Thinking about blades

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

if you are a weekend golfer and want to struggle......................BLADES!!!

............it's all you need to know.  I've been playing 20yrs and forged is a must for me, but my old sticks have forgiveness.  why would anyone give that up on PURPOSE!!!!!!

You know it's a hobby righr?

[codwater]

Originally Posted by wmiller

To the OP: Get 'em. If you've any decent hand-eye coordination, you'll figure it out. But just in case you're like a good friend of mine, (his hand-eye coordination stinks, but he does love to play), keep the others too.

I think this is exactly what I was alluding to. When I hit my eye 2's I concentrate so much on swing and posture and very little on what part of my club strikes the ball. The head is so big, I just don't even fathom missing the ball. I get great ball flight predictable distance, but I am consistently 20 yards to the left or right of my target.

When I picked up the blade, it was MUCH SMALLER than my clubs. I think it required me to concentrate more on making sure the head connected with the ball. I believe this is where the gained accuracy stemmed from.

I have great hand eye coordination. I always played swinging sports growing up like baseball, tennis, and raquetball. I think the success was more due to the smaller club head than the fact that I was hitting a blade. I am going to raid the range's lost club bucket and experiment a little bit this weekend. I will post back results.

[iacas]

It's very simple to me: if you want to play golf for awhile and are going to stick with it, there's really no downside to getting blades. You'll become a better ball striker if you use them properly.

If you want to play golf for fun and don't want to practice, forget the blades.

[saevel25]

The blades of today are not the blades of yesteryears.. Honestly there so far more advanced and more forgiving i doubt there truely blades.

If you concerned about how tough they play, get something like AP1's, or Mizuno's blades with cavity backs. There's definetly a between set out there for you to get the feel you want with the forgiveness your game needs.

Titliest did some testing and found that alot of feel has to do with sound. Thats why they specifically designed there 910 drivers and fairway woods to sound a certain way when you hit it pure. Goes to show you that feel might not have anything to do with blade or not, it can just be all what you hear.

[The Tin Man]

I just bought a set of Hogan Directors (blades) and took them out along with my Titlist AP1's (GI irons).  (Prior to the Hogans I was using Sam Snead blades.)

Other then the obvious AP1 cavity back the clubs have more in common then you would think. Especially off set, sole shape grind and width.

Playability: The Hogans feel better and are more accurate on chip and short wedge shots around the green. With the 7,8,9 irons the Hogans are almost as easy to hit as the AP1's on full shots. (AP1's are really easy to play.)  What  I loose to sloppy strikes with the Hogans I gain with feedback. The sloppy strikes are a result of laziness, AP1's allow laziness - Hogans don't. I have some habits to eliminate. (The Hogans also have their original rock hard grips.)

With the Mid and Long irons the AP1's are far, far more forgiving then the Hogans. AP1's allow being struck more towards the toe, the Hogans more towards the heel. The Hogans offer no mercy with the 2, 3 and 4. In the grey zone are the 5,6,7.  All the Hogans penalize a toe strike, as expected.

Ball Flight: Can't compare due to shaft and loft difference.

Final solution: A split set, probably at the 7.  AP1's for mid to long irons. Blades for the short game.  (After working out the loft gap and re-shafting)

PS: On those days when I'm feeling old and stiff - out come the blades and back in go the GI's.  There's no rule that says one or the other.

PSS: In the early 80's  some blades were made with thinner faces and rounder, wider soles.  No cavity - still a pure blade but more forgiving then  their earlier counterparts.

[RPMPIRE]

A year ago, I was contemplating switching to blades coming from Titleist AP2 irons. I went through the same thoughts of whether I will be able to hit it well or are they right for me.

Either way, I pulled the trigger and bought myself Nike blades and I'm glad I did. The first few times at the range took some getting used but after getting used to them, I feel like my ballstriker is better. I also do like to look of a blade at address compared to cavity back, but that's just personal preference.

