jimsizzle
New member
I'm striking the ball very well with my Mizuno JPX825 irons, but I'm considering moving to blades (probably Mizunos). How much distance am I likely to gain with blades?
Moving from Game Improvement Irons to blades
- Staff
- #2
Gain? More than likely you won't.
Misses will be more accentuated with a sharper dropoff in ball-speed even with smaller misses. Its the nature of the profile and design, blades are simply much more demanding by nature.
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Distance gains? If anything, there may be a distance loss, something to consider in making the switch.
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- Joined
- Jul 23, 2014
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- 8.1 GHIN
I switched to Apex MBs for exactly 3 days. At the range, I hit them extremely well and was not missing the center of the face. However on the course, if I missed the center i lost so much distance (10-20 yards easily) that it was impractical to hit them. Off the tee and flat surfaces i was fine, but any time I had a less than ideal lie or the ball was above or below the feet, missing the sweet spot went up significantly so I was always coming up short.
The MBs have been retired and I'm back to Apex Pros. After that fiasco, I don't ever see myself trying to go back to MBs.
The MBs have been retired and I'm back to Apex Pros. After that fiasco, I don't ever see myself trying to go back to MBs.
What do you want to gain? Aesthetically, you gain the clean compact look of a blade. That's about it.
Other than aesthetics, there is nothing a set of blades can do that your current irons can't.
Other than aesthetics, there is nothing a set of blades can do that your current irons can't.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
I went from more of a player's set to a GI set a few years back. I won't be going back to player's irons any time soon.
Golf is far too easy (and fun) with the GI set. No reason for me to find something more difficult to hit, especially since I don't practice or play nearly as much as I used to.
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Golf is far too easy (and fun) with the GI set. No reason for me to find something more difficult to hit, especially since I don't practice or play nearly as much as I used to.
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All of these guys ^^^^ have pretty much nailed it.
- Moderator
- #9
The reality is, you're not going to add distance, you're going to subtract it by loft and reduced quality of strike (at least some of the time). With bladed irons, you get out of them what you put into them, and there really isn't any grey areas.
I don't really agree with this. There is a certain element of predictability that blades provide (good or bad) that are less predominant in a more forgiving head shape. There are also alterations to flight and spin based on the cavity/build characteristics, and of course sound.
I don't really agree with this. There is a certain element of predictability that blades provide (good or bad) that are less predominant in a more forgiving head shape. There are also alterations to flight and spin based on the cavity/build characteristics, and of course sound.
Can you expand on "predicatbility", I agree that if you miss with a blade, the results are going to be predictable. But what about GI irons is not predicable? I know that flight may also be different, but that can usually be helped with shaft selection.
Agent Jay
Grandaddy Alumni
Sorry brother, but you're not likely to see any gains. At my best when I was a 1 handicap, I was using Mizuno blades (MP-33) and I was hitting them really well. However, any miss was way short. I'd suggest playing a "pro" model similar to the Apex Pro's first. I think you'll enjoy the distance and if you're having an "off day" you're not going to loss distance nearly as much. I'm still a 10 handicap (or better) and I'll never go back to blades unless someone is paying me to.
Dr RosenRosen
Active member
If you are truly going to "blades," you will increase (1) the ability to work the ball; (2) bag aesthetic and (3) stinging hands. You will likely decrease (1) consistency, (2) distance, and (3) pars. That being said, play with what makes you happy. None of are pros here so take all of our thoughts with a grain of salt.
57Staff
New member
I wouldn't say you will gain distance necessarily. All irons hit roughly the same given similar specs. What you gain with blades is 1) increase in feel and 2) more ability to work the ball. Increase in feel because blades are generally made of a softer forged steel compared to cavity back clubs which are cast. Also, with the weight concentrated behind the center of gravity, mishits are felt much more than with cavity back clubs. This concentration of mass in the COG is also where the workability comes from - the club's design doesn't fight you in trying to apply changes in spin axis to the ball.
It is the increase in feel where blades help you with precision in your strikes. You need that feedback in order to fine tune your strike. Cavity backs, though more forgiving of mishits, work against you by diminishing the negative feedback of off center hits. When I switched from CB to blades back in the 80's I never looked back. Yeah, my mishits went shorter than with CBs, but my striking became better and I was always searching for that wonderful feeling of flushing an iron shot.
Modern cavity backs are pretty darn soft. Without being forged, since materials make that difference and not the manufacturing process.
