Blades Vs Cavity Back

[Johan185]

What does this really mean to you? Is it the number on the scorecard or is it the number of times you strike the ball wonderfully? There's no wrong answer. This question about forged and blades come up a lot and usually people say some variation of what you said, and that's great. But then we often see statements like this

and I get confused because a 5 yard gap between good and bad shots is the type of thing that would directly lead to more birdies and pars.

Again, it's awesome to have a goal of being a pure ball striker. I sometimes wonder if folks really understand what they mean when they talk about being the beast they can be (ball striker vs scorer).

Right now I'm working on both. Full Swing lessons and putting and short game shots. I have been spitting the time evenly between the three hoping to improve my ball striking, putting, short game and ultimately my scoring

So the Blades discussion is of course geared towards the long game, ball striking. If the shovels are fine. No worries. If the Blades, semi Blades, players CB or MB. So be it.

But ultimately it's just more fun when we score birdies instead of boogies.

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[blugold]

Exactly. Where this question tries to address. Which pathway leads to greater success and results. SGI or MB Blades. ..

Lessons and practice being equal.

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By design, the answer is the XR Pro. Even the best players miss the sweet spot.

 

[Johan185]

By design, the answer is the XR Pro. Even the best players miss the sweet spot.

I love them during my weekly outing. But during practice I was kind of uncertain with regards to my swing. I have hit some great shots and looked down at the club face only to discover it was hit way out on the toe. Beyond the grooves sometimes. Likewise thin shots were all most the same as hitting pure. Next to no lost in direction or distance.

Now after reading my own words I have to hand it to Callaway. They may have made the perfect club for my game.

But recently I had found myself stuck in a rut. Making the same swing errors time and again.

So enter the Mp-5's. MB Blades with a touch of forgiveness. Maybe not enough to make it into my game day bag. But definitely feedback enhanced.

No more cheating with the XR Pro's and slipping and sliding over the hazards and onto the greens.

The renewed focus has already started to improve my swing. IMHO. So far the experiment has been a successful one.

But it may be too early to draw a final conclusion.



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[blugold]

I love them during my weekly outing. But during practice I was kind of uncertain with regards to my swing. I have hit some great shots and looked down at the club face only to discover it was hit way out on the toe. Beyond the grooves sometimes. Likewise thin shots were all most the same as hitting pure. Next to no lost in direction or distance.

Now after reading my own words I have to hand it to Callaway. They may have made the perfect club for my game.

But recently I had found myself stuck in a rut. Making the same swing errors time and again.

So enter the Mp-5's. MB Blades with a touch of forgiveness. Maybe not enough to make it into my game day bag. But definitely feedback enhanced.

No more cheating with the XR Pro's and slipping and sliding over the hazards and onto the greens.

The renewed focus has already started to improve my swing. IMHO. So far the experiment has been a successful one.

But it may be too early to draw a final conclusion.



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I am still surprised that you don't get usable feedback from the XR Pros. I could tell where on the face I made contact based on the feel at impact. Couple that with ball flight, it was easy to see a mistake was made. No iron will tell you WHY that mistake was made.

Likewise, having a "practice set" that is so far removed from a gamer set seems very counterproductive.

 

[Johan185]

Only time will tell.

But I can say without any doubt that hitting a 430 cc driver makes the 460 cc feel like a broom.

It has improved my ball striking in the sweet spot and improve my fairways hit percent which is now in the mid 60's.

So maybe hitting the ball with a thimble will have the same effect.

I can only promise a honest assessment.

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[ProZoneGolf]

Today was a good round, what was evident again, I can strike toe shots and still hit greens. Hogans are some of the best with blade on blade design. I was golfing with my wife and she helped hold the iron in the picture while on the fw after the shot, still looking at the shot ddirection / green. What I will show is the Hogans preform very well on miss hits...just as well as cavities, partly because I am striking through the shot to a finish regardless of impact point on the face.