Also, like iacas said, if you do plan on playing golf long term, there's no downside to playing blades. I believe it made me a better ballstriker.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by clubchamp

while that is true it would also be true if you switched to a Mb type iron. My point was that there is more logical options to getting feedback then jumping to blades. Also how does feeling a bad shot help your game? I can tell when I hit a bad shot with a lot of irons without hurting my hands. What I'm trying to say is there is a perception that playing blades makes you a better ball striker and the only thing that makes you a good ball striker is your swing not the club. The average golfer mis hitting a blade or any iron doesn't know what adjustment to make to fix a swing flaw in the middle of a round.

It helps because you know when you hit the center of the clubface and when you dont.  With a CB the shots always feel the same, so you dont know that you are missing the center of the clubface.

I do agree that for the AVERAGE player that CBs are better but for the better player blades offer things that you just dont get even from forged CBs.  If you are serious about your game and put in the time at the range to work on your swing I see no reason why you wouldnt want blades.  The feel and feedback is quite simply unmatched by any CB.

[mikelegacy]

I have a set of Taylorade SuperLaunch and I specifically bought them because I wasn't hitting the ball high enough. I consider them to be very forgiving irons, what are some other suggestions you guys might have for some even more forgiving irons for me? (I buy new golf clubs like a crack addict buys crack haha) I've read Callaway Big Berthas are like the Mecca of forgiving irons?

[Inebriated]

Originally Posted by mikelegacy

I have a set of Taylorade SuperLaunch and I specifically bought them because I wasn't hitting the ball high enough. I consider them to be very forgiving irons, what are some other suggestions you guys might have for some even more forgiving irons for me? (I buy new golf clubs like a crack addict buys crack haha)

I've read Callaway Big Berthas are like the Mecca of forgiving irons?

My Nike Slingshots are incredibly forgiving. That's really why I went with 'em.

[mikelegacy]

My Nike Slingshots are incredibly forgiving. That's really why I went with 'em.

When I got my clubs i almost got the slingshots or the callaway x-20s but in went with the SuperLaunches because they promised to get me shots higher.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by mikelegacy

I have a set of Taylorade SuperLaunch and I specifically bought them because I wasn't hitting the ball high enough. I consider them to be very forgiving irons, what are some other suggestions you guys might have for some even more forgiving irons for me? (I buy new golf clubs like a crack addict buys crack haha)

I've read Callaway Big Berthas are like the Mecca of forgiving irons?

Really any club with oversize heads that have a lot of offset and thick soles will be super forgiving.  Big Berthas are definetly high on that list but just about every brand offers a similar option.

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

It helps because you know when you hit the center of the clubface and when you dont.  With a CB the shots always feel the same, so you dont know that you are missing the center of the clubface.

I

This is complete and utter nonsense. I can certainly feel when I haven't hit the center of the face on my current set of cb's.  Hell, I could tell when I didn't hit the center of my G5's!

[sid james]

Hi all, new here, this thread prompted me to sign up and comment. Slightly long-winded this one, as a first comment too…but anyway..

This issue seems to come up often and is the source of much angst on the part of the original posters. I don’t see it to be that big an issue really – like someone said up-thread, golf to most people is a hobby, it should be fun and interesting. Getting blades for someone who has already played the game for a while and is in the mid 20s HC range is probably not so much advisable – the usual reasons (mostly correct) about them being difficult to hit etc is mostly true, and you’re more likely to see better improvement in your shots (i.e going straight, roughly consistent distance etc) if you’re a high handicapper using a cavity back set of irons.

On the other hand…I learnt the game with an old set of Dunlop blades when I was a teenager. I still have them in my parents garage in another country, and when I visit I’m more than happy to go play with them. Theyre fun, especially when you hit it right out of the middle, and I feel like I can work the ball more when I want to. Do I hit some bad shots? Of course! I’m a bogey golfer! Do I play any better or worse with the CB irons? Not really, my game isn’t polished enough with either set of clubs to warrant a one or the other comparison. My score doesn’t seem to change that much from round to round anyway.

