Best Blade/Tour Irons...Ever?

[club ho]

Amen and well said! On the issue I have played titliest 690mb and now 695mb's. I can hit them well when I play enough. It sounds like this young man plays a lot. Keep in mind if you are a once a week golfer it is difficult hit the blade style irons unless you are an incredibly well coordinated athlete. I have tried the Muzuno mb-35's and did not like them. Now I have settled for the titlelist ap-2's. Nice clubs a little bit more forgiving and very good looking clubs. Recently I have bought some tour edge exotics drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. Absolutely incredible clubs for cheap money! I am getting a set of exotics xcg-3 irons for xmass from my daughter. My brother in law keeps telling me I should check into club rehab but I just say NO NO NO!

[handlez42]

its noticeable that the greats have changed over the years

it used to be either wilson staff...or...well you didnt win majors haha

then around that same time macgregor was really the other company to dominate...its funny when wilson staff always says 61 majors...i love it..im a wilson staff guy myself..but what about macgregor? i started a thread a while back that was "macgregor...59 majors..seriously?...Seriously." and now i have a duo of macgregor vip wedges...i know they are by golfsmith but they are by far the best of what i tested...looks traditional and great shape..also tears the cover of my ball on full shots haha...

then hogan was in there for a bit...i always read up on this site about the apex irons. or the hogan edge irons..

then theres macgregor before they fell apart...their v-foil irons are really nice and you can even find a spotless set on eBay from time to time.

now its truly...just mizuno

dont get me wrong the other companies have good stuff but nothing nearly as highly praised (from what i hear and read) as mizuno

ping makes some nice looking low-handi irons. so does nike even...titleist well..goodlooking but for me too small in size...and taylormade mb, cb, mc, are attractive other than that knob in the middle of the blade/cavity.

mizuno is doing really well especially with ALL these companies in this era of golf striving for greatness....not sure why they have SOOO many offerings from their MP lineup...they truly all look relatively the same..but im sure hitting them is oddly different in every way.

most interesting question has to be...whose the next company to take over? orrr...join mizuno?

[sean_miller]

[The Tin Man]

The easiest to play blade is probably the Hogan Radial.  I doubt Hogan himself had anything to do with them. Lots of bounce and a wide sole (for the era), but the thin top and overall shape are pure blade. A dead limb on the tree of golf evolution, killed by the cavity backs.  Easy to find online and cheap. Mostly 5 star reviews for 40 year old clubs rediscovered by the cavity back generation.

Edit: I re-shafted with graphite. $270 in shafts and grips on $40 heads. Worth every penny.

http://www.golfreview.com/cat/irons/ben-hogan/radial/prd_60718_2940crx.aspx

[spearq8]

Any of the Muscle Back Mizuno blades will be hard to beat.  One thing I have noticed is that the Mizuno Cavity Back "blades" might be easier to hit and more forgiving, but they most definetely are not as accurate as the true blades.  While I read a lot about blades being better for advanced players because they are more workable and give better feedback on bad shots ... for me the most compelling reason to use blades is that they are simply much more accurate.  OK on bad shots you will get punished much more, but on good shots you will always be all over the flag and always flag high.  I feel that with non true blades there is a lot more dispersion in distance and line accuracy, even on perfect hits.  I truly believe that blades should be recommended for beginners.  They might get frustrated initially, but their game will improve dramatically very quickly.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Mainly because you can't pry the MP-62s out of their bags.

Howell just went the other way from JPX-800 Pros to the MP-59s. But he changes clubs like Canadians change their underwear, every other month.

And, just like a Canadian, he probably didn't really need to change them.

[Gioguy21]

it hasn't been said but, my current set of blades are the nicest ones i've ever hit (i've hit just about all the mizzy's MP irons that are out or have been out the last 10 years or so...dads a huge fan)...callaway tour authentic X protos...(identical to the new razr x muscleback). can't beat the feel when hit right and they are a bit more forgiving than some of the mizzy blades. i'd hope the OP has picked a set by now but either way, thought i'd share my .02.

[mdl]

I'm no club hound, so I can't claim to have comparison shopped nearly as much as many posters here.  But just to put in a word for Titleist, I got a set of still very nice Titleist 695CBs for $180 from Roger Dunn, and I absolutely love them.  Good boring shot with pure sound and very workable when hit nice.  You might look at the MB series as well (if you def want muscle back instead of, what would you call it, players cavity back?  Not that I'm all that much of a "player"), and I know you can get the versions from 2-5 years ago for pretty cheap if you find them.

