Who here uses blades?

[golfro]

I like blades, but that's not how it works in my experience.

agreed. Off center hits on a blade or even players cavity backs like the X-forged aren't nearly as forgiving as GI's. A shot on a toe will turn fairly easily and not only will you see a drop in distance but a shot on a toe can react like a shank and split off to the right.

[motteler621]

From robotic swing studies they have found that blades produce a much more accurate shot pattern on center hits. Cavity backs on the same exact center hit with a robot produce a large shot pattern. These are duplicate swings, dead center impact, and these shots are coming out 3-4' right or left of the target line, and as much as 8-9' short or long. Of course blades arent nearly as forgiving on toe hits in particular as you loose alot of distance. There are tons of studies done to proove the points I laid out. Here is one of them.

http://www.oobgolf.com/content/the+w..._Epiphany.html

[colin007]

i thought so too, but iacas posted a link a while ago showing that the robot testing proves that misses with blades, while definitely shorter, are more on line than misses with the SGIs.


edit: what he said^^^

[Genericity]

All these blade haters!! I can't figure out why. Why would anyone even care what someone else is playing? I'm inclined to believe that the anti-blade crowd is either trying to justify their "non-blades" so they feel better about their sticks or they, in some way, feel that you have to be a Tour level player, in the top 100 on the Money List and leading in the FedEx points to even be "allowed" to purchase blades.

Golf is so individual and unique that applying any sort of "Handicap = type of iron to play" is just crazy, as if a handicap alone is indicative of iron ball striking skills. By most "blade-haters" logic, we should all putt with a PING Crazy-E or some other super high MOI putter as well.

[Gerald]

Yep the story never changes, but I must agree a bit ..... I bought the new Wilson FG Tour when I was at handicap around 20 start of the season, and well I had to strike lots of balls before I could handle them good enough to enjoy, switched to Ping i15 and suddenly I became a much better ball striker and dropped about 10 strokes off my handicap in the next few months. As my ball striking became better, I felt the need to go back to a blade like iron and after hitting a few I found that I needed a bit forgiviness, so I went for the MP-57 (I know it is not a true blade, but it is close enough and you need to hit them perfect to hit great shots).

After struggling for about a month I am on my way to become a better player and lowered my hc. to about 6 at the moment and played a season low (76) last week.

It is my personal feel, I hit more balls on target, maybe only between the ears, but I am playing really well last few weeks.

I am working on getting below 5, because I want to enter the national senior tournaments next year.

[Blades4me]

All these blade haters!! I can't figure out why. Why would anyone even care what someone else is playing? I'm inclined to believe that the anti-blade crowd is either trying to justify their "non-blades" so they feel better about their sticks or they, in some way, feel that you have to be a Tour level player, in the top 100 on the Money List and leading in the FedEx points to even be "allowed" to purchase blades.

So true. Some other reasons that crossed my mind are, they believe everything the sales persons sez and simple jealousy.

[sean_miller]

So true. Some other reasons that crossed my mind are, they believe everything the sales persons sez and simple jealousy.

I suspect jealousy doesn't play any part in it. My guess would be that they've found perimeter weighted clubs in the GI and SGI category have made shooting the same scores easier, and have probably even inspired them to work a bit harder to reach their true potential. When people see an avid cyclist riding his bike 20 miles to work, even in the rain, are motorists jealous?

[warbirdlover]

I don't know where Ping S59's fall in. They are cast but certainly aren't a cavity back. They're supposed to be blades I believe and have thin top lines, little offset and narrow soles. In any case I love 'em!!

I hit them much better then I did the Ping G5's I had and other CB's with big clunky top lines, fat soles and a huge amount of offset. I shudder when I think about lining up a shot with those shovels. Yuk.

[Elvisliveson]

I suspect jealousy doesn't play any part in it. My guess would be that they've found perimeter weighted clubs in the GI and SGI category have made shooting the same scores easier, and have probably even inspired them to work a bit harder to reach their true potential.

