Blade irons

[saevel25]

Oh dear god, here we go again. Shorty has laid down the hammer again, prepare for war.

Was Nick's post at all modest, nope. I am sure he's a confident guy. Sometimes confidence can be taken as arrogance. We don't know what his level of perfection is. To some amateurs, perfection might be a feeling, then you get them to swing really really good, then they wonder wtf they have been doing. Not every one can be modest or humble, if that was true, life would be boring.

I can not say if majority of pros play blades or not. Since most clubs have shied away from blades, i am sure more and more pro's are playing something that is blade looking, but isn't what would be considered a true blade. Like Sergio, i saw he was playing the Rocketbladz Tour. His irons had that little slot in the bottom. He's one of the better iron players out there, and he hits something that has mix technology. Also, a lot of casted cavity back clubs are being made with softer inserts. Taylormade does this. I call them insert, but a lot of clubs have it where the grooved area is a different metal than the rest of the club.

There is so much grey area now out there, its tough to say if majority of pro's still play blades or not. Do you consider a blade the shape of the club? AP2's have a small cavity in them, are they blades? They're very much a better player irons. They are not the CB or MB Titleist puts out, but i would consider them a blade iron.

[nick1998bunker]

Oh dear god, here we go again. Shorty has laid down the hammer again, prepare for war. Was Nick's post at all modest, nope. I am sure he's a confident guy. Sometimes confidence can be taken as arrogance. We don't know what his level of perfection is. To some amateurs, perfection might be a feeling, then you get them to swing really really good, then they wonder wtf they have been doing. Not every one can be modest or humble, if that was true, life would be boring. I can not say if majority of pros play blades or not. Since most clubs have shied away from blades, i am sure more and more pro's are playing something that is blade looking, but isn't what would be considered a true blade. Like Sergio, i saw he was playing the Rocketbladz Tour. His irons had that little slot in the bottom. He's one of the better iron players out there, and he hits something that has mix technology. Also, a lot of casted cavity back clubs are being made with softer inserts. Taylormade does this. I call them insert, but a lot of clubs have it where the grooved area is a different metal than the rest of the club. There is so much grey area now out there, its tough to say if majority of pro's still play blades or not. Do you consider a blade the shape of the club? AP2's have a small cavity in them, are they blades? They're very much a better player irons. They are not the CB or MB Titleist puts out, but i would consider them a blade iron.

when I think/talk of blades I picture anything harder to hit than a big cavity back and has a small club face, ap2 vs rocketballz for instance

[saevel25]

when I think/talk of blades I picture anything harder to hit than a big cavity back and has a small club face, ap2 vs rocketballz for instance

Hmm, to me I think blades have a thin top line, and minimum or no cavity in the back. Its getting tougher to break clubs into two categories anymore.

http://www.mizunousa.com/golf/products/mizuno-mp-54-irons#.UiZqpjZwq6U

For example, these clubs are progressive in design, and the lower lofted irons have a slight cavity to them. Are they blades are not, Mizuno says they are for pretty established players, 0 - 12 handicap.

[Shorty]

when I think/talk of blades I picture anything harder to hit than a big cavity back and has a small club face, ap2 vs rocketballz for instance

Matey, if you think AP2s are "blades" you have a lot to learn.

[Golfingdad]

Its getting tougher to break clubs into two categories anymore.

This is true, however, I believe that the category of "blades" is pretty cut and dried.  Blades are a solid hunk of metal with no fancy features and NO cavity.  The MP-54's you linked to above are not blades.  Neither are AP2's.  What are blades ...

Mizuno:  MP-4's and MP-69's

Titleist: MB712's

Callaway: Razr X muscleback

Cobra:  Amp Cell Pro 8-PW only

Ping and Taylormade don't make any blades ... at least for sale to the public.

[Harmonious]

To help poor nick:

Titleist MB

Titleist AP2

[MS256]

This is true, however, I believe that the category of "blades" is pretty cut and dried.  Blades are a solid hunk of metal with no fancy features and NO cavity.

