Moving from Game Improvement Irons to blades

[Canadan]

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.

Well yes of course, bad strikes will be bad strikes. This is more about slightly off center results, which I have found to be less predictable with a more forgiving iron, yet often times less punishing.

I am not advocating player irons nor am I downplaying the great value of playing a more forgiving iron at all. I never would. I'm just discussing the idea that the only benefit or 'gain' from a bladed iron is aesthetics.

 

[VegasMav]

This is what makes THP great...the information here can really improve ones game with questions like these.

 

[CBaker]

I just genuinely want to know where the OP got the information that they would/should hit it further with blades. I've honestly never heard that before.

 

[wubears71]

I'm just discussing the idea that the only benefit or 'gain' from a bladed iron is aesthetics.

If you gave me the Callaway Apex MB and the Callaway Apex 16 Pro in the same shaft and finish, it would be hard for me to pick which one is the MB just by the top line looking down. It is really amazing how far Cavity Backs have come.

 

[JB]

I just genuinely want to know where the OP got the information that they would/should hit it further with blades. I've honestly never heard that before.

If someone is new to the game, they might see a specific tour player hit the ball far and assume it was from those irons.
It happens, just glad THPers can give out the correct information in a constructive way.

 

[CBaker]

If someone is new to the game, they might see a specific tour player hit the ball far and assume it was from those irons.
It happens, just glad THPers can give out the correct information in a constructive way.

that's true. I was just wondering if they read or heard that somewhere. It was a genuine curiosity, nothing against the OP at all.

 

[theoverswinger]

The guys here pretty much said it.

Have you tried comparing both on the range or on the course?

 

[jimsizzle]

Thanks for the help!

 

[MSH134]

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?

Odds are unless you hit them on the screws all the time you just might lose distance true blades are not the most forgiving in my opinion. But you never know until you give it a go

 

[smschulz]

It's been a long time since I played blades.
I had a set of Wilson Staff blades waayyyy back in the seventies.
The sweet spot the size of a dime (maybe smaller), so mis-hits were the norm.
You never forget something that bad (especially for my playing level then).
It hurts just thinking about them.

 

[Just_Brad]

I would assume you would see a loss in distance by going to a blade. Decreased forgiveness will probably also equate to a loss of distance as well.

Really think about if making such a change to blades will benefit your game. Personally, aside from the visual benefits, my game would suffer immensely with a switch to blades.

 

[highvoltage]

I changed to blades first for appearance, but secondly I knew the spin numbers would come down a little bit and ball flight would come down as well. I also knew I was giving up on the forgiveness. I enjoy playing the blades. I actually came down in handicap because I knew I needed to practice more with those to make sure I was hitting them correctly. So in directly they helped me become a better player. The only time I am really "shorter" is when I catch it high on the face more often then not my more likely miss is low on the face and it doesn't hurt as bad.

 

[JB]

I changed to blades first for appearance, but secondly I knew the spin numbers would come down a little bit and ball flight would come down as well. I also knew I was giving up on the forgiveness. I enjoy playing the blades. I actually came down in handicap because I knew I needed to practice more with those to make sure I was hitting them correctly. So in directly they helped me become a better player. The only time I am really "shorter" is when I catch it high on the face more often then not my more likely miss is low on the face and it doesn't hurt as bad.

Spin numbers came down? Do you know how much?

 

[SkiBumGolfer]

I can't play blades, I suck too bad. The distance penalty is too great (both on pure strikes due to loft/spin, and I thin too many balls to get any assistance with them. I'm pretty sure my hands would actually explode if I played them

However, there are plenty of blade-reminiscent players irons - and even GI irons now - that hide forgiveness in a very clean package (J15 DF/DPF, Apex line, JPX 850 Pro, Vapor Fly Pro, etc). If you're looking for a prettier iron with better feel but still want some mere mortal forgiveness and distance help, I suggest you take a look along those lines.

 

[highvoltage]

Spin numbers came down? Do you know how much?

I don't remember on how much. I did at the time. I know my number now fall into the typical iron number X 1000.. I actually went and hit the PSI tour forged irons last week compared 7 iron to 7 iron .. My 7 iron was spinning 7300avg. And the PSI tour was around 8100. They didn't have the x-100 to demo but it had a KBS stiff shaft in it. I am drawing a blank to which one at the moment.