Kind of reminds me of a guy I knew years ago when I was single and used to go out "clubbing". Many of us would pick up chicks frequently and he rarely would. His problem was he was too picky and always selected women out of his league. This affected his "scoring ability" relative to the rest of us. Yet, he when we confronted him about lowering his standards, he would say we were jealous because we didn't have the courage to approach the girls he did, even though it was to his detriment and he accomplished nothing to be jealous of, lol.

[golfro]

I don't know where Ping S59's fall in. They are cast but certainly aren't a cavity back. They're supposed to be blades I believe and have thin top lines, little offset and narrow soles. In any case I love 'em!!

they are cavity backs.

forged/cast has nothnign to do with whether its a blade or a cavity back. The Ping S59's are cavity backs because they have a cavity on the back of the club. A blade would be like a Mizuno MP-33 which has no cavity at all.

[Genericity]

I suspect jealousy doesn't play any part in it. My guess would be that they've found perimeter weighted clubs in the GI and SGI category have made shooting the same scores easier, and have probably even inspired them to work a bit harder to reach their true potential.

You know, your post makes me think about how each of us view the game. Some look at golf only through the prism of score and how to score the lowest the easiest, while others, myself included, look at golf through the prism of heritage and history.

I think I have discovered a personal bias through your post. I think I care less about score and “how easy golf is”, and I care more about the challenges and mastering them. Thus, perhaps, this is why I "punish ;)" myself by playing blades and hitting my tee shots off the deck (Driver excluded). Got me thinking..... Am I a masochist?

[Genericity]

I don't know where Ping S59's fall in. They are cast but certainly aren't a cavity back. They're supposed to be blades I believe and have thin top lines, little offset and narrow soles. In any case I love 'em!!

I am so tempted to pick up a set of these... I don't even want to hit them because I just know they are going to be pure and then I will be ~$900 poorer.

I would say they have a lot of blade features (thin top line, less offset, thinner sole) but are not blades. I think the marketing terms is "Players Cavity"?

[golfro]

I am so tempted to pick up a set of these... I don't even want to hit them because I just know they are going to be pure and then I will be ~$900 poorer.

Correct. This goes for a lot of irons out these days...Titleist AP2, CB's, Mizuno MP62/63/53/52, Callway X-Forged, Taylormade R9 TP, etc etc etc... every brand makes their variation of players cavity back.

You get the benefit of workability and control such as a blade, but they are a bit more forgiving than blades are.

[Stretch]

Got me thinking..... Am I a masochist?

Sounds like you have mixed feelings. Which reminds me of a story.

Husband and wife are sitting watching Dr. Phil, who is talking about being conflicted over issues. Husband turns to wife and says: "This whole mixed feeling thing is total crap. I mean, what could you possibly say to me right now that would make me both happy and sad at the same time?" Wife thinks for about 5 seconds and replies: "Out of all of your friends, you have the biggest dick."

[holybull]

I don't know where Ping S59's fall in. They are cast but certainly aren't a cavity back. They're supposed to be blades I believe and have thin top lines, little offset and narrow soles. In any case I love 'em!!

I think they're Split Cavities. I'm thinking of picking up the S56 or Anser irons when available. Never hit a Ping before.

[golfro]

I think they're Split Cavities. I'm thinking of picking up the S56 or Anser irons when available. Never hit a Ping before.

those S56's are very nice. they just came in recently at a local shop here so I demoed them out on the range and they are as smooth as you'd expect from Ping. Looks great too.

[whhyjay]

I went from x-14s to nike forged to victory reds to ap2's...

[sean_miller]

You know, your post makes me think about how each of us view the game. Some look at golf only through the prism of score and how to score the lowest the easiest, while others, myself included, look at golf through the prism of heritage and history.

Maybe you should have a gander at my sig. Do you see anything that even remotely resembles a cavity back?

I was replying on behalf of anyone who would be called jealous because of the clubs in someone else's bag. Someone actually once hinted that I was jealous of his bag full of PING clubs once, because I was using lowly blades and I'd glanced at his bag. Yeah, I'm jealouse - that's why I threw the OEM headcover in the garbage for the only PING club I've ever owned. Probably the only one I ever will own.