreciate that musclebacks can make us better players in the long run than the "immediate score-lowering" potential of a game improvement iron.

What about cavity backs that aren't game improvement irons. I'm playing cavity backs with a very thin topline and minor cavity. They are closer to blades than game improvement.

I don't feel as if I'm ready for blades, but these aren't going to make it immpossible for me to work the ball once i get to that point.

[Elevation]

Just for kicks I took my 17 year old blades out to the range along with my much newer cavity backs and to my amazement I hit the blades overall every bit as well. When I hit it right on the sweet spot I actually liked the old blades better. I'm not saying I'm going back to blades but might reconsider when buying new clubs in a few years.

[iacas]

What about cavity backs that aren't game improvement irons.

All cavity backs are "game improvement" to some degree. As such, I'm using the terms somewhat interchangeably.

[winders]

All cavity backs are "game improvement" to some degree. As such, I'm using the terms somewhat interchangeably.

Just because a iron has a cavity back does not make it a "game improvement" iron in the industry accepted sense of the phrase. For example, the Cobra Pro CB or Mizuno MP-60 irons are in no way "game improvement" irons. And you can't call them "game improvement" irons just because they have a cavity back.

Just because an iron is a little easier to hit than a true blade does not make it a "game improvement" iron.... S-

[Cody]

All cavity backs are "game improvement" to some degree. As such, I'm using the terms somewhat interchangeably.

Just because a iron has a cavity back does not make it a "game improvement" iron in the industry accepted sense of the phrase. For example, the Cobra Pro CB or Mizuno MP-60 irons are in no way "game improvement" irons. And you can't call them "game improvement" irons just because they have a cavity back.

^

A cavity back doesn't mean that its a game improvement. A thick sole and toplie along with alot of offset on a cavity back makes it a game improvement iron.

[mjsab]

G'day

What's a Blade?

I went to Taylormade TP MB earlier this year. But are they a blade?

(I found them easier to hit than the Titleist 695MB I also scoped)

I think maybe the lines are getting blurred by the manufacturers or demand!

Interesting topic, Personally I like to feel I've struck the ball well during a round more than scored well.

[FlopShotArtist]

G'day

"MB" means muscle back, which I think means blade. Not real educated on irons yet, haven't seriously looked into any yet.

[FortAsel]

In my opinion, blades are less forgiving, so if you practice with them, a lot, you will become a better player since you won't have much room for error...
'm currently playing the titleist 735 cm irons. Needless to say that, because of these irons being forged, and being a blade/cavity combo of irons irons, my blade irons are much more worn out than my cavity.
I'm hoping that next year for my birthday, my parents will buy me some blade irons. Plus my coach whants me to have more control on the ball and swing smoother. I actually believe that blades can help you with that... but thats just my opinion...

[lazebones]

In other words, the actual way the steel is formed does not matter even though you said it did. You just think people should be playing forged cavity back "players" irons because you think they should. It doesn't matter that what is right for you is not right for everyone else.

I think if you want to take golf serious you should really want to play with cut muscle or muscle back irons because they are hands down the best performing irons one can hit. (I don't know if the AP2 falls into that category but I'm going to lump them in there because they are some of the best irons I've ever hit) and yes the way the metal is formed does matter to alot of people.