New Blades

[Seven Iron]

Now that it's starting to become the off season (officially in it at Drake) I've been looking to getting new blades. I went out to Golf Galaxy and tried some new clubs out. I've been a Callaway girl my whole life, it's what the irons have always been. However, of the clubs I demoed they were the worst performing, mind you it was an indoor simulator and you can trust those accordingly. Anyway, I demoed Mizuno, Adams, Cobra, and of course Callaway. I'm not asking which you preferred, I'm asking why you preferred if these are ones you've hit. I'm not going into technical with what specific type of club they were because I'm purely looking at brand name performance and if you have a past history of any of these. Let me know and thanks ahead of time everyone

[verse214]

MP 68s

Why? Because when you play with them, it doesn't feel like you are playing something as "difficult" to hit as a blade. I've only been playing for a year and just switched to the 68's and they work - that should be evidence enough that they are good blades: if I can play with them and not go nuts, they must be well made and "forgiving" enough.

[ks8829]

MP33s

well balance, great looking, easy to hit, gives you feedback and reasonably priced.

[Leftygolfer]

I am not the norm on the forum: Went from the mp60 to the titleist.

Reason:

Forgiveness, distance, confidence, distance on mishits. I found my previous irons to be not a good fit for me. I gained almost a full club and hit the ball so much higher since the change.

[ctw262]

Mizuno mp-32
The reason is because the set up at address inspires so much confidence, whether hitting a punch draw or a high cut. Also, the feel of a well struck blade is amazing. I play the game for fun so whatever club helps me have fun, I'm buying.

[ControlJunkie]

Watch me, I can play this game too...

MP 68s

MP33s

Mizuno mp-32

I'm not starting a flame war, and I'm not trolling, what I'm trying to say here is most of those qualities each of you listed is going to be true for 99.9% of the blades ever made. Verse214 said above that it doesnt feel like you're playing with something as difficult to hit as a blade. Guess what? Modern blades now

are easier to hit than their older counterparts. I feel like the 3 VR blades in my set are really easy to hit. I see two problems here. First, guys (and girls), guess what? Believe it or not, there's more to the world than Mizuno. I've hit my fair share, and yes, they are nice, but there are a lot of clubs out there that are just as great, if not greater. Though I'm sure you'll take it this way, I'm by no means saying Mizuno's irons aren't quality, I'm just saying I think they're a little over-hyped. Kinda like the Patriots - great football team, but wayyy over-hyped. Second, how about instead of gushing about your love for < fill in the blank here >, why dont you tell the OP why you feel that it has that certain quality. Great example is KS8829's post - easy to hit - what makes it easy to hit? Slightly wider sole compared to others you tried (you did try others, didn't you??)? Slightly lower/deeper weighting? Slightly more/less offset? Great stock shaft?? That's the kind of information that can be very helpful. Some people want more emphasis in certain areas than others, and the more detailed information you as forum members give, the better. To the OP, I have a combo set of Nike VRs. 8,9,PW are all blades. They feel very balanced, or should I say they don't feel like all of the weight is at the head of the club when I swing. It's definitely helped me in keeping the ball down. Most all blades I've ever hit felt like that though. The face seems to be just a little wider than most, yet it is still nice and very compact. Topline as thin as any other blade out there today. They're very soft (not muted soft though) and yet feel as good as anything I've ever hit. Feedback is excellent. Minimal distance is lost on slightly off-center hits. There are others I want to try out at some point, though I'd be lying if I said I had experience with them. Those include the 2009 Titleist MB/CBs, and the TM TP MB Smoke. I always loved that dark satin appearance, but I've never gotten the chance to hit them. BTW, wasn't meaning to pick on anyone or call anyone out, those were just the quickest examples. I could find 50 more examples of what I was referring to in less than 5 minutes, so don't take it personally, as it's not meant that way.

[wedge player]

the 08 nike blades are about the best ive ever hit,they are awesome,ive tried mizuno,taylormade,and titleist blades and while i have the titleists in my bag i regret them not being nikes,they seem to go further vs other major brands.feel is about the same in all blades though.nikes i believe are the longest.

[goblue107501]

Watch me, I can play this game too...

Intentions or not, this could be one of the most stuck up posts I have ever read here. All you did was talk down to everyone who made a comment. If you have something to contribute then fine, if you want to talk down to people and act all superior since you seem to have all the answers, just keep it to yourself. I was offend and I didn't even leave a response. Yes, it gets tiring to read the same questions and answers all the time, if you don't like where a thread is going just move on.

