Thinking about blades

[newtogolf]

On most forums I read, anytime I see someone with less than a single digit handicap ask about blades they get slapped on the hands and told blades aren't for them by those that currently use blades or by those who tried to switch to blades but failed.  My instructor who plays blades actually went against this mentality and encouraged me to buy a cheap set of blades to improve my ball striking and they have helped a lot.  I still use my SGI's on the course, but overall my scoring probably wouldn't be much different if I took the blades instead.

Just for the record, high handicappers have plenty of ways to screw up shots, such as chunk up tons of grass and dirt in front of the ball, skull shots, aim wrong, hook and slice, all things a big cavity back isn't going to fix so hitting the ball a few less yards off target would be that's the least of their problems.  I agree for the average golfer SGI or GI clubs will be more forgiving and likely result in lower scores but it's not like a high handicapper such as myself can't hit them decently.  I'm also not saying we high handicappers shouldn't take full advantage of the technology but let's not forget there was a time in golf when blades were the only option and somehow high handicappers figured out how to play with them.

[sean_miller]

Is this a chain letter?

Did you even read this thread?

Originally Posted by newtogolf

On most forums I read, anytime I see someone with less than a single digit handicap ask about blades they get slapped on the hands and told blades aren't for them by those that currently use blades or by those who tried to switch to blades but failed.  My instructor who plays blades actually went against this mentality and encouraged me to buy a cheap set of blades to improve my ball striking and they have helped a lot.  I still use my SGI's on the course, but overall my scoring probably wouldn't be much different if I took the blades instead.

Just for the record, high handicappers have plenty of ways to screw up shots, such as chunk up tons of grass and dirt in front of the ball, skull shots, aim wrong, hook and slice, all things a big cavity back isn't going to fix so hitting the ball a few less yards off target would be that's the least of their problems.  I agree for the average golfer SGI or GI clubs will be more forgiving and likely result in lower scores but it's not like a high handicapper such as myself can't hit them decently.  I'm also not saying we high handicappers shouldn't take full advantage of the technology but let's not forget there was a time in golf when blades were the only option and somehow high handicappers figured out how to play with them.

[newtogolf]

I did read the thread but wasn't referring to any of your posts.  You're one of the few blade players Ive seem that doesn't discourage people from trying blades.

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Is this a chain letter?

Did you even read this thread?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I did read the thread but wasn't referring to any of your posts.  You're one of the few blade players Ive seem that doesn't discourage people from trying blades.

There are a few of us. Whether they're playing Wilson Staff (the winningest blades of all time - so they say) , Mizuno, MacGregor, Miura, Titleist, KZG, Wishon, Cleveland, Ben Hogan, Scratch or whatever, almost all are on the same page. You'll never know until you hit blades a few times whether or you have enough game to throw a set in the bag. But even if you don't, who cares?

[GaijinGolfer]

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!!!!!!

Im a weekend golfer and I dont struggle with blades.   Seriously, its not that difficult...

[GaijinGolfer]

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!

Its a night and day difference with blades though.  I went from a set of Mizuno MX-15s to a set of MP-32s and it wasnt even close to the same level of feel.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Im a weekend golfer and I dont struggle with blades.   Seriously, its not that difficult...

You're a 5 handicap. You should be able to hit blades.

[misty_mountainhop]

Get them. What have you got to lose? They aren't impossible to hit and, contrary to popular legend, you won't shatter your fingers if you skull a bladed long iron. What they do require to get the most out of them is a bit of practice towards a repeatable swing. The modern 'blades' are easier to hit than older ones; the modern versions have shorter hosels (easier launch as weight lost off hosel is redistributed giving a lower CoG) and their sweet spot is generally closer to the middle of the blade.

I've always used them but I have tried a lot of other CB-type irons and I don't find much difference at all with the exception of maybe the 4-iron and longer. With a CB I can be a bit lazy with, say, a 3-iron. With a blade, I need to concentrate 100%...but I kind of like that.

There's a lot of myths about the difficulty of using blades; don't believe it all, they really aren't that bad.

[The Tin Man]

Most of us are playing blades already.....our wedges. As I wrote before to add a blade 8 and 9 iron to the mix is no big deal once you work out your lofts.  There's no law that states you must play the whole set of anything.

Like CB's not all blades are created equal and not all old models are horrors.

[clubhousehero]

i just finished playing my first non-practice round with my blades.  I tied my personal best 10 over. but this was my lowest round of 81. It was also on a tough course, that i've never played before and the greens were airated (sp?)!!! i had 3 birdies and missed 2 more from inside 10 ft!!!

I don't remember where i was going with this but the blades helped me focus more on solid contact and distance control. Usually i tried to squeeze every yard i could out of each iron.  Today i took all variables into consideration and then picked the iron, no matter what the number on the bottom said.

My feelings as of now.  It you are serious about improving, are a halfway decent ball striker and want to try them...get them.  I'd buy them used so if u didn't like them, u could sell them for pretty much what u paid for them.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

You're a 5 handicap. You should be able to hit blades.

I was hitting blades as a 20 handicap and still did just fine with them.  What makes me a 5 handicap is my improved shortgame and improved pay with my 3-wood.  I was always a good iron player.

[sean_miller]

Do you have the T-Zoid True? Or the Pro?

True:

Just sayin' . . .

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

I was hitting blades as a 20 handicap and still did just fine with them.  What makes me a 5 handicap is my improved shortgame and improved pay with my 3-wood.  I was always a good iron player.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Do you have the T-Zoid True? Or the Pro?

True:

Just sayin' . . .

I have the pros.  Theyre still blades.  Ive also had Titleist DCI 981s and Mizuno MP-32s which both have cavity backs to them.  Still blades.  Youre confusing blades with musclebacks.

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

I have the pros.  Theyre still blades.  Ive also had Titleist DCI 981s and Mizuno MP-32s which both have cavity backs to them.  Still blades.  Youre confusing blades with musclebacks.

[jamo]

I have the pros.  Theyre still blades.  Ive also had Titleist DCI 981s and Mizuno MP-32s which both have cavity backs to them.  Still blades.  Youre confusing blades with musclebacks.

I'm pretty sure most people use the terms blades and musclebacks as interchangeable.

[Rudder]

My first set were blades some 30 years ago. There's a lot to be said about the newer technology of forgiving sticks.

[clubchamp]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

I have the pros.  Theyre still blades.  Ive also had Titleist DCI 981s and Mizuno MP-32s which both have cavity backs to them.  Still blades.  Youre confusing blades with musclebacks.

The pros are muscle backs meaning they have a slight cavity just like the picture shows. Most blades do not have any type of a cavity like the picture of the T zoid true irons. Which goes back to my original point that muscle backs give you a lot of feedback but a little more forgiveness than a blade because of the cavity.

Originally Posted by jamo

I'm pretty sure most people use the terms blades and musclebacks as interchangeable.

Which I don't understand since generally there is clearly a difference and even the description of a muscle back is not the same as a blade.

[sean_miller]

Most people who discuss blades refer to musclebacks, since there aren't many (are there any these days?) actual "blades" currently on the market. Those same people consider perimeter weighted irons to be "neither blades nor musclebacks, but cavity backs".

Originally Posted by clubchamp

The pros are muscle backs meaning they have a slight cavity just like the picture shows. Most blades do not have any type of a cavity like the picture of the T zoid true irons. Which goes back to my original point that muscle backs give you a lot of feedback but a little more forgiveness than a blade because of the cavity.

Which I don't understand since generally there is clearly a difference and even the description of a muscle back is not the same as a blade.