Another point to make – there’s that stat that is often circulated, the one about how club technology, ball technology etc has meant that we should all be getting better, yet the handicap average is pretty much the same that its always been – don’t you think that the better technology should help us overcome these issues? Surely, right? Well, we all still have to hit the ball, and people for years and years have been using blades because that’s what was around at the time – in fact those older players were perhaps even better golfers because of maintaining that level of play with just blades, yet we all seem to have better technology to help us but aren’t any better than they were.

I guess what I’m saying is that golf should be fun, interesting, and to get the most out of it you should be constantly trying to learn more about the game and your game as well . Having a set of blades to play with from time to time, even all the time if you wish, will help you to learn more about your swing, about how you hit the ball, and how to make your shots (and therefore your entire golf game and experiences resulting from that) much more interesting. Why not get an old set of blades and try them out for a bit, what have you got to lose? Someone on an internet forum telling you that there’s no way it will work? Or you might get worse? Have a go and find out for yourself.

Me? Well, I intend to buy some top notch blades at some point in the next couple of years, even though I know I’ll not use them all the time, because they’ll be fun to play with. I have no illusions of being a pro, and think that even if I put a large amount of work in, the best I’ll ever get will be just nudging into single digits, which I’m fine with. But to get to that point without every experiencing what its like to play with blades because ‘I’m not worthy of them’? Pfffft, life’s too short.

[saevel25]

Well honestly my theory on this is, golf is a game of feel. So why do you want to play irons that are so forgiving you don't know if you mishit at shot or not. To me thats why no one is getting better, because the clubs are so dull that you can't tell if you might have caught one on the toe or the heel.

I don't mind it with the driver, but irons, i rather see people go as close to blades as possible for there game. Even delved a bit further, kinda like preparing yourself so you can get there.

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by shades9323

This is complete and utter nonsense. I can certainly feel when I haven't hit the center of the face on my current set of cb's.  Hell, I could tell when I didn't hit the center of my G5's!

I agree.  I don't fully understand the "feel" argument.  I can feel off center shots with SGI Irons.  I've never had a problem noticing when I miss hit and when I hit one flush.

Forgive my ignorance (and inexperience), but I can't understand how everyone wouldn't benifit from more forgiveness.  I get practicing with blades, but not so much playing, if you're playing for something.  You will have miss hits in a round, everyone does.  It makes more sense to have a more forgiving club in those instances.

The argument that I can agree with is workability.  I understand (not good enough to experience however) that it is harder to work the ball with GI irons.  But, why is that?

Again, I apologize, as this has likely been covered many times.

[sean_miller]

Have you ever hit a set of blades? Enough to get really familiar with them?

Originally Posted by Gresh24

I agree.  I don't fully understand the "feel" argument.  I can feel off center shots with SGI Irons.  I've never had a problem noticing when I miss hit and when I hit one flush.

Forgive my ignorance (and inexperience), but I can't understand how everyone wouldn't benifit from more forgiveness.  I get practicing with blades, but not so much playing, if you're playing for something.  You will have miss hits in a round, everyone does.  It makes more sense to have a more forgiving club in those instances.

The argument that I can agree with is workability.  I understand (not good enough to experience however) that it is harder to work the ball with GI irons.  But, why is that?

Again, I apologize, as this has likely been covered many times.

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Have you ever hit a set of blades? Enough to get really familiar with them?

Hit them - yes.  Enough to get familiar - no.

I didn't like the feel or look.  Unlike most, I am more comfortable and confident with (and like the look and feel better of) "bulkier" irons.

I admit, I don't have the experience or skill level to, IMO, consider them.  I am a casual golfer that tries to play once a week, if I'm lucky twice.

[awmgolfer]

I grew up playing a set of blades, played them for about 20 years. This year our local pro built me a set similar to the TM Burner 2.0's. I can get the same feedback as I did on my old blades. I know when I hit them on the sweet spot and when I don't I know right where I hit it by how it sounded and felt. The only difference I notice now is that I can work the ball much better with my old blades then I can with my newer ones, have done some side-by-side with them. Next year I may have a set of blades done up for me as I also like the look at address, though my 2.0's aren't bad at address. Just grew up with that blade look.