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

[saevel25]

That's some solid information, I really do appreciate it. Does anyone know the preference of pros? Or is it just that, preference. Meaning they will use whatever they feel works best for them. Or will blades always work best for them because they can consistently strike the ball the way they want?

BTW, checked out some of those clubs, woowee they're gorgeous. I really like the minimalist approach to blades. Now to see if I can actually hit them.

I'd say a lot of Pro's tend towards the bladish style.

Some Pro's will pla clubs like AP2's (Zach Johnson, recent Major Winner). Some players will mix and match, maybe Titleist CB or MB's with an AP2 long iron.

I have MP-59s, but I own a JPX-825 Pro 4 and 5 iron because i'ts a tad easier to hit.

[WUTiger]

Here's the master class on this topic.

Don't be surprised if you get rolled into this one above.

If you are talking irons like this, then I'd say they would probably be good for a single digit or lower. It depend on the golfer's comfort level. ...

... As for shaping the ball, you can curve both game improvement irons and blade irons.  ...

A quick analysis: Blade vs. GI all has to do with trade-offs. GI gives tighter range dispersion than SGI, whereas Player's (including blades) give tighter range dispersion than GI.

BUT..... You also get less forgiveness on mishits with GI than with SGI, and even less with Player's.

Expanding on what @saevel25 said, you can hit a basic fade or draw with almost any golf club - if you understand golf swing set-up. As far as height control, the Players and to a certain degree the GI irons give you the ability to flight the ball up and down, more so than SGI irons. That said, this is something you need to practice. Also, shaft is a major influence on how much you can flight the ball.

On manipulating ball height/trajectory, do you want to try a lower shot into the wind, or is is more reliable to hit a 5i instead of 7i?

Make sure your desire to hit blades/Players isn't just an ego thing. It could increase, rather than lower, your scores - if you don't have enough time to practice your new shot options. Also, take a look at Golf Digest's What's in the Bag features. You'll see a lot of pro tour players who have GI irons for the 3 through 6, or on occasion their entire iron set. It's a constant trade-off between fancy-shot options and reliability.

[colin007]

No. They're pretty much the same.

Oh ok, thanks. I didn't realize they were.

[k-troop]

Some Pro's will pla clubs like AP2's (Zach Johnson, recent Major Winner). Some players will mix and match, maybe Titleist CB or MB's with an AP2 long iron.

Given that pros playing AP2s have claimed 100% of the majors this year, it's pretty clear they are the best iron on the market, and possibly the best ever made.

[Jeremie Boop]

Given that pros playing AP2s have claimed 100% of the majors this year, it's pretty clear they are the best iron on the market, and possibly the best ever made.

Except that, when I got fitted, they weren't the best irons for me. Granted, they were a very close 2nd place, but blanket statements like "best on the market" or "best ever made" isn't necessarily accurate for everyone.

[k-troop]

Except that, when I got fitted, they weren't the best irons for me. Granted, they were a very close 2nd place, but blanket statements like "best on the market" or "best ever made" isn't necessarily accurate for everyone.

You're wrong. (For not reading sarcasm into my post.)

[saevel25]

Given that pros playing AP2s have claimed 100% of the majors this year, it's pretty clear they are the best iron on the market, and possibly the best ever made.

Sample size is too small :p

[Jeremie Boop]

You're wrong.

(For not reading sarcasm into my post.)

Lol, sorry, a bit gun shy because I have seen a few people use blanket statements similar.

[mvmac]

That's some solid information, I really do appreciate it. Does anyone know the preference of pros? Or is it just that, preference. Meaning they will use whatever they feel works best for them. Or will blades always work best for them because they can consistently strike the ball the way they want?

Pros play irons all over the map. Musclebacks (blades) to forgiving irons like the i25, Callaway Apex (not the pro), TaylorMade RSi 2 to everything in between. Irons like the AP2 and S55 are popular on tour.

[mvmac]

Pros play irons all over the map. Musclebacks (blades) to forgiving irons like the i25, Callaway Apex (not the pro), TaylorMade RSi 2 to everything in between. Irons like the AP2 and S55 are popular on tour.

I was actually going to post this last night but wanted to double check first, AP2 714 is Titleist's #1 model of iron on tour, which probably makes it the #1 model on tour since Titleist tends to win the weekly iron count.

[thenewguy]

You're an 18 handicapper so these probably won't be the best irons for you.

I play blades as it is with no problem. My handicap is just me struggling with my short game and putting.

[Shindig]

[quote name="mvmac" url="/t/83214/mizuno-s-new-mp-5-channelback-irons#post_1174210"] You're an 18 handicapper so these probably won't be the best irons for you.

I play blades as it is with no problem. My handicap is just me struggling with my short game and putting.[/quote] How many greens in regulation do you hit each round? How often do you miss, but in a good spot (within 15-20 yards of the green, not in heavy rough or sand)? When my handicap finally got to low-20s / high teens, I got a set of Mizuno irons -- MP-57s. They were fun, except for the scoring low part, which I failed to do. I, too, thought it was a short game / putting issue; after all, I rarely missed (as in not hitting the ball) an iron shot, nor did I ever slice with an iron. I deluded myself into thinking I was a great iron striker because of these things, when in fact my short game was fine (especially for that level) -- I just missed in horrible places regularly. For better or worse, life intervened and I ended up spending two years barely playing; this caused me to go back to GI irons. Upon returning to regularly playing, although with these and not the Mizuno irons, along with some lessons, I've become a better ball striker, recognized where my deficiencies actually were, and managed to improve to the low teens.