Ping and Taylormade don't make any blades ... at least for sale to the public.

For all practical purposes I would definitely consider Tailormade TP MB a blade.

[nick1998bunker]

Matey, if you think AP2s are "blades" you have a lot to learn.

I know what blades are but the have no real advantage on a forged club with a small cavity back I think so in the thread I was comparing it to any real players club [quote name="Harmonious" url="/t/65977/blade-irons/30#post_892166"]To help poor nick: [U]Titleist MB[/U] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/82631/] [/URL] [U]Titleist AP2[/U] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/82632/] [/URL] [/quote] ill admit I made a serious fool of myself on this page, I know more than it seems I just didnt get it allout right

[Lihu]

Just out of curiosity, would most of you single digit handicappers play worse if you are playing blades? And, if so, why would it degrade your game.

[nick1998bunker]

Just out of curiosity, would most of you single digit handicappers play worse if you are playing blades? And, if so, why would it degrade your game.

The answer to the question is yes. What drives people to blades is part ego, and part a desire to control the ball.

[Golfingdad]

For all practical purposes I would definitely consider Tailormade TP MB a blade.

yeah ... I just went to their website and didn't see any there. Perhaps they aren't still making them, or don't market them to the public or, I just missed it. ;) [quote name="Lihu" url="/t/65977/blade-irons/60#post_892273"]Just out of curiosity, would most of you single digit handicappers play worse if you are playing blades? And, if so, why would it degrade your game. [/quote]a little bit, yes. I miss on the toe occasionally ... Maybe 2 or 3 times a round ... And with my i20s, there is very little lost on those shots. With blades I'd lose quite a bit of distance on those shots. Now, I could still miss the green and not get up and down with my clubs, so I'm gonna guess at worst, blades would, at this point in time, cost me a shot, maybe 2, a round. Of course, it's also possible that after playing with blades I would be more conscious of avoiding those toe hits since I know it would hurt me ... So maybe only 1/2 a shot a round or so. I do like blades (i love the look of mb712s, and liked the callaways when i hit them too) so someday I probably will get a set just for shits and giggles. :)

[nick1998bunker]

yeah ... I just went to their website and didn't see any there. Perhaps they aren't still making them, or don't market them to the public or, I just missed it. ;) a little bit, yes. I miss on the toe occasionally ... Maybe 2 or 3 times a round ... And with my i20s, there is very little lost on those shots. With blades I'd lose quite a bit of distance on those shots. Now, I could still miss the green and not get up and down with my clubs, so I'm gonna guess at worst, blades would, at this point in time, cost me a shot, maybe 2, a round. Of course, it's also possible that after playing with blades I would be more conscious of avoiding those toe hits since I know it would hurt me ... So maybe only 1/2 a shot a round or so. I do like blades (i love the look of mb712s, and liked the callaways when i hit them too) so someday I probably will get a set just for shits and giggles. :)

[Golfingdad]

Yeah, I think that bottom one is the one ms256 mentioned and, yes, I would consider those blades (but not the other 2).

[misty_mountainhop]

Just out of curiosity, would most of you single digit handicappers play worse if you are playing blades? And, if so, why would it degrade your game.

I don't think going to cavities would improve my game significantly, if at all. I'm using some help in my 2- to 4-iron in the form of the MP-FliHis but I'm not convinced they're easier to hit than the 2- to 4-irons in my original MacGregor irons were:

I've tried the cavity version of these and, while they're just as good, they certainly don't make the game any easier or keep me out of that bunker front-right of the green when I slightly mishit my approach. I prefer the look, feel and performance of these cf. the cavity alternative(s).

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick1998bunker

The answer to the question is yes. What drives people to blades is part ego, and part a desire to control the ball.

Nope. If you'd read my earlier post you'd see they were what I'd grown up with and am most comfortable using.

[nick1998bunker]

Nope. If you'd read my earlier post you'd see they were what I'd grown up with and am most comfortable using.

