Blades or Cavity backs

[r0wly86]

I have had my current irons, Ping i3+ for 15 years and will be looking to upgrade to a new set either this year or spring 2018. My old handicap was 14.6 though currently playing to about 10-12.

I have always wanted a set of Mizuno blades since my friend had a set a decade ago. But whenever I have enquired about blades I am always told I am not good enough and only very low handicappers should have them.

Well I have just seen the MP-18s and I am in love, is there a better looking set of clubs around, and I am considering getting a set once they are released.

I do strike my irons extremely well and my higher scores are generally down to errant driver or poor chipping than mis hit irons. I have Ping blade 2 iron which I hit very well.

Can anyone out there confirm that blades are genuinely a no go unless you are shooting +5 or under, or can I actually play with them.

 

[MendieGK]

I have had my current irons, Ping i3+ for 15 years and will be looking to upgrade to a new set either this year or spring 2018. My old handicap was 14.6 though currently playing to about 10-12.

I have always wanted a set of Mizuno blades since my friend had a set a decade ago. But whenever I have enquired about blades I am always told I am not good enough and only very low handicappers should have them.

Well I have just seen the MP-18s and I am in love, is there a better looking set of clubs around, and I am considering getting a set once they are released.

I do strike my irons extremely well and my higher scores are generally down to errant driver or poor chipping than mis hit irons. I have Ping blade 2 iron which I hit very well.

Can anyone out there confirm that blades are genuinely a no go unless you are shooting +5 or under, or can I actually play with them.

i'd disagree that higher handicappers cannot hit blades, especially given the way the tech has improved in recent years.

However, i think you'd be silly to get some just because you love how they look. There is a reason most pros aren't even using blades anymore. Could you not consider a combo set and get the out and out blade from 8iron down?

 

[r0wly86]

That is a definite possibility, especially as that how is seems Mizuno are heading with the 3 different stlyes of MP-18s.

I should also mention, that although I like the solid impact of my Pings, especially when I was younger and learning. I feel like I would appreciate clubs that gave me more feedback when striking, which I believe, but may be wrong, you would get from blades/muscle backs.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

My Titlesit CB's (7 iron down) are cavity back, as the name would suggest, but when you look down at them at address you wouldn't any difference between them and a blade.
Besides, what does it matter how a club looks from behind, it's only from above that matters.

 

[Jates12]

That is a definite possibility, especially as that how is seems Mizuno are heading with the 3 different stlyes of MP-18s.

I should also mention, that although I like the solid impact of my Pings, especially when I was younger and learning. I feel like I would appreciate clubs that gave me more feedback when striking, which I believe, but may be wrong, you would get from blades/muscle backs.

That will be because the Pings are "cast" rather than "forged" you get a lot softer feel but a lot more feedback from Forged irons.

 

[patricks148]

why not buy and old mizuno bladed 6 iron SH of fleabay. usually plenty of them on there, have a hit with that for a a while at the range and on the course and see how you get on

 

[r0wly86]

There is another option for me.

I ad my 3-wood reshafted by a club builder in Daventry, which has transformed the club. He does build iron sets, he has Hiskei forged club heads and Japanese shafts, it would probably work out slightly more expesnive but could very well give me better feels

 

[Dando]

i have an old set of TP Originals in my bag and i prefer them to the new GI cavity backed irons as i like the thin top line at address.

there are some nice lefty TP9 blades on ebay at the moment that might be arriving at my house soon as well.

 

[fundy]

another vote for a combo set here, i play blades 7 down to PW but have a small cavity in the 3-6 and find this works really well

 

[GreggerKBR]

why not buy and old mizuno bladed 6 iron SH of fleabay. usually plenty of them on there, have a hit with that for a a while at the range and on the course and see how you get on

This is the best idea!!!!
Get hold of a 6 or 7 iron forged blade and practice and play with it.

I'm a 9 handicapper and I have mizuno mp-68s and love them
But Iron play is my strength - very much so!

But I confess I do sometimes struggle with 4, 5, 6 irons.
So I'd say I would get on better with more forgiving long irons.

