Are blades only good for shaving??

[mvmac]

  On 8/24/2016 at 5:11 PM, Liko81 said:

Blades have better craftsmanship and factory QA. Better ball strikers tend to play more blade-like irons, and better players demand better quality in their equipment, so the manufacturers pay extra attention to detail in the design and construction of low-cap blade irons. 30-cap casual players just want to get the ball downrange, and they also tend to be more budget-minded since they don't play/practice every day, so GI heads tend to have looser manufacturing tolerances and less expensive shafts, the effects of which are largely buried in inconsistent swing mechanics of the average hacker.

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I disagree with this. Let's take Titleist and/or Mizuno for example, the manufacturing tolerances are the same, the heads are all coming from the same factories and they all get assembled in the same building. In terms of design they probably spend much less time on the muscle back irons because there is only so much you can do with a blade design. More time goes into the design, R&D of the AP irons than the blades.

[Hacker James]

I still play some older irons. Hogan Edge and Apex Plus. I also bought a set of Topflight XL mostly because I just liked the looks of them. They are billed as a starter set. I currently have a mix of 4,5,6 Edge; 7,8,9, Topflight. Apex Plus E wedge, and a set of Tom Watson wedges.  I have not noticed that much difference, except on bad hits on the forged irons.  The metals that come with the Top Flight are decent, but I sometimes go back to the old Hogan Speed Slot woods just for fun.  I could kick myself for selling a Titleist Persimmon Driver that was given me by Scotty Cameron. The feel and "Crack" sound of a solidly hit persimmon can't be beat. 

[Hacker James]

  On 8/25/2016 at 5:53 AM, mvmac said:

I disagree with this. Let's take Titleist and/or Mizuno for example, the manufacturing tolerances are the same, the heads are all coming from the same factories and they all get assembled in the same building. In terms of design they probably spend much less time on the muscle back irons because there is only so much you can do with a blade design. More time goes into the design, R&D of the AP irons than the blades.

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I think "component club maker" is a misnomer. Most of the irons that are produced by the name brands are actually components coming from the same casting companies. CoastCast comes to mind.  I worked for Acushnet for a number of years and often we would find other brands in the same box of heads. Even Cameron Putters are sent out to various vendors during the process. I managed a data base that tracked the wherabouts of the heads. The club plant for Titleist   merely assembled them.  Now the custom players forged irons were hand ground or at least finishing touches. Some of those guys were real artists and could put a tolerance on a blade just by eyeballing it. 

[misty_mountainhop]

I like 'blades', but then I grew up with them. One of my favourite irons of all time were Wilson's FG-17 - I completely wore them out.

Personally, I think if you strike it badly and erratically, no amount of tech is going to bail you out. Groove a repeatable swing, whatever it looks like, to return the sweet spot to the ball time after time.

I put a lot of stock by what the club looks like at address - if it looks odd, there's no way I'll settle over a club. Fortunately, there seems to be quite a lot of modern CB-type irons that set up looking more or less blade-like at address. Now, I just need to be able to afford them...

[DaveP043]

Like everyone who started playing golf in the early 70s, I started out with blades, since they were the only clubs available.  They're really not impossible to hit, although off-center strikes do lose a lot more distance than with modern GI clubs.  I've been gradually moving toward slightly more forgiving irons, for a long time played forged cavity-back irons (MacGregor JNP, Mizuno MP30) and now have moved to what I guess is called a composite forged iron, Titleist AP2 714.  Like @misty_mountainhop, the club's appearance means something to me, and all of these clubs set up a whole lot like the original blades I learned with, but provide some forgiveness.

[Dave2512]

I don't use blades because I don't have the time to improve my ball striking where I don't need the help more forgiving heads provide. Sure blades look cool but not as cool as hitting it towards the target and not being severely penalized for mishits, which are frequent for the unskilled.

Couple years ago in one of those I am a great ball striker but shoot 90's so I use blades to get my dime sized brown spot threads that pop up from time to time a low handicap member posted a picture of his wedge during a recent range session. It had impact marks from the toe to hosel and all over the face and it was a wedge. People are free to use whatever they want and typically the blade argument is feedback. But you don't need a jolt running up your forearm to know you hit a crap shot. When your ball lands 30 yards short and right of the green from 163 yds using your SGI helpers the crummy result is your feedback.

[Hacker James]

  On 8/26/2016 at 4:27 PM, DaveP043 said:

Like everyone who started playing golf in the early 70s, I started out with blades, since they were the only clubs available.  They're really not impossible to hit, although off-center strikes do lose a lot more distance than with modern GI clubs.  I've been gradually moving toward slightly more forgiving irons, for a long time played forged cavity-back irons (MacGregor JNP, Mizuno MP30) and now have moved to what I guess is called a composite forged iron, Titleist AP2 714.  Like @misty_mountainhop, the club's appearance means something to me, and all of these clubs set up a whole lot like the original blades I learned with, but provide some forgiveness.