Hole 8: 7i / 164y pin tucked back right, behind right bunker, aiming for 6ft left of pin between the bunkers...I strike a toe shot to fly on a line 6 foot right of pin still to carry bunkers!... at hit the green...not much yards lost with a blade, and I can still go at it confidently.

Here is were the ball ended up pin high...

Here is a FW shot hole 15 166y out 7i again with a horrible toe shot, 'way out' on the toe, perhaps the worst off center strike you could pull off...

Here is the result...

If you swing/strike through the ball to a good finish blades preform just as good if not better...the shot is just holding its line and am not punished much because of my swing through the ball. I can hit all over the face with Hogans and still hit greens. They are soft feel not harsh (even with 6.5 shafts!), very receptive at impact due to Endo soft forging. Blades teach you to strike through the shot, you can flight the ball well. They are also better at distance control, in regards to, you don't nuke it long on pured shots like cavities do. I just think cavities allow you to get away with more and you end up slapping shots with sloppy swings, hoping next years model is the cure
Shot 74 from the tips, 4 birdies, missed very close birdie putts on 8, 10. After the birdie putt holed above on 15, it was getting dark and posted +4 on the last 3 holes rushing around to get done. I should have tee'd off earlier...Cally GBB/757 was doing well setting up many good approach shots.

 

[Double]

I'm one that is definitely in the 'play what you like' camp, and sold on the feedback from the clubs I now game.

Yesterday's round drew compliments from my usual playing partner who's been missing in action of late and caught up with club competition. He won the B grade comp by 21 shots played over 4 rounds in his first year as a member. It is the first time we've played together since I've changed my entire bag except for my driver... he was a little taken aback at first admittedly.

During the round he became more and more convinced that my golf had dramatically improved. Score was only marginally better however at the end of the day.

But... he kept some additional stats on my round as he was keeping score and he pointed out some positives I would have otherwise failed to see afterwards. Firstly, GIR totalled 7 holes, missed greens by < 6' totalled 6 holes. Considering I absolutely botched 4 holes for one reason or another this was a pretty damn good result for me. Had he not pointed this out I would have been more focused on the 4 holes of misery. With only 3 pars for the round it highlighted my short game and putting as being the weakest part of my game and it was something he suggested I work a lot more on.

Not to sound like I'm making excuses here, but somebody mentioned that blades seem less affected by wind. On several shots yesterday I allowed for the cross wind to bring the ball back a little but it just didn't happen. Ball ended up exactly where I aimed. I don't understand why this is. I don't have the ability to work the ball L & R and my usual shape is straight in no wind...:dont-know:

 

[ProZoneGolf]

Mp68 / x100 ss1x is a very accurate set up! :golf3:

Range some fades n draws for your quiver, try hitting slightly higher smoother shots, they should move with wind a bit. Flights are a little stronger/straighter with blades, perhaps there was less spin on the ball. How was the trajectory?...low?

 

[JB]

Flights are a little stronger with blades, or perhaps there is less spin on the ball. How is the trajectory?...low? Mp68 / x100 ss1x is a very accurate set up! :golf3:

Less spin on the ball?

 

[tequila4kapp]

There is some "interesting" info in this thread.

 

[ProZoneGolf]

Less spin on the ball?

This is just a guess as I don't know what he was previously gaming, and without a LM there is no data. Perhaps the only way to tell was by eye, thats why I asked the traj on the shot

 

[Double]

Thank you both for your replies.

On well struck shots trajectory is fine IMO. Sorry I can't give you any real data but shots are not low or excessively high. Thin strikes obviously lower of course but trajectory has not been something I've had to think about TBH and I seem to be getting close to my expected carry distances... eg I hit a 6 iron 200y off an elevated tee without trying to knock the cover off the ball. Whether this yardage is long or short is irrelevant for me... I feel I have a club in the bag to cover the distance that's required and there is a consistency through the different clubs that I can depend on.

"Mp68 / x100 ss1x is a very accurate set up!"