[handlez42]

Originally Posted by spearq8

Any of the Muscle Back Mizuno blades will be hard to beat.  One thing I have noticed is that the Mizuno Cavity Back "blades" might be easier to hit and more forgiving, but they most definetely are not as accurate as the true blades.  While I read a lot about blades being better for advanced players because they are more workable and give better feedback on bad shots ... for me the most compelling reason to use blades is that they are simply much more accurate.  OK on bad shots you will get punished much more, but on good shots you will always be all over the flag and always flag high.  I feel that with non true blades there is a lot more dispersion in distance and line accuracy, even on perfect hits.  I truly believe that blades should be recommended for beginners.  They might get frustrated initially, but their game will improve dramatically very quickly.

well that is in fact the trade off when you want forgiveness. a loss in workability. i think companies now are trying to make things as forgiving as possible. the biggest thing tour pros need is distance control which can only be given in a forged iron. in some ways tour pros want forgiveness because the amount of things that can go wrong in a golf swing can add up to 15-30 yards off target line. so WE...the "consumer" are kindve benefiting from it because majority of golfers today miss the days of forged wilson and macgregor blades.

in terms of the biginners using the blade iron. couldnt agree more. using a blade doesnt just make you more precise of even learn the basics of feel. the solid feel at impact can strengthen the hands. i started golfing a few years ago after my first year of college and id always wished id started sooner since. my first set was a set of cast massive shovel irons with the most forgiveness you can think of...even in the shaft! (Fat Shaft) not even 6 months later i ealized i couldnt tell what i was doing wrong when i hit it slightly left or slightly right. these irons were "dead". they were made that way though. i instantly started looking at forged that even in my mind were a bit over my handicap but im a young man that likes to think working with something more difficult, like a blade, will make you better. you just have to be diligent and patient. local golf pro said i could probably swing the FG Tours i ended up buying which made me feel good about my swing. i dont think i'll ever go back to a forgiving cast iron ever again not even for the distance. i consider myself more a traditionalist and forged irons really hint towards golfs tradition. i remember hitting wiffle balls in my back yard with my dads spaulding blades just to get a break from my crazy basketball oriented life. i was 12 haha. i think i always was meant to hit forged irons.

i agree again with your mizuno comment. IN A WAY haha..

They do in fact make the best blade iron but i also think they dont really have much competition in that category. off the top of my head i can only think of two larger companies making blade irons. Wilson and adams. Wilson FG62 which in my opinion are the most beautiful blade on the market. and adams MB2s. id put them in this order: Mizuno MP-68/69. Wilson Staff FG62. Adams MB2. Id throw the titleist mb forged at the end but if players are looking for a blade they most likely go right to mizuno.

NOTICE> i didnt mention any small companies like "Scratch" or even "Miura" only because ive never hit them and they dont really fall into every category of golfer. (yes...i mean cost) Scratch has been looked at more as a company that makes clubs custom for tour pros and aspiring Amatuers.

Miura i wont lie ive been really interested in getting a set of those. mostly the set of irons that in terms of size are very small. i guess the reason is to make them  very easy to hit??? i think that philosophy is revolutionary but companies arent going to buy it and i think Mr. Miura himself is okay with that haha

as for the best blade convo you would have to go through the years...and pick a particular blade, or even a company for different eras making quality irons. so far we assume this era belongs to mizuno...so who was before mizuno? lets work backwards haha

[cody west]

i play 710 mb's and love them but i think miura blades trump all

[sean_miller]

Taking a 10 lesson package indoors and my old sharp leading edged Mizuno blades will have to wait until the changes are second nature and I'm playing outdoors. I've switched to my Cleveland TA1s (after the second lesson) since they don't need to be hit as precisely and the rounder leading edge is easier on the wrists indoors.

[handlez42]

Originally Posted by cody west

i play 710 mb's and love them but i think miura blades trump all

i really want to try the miura "57s"

i guess they are made smaller like "15%" in comparison to the tournament blade and apparently "more dense" ???

either way people talk about miura like lore or myth and ive checked the prices and they are astronomical! but im sure its something id have to see/use in the flesh for myself to truly understand why they are soo nice.

alot like "scratch" irons. i would love to make a custom set of irons especially when theyre made by custom Don "Polka Dot" White....

Any people hitting Scratch irons now? or have hit them?

[Cut68]

Is this going to be your first set of blades? If so, don't drop too much cash on them. I have some Titleist 690 MB's that I absolutely love. I don't play them much, as my game is currently in the crapper, but they feel like butter when I"m on. All of my lowest rounds last year were with these (although my highest of the year was too) You can probably find a set for around $200.

As has been said, though, make sure you get fitted. It will have a far bigger impact on your game than the model of club you choose

[kcgolfa1]

Mizuno Grad's. Hands Down!

[handlez42]

Originally Posted by Cut68

Is this going to be your first set of blades? If so, don't drop too much cash on them. I have some Titleist 690 MB's that I absolutely love. I don't play them much, as my game is currently in the crapper, but they feel like butter when I"m on. All of my lowest rounds last year were with these (although my highest of the year was too) You can probably find a set for around $200.