No where in here did you answer the OP's question or contribute anything to the discussion. She asked specifically about Mizuno, Cobra, Adams, and Callaway. You did nothing more than what you claim everyone else did. You made mention of what you liked, even though it was not part of the question. Read the question again and comprehend what is being asked before you rip on people for offering an opinion. So what if people love a certain club. Maybe Mizuno is overrated, the question was about Mizuno, (not Nike) so the people that have experience with Mizuno responded. If the question had included Titleist I would have responded myself. It has been well over a year since I hit any of the clubs in question, so I wasn't going to comment. I didn't have anything constructive to add so I read the replies and moved on. Try it sometime. And descriptions like 'easy to hit', 'forgiving', 'nice to look at', 'reasonably priced', etc., are all valid answers to the question of why someone likes a certain club. Club selection is a very fickle process. If I asked about club ABC and got 10 responses that said they were forgiving and easy to hit, I would be pretty pleased and it would make me feel better about a decision. This is a forum where people ask questions and others give their opinions. If you don't like the opinions people give just move on.

[sean_miller]

Now that it's starting to become the off season (officially in it at Drake) I've been looking to getting new blades. I went out to Golf Galaxy and tried some new clubs out. I've been a Callaway girl my whole life, it's what the irons have always been. However, of the clubs I demoed they were the worst performing, mind you it was an indoor simulator and you can trust those accordingly. Anyway, I demoed Mizuno, Adams, Cobra, and of course Callaway. I'm not asking

I honestly can't comment on the Adams, and Cobra lines. There are some newer Adams irons that suit my eye (e.g. Idea Pro), but not Cobra - the whole line will always have the stigma (stank) of their early 90s oversized shovels. Same goes with Callaway since they introduced their chunky and goofy BB irons - love the BB woods though.

You're a better player than I am (probably all around, but definitely scorewise - some would say that's all that counts) but I'll pass on my opinions on different blade nonetheless. Keep in mind, this is based solely on blades I own (or have owned in the past) and not necessarily the 2009/2010 offerings. Mizuno : people can say whatever they want about Mizzies being overrated, but I still regularly play my 1991 MP-11 blades, and to this day I've never found anything that felt more solid and soft at the same time. Based solely on feel and distance, my Mizunos are the best irons I've ever owned. BUT . . . they sometimes feel too smooth. A pured forged blade feels good, but a pured Mizuno blade feels like nothing. It sounds good in theory, but in reality it's not all it seems. Me to a playing partner after hitting a smooth 5-iron from the middle of the fairway, "Where did that go? I know I just hit the ball - I heard it and it's not there any more?" "Um, yeah, you flew the green by 50 yards - what'd you hit there, a 3-wood?" Distance control is a sometimes an issue - but mostly if there's trouble long on a full approach shot. The leading edge is not too sharp and the sole isn't too wide - they're really good for pitches, knockdowns, 3/4 punch shots, chipping with a putting stroke, etcetera, but it's still possible to get one of those flyeresque shots even from a mid-length pitch shot. Titleist : a little wider sole, a little sharper leading edge and a little less soft in the hands. They're a little shorter than the Mizunos, but distance control is more consistent. Basically a strong performer all around, but not as confidence inspiring over the ball due to the aggresively sharp leading edge combined with the slightly wider sole. Fore some reason I envision digging a hole with them and end up hitting more thinned shots as a result. I'd love to hit the new 710 MB irons, but that may be more lust than love - they're just so hot. I digress. MacGregor : I love my old 50s era MTs. If you're okay with Ebay purchases, check their blades out. They've made some duds over the years, but in my experience you can almost pick them out of a lineup - if they look awkward and painful, they probably are. To this day I still think the 1950s era M75 and M85 MT blades are some of the best blades. Theyre cheap like borscht if you can find them. There were some beautiful MTs forged in the late 80s, but they're pretty rare. I sold a set to a buddy and still regret it. I'd have bought them back, but he unloaded them for some new CBs - what a jacka$$. Wilson Staff : I had a couple sets of of mid-70s era WS irons in the mid-90s and I have to say I wasn't ready for them. My swing was too upright and inconsistent to get the most out of these irons "back in the day". I really wish I'd hung onto them, but from experience they were a hard iron to hit unless your swing is truly grooved. At a hdcp of 3.0, the F59s would likely suit you - I wouldn't discount them that's for sure. I've never heard of a low capper playing WS and then using the word "overrated". They're good if you're good - simple as that. Hogan Apex : Checking Ebay once in a while for Hogan Apex is a worthwhile endeavour. I have two sets of Apex PCs (not from Ebay) and just picked up a set of mid-90s Channelbacks today. It's really hard to describe what hitting Hogan Apex blades is like - why do I like them - why would I recommend them to anyone trying to improve while being in touch with why they're improving. They look painful to hit, and they can be, but speaking of overrrated (they're not that bad). They never quite feel as buttery soft as the Mizzies (the gold standard) and 3/4 pitches need a little more attention to detail. Actually because they're a little sharper (not as sharp as the Titleists) and there's a little less meat behind the ball, all shots demand a little more focus. Having said that, distance control, trajectory and spin control, chipping from any lie around the green, and off the tee, they . . . what's the word? They just friggin' rock, that's it. Good luck and peace out.