I feel this and I've had to pay much more attention to lining up my intended target with these MP 68's. One can hardly complain if the ball ends up where you were aiming, right?

 

[Double]

This is just a guess as I don't know what he was previously gaming, and without a LM there is no data. Perhaps the only way to tell was by eye, thats why I asked the traj on the shot

Previous clubs were TaylorMade RAC OS GI irons and having now used the MP 68's I would say that I had too strong a swing for the stock shafts. Balls seemed to fly off the face with the TM's, while in comparison the MP 68's are 'better behaved' and just deliver what your swing deserves. Certainly I remember a (too) high trajectory on some shots with the TM's as well.

Here is an example of the lack of wind influence I was talking about...

Metres: 168 160 Par: 3 3 Rating: 6/29 5/23/41

Pro's tip: "A difficult par 3 from an elevated tee with the wind dictating which club you will use. Short here is far better than being long, left or right.""

Hole runs true east/west with strong gusting wind 20-25 knots blowing R2L and slightly into our faces. Playing back tees and I hit a 6 iron. The 3 of us yesterday aimed right of the green with 1. short and left of the green, 2. pin high and left of the green, while I aimed for the top of the mound on the right and landed right on hit with a favourable kick left to finish in the middle of the green. The amount of R2L in my playing partners shots was considerable, yet my shot didn't deviate at all.

 

[ProZoneGolf]

I would like to have your power!...Jheez I hit a 6i 175 off a tee with 1 deg weak. I remember the 200y 5i days long ago, then 195, 190, 185 to 180 now... I bet your clobbering the driver far!

 

[Double]

I would like to have your power!...Jheez I hit a 6i 175 off a tee with 1 deg weak. I remember the 200y 5i days long ago, then 195, 190, 185 to 180 now... I bet your clobbering the driver far!

Haha... that's where this predominantly arm swinger falls down. But no complaints at where I'm at right now... just a guestimate but 210y carry.

Power?

I hit a nice 5 iron here yesterday straight into the wind and the pro asked me what club I hit. He goes on to tell me he never hits more than a 7!

 

[theoverswinger]

I guess it depends on what the player wants to take from his game. If he wants a good score, then the direction is towards SGI sticks.

If he wants fun, some "I AM A SERIOUS GOLFER" rep no matter how flimsy, and the memory of a few well-struck shots, score be dammed, then he can go with blades.

Blades are like dating supermodels, it's serious rep, but we've got to sell our souls to earn it.

 

[Badger_Golfer]

Theres no reason to play blades nowdays. Heck, even most pros dont play blades anymore. I think Phil and Tiger are the only ones who still play blades. Ive got a classic set of Mizuno blades that were made in the 80s and theyre fun to get out every now and then but Im not sure Id want to play them all the time because your swing has to be spot-on with them in order to shoot a good round.

 

[Hox30]

Theres no reason to play blades nowdays. Heck, even most pros dont play blades anymore. I think Phil and Tiger are the only ones who still play blades. Ive got a classic set of Mizuno blades that were made in the 80s and theyre fun to get out every now and then but Im not sure Id want to play them all the time because your swing has to be spot-on with them in order to shoot a good round.

Plenty of Pros play blades Rory, Adam Scott, Tiger, Rickie, Paul Casey to name few. Shot control is the reason I play blades. Mainly controlling trajectory. For me personally I can control blades and shape shots with more ease than a CB,GI or SGI. Yes you give up forgiveness but the ease I'm able to shape shots is worth it for me.

 

[Tadashi70]

This thread is such a joke. People getting their feelings hurt over what, a golf club. Maybe we should close?

 

[SW]

This thread is such a joke. People getting their feelings hurt over what, a golf club. Maybe we should close?

Meh, sometimes it's fun to watch two girls wrestle in the mud.

 

[Johan185]

Theres no reason to play blades nowdays. Heck, even most pros dont play blades anymore. I think Phil and Tiger are the only ones who still play blades. Ive got a classic set of Mizuno blades that were made in the 80s and theyre fun to get out every now and then but Im not sure Id want to play them all the time because your swing has to be spot-on with them in order to shoot a good round.

