Blade irons

[Golfingdad]

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.

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. :)

I should elaborate on this one a little bit.  [I got a little sidetracked on the whole semantics debate about what is and what isn't technically a blade ... not very useful to OP]

Yes, blades would cost me 1/2 to 1 shot per round vs. my current i20s.  However, that doesn't mean that they would cost me those shots vs. any type of cavity backed iron.  Not trying to be a Ping shill here, but the amount of forgiveness I get from the i20s on those toe hits is absurd.  I kid you not, I can hit shots that actually leave a mark that is partially OFF the end of the grooves and have it still be a good shot.  I mean, that is like 3/4 inch, maybe a full inch, off the sweet spot, and it feels almost the same as a solid hit and it travels almost the same as a solid hit.  (Not everytime, but it does happen)

My old cavity backs, on the other hand, (Titleist DCI 981s, a cast version of the current CBs) played more like blades than they do my i20s.  Anything out on the toe would go half as far as it was supposed to, and to add injury to insult, would rattle and hurt my hands.

The conclusion I'm slowly getting to is that if your miss is out on the toe and you play SGI irons, or maybe some GI irons as well, then yeah, you're probably going to cost yourself some strokes by switching to blades.  But if you are already playing small players cavities, like Titleist CBs or MP-59 type clubs, I doubt that you will notice that big of a difference.

Further, if your miss is NOT a toe miss, then you probably won't notice any difference  (as far as playability ... obviously distance and trajectory will be a little different).  I strongly believe that is the only big difference between forgiving and un-forgiving clubs ... the performance on toe hits.  That's it.  If you're a 30 handicap who does not miss on the toe, you probably are not going to lose much playing blades vs. something like x-hots.  This is why I don't generally agree with the idea that you have to be good to play blades.  You just have to have the right miss.

[3putter]

Outside of looks, I don't see the need for blades. A good number of pros play cavity back irons, and you can still work the ball with them. Unless you strike it well most times, you will lose distance and flight in many cases. A lot of brilliant advice has been offered already, and I'll just reiterate testing out the blades and examine the flight you're getting.

I used to have the Callaway Diablo Edges, and I HATED the thick top line. I switched to the Nike VR pros, before then switching to the Nike Forged Split cavity set. I like what I'm looking at and it translate to my game nicely.

[GaijinGolfer]

Outside of looks, I don't see the need for blades. A good number of pros play cavity back irons, and you can still work the ball with them. Unless you strike it well most times, you will lose distance and flight in many cases. A lot of brilliant advice has been offered already, and I'll just reiterate testing out the blades and examine the flight you're getting.

I used to have the Callaway Diablo Edges, and I HATED the thick top line. I switched to the Nike VR pros, before then switching to the Nike Forged Split cavity set. I like what I'm looking at and it translate to my game nicely.

IMO, the fact that even the pros dont use blades anymore is pretty much the death blow to blades.

[Golfingdad]

Outside of looks, I don't see the need for blades. A good number of pros play cavity back irons, and you can still work the ball with them. Unless you strike it well most times, you will lose distance and flight in many cases. A lot of brilliant advice has been offered already, and I'll just reiterate testing out the blades and examine the flight you're getting.

I used to have the Callaway Diablo Edges, and I HATED the thick top line. I switched to the Nike VR pros, before then switching to the Nike Forged Split cavity set. I like what I'm looking at and it translate to my game nicely.

Yeah, I agree that there isn't really a NEED for them for most all of us ... but that doesn't mean that there isn't a WANT for them.  I'll be the first to admit it ... they're pretty darn cool.  If, by the time I'm ready for new irons I've curbed my tendency to miss out on the toe, I'll probably go for some blades, just because I would love to have them.

IMO, the fact that even the pros dont use blades anymore is pretty much the death blow to blades.

