Gerald

I used to play the MP-57 (PX 5.5) and still have them, they are more like a players CB, but the demand is higher than in a normal players CB. Now that I am gaming the MP-67 (PX 6.0) I really like the pure contact (and yes the buttery feel is different than the buttery feel in the MP-57, for what the B%

As I recently started a social group blade lovers, and most of our local low cappers are playing blades or Muscle Backs like Mizuno MP's, Titleist CB/MB, Wilson Staff FG Tour and a few lesser known brands, I wonder what are the preferences among single digit golfers at TST. Besides this poll I would like anyone playing (or having interest in these) Blades/MB's/Combo sets to join our Group .

Maybe you find the inspiration here to at least start blades from 7, but at hc 1.5 who cares ...... Welcome !

When I use my 3W or Hybrid from the tee, I tee it up so low as if it was lying at a very good spot at the fairway, so I just put a wooden tee sofar in that only the straight edges are above the ground (believe my that is 300 percent better that without a tee). Don't swing it different from the tee than from the deck, you will be thinking "why didn't I figured that ou myself" Cheers, Gerald.

Just as Sean said, after every stroke I clean them, no not with water and soap, but just by a towel, after a full round I mostly take them home and clean all with water and soap ...... I actually always play with a clean set, but i see people who clean their irons once per season, but they never ask me anything about backspin. I practice a lot from mats (I know from the grass is better, but not allowed overhere) .... I Check the lofts and lies every few months, as I can use the tools of my fitter and he learnt me how to use them. That seems quite often, but the Mizuno's are soft and hitting from mats is putting more stress on the clubs, than hitting from grass.

In his books he is taking about 5.25 degrees as being optimum ....... The fitter I visit now and then for checking my lofts and lies, has learnt me to do this myself on his machines, but there is no way to bend anything to 0.25 or it must be slightly over 5 degrees. 7 or 8 degrees was maybe only used to prove something in the article......

My initials : G in front of the logo and S behind, on both sides of the ball for easy regognition of the ball, no matter on which side it is lying. For putting I turn the ball over so that looking from above it is a totally clear white ball (I am using no lines or aligning stamps).

Looking forward to see some pics of the upcoming MP-69 ..... Anyone saw a preview or prototype leak somewhere ? I can imagine it might already be in some tour bags .....

so many styles ...... I wonder when Stan Utley works so close with Scotty Cameron, most Cameron putters are 4 degrees ..... I used a Rife Abaco before and that was only 2 degrees.......... I kind of wonder what bending my 4 degrees SC FB 1.5 to 5 degrees might bring !?!?!?!!????

That is what a forum is for, sharing some thoughts and also debating some ....... As for the AP2's ..... I have been playing them for two months and discovered they are less forgiving than you would expect them to be, and at the same time I found the short irons a bit "dead".... the long irons were great, easy to hit, enough feel, a little high launching, but again the short irons lacked the feel of the Miz MP-57 I used before. Now I am playing the Wilson Staff Ci9 (YESSS GI for sure) ..... and they lack the feel, but they go-go-go-go-go and don'r even have to think on hitting them nicely, just put an easy swing to them (even at the strong 4i) and you get results, but from 145 yds in I prefer my Miz MP-67's........

Hmmmm I am done with this, to me the stats suck ..... and I cannot imagine becoming a 7 index player with 37 putts, besides that maybe he hit the two OB's at one hole ..... Getting to zero, isn't putting only ..... he will have to work hard at all parts of the game !

30 yrs ago you could chose between mb's and blades, and there was the about same mix of highcappers, midcappers and lowcappers as there is now. The model of the iron you play has little to do with handicaps, maybe the average mid capper maybe will not be able to take full advantage of the possibillities offered in a mb or true blade, but the modern blades and mb's are way easier to hit than those of 25-30 yrs ago. So the punishments on poor swings is less large than about everyone or anyone want to let us believe. But it is absolutely true ...... if one has a poor swing, and doesn't care to practice for a better swing, just wanting to play 10-20 recreational rounds per season ...... they are better of with any (S)GI iron ....... but the amateur wanting to improve, wanting to put some quality time in, can profit or take some advantages of playing mb's (true blades is another story, but there are almost no true blades anymore). Playing mb's sure will mean that at a bad day (we all can have) you can play way above your hc, but it would also not have been a spendid day with a poor swing when hitting (S)GI's ......., but with mb's you will also experience shots of a lifetime..... now and then. But golf is choices and comprimises, and luckely we make are own (mistakes).....

A few months ago while I was playing a set of MP-57 I met a starting golfer at the driving range and we played about 9 holes, he had just gotten into his first handicap 30ish ..... as these highcappers always are, he was impressed how straight and far I hit my irons, seemingly without any effort. Gave him some tips, not too much of course (I am no teaching pro and I never want to come in between the pro and the client). He was playing a kind of starter kit and made also a few strokes with my irons (I never have any problems with that - driver is a different story). Anyway I met him again yesterday, he had bought a very nice set that he hit best at a monitor and got his handicap down to 22 and looked to have a sub 18 potential within a few months. I was quite impressed by his Black Combo set of MacGregor MT Pro-M (7-PW) / MT Pro-C (4-6) and he could hit them very well, still needing to work on a lighter grip and he was teeing up his irons on the tee way to high .... easy fixes.