[mvmac]

@thenewguy , that's fine, you can do whatever you want, golf is a game so enjoy and have fun. But also realize that most pros don't even play blade irons.

And read this bit.

I play blades as it is with no problem. My handicap is just me struggling with my short game and putting.

Your handicap has more to do with your ballstriking than your putting/short game. If you were to hit more greens in regulation, your score would improve, you probably only hit one or two a round right now.

[thenewguy]

How many greens in regulation do you hit each round? How often do you miss, but in a good spot (within 15-20 yards of the green, not in heavy rough or sand)? When my handicap finally got to low-20s / high teens, I got a set of Mizuno irons -- MP-57s. They were fun, except for the scoring low part, which I failed to do. I, too, thought it was a short game / putting issue; after all, I rarely missed (as in not hitting the ball) an iron shot, nor did I ever slice with an iron. I deluded myself into thinking I was a great iron striker because of these things, when in fact my short game was fine (especially for that level) -- I just missed in horrible places regularly. For better or worse, life intervened and I ended up spending two years barely playing; this caused me to go back to GI irons. Upon returning to regularly playing, although with these and not the Mizuno irons, along with some lessons, I've become a better ball striker, recognized where my deficiencies actually were, and managed to improve to the low teens.

if we're being 100% honest, I can't hit my driver so I'm often making recovery shots off the tee box, and I make about 14/18 greens in regulation not sure if that's good or bad. my short game from 80 yards and in is what kills me, I'm often sending shots too far or too short leaving me with more putts than desired, and on par threes if my tee shot isn't good you can forget about par.

[Shindig]

[quote name="Shindig" url="/t/83214/mizuno-s-new-mp-5-channelback-irons#post_1174249"] How many greens in regulation do you hit each round? How often do you miss, but in a good spot (within 15-20 yards of the green, not in heavy rough or sand)? When my handicap finally got to low-20s / high teens, I got a set of Mizuno irons -- MP-57s. They were fun, except for the scoring low part, which I failed to do. I, too, thought it was a short game / putting issue; after all, I rarely missed (as in not hitting the ball) an iron shot, nor did I ever slice with an iron. I deluded myself into thinking I was a great iron striker because of these things, when in fact my short game was fine (especially for that level) -- I just missed in horrible places regularly. For better or worse, life intervened and I ended up spending two years barely playing; this caused me to go back to GI irons. Upon returning to regularly playing, although with these and not the Mizuno irons, along with some lessons, I've become a better ball striker, recognized where my deficiencies actually were, and managed to improve to the low teens.

if we're being 100% honest, I can't hit my driver so I'm often making recovery shots off the tee box, and I make about 14/18 greens in regulation not sure if that's good or bad. my short game from 80 yards and in is what kills me, I'm often sending shots too far or too short leaving me with more putts than desired, and on par threes if my tee shot isn't good you can forget about par.[/quote] I find it very hard to believe that this is true; if it is, this is something you can fix in a few hours. Please take this as constructive criticism; that's the intention. [LIST] [*] If you're a good ball striker, you should be a good driver of the ball too. Is your driver properly fit for you? What's your swing with it like? Consider making a "my swing" thread. If you're a good ball striker, getting to be decent with your driver shouldn't take you that long. [*] How are you making 14 GIR/round despite "often" recovery shots off the tee box? Are your bad driver shots literally staying on the tee box? 14 GIR/round is better than the PGA Tour median. [*] If you're a good ball striker, how are you unable to control distances 80 yards and in? How far does a half PW go for you? Half GW? Half SW? [*] If you're hitting 14 GIR, how bad is your putting that these 14 holes collectively aren't adding, at most, 4 to your score relative to par? Many 20 handicappers could play 14 holes at my home course in +4 to +6 if they were given GIR, even if it were chosen adversarially on some holes. [*] If you're a good ball striker, why aren't routine pars on par-3s your thing? You have a perfect lie each time. [/LIST] Again, I'm sorry if this seems rude -- I want you to avoid repeating the mistakes I made that cost me, I feel, a good three years of golf improvement.

[billchao]

@thenewguy and @Shindig , I moved a few posts to this thread. It was OT in the Mizuno MP-5 thread.

[mvmac]

if we're being 100% honest, I can't hit my driver so I'm often making recovery shots off the tee box, and I make about 14/18 greens in regulation not sure if that's good or bad.

That would make you #1 in GIR on tour.

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.103.html

Maybe you're not sure of what green in regulation means?

[Shindig]

@thenewguy and @Shindig , I moved a few posts to this thread. It was OT in the Mizuno MP-5 thread.

Oops, sorry about that. That's twice this week I've forgotten what thread I was in :8)