Nah, as long as Tiger and Rory and Adam Scott and guys like that are still playing blades there will be a sizable market for them.  Maybe not as big as when everybody was playing them, I don't know, but there certainly has not been a "death blow" to them ... yet.

[MS256]

I should elaborate on this one a little bit.  [I got a little sidetracked on the whole semantics debate about what is and what isn't technically a blade ... not very useful to OP]

Yes, blades would cost me 1/2 to 1 shot per round vs. my current i20s.  However, that doesn't mean that they would cost me those shots vs. any type of cavity backed iron.  Not trying to be a Ping shill here, but the amount of forgiveness I get from the i20s on those toe hits is absurd.  I kid you not, I can hit shots that actually leave a mark that is partially OFF the end of the grooves and have it still be a good shot.  I mean, that is like 3/4 inch, maybe a full inch, off the sweet spot, and it feels almost the same as a solid hit and it travels almost the same as a solid hit.  (Not everytime, but it does happen)

My old cavity backs, on the other hand, (Titleist DCI 981s, a cast version of the current CBs) played more like blades than they do my i20s.  Anything out on the toe would go half as far as it was supposed to, and to add injury to insult, would rattle and hurt my hands.

The conclusion I'm slowly getting to is that if your miss is out on the toe and you play SGI irons, or maybe some GI irons as well, then yeah, you're probably going to cost yourself some strokes by switching to blades.  But if you are already playing small players cavities, like Titleist CBs or MP-59 type clubs, I doubt that you will notice that big of a difference.

Further, if your miss is NOT a toe miss, then you probably won't notice any difference  (as far as playability ... obviously distance and trajectory will be a little different).  I strongly believe that is the only big difference between forgiving and un-forgiving clubs ... the performance on toe hits.  That's it.  If you're a 30 handicap who does not miss on the toe, you probably are not going to lose much playing blades vs. something like x-hots.  This is why I don't generally agree with the idea that you have to be good to play blades.  You just have to have the right miss.

I'm definitely not a club MOI expert but another difference I notice when I hit blades is that the club face seems to square up with less energy than with cavity backs. If I hit somebody's blades the first ball I hit is very likely to be a hook. Then after a few more balls I get the feel for it and it's fine.

Since I've only hit blades a few times that could be just a coincidence for those particular blades I was hitting and might not apply to all blades.

Assuming it's true for most or all blades, people that have trouble squaring up the club face, and leave it open at impact, might actually do better with blades.

[nick1998bunker]

Th[quote name="MS256" url="/t/65977/blade-irons/60#post_892766"]I'm definitely not a club MOI expert but another difference I notice when I hit blades is that the club face seems to square up with less energy than with cavity backs. If I hit somebody's blades the first ball I hit is very likely to be a hook. Then after a few more balls I get the feel for it and it's fine. Since I've only hit blades a few times that could be just a coincidence for those particular blades I was hitting and might not apply to all blades. Assuming it's true for most or all blades, people that have trouble squaring up the club face, and leave it open at impact, might actually do better with blades. [/quote]they say it makes it easier to control fine flights. With a cavity back its easier to ht a big draw or fade(like 10 +yards) rather than little ones.

[Jakester23]

Blades make it easier to control fine flights? Or cb's?

[nick1998bunker]

Blades make it easier to control fine flights? Or cb's?

According to mark crossfield on youtube(I think he is a reliable source) he says for him trying to work the ball, its easier if he wants to do like a 3 yard draw/ fade with blades no problem, but with big cavities you have to struggle more but you can hit like 5-10 yard draw/fades

[saevel25]

I believe that, but how often do you want to curve the ball 10-15 yards? Not many shots call for that. I mean, i can't shape a short iron that far, but i can curve a long iron cavity back that far. I did it a few saturdays ago. I had about 215 to the hole, took out my 5 iron, had to hit a 10 yard cut around these trees, if i hit it straight i would be in the green side bunker. I hit the 10 yard cut to the center of the green. But if i had to shape a 9 iron, i would have to play it back in my stance and try to deloft the iron more to get more workability.