I'm confused, this reply doesn't really make sense. The OP said he shot a 77 with 37 putts, following the logic above, then this seems about right with the 12/18 GIR. If he could get it down to 32 putts, then he would save those strokes and be shooting 'around par'. Of course, you only putt sometimes as well as you chip. If the OP had gotten those 6 GIR misses within makeable distance that would save those strokes for sure. Again he shot aa 77, but two went out of bounds, so without the OB's it would have been a 73 right ....? Distract 37 putts ...... 36 strokes ,,,,,, means his long and mid game is almost scratch ...... you get the picture. This guy is asking us how to putt, because he thinks that he needs to improve his putting, but I have my doubts ....... With his average drive of 287 yds he was about 80% in the fairway and made 12/18 holes in GIR ..... Yep it is the internet ..... LOL !!! This actually means the OP must reach GIR, but is at least 10-15 yds from the hole, oyherwise it is hard to make 37 putts. When I miss GIR, I miss it only just mostly and chipping qualities, make me save a few pars (about 50%) ...... svaing pars at missed GIR means a 1-putt and at any hc, 7 round there will mostly be a few birdies....... SO if the OP makes 37 putts in a round he is so very good at ballstriking there are a few options : he is really a lousy putter, he is a lousy scrambler or he is a great ballstriker chosing the wrong clubs into the green......leaving himself those 40 - 60 feet putts.

OKay I agree to a certain level, but if a 20 capper mishits a GI or SGI the way you suggest, the result with that club is also in the rough hazard or worse ! The outside the sweetspot hitted blade will loose distance (and it may well be 25%) but it will stay on track or in the fairway, but an outside the sweetspot hitted (S)GI will travel nearly the same distance as a good hit ....... so I would say you are better of with a 6i mishitted blade going only 120 yds and maybe still in the fairway, than with the 160 yds forgivving shot ending way to the right (mostly ..... 20 cappers mishits will go to the right). And I know for sure that the joy of hitting a blade pure it superior to hitting a great (S)GI, at least for me it is ...... It is nothing personal, but when I see answers like ...... a 20 capper must be totally gone GaGa to play a muscleback or blade .... for me it is like a red flag to a bull .... and mostly these kind of opinions come from people not playing them theirselfs !

I think that has a lot to do with being priced about $1200 for the heads only, if you can fit it yourself ..... we might be talking about $1500-$1600 .... if you have to let it be custom made ..... pffff !

Haha, I have one and use it as my ball in teetimer ..... never played it !

Welcome at The Sand Trap Forum ! It really depends on how you want to use the SW, if it is for full swings .... it might be a good thought to go for the Burner 2.0 is the feel will be the same as the rest of your clubs. If it is for sand play mostly .... I would suggest to get a specialized (54* to 58*) SW that matches the sand of your local course, take one with less bounce (8-10) if the sand is firm or hard, take one with a higher bounce (12-14) if the sand is loose or fluffy. Bob Vokey also has a few with right in the middle bounces (11*). Taylor made has nice wedges in their TP series, but many players end up with the Bob Vokey or Cleveland wedges.

Quote: Okay that is just your opinion ...... Have you ever tried such clubs or are you just repeating what anyone or every says about MB clubs ? I feel (better I know) even a 36 can play MB or even true blades ...... out of the sweet spot only means loosing distance, but most likely it will be way better than loosing almost no distance and ending up in the woods or rough. Beside that the MB will let you feel where the ball met the face, while with the Burner 2.0 even a bal hit near the toe will go out fine, but almost without letting you feel you did something wrong.