[ControlJunkie]

Intentions or not, this could be one of the most stuck up posts I have ever read here. All you did was talk down to everyone who made a comment. If you have something to contribute then fine, if you want to talk down to people and act all superior since you seem to have all the answers, just keep it to yourself. I was offend and I didn't even leave a response. Yes, it gets tiring to read the same questions and answers all the time, if you don't like where a thread is going just move on.

No, I didn't do what everyone else did. My point was that I believe it would be much more helpful to everyone, but most importantly the OP, if they said

why they thought that particular club was easy to hit, forgiving, or nice to look at, etc. Following that statement, I used my irons as an example of what I meant by that. In my mind (which I admit can be screwed up at times) someone that is looking to make an intelligent decision on the purchase of a set of blades probably wants to hear a little more besides descriptions such as the ones listed above because they are generally a better player and are a little more familiar/experienced/educated about clubs. I'm fully aware that that's not always the case, but it usually is. While those descriptions may be valid answers to the OP's question, I also believe that the responses can stand to be a little more detailed and justified with some completely objective information. There's a difference between valid answers and good answers to a question like that. You take it as being stuck up, I take it as constructive criticism. Had I mindlessly trashed people and not offered suggestions on how to give some better information, that would have been stuck up and offensive. I'm not saying to offer up a Hemingway novel, but a little more of a description would be great. Opinions based on stated facts are much more helpful. Honestly, I don't care if you think I'm stuck up, but I would like for you to at least get my point and see where I'm coming from.

[Blades4me]

Now that it's starting to become the off season (officially in it at Drake) I've been looking to getting new blades. I went out to Golf Galaxy and tried some new clubs out. I've been a Callaway girl my whole life, it's what the irons have always been. However, of the clubs I demoed they were the worst performing, mind you it was an indoor simulator and you can trust those accordingly. Anyway, I demoed Mizuno, Adams, Cobra, and of course Callaway. I'm not asking

IMO, its hard to go wrong with Mizuno, Titleist or the Niki VR's. There is nothing wrong with Callaway, Adams or Cobra, I just didn't care for the asethics. I have 3 different sets of clubs I play, (mixed set of MP 60 & 32's 3-pw, but I like the 67's better cuz of the smaller head. A old set of 78 Wilson Staff Tour blades 1-pw and a set of MacGregor 1025 V-foil mb's 3-pw, great clubs that IMO never got their due). For me I've found that the shaft is the most important and can make most any club feel pretty darn good when fitted correctly. I like a solid feel, thin top line and a small head. I've found the PX's to be about a half a club longer and I like the firmer kick of the shaft. OTOH the DG's put more spin on the ball so the sit down better on the green after a mid or long iron shot.

The only thing I take serious at a indoor range when trying out irons is the feel of the club when it hits the ball, everything else I'll go to a outside grass range for. It looks like you are accomplished enough to make any club work, so good luck with your quest. All the above is just my opinion and what works for me.

[goblue107501]

While those descriptions may be valid answers to the OP's question, I also believe that the responses can stand to be a little more detailed and justified with some completely objective information. There's a difference between valid answers and good answers to a question like that.

My point was that it isn't up to you to tell people how to describe something or give an opinion.

Honestly, I don't care if you think I'm stuck up, but I would like for you to at least get my point and see where I'm coming from.

I don't think you're stuck up, but your post was. I do see your point, but it is not up to you to be the detail police, at least in the manner that you did it. If people want to pose a vague question they are going to get vague answers. We see it all the time here. I don't think we're going to have a webinar on how to give quality, detailed, specific responses on every topic anytime soon.

A simple response that said "I think the OP is looking for more detail than that, something along these lines..." could have been much more effective rather than singling out people with a holier-than-thou attitude and telling them they gave their opinion wrong.