 

[Face breaker]

Whoever told you that is talking bollox, it's got nothing to do with yer handicap, I was told exactly the same when I inherited a set of 'T-zoids' and to be honest they were the sweetest hitting irons out of all the sets I've had (and I've had several over the last 3yrs or so) only issue I had with'em was distance, not very long due to old skool lofts and my swing, I don't hit irons long anyway, I reserve that for the woods... :thup:

 

[Tiger man]

If playing blades puts the biggest smile on your face go for it. We are not getting payed to play so go for what gives you the most enjoyment and importantly suits your eye.

 

[hovis]

i dont understand the obsession with blades. I think most use them as Status symbol or use them in vanity. to me its like buying a car a turning off the ABS because your a good driver.

when people talk about them being more "workable" i just think of the countless amount of tour players that switched to cavities. are they as good as a tour pro?

the help is there..... take it!

 

[Orikoru]

i dont understand the obsession with blades. I think most use them as Status symbol or use them in vanity. to me its like buying a car a turning off the ABS because your a good driver.

when people talk about them being more "workable" i just think of the countless amount of tour players that switched to cavities. are they as good as a tour pro?

the help is there..... take it!

lol, I must admit I've thought this a lot of times as well. As a high handicapper I just look at it and think, even if I got down to single figures I would still always want the most forgiving clubs. But I think I've seen some people say the distance is slightly more inconsistent with the cavity backs. I wouldn't know though.

 

[r0wly86]

lol, I must admit I've thought this a lot of times as well. As a high handicapper I just look at it and think, even if I got down to single figures I would still always want the most forgiving clubs. But I think I've seen some people say the distance is slightly more inconsistent with the cavity backs. I wouldn't know though.

I did read an online article that said even high spec cavity backs the dispersion in distance for perfectly hit 9 iron (using a robotic arm) was 10-15 feet and 8 feet wide. Blades was a 1/4 of that dispersion.

 

[USER1999]

I did read an online article that said even high spec cavity backs the dispersion in distance for perfectly hit 9 iron (using a robotic arm) was 10-15 feet and 8 feet wide. Blades was a 1/4 of that dispersion.

Only if you can flush it, which most cant.

 

[r0wly86]

Only if you can flush it, which most cant.

Yes true. But it would seem then that if you consistently find the middle and are a good ball striker, blades will give you more accuracy and generally about 5 yards extra carry.

Is there an argument that playing with blades will help your technique. Do extra forgiving clubs make a player lazy? I don't know just putting it out there

 

[Orikoru]

Yes true. But it would seem then that if you consistently find the middle and are a good ball striker, blades will give you more accuracy and generally about 5 yards extra carry.

Is there an argument that playing with blades will help your technique. Do extra forgiving clubs make a player lazy? I don't know just putting it out there

I don't think there's a club on earth that could make it so easy for me​ to hit it that I'd become lazy.

 

[hovis]

Yes true. But it would seem then that if you consistently find the middle and are a good ball striker, blades will give you more accuracy and generally about 5 yards extra carry.

Is there an argument that playing with blades will help your technique. Do extra forgiving clubs make a player lazy? I don't know just putting it out there

so can you explain how the construction of a club can change left and right if they are hit all square. blades dont change left and right, they change up and down. a flat piece of metal hitting a ball will create the same amount of side spin as any other thus dispersion being the same (left or right that is)

 

[r0wly86]

so can you explain how the construction of a club can change left and right if they are hit all square. blades dont change left and right, they change up and down. a flat piece of metal hitting a ball will create the same amount of side spin as any other thus dispersion being the same (left or right that is)

As a material engineer I can promise you that it is not that simple, many impurities for starters can cause discprencies.

But in terms of this particular question, I believe it is due to cavity backs being designed to move the weight of the club to the sides of the head, so it resists twisting and creates a higher MOI meaning off centre hits go straighter. The same article said that heel hits the cavity backs were slightly better than blades, but on toe hits were dramatically better.

Blades or muscles backs put the weight behind the centre of the club, meaning the MOI is lower and the club can twist, however pure shots from the middle will be much truer to your swing