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I'm about the same. Started late 60's and irons were muscle backs. I used MT's, Spalding. Sometimes I think I played much better back then, but of course that was 45 years ago. As I've said in the past "I wish I didn't know now, what I did not know then". Recently have gotten a more reliable,  repetitive, swing back. Reviewing Hogan's book has helped  as a "go to" reference and  I've tried to clear my mind of all the countless suggestions from the various golf instructors. Nothing wrong with the instruction though, just too much of it. 

[Snipehook16]

Well I've had my blades for a week and I'm really starting to like them. Coming off my worst ball striking round in a long time last weekend I've spent a few days this week at the range getting used to the weighting and the stiffer shafts. Catching these things super solid is the best feeling I've felt in an iron. I probably should trade these in for something a little more forgiving but I'm just going to be hardheaded and keep them in the bag. The turf interaction is night and day compared to my Titleist. 2 thumbs up for these irons. Once I get a little spending cash I might trade these in for the MP-5s hearing they are a little easier to hit.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Snipehook16
Emoji wouldn't read

[Steviestuboy]

Played my last two rounds with Wilson fg-100 and scores have been much the same.  Good shots are better and bad shots are worse but enjoying playing them at the moment.  That's all that should matter,  play what gives you enjoyment.  Don't think they will last in the bag forever but who knows. All clubs offer something different for us to enjoy which is great,  it would be boring if we all played the same wonderwands. 

[Mop Bucket]

I really enjoy my mizuno blades. I love the feedback I get from each shot and I feel that no matter where I end up off the tee, I have a shot in the bag to put myself back into play. The freedom and creativity I get, to me, is definitely worth the harder to hit face.

 

With that being said, I definitely have days that I wish I was looking down at a cavity back. But all in all, I'm getting to the mark where I've been playing them long enough to know that making the switch to a forgiving club wouldn't improve my scores a whole lot.

[TourSpoon]

I just got back from the PGA Superstore in my area to pick up a new Scotty grip for my putter and of course had to sample some product. I hit the a variety of irons and just was so impressed with the 716 mbs after reading some of the reviews. I still prefer a mixed set, but wow, that 7 iron felt so good and had a really tight dispersion. Perhaps a mixed set of cbs and mbs are in my future! 

[RussUK]

I play cavities but will often take one of my 695mb's to practice with every now and then. I like them and can hit them ok but due the weaker lofts my distance is down. Sure i can club up but where i am at the moment i need all the forgiveness i can get!

[rocketmutt]

I currently game some MP-14's and absolutely love the feel of these sticks.  While I am outside of the handicap realm to even consider putting these in the bag, I came across a deal I couldn't pass up.  And I always wanted a set of Mizzy's anyway so that was that.  I was a 20 handicap when I put these in play at the beginning of this season, now I am down to a 15.  I have played more and spent more time working on my swing, which is the reason for the drop.  If anything now that this season is winding down I am asking myself if I could have progressed more if I stuck with a cavity set of sticks, who knows.  What I can take away from this season is that I got better and I enjoy my rounds more and more each time I play.  Also nothing beats puring one with a blade.

[WUTiger]

This question reminds me of why the Wishbone option offense pretty well disappeared from college football: If you have the horses it takes to run the Wishbone, you don't need to run the Wishbone. Newer offenses will deliver more.

So, if you have the swing it takes to hit blades, you don't need blades, unless you have the time to really keep your swing in tune.

That said, I recall a Tom Wishon series video on clubfitting. The club fitter set up an average-size guy about 60 years old in the Wishon variant on blades. The guy had a smooth swing with a well-grooved 2° downward angle at impact, and the blade heads just happened to work for him.

Again, see what the numbers and the ball flight tell you.

I tried some modern blades about 10 years ago, and I must say the ball flight was consistent: the 7i never got more than 10 feet off the ground.

[David L Yskes]

while i dont game blades... my 8/9/pw are mb's  i wish my 7iron was...   

but i've thought about getting a set of blades come next year...  why?   cuz while i do hit my irons pretty good... not "great" but pretty good.... my good iron shots are still going to be good... and my bad ones are still going to be bad..   a SGi or Gi iron isnt going to make a difference.. 

 

[Jakester23]

I wish I was a little better ball striker so I could use them.  IMO they are the best looking irons by far.  I do agree with what @mvmac about the tech blades being a nice alternative.  Maybe one day Ill get a set.

[dbuck]

I have posted this before, but I am a sucker for a "blade thread".  I play blades and lumber (wood woods) most of the time. I learned on blades and just enjoy it more. I am more consistent with cavities and titanium, and use those if I play in the odd scramble or other team format. When playing for myself though, it is usually old school.  Currently I am using Hogan Apex PC's from the late 80's, Cleveland wedges, a Maxfli TM putter, and Ping laminated maple woods.

I am just slightly better than a bogey golfer with either, and probably would be the same with the latest and greatest unless someone else hit them for me.

 

[bogdan101]

For about a year now I've played Titleist 714 MB's, and in my mind it is the perfect iron. After using eye 2, TM 300 forged CB's and TM TP MC's I find I can focus better looking down at a small blade with little to no offset and my swing is better. The results are better too.

The funny thing is I was apprehensive at first about playing real blades since every review says don't even try unless you play to under 2 or 3. Well I'm a very long way away from that, and the 714 MB's have improved my iron play significantly.