[sean_miller]

I think he OP was looking for something like, why, after playing iron X, would you recommend it to a low hdcp player. I haven't read any posts in this thread that were even remotely technical or offered any scientic reason to choose one club over another. IMO that would likely be a regurgitation of data and stats available on OEM websites.

The reason I posted again was to apologize for comments made against Callaway and Cobra. I took another look at their new offerings and there's some pretty solid looking stuff there. I think part of the stigma with Cobra is they were really good clubs (like Pings that I've never been a fan of until the S series) - so good that the market was flooded with countless knockoffs. There were way too many 40+ hdcp golfers playing Cobra knockoffs to maintain a good reputation. Based on the number of tour players gaming Cobra, they must be churning out some qualty product.

[ks8829]

I am not exactly sure why the mp33 feels solid when I hit balls with the irons, maybe because of the mass behind club and the simple design, I have hit other irons and they feel bulky and without feel. I first switch from the mp30s because they came with rifle 5.5 shafts and they felt very heavy for me. the mp 33 came with Dynamic Gold R300 shafts that felt much lighter for my swing.

I mp 33's were easier to hit then I expected even on off center hit but the club will let you know that you were off slightly. When you hit the irons thin or a few grooves low you will get feedback in your hands.

I practice hitting PW, 8, 7 and 6 irons on grass field working on solid contact, distance control and direction and can tell on every shot if the contact is just right or If I need to make any adjustment in my set up and take away.

If you are considering trying blades of some type do not be afraid to try hitting them at your local golf store and judge for yourself. I tried the Titliest and Nike blades and like them also. The other reason, I purchased the mp33 without hitting them from ebay is because of they were price at $250 for the set and felt I had not too much to lose if I could not hit them. The mp30 were almost like blades so why not try true blades in the mp33 was my thinking.

I would consider the mp 30s again with DG shafts to fill in gaps with my mid to longer irons that I don't hit as confidently.

[WUTiger]

I volunteered at the U.S. Women's Amateur this summer in St. Louis. One day I worked the practice range, so I got to see what the women were carrying in their bags.

About 20% of the women had Callaway X20 Tour or X22 Tour irons. These are on the line between player and game improvement clubs, but are not blades. I had test-hit both these models this spring when I was replacing my irons. Both give you solid feedback on how well you hit the ball. Both give you some cavity-back help, but have smaller clubheads that cut through the rough nicely. I ended up getting basic X20s, largely because I don't have as good a swing as you do.

----------------
X22 Tour has MPF (Maltby Playability Factor) rating of 594, game improvement. See Golf Digest write-up:
http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/...tlist_irons_pi
----------------

Anyway, at least try the X20 Tour or X22 Tour irons. Lots of women were hitting beautiful shots with them this summer.

[sean_miller]

I volunteered at the U.S. Women's Amateur this summer in St. Louis. One day I worked the practice range, so I got to see what the women were carrying in their bags.

I must be a glutton for punishment - my favourite irons are all at the bottom of the MPF scale.

[Seven Iron]

My point was that it isn't up to you to tell people how to describe something or give an opinion.

I felt my post wasn't vague. No more fighting guys! Let's keep in mind the main point here. I like the feedback I'm getting so far. I'm very appreciative that some have sat down and written novel length answers here. Every bit helps. Thank you everyone.

[Seven Iron]

I volunteered at the U.S. Women's Amateur this summer in St. Louis. One day I worked the practice range, so I got to see what the women were carrying in their bags. About 20% of the women had Callaway X20 Tour or X22 Tour irons. These are on the line between player and game improvement clubs, but are not blades. I had test-hit both these models this spring when I was replacing my irons. Both give you solid feedback on how well you hit the ball. Both give you some cavity-back help, but have smaller clubheads that cut through the rough nicely. I ended up getting basic X20s, largely because I don't have as good a swing as you do. ---------------- X22 Tour has MPF (Maltby Playability Factor) rating of 594, game improvement. See Golf Digest write-up: http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/...tlist_irons_pi ---------------- Anyway, at least try the X20 Tour or X22 Tour irons. Lots of women were hitting beautiful shots with them this summer.

Thank you very much for sharing this! This is very interesting. I've come to see that Callaway is the dominant club in the scene of college golf as well. I was very shocked when they performed the least effective for me out of all the clubs I had chosen. I want to try the 22s with a graphite shaft but I will keep in mind that I've always been a steel. Again, thank you!!!