I hear Ya!

But just a few days in. The love feast is for real.

Every swing gets better and better. I have given up some distance but the accuracy, dispersion and shot shaping are definitely making up for the need to hit a 5i vs a 7i.

Sweetness on every shot.

Not as hard as I was fearing


No change in scoring. So I really haven't lost much.

FYI I'm pretty long of the tee so I usually only have a short iron or wedge shot in.

On the long par three's I usually hit my 3 hybrid anyways. And the 4 irons only been used to hit a bump and run out from behind trees back onto the fairway.

I play short municipal courses so I'm finding the short irons fitting nicely into my game with my wedges. So for now the Blades are trying to steal second base. But they are a long ways from home. Where my XR Pro's currently reside


But it hasn't been nearly as difficult to get used to the Mp-5's as I had originally feared. They are very forgiving blades are far as blades are considered. And as a bonus the dreaded Hooks haven't made an appearance. I'm wondering if it could be a result of not getting a hot launch after hitting on the toe and hooking the ball left, as would occur with my GI irons vs just getting a shot which goes straight but short since the toe of the blade isn't as forgiving and hot.

Time will tell.

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[Johan185]

As a player whose most dreaded and common swing flaw or error is a hook, I can't tell you how important it is for my game and confidence, just knowing that I am not going to hit a hook shot into the woods from the middle of the fairway.

I'm not sure if others have also had this experience. I'm not sure if I have ever seen it mentioned as a possible benefit from playing Blades.

And with regards to my handicap and scoring. Like most high or mid handicappers, it's my chipping and putting which has kept me out of single digits high 70' low 80'. So I'm not really surprised that a change in my bag consisting of new irons or a new driver would have any significant effect.

I hit about 60% of the GIR either the XR Pro's or the MP- 5's.

It's the missed 3 to 5 foot putts that are REALLY killing me



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[Tadashi70]

As a player whose most dreaded and common swing flaw or error is a hook, I can't tell you how important it is for my game and confidence, just knowing that I am not going to hit a hook shot into the woods from the middle of the fairway.

I'm not sure if others have also had this experience. I'm not sure if I have ever seen it mentioned as a possible benefit from playing Blades.

And with regards to my handicap and scoring. Like most high or mid handicappers, it's my chipping and putting which has kept me out of single digits high 70' low 80'. So I'm not really surprised that a change in my bag consisting of new irons or a new driver would have any significant effect.

I hit about 60% of the GIR either the XR Pro's or the MP- 5's.

It's the missed 3 to 5 foot putts that are REALLY killing me



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You do realize that it's not the clubs. Your swinging at better, apparently.

 

[Johan185]

You do realize that it's not the clubs. Your swinging at better, apparently.

You are most likely right on target. The recent lessons are starting to settle in. And of course with brand new clubs I'm going to the driving range three time a day.

So maybe after hitting so many balls I could have seen the results I'm seeing with my Callaway X-12's I have buried out in the garage.

Hard to say. But so far I haven't regretted the Mizuno's or found any flaws in the design.

And you got to admit they are great looking clubs.

I guess I did find what I was looking for. A new way to motivate me to try harder and improve.

Cheers

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[Tadashi70]

You are most likely right on target. The recent lessons are starting to settle in. And of course with brand new clubs I'm going to the driving range three time a day.

So maybe after hitting so many balls I could have seen the results I'm seeing with my Callaway X-12's I have buried out in the garage.

Hard to say. But so far I haven't regretted the Mizuno's or found any flaws in the design.

And you got to admit they are great looking clubs.

I guess I did find what I was looking for. A new way to motivate me to try harder and improve.

Cheers

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As I said early on in the thread you are going to play and should play what you want. You wanted blades and it didn't matter what anyone said, that is what you were going to play.

I sure hope you don't find design flaws. That would be disappointing.