There is no substance to your argument in that blades are not helping you in anyway. If you were to play cavity backs they would be more much more forgiving on mis hits.

[misty_mountainhop]

There is no substance to your argument in that blades are not helping you in anyway. If you were to play cavity backs they would be more much more forgiving on mis hits.

Eh?!??? I have no idea what that first sentence is trying to say - I certainly wasn't arguing that blades are somehow helping my game. Additionally, no, cavities will not be " much more forgiving" on mishits. As I said earlier, I prefer blades, they're what I grew up using and I'm comfortable that my swing's practiced enough to more or less maximise the irons I currently have. Switching to cavities isn't going to gain me a great deal (if anything) - it'll just further enrich some OEM or other.

TBH, if we (i.e. golfers) spent a bit more time learning and then grooving a reasonably decent swing instead of believing the latest OEM PR output telling us the newest driver/irons/wedges/putter/whatever is going to save us shots, we'd all be better off (and richer!).

[guiseppe]

The answer is always money.  I can't always tell you what the question is, but I know the answer.  I simply assume the reason pros play the clubs they do is because that is what the sponsor makes them play.

I can't imagine there is any noticeable difference to a pro playing good cavity backs or some form of good blade; or if there is any difference it certainly is not enough for them to give up the $$ the sponsor pays them.  Mickleson went from muscleback to cavity back when Callaway introduced the X Forged and he will play blades again if they come out with a new line of them.

I recently went from blades to a cavity back and can absolutely notice a difference. However, I am still drawn to playing my blades.  I cannot explain why, but I love the way it looks and feels when I hit my blades perfectly.  Perhaps it is because the mishits are so noticeable that the reward is likewise more noticeable when you pure it (and, therefore like the old adage: why do you bang your head against the wall? because it feels so good when I stop)

Cavity backs sell better to amateurs which I why I am guessing so many pros play them now; so the sponsors can sell more.

[geauxforbroke]

Just out of curiosity, would most of you single digit handicappers play worse if you are playing blades? And, if so, why would it degrade your game.

I doubt I would tell much difference in the 6-PW. In the 3-5 irons, I would probably see a marked difference. For me, the issue is not my swing, but how often I get to play. It's not unusual for me to have a month or more between rounds and opportunities to practice. Playing blades would make it difficult to get back into it after a long layoff. If I was able to play or practice every week, I don't think I would have too much trouble with blades.

The answer to the question is yes. What drives people to blades is part ego, and part a desire to control the ball.

I can work the ball just as easily with a game improvement iron as I can with a blade. The major difference I can tell is in the ability to flight the ball lower with a blade. You're probably right about the ego part, though.

The answer is always money.  I can't always tell you what the question is, but I know the answer.  I simply assume the reason pros play the clubs they do is because that is what the sponsor makes them play.

I can't imagine there is any noticeable difference to a pro playing good cavity backs or some form of good blade; or if there is any difference it certainly is not enough for them to give up the $$ the sponsor pays them.  Mickleson went from muscleback to cavity back when Callaway introduced the X Forged and he will play blades again if they come out with a new line of them.

I recently went from blades to a cavity back and can absolutely notice a difference. However, I am still drawn to playing my blades.  I cannot explain why, but I love the way it looks and feels when I hit my blades perfectly.  Perhaps it is because the mishits are so noticeable that the reward is likewise more noticeable when you pure it (and, therefore like the old adage: why do you bang your head against the wall? because it feels so good when I stop)

Cavity backs sell better to amateurs which I why I am guessing so many pros play them now; so the sponsors can sell more.

Meh, I'm not sure that's the case. In the end, pros have to make money, so I think they play the irons that give them the best chance to win within a specific OEM's lineup . I think it says more about the parity in major OEM's than it does about anything, i.e. a pro that plays blades would probably have similar success with the blades of any OEM. The brand matters far less than the actual design of the club, and in the end, there aren't that many unique iron designs among the OEM's.