[nick1998bunker]

I believe that, but how often do you want to curve the ball 10-15 yards? Not many shots call for that. I mean, i can't shape a short iron that far, but i can curve a long iron cavity back that far. I did it a few saturdays ago. I had about 215 to the hole, took out my 5 iron, had to hit a 10 yard cut around these trees, if i hit it straight i would be in the green side bunker. I hit the 10 yard cut to the center of the green. But if i had to shape a 9 iron, i would have to play it back in my stance and try to deloft the iron more to get more workability.

Well that's just the thing, I either try and hit it straight(which is what I do now), but that brings a left and right miss into play, or I cut/draw it 10-20 yards

[Jakester23]

I have G15's now and those are sgi's and I agree that they have a bigger shape than 3 yards unless I'm hitting a wedge or something like that. So where does a I20 or AP2 fall as far as shaping the ball? I was thinking about going to something like that next year.

[Jodastra]

I'd say hit blades always. When I first started hitting golf balls back in the 70's...all the irons were blades..Ben Hogans& wilsons. I just hit balls at driving ranges near trucking terminals to kill time while I got loads transfered. then in the late/mid 80's cavity backs & big hair..I played them both. Gave up the blades for the 90's & 00's for "forgivness" ..now at 48 years old I'm back to blades & bald and i still have fun...

[GaijinGolfer]

I'd say hit blades always. When I first started hitting golf balls back in the 70's...all the irons were blades..Ben Hogans& wilsons. I just hit balls at driving ranges near trucking terminals to kill time while I got loads transfered. then in the late/mid 80's cavity backs & big hair..I played them both. Gave up the blades for the 90's & 00's for "forgivness" ..now at 48 years old I'm back to blades & bald and i still have fun...

So what do you feel is the advantage to blades that made you go back to them?  Or is it a, "just because" kind of thing for you.  The way I see it, if even the pros are giving up blades in favor of cavity backs, then the rest of us have no business playing blades.

[misty_mountainhop]

So what do you feel is the advantage to blades that made you go back to them?  Or is it a, "just because" kind of thing for you.  The way I see it, if even the pros are giving up blades in favor of cavity backs, then the rest of us have no business playing blades.

Surely that's up to us as individuals isn't it?

[mp33 man]

Did you know that somewhere in the vicinity of 65-75% of pros don't play blades anymore? (Based off an article I just googled from 2011, so the numbers probably higher now). Also, 75% of this years major winners (I think just rose plays rocketbladez, mick plays x forged, and duf plays ap2) don't play blades either.

Adam Scott plays blades...

[mp33 man]

Did you know that somewhere in the vicinity of 65-75% of pros don't play blades anymore? (Based off an article I just googled from 2011, so the numbers probably higher now). Also, 75% of this years major winners (I think just rose plays rocketbladez, mick plays x forged, and duf plays ap2) don't play blades either.

Also, I don't know if you have ever hit the x-forged irons but they basically plays like blades (and I think that Mickelson plays a progressive set...)

[Maddog10]

My experiences have led me to the conclusion that many amateur golfers can benefit from blades in their shorter irons, but very few "need" or see the benefits of them in 3, 4, and 5 irons. My preference is a progressive set that allows for some forgiveness in the long irons but gives me the feel of blades from a 6 or 7 iron down.

[Lihu]

My experiences have led me to the conclusion that many amateur golfers can benefit from blades in their shorter irons, but very few "need" or see the benefits of them in 3, 4, and 5 irons. My preference is a progressive set that allows for some forgiveness in the long irons but gives me the feel of blades from a 6 or 7 iron down.

Yes, it has helped me learn to hit, but I'm trying to use SGI for my game. I wouldn't pay full price for them. The "no business using them" comments are meaningless, as long as it does not promote slow play on a full course. Everyone should experience them so they appreciate the new irons more.