I never played golf in the 80s, but what do we need negative feedback? Isn't ball flight the only feedback we need? I say this every time the "negative feedback to force skill" argument gets made, but why not just stab yourself in the leg every time the ball flight isn't want you envisioned preshot?
- Admin
- #15
Pure loft and length of club is not the only factor that brings distance. So, just loft to loft will actually not be the same distance necessarily. In fact there is quite a bit more to it. One of the benefits of a muscle back design is spin. It gives the ability to flight the ball high and low and left and right easier. It can also play a pretty big roll in distance. One more thing to add is that a forgiving design can have just as much mass behind the CG as others. They can also add it further back and low, which like hollow body designs (in all types of clubs), increases launch, which means a company can reduce spin with a thinner face and achieve more distance through this design with the same loft. Hence the reason lowering the loft is a necessity at times.
I am a big believer however, in playing whatever you want.
Yantropov
Member
I switched to blades about two weeks ago, I've played 2 rounds with them so far and I have hit some of my best approaches ever. I love the feedback that they give me when I mishit, it's true that the misses are accentuated. However, switching to bladed irons to gain distance, isn't right and you'll notice that very quickly.
Everybody is different but for me, I am really happy that I switched. For others, the switch has not been a successful story.
Everybody is different but for me, I am really happy that I switched. For others, the switch has not been a successful story.
there should be like a top post sticky or something that says, "if you're thinking about switching to blades, read this first" and it will just be this exact feedback. there's nothing else to say. perfectly wraps it up.
i've played both, and i'm off the blade bug probably permanently. they look real purty, but the harsh feedback on misses is not particularly enjoyable. so i like players profile with forgiveness.
- Moderator
- #19
Wider sweet spots and greater MOI retention on more forgiving irons will generate some variety from player irons that don't really offer that added benefit. This can also translate in a reduced turn (something that would be predictable off a blade) and a ball that is more inclined to go on a straight path to the target line rather than turning based on path/face angle.
The gap is shrinking, but i think that will always be the case.... and it's not to say that GI or even SGI isn't workable because it is, there's just that allowed margin of error that isn't present in a blade.
Could in then be argued that GI irons are predictable straighter? If a player was good enough to work the ball in both directions, couldn't they also adjust to the less workable players irons?
I played muscle or slight cavity back blades from 1978 until 2015 until switching to game improvement XR Pro irons a year ago. I picked up yardage and more importantly I don't lose nearly as much distance on miss hits which are about 80% of my strikes. I'm not switching back to a forged MB blades anytime soon and if my ego hadn't gotten in the way I would have switched to game improvement irons a decade ago. I'm simply like the quality of my misses too much to go back to muscle or CB blades. I also like being able to hit a high, soft 208 yard 4 iron that stays where it lands. That didn't happen with my old 4 iron.
- Moderator
- #22
I think that in many cases GI is straighter than player, and SGI is straight than GI when off center.
To your second point, I think that's more of a reflection on consistent contact location. If it's off center (which it often is), there's a mild element of shot shaping variety that comes into play. It's nowhere near as bad as it was five years ago, but I do find myself hanging the ball right rather than turning it over here and there when I game some of the more forgiving heads.
- Admin
- #23
FWIW, that bottom part is dependent on where it is struck on the face regardless of club. Some areas of the club face increase spin and some decrease. Its discussed more so in drivers, than it is elsewhere, but spin zap and spin increase is contact dependent. For instance using drivers, if you strike it low on the face, you are going to get a higher spin rate and hitting it higher on the face would be a lower spin rate. Of course ball speed and launch each change with those strikes as well.
I have only noticed a small difference in workability with my new irons compared to my Wilson Staff FG V2's but I don't intentially work iron shots more than about 15 feet max. The same swing that resulted in a 10 foot draw with my old 7 iron might be a 7 foot draw with my XR Pros. To your point, very easy to adjust to.
I am not too far from your handicap, and I actually have gone more towards the GI irons. Had blades about 5-6 years and this year is my first full GI iron and I am really happy!
At the end of the day, its your money, and your enjoyment of the game/equipment ... and there has been some really good feedback on the topic ... so I am of the camp; "here hold my beer, and watch this" when I get something in my head ... thus the blades a few years back ... wouldn't trade that experience for nothing.
At the end of the day, its your money, and your enjoyment of the game/equipment ... and there has been some really good feedback on the topic ... so I am of the camp; "here hold my beer, and watch this" when I get something in my head ... thus the blades a few years back ... wouldn't trade that experience for nothing.