 

[MPlefty]

I changed to blades first for appearance, but secondly I knew the spin numbers would come down a little bit and ball flight would come down as well. I also knew I was giving up on the forgiveness. I enjoy playing the blades. I actually came down in handicap because I knew I needed to practice more with those to make sure I was hitting them correctly. So in directly they helped me become a better player. The only time I am really "shorter" is when I catch it high on the face more often then not my more likely miss is low on the face and it doesn't hurt as bad.

Spin numbers came down? Do you know how much?

that surprised me too, I thought they would go up.

that said, I have no knowledge of what they usually do to spin

 

[anthony18_7]

I think the whole question is, how good of a player are you and what aspects of your game do you value most? I switched from cavity back irons last summer to a combo set of muscle cavity and muscle back(true blades). This is the ideal set for me because my 8, 9, pw are true blades and the feel of these is second to none, and the combination of distance and feel with the longer irons being muscle cavity is awesome too. I did notice a bit of distance loss with my bladed irons but I expected that and a couple of rounds allowed me to reconfigure my distances throughout the bag, no big deal. What I've gained in pure feel and being able to shape the ball either way far supersedes the loss in distance or "quality mis-hit". So to my original question, to me, feel and shape/ball flight are more important than pure distance and "mis-hit protection". You ultimately have to ask yourself the same question and you might consider a combo set to have the best of both worlds.

 

[JB]

I don't remember on how much. I did at the time. I know my number now fall into the typical iron number X 1000.. I actually went and hit the PSI tour forged irons last week compared 7 iron to 7 iron .. My 7 iron was spinning 7300avg. And the PSI tour was around 8100. They didn't have the x-100 to demo but it had a KBS stiff shaft in it. I am drawing a blank to which one at the moment.

Really interesting. Obviously spin is something that muscle backs do rather well since the goal is to flight the ball and manipulate ball flight. Then add that in many of the larger club head irons, you are featuring a thinner face, so that would reduce spin as well.

 

[highvoltage]

Really interesting. Obviously spin is something that muscle backs do rather well since the goal is to flight the ball and manipulate ball flight. Then add that in many of the larger club head irons, you are featuring a thinner face, so that would reduce spin as well.

Is it possible that if I had put a x-100 the spin rates would have dropped? I feel that the ball flight is better with blades then most of the juiced up club heads.

 

[Gulby]

I went from Cleveland CG16's to Taylormade Rocketbladez Tours to now my Ping S55. I still hit the ball inconsistently most times, but I find it motivating to try and get myself to a point where I can play them properly. Plus the look at address of most GI sets just didn't catch my eye.

 

[Canadan]

I don't remember on how much. I did at the time. I know my number now fall into the typical iron number X 1000.. I actually went and hit the PSI tour forged irons last week compared 7 iron to 7 iron .. My 7 iron was spinning 7300avg. And the PSI tour was around 8100. They didn't have the x-100 to demo but it had a KBS stiff shaft in it. I am drawing a blank to which one at the moment.

I am pretty confident you'd see a big dip in spin going from KBS Stiff to X100.

 

[-CRW-]

Is it possible that if I had put a x-100 the spin rates would have dropped? I feel that the ball flight is better with blades then most of the juiced up club heads.

Yes. The difference you saw with the PSi was most likely due to the stiff shaft.

 

[highvoltage]

I am pretty confident you'd see a big dip in spin going from KBS Stiff to X100.

That's the thing I wasnt really paying attention to my numbers with my MB's but I was watching the numbers with the PSI tour's and they were launching at 19.5 degrees with 90 mph club head speed and a height of around 40 yards.. I just wasnt happy with the height just to high for my liking

 

[Canadan]

That's the thing I wasnt really paying attention to my numbers with my MB's but I was watching the numbers with the PSI tour's and they were launching at 19.5 degrees with 90 mph club head speed and a height of around 40 yards.. I just wasnt happy with the height just to high for my liking

I would agree that some of the more forgiving designs improve launch, but I maintain that an apples to apples comparison with a shaft that functions quite differently from what you're comfortable with is an imperfect process. I'd bet a ham sandwich your launch would improve to a more acceptable number with the X1's in there, but at the same time, launch is hardly ever a bad thing if distance and spin are in line. Just ask Jason Day or Rory.

 

[Snickerdog]

This has been an interesting read. opcorn: I went from G-20's to MP-15's, big difference. I lost some distance but it was manageable. It has made me a better ball striker, but there are times when I would prefer to have a much easier club in my hands to hit. You have to play what you feel comfortable hitting. Try them out if you can, you may be very surprised at the results.