Hmm Lefty, it could have been about my thread, After a 25 yrs lay off I restarted golf last year and went to a 5 index in my "first" season using a mix of S&T; elements and my own natural swing, during winter (we had a lot of snow) I played only a few times and our driving range was also closed for about 6 weeks. As soon as it opened again, I walked the course and had a near perfect round of 76, but as a friend of the arrows had a new set coming in the next week and went from the MP-57 (with PX 6.0) I was playing good and bad with to the Cobra S2 with regular graphite shafts, played with these and also practiced a lot as heavy as never before, bc. I really wanted to go to scratch this year. I won a lot of distance with the S2's, but the dispersion was less controlable, maybe it was the graphite shafts, maybe it was the regular instead of the stiff I played before, maybe it was the higher swingspeed, maybe it was the design of the club, etc..... till now I just don't know what it was, but when I was lucky I played in the mid 80's. Time for the next better arrows ...... AP2's fitted with DG S300 ..... much better, but I didn't like the feel (or lack of feel/lack of feedback) in the short irons, and lost some distance compared to the S2's ...... I actually liked the AP2's but, but, but, and you know, if you don't feel comfortable over the irons, something creeps in the mind ...... I tossed the 8, 9 and PW out of the bag and replaced them with my really old first golf life's set of Wilson Staff Tour Blades. It really made a difference, but the lies are different, the flex is different (25 yrs old Dynamic S), etc...... Then I bumped into the Wilson Staff Ci9 irons, which I have always liked the looks of, didn't hit them at all, just went for them ...... I actually was so unhappy with the AP2 ......., but the Ci9 is also a strange set, the lofts of the mid and short irons are so strong, I was hitting all new distances and as a natural fader off the ball I was hitting occasional hooks with the 5i and 4i...... at the driving range it was like ...... pfew these irons really fit me well, I can even hit draws with them, but in the course on 4i went straight, the next had my natural fade, and then out of the blue hit some 15 yds or worse to the left ....... is it me, is it my swing, is it my new takeaway, is it the clubs, is it the shafts (stock FST 105 steel shafts) ....... anyway I don't know what it is ........ I was hitting a mix of great and poor shots with the Ci9's. At the moment I am playing my old Wilsons and I could not be happier, it is no easy clubs, and if you don't hit them good, you will feel and see. Actually I can feel in the hands exactly where the clubface met the ball..... I am shooting in the 80's again, but the long irons...... well they are almost the size of the ball ....... So I bought a set of MP-67 (again with PX 6.0) now, and I don't give a $#&% if they suit my handicap or not. I don't mind to be punished if I have a mishit (I mean good swing, but out of the sweetspot) ..... it will only be shorter, but not off line ...... and I really like to be rewarded for a good shot. I lost the S&T; book, but just ordered a new one and hope to find back my last year's swing and for most my tempo ! As far as I know ..... my biggest fan is tempo ...... it is not the power, the swingspeed, the ball, the arrows, but it is TEMPO (timing).

Quote: 67% GIR is very good, 37 putts is very bad !!! Further 2 OB shots means it it would have been a 73 round ....... Maybe (I don't know the course) it would be wise not to risk the OB at these holes...... Shooting a 73 with 37 putts means ..... 36 strokes ....... 67% of GIR .... that is 12/18 (or 14/18 if you forget the OB's) ...... let's asume you hit all par 3 in one and par 4 in two, that would be normally 24 strokes (4x1 and 10x2) leaving 12 strokes for 4 par 5 holes ....... so if you would be using about 30 putts or less you might be a PLUSSS-5 something golfer asking how to putt ....... It is internet ...... of course ...... From what I conclude from your numbers ...... work on at least two things ....... of course your putting, but I can hardly imagine it is your putting, because if your shot to the green is let's say 30-50 ft. from the hole ..... it is quite normal to average 2.0 putts ...... so if you can improve your ballstriking (and maybe move up to irons with less dispersion) getting it closer gives you more opportunities for a few 1 putts. Being 30-50 ft. from the hole, is mostly nothing less than just taking toooooo less club to the green ! And what you really should be working on is on getting Up & Down at the holes you miss the GIR ...... maybe first you have to figure out what to be a good spot to miss GIR and from there make sure that your scrambling gets you within 1 putt range. Apart from putting - putting - putting - putting - putting - putting - start practicing dropping let's say 10 balls at different places around the putting/chipping green and practice getting Up & Down in two !!! Always chip/pitch AND putt, never think OK it is within 2 ft ...... do the complete excercise ! Chips/Pitches/Sand etc. should be within 6 ft. to make a chance, but actually they should be within 3 ft. to be sure of a 1 putt !

Good advise overall, but I don't agree on forgetting the Driver, for most people the driver at 460 cc is the easiest way to get distance from the tee. I would say forget the 3W and buy a driver instead, but make sure it is a 12 or even 13 degree loft driver. The higher loft will bring a straighter shot, ie. more chance it will stay in the fairway...... Starting off with a half set is a good thought, but maybe it is better to start with a full set and leave some clubs at home to start with, bc. half sets are about never the best you can get for a low price, it might be hard to fill it later with the missing clubs, etc...... My prefered starters half set, would be something like : Driver, Hybrid, 6i, 8i, PW, SW, Putter. I think you will be able to find a great Game Improvement set for about $300-$400 ...... $100 for a 460 cc driver of about 3 yrs back, $150 for a full set of irons, $50-$100 for any putter you like, small carrying bag, some balls, tees, Rules booklet. Try playing golf without a glove first, many do, if you don't like it buy a golf glove (upper hand only).

Seems like Affiniados should be Aficionados ,,,,,, till the name has changed (if ever, might be complicated with links etc.) ...... the idea behind it is clear !

Well ...... How about these ?

When browsing for a nice avatar for the group, I bumped into some really nice Japanese blades ..... Epon AF Tour Forged Blade ..... anyone pulled the trigger on those ? If you have a perfect avatar for this group, send it to me size 200x135 pxels, jpg quality about 8-10