As has been said, though, make sure you get fitted. It will have a far bigger impact on your game than the model of club you choo

technically yes and technically no

as of right now im playing wilson staff FG tour irons. (not the V2) and they are my second set of irons ive had. my first set were bought when i first started 3 years ago. they were MASSIVE shovel-like cavity backs that felt like butter. (wilson deep red II distance) my swing has excelled rather quickly so i wanted something that was telling me what i was doing wrong. forged i was only worried about the feel. like i said i had no played golf for more than 6 months and i was already in the market for new irons. i didnt want anything to feel so firm that they shutter my hands off my body. the FGs fit the bill nicely. firm but soft. I've mentioned they fit just behind mizuno in terms of feel. very nice set of irons. i got fitted for them length/lie and a mizuno shaft optimizer. I'm starting to not like the Nippon 950gh shaft i was tested out for because it hits rather high shots and with the clubhead being heavier already i cant hit the low ball into the wind and might be a bit too soft for my liking now that my lag is coming along.

Before my FGs showed up fitted at the store and ready to buy i bought an old set of Wilson "Staff" blades. they were the one blade that literally said "staff" on the toe end of the muscle and wilson underneath on the sole. very small very thin sole. sharp edge. REALLLL DIGGERS. i realized i wanted to manage the wear of my new FGs so i bought them and they were in very good condition with the exception of a light chrome wear on the leading edge. (no surprise) to prepare myself for my newer, more difficult to hit (compared to my casted cavity irons prior) forged irons i decided to put these in the bag to sharpen my swing a bit. get used to the feel and control. and also i was hitting a tour striker almost every day up to 50+ times a range session.

all in all i love blades. still have the "staffs" they could be a bit sweeter if they were  fitted with a newer aged shaft. considering putting my 950gh shafts into the old blades because its light weight and a bit softer in flex which is nice because these irons arent very big or weigh very much. (NOTE: The FG Tours weigh considerably more than most forged irons i tested and that could be hurting my shaft fitting. heavier weight equals higher shots?)

Miura Blades are really just a very interesting product to me. they also are a small company much like scratch. i like that. the reason i bought FG tours is the same reason i play Tour Edge Exotics driver, 3 wood, and hybrid over taylormade or adams.especially playing Macgregor VIP forged wedges...who cares if golfsmith made it...they are true quality wedges. i like the small companies and they usually offer some pretty special stuff. and I like the Miura 57s because of the whole ideology of smaller, more compact club head thats also a bit more "dense" or heavy to not mess with the swing weight.

So i dont have too much experience with a true traditional blade. maybe a week and a halfs worth with the old wilson staff blades....so thats the real reason im interested in getting some is because ive been learning alot of things on my own and have started to work the ball a little and im just not sure how blades will help. or if id lose any significant distance.

[spearq8]

Miura and other boutique irons like Vega have a very similar feel to Mizunos ... and who knows they probably are made in the same foundry by the same person or people.  I do know that the blades Tiger plays with are not your off the shelf blades, and are made by the same guy that does the Miura irons.  I did hit with Vega muscle back blades a couple of weeks ago on a launch monitor and the shot dispersion of my 6 iron was pretty amazing ... with the Vega cavity back it was much bigger dispersion.  You have to realize that Miura and Vega pure every single shaft they have and their loft lie differentiation between clubs is absolutely perfect.  Mizunos can be made to be very close to that if you spine your shafts, and really with the high quality of shafts today, that might not even be necessary.

One thing to add to the Blade or CB conversation is that if you are going to use blades, your entire philosophy of striking the ball is different.  With a blade you need much less effort to get the ball up and away ... so long you hit it perfect.  While with a cavity back if I need more distance I might try to wind up my 5 iron to make it become a 4.5 iron, with a MB you need to take a 4 iron and dial it down to a 4.5 iron.  With a blade you need to strike the ball in the sweet spot, and the sweet spot is quite small ... thus it is absolutely imperative that you have your clubs perfectly fitted  because anything off on your lie and the tiny sweet spot becomes even smaller.  What I can tell you is that if you are swinging your blades well, your sweet striking will carry over to your fairway woods and your driver.  I have a lot of single digit handicap friends that try my blades and are amazed how I am able to even play with them.  They hit one bad shot a little off the sweet spot and lose distance, the next shot they wind up and try to dial up the swing speed to compensate for the loss of distance in a mishit ... and it is a downward spiral from then on and you have one more person that is terrified of playing blades.  Swing at 90% and hit the sweet spot and you are in for a surprise.  First it is actually quite easy to hit the sweet spot if you don't swing at your max, second is that the resulting pure shot gives you a high that you can never get enough off.

[moparman426]

Originally Posted by Stretch

But he changes clubs like Canadians change their underwear, every other month.

No need to be a Dick.  Besides, everyone knows we don't wear underwear up here.....we wear "gitch".

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by moparman426

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

But he changes clubs like Canadians change their underwear, every other month.

No need to be a Dick.  Besides, everyone knows we don't wear underwear up here.....we wear "gitch".

Are you from Manitoba?

That's the only place I ever heard someone leave out the N in "giNch" or "goNch".