Blades, the ultimate game improvement club ?

[JP58]

When I started playing blades were the only club to learn the game with and apart from one occasion when I dabbled with TP21's I have always had them in my bag (currently MP33's)

The reason for raising this is simple, blades give you more feedback, despite being less forgiving on off centre strikes they taught you to strike the ball as purely as possible, something, imo, "game improvement clubs" fail to do, but they also helped teach you how to control and shape a shot, so basically improve your game.

What also helped was that blades were and still are forged and gic's were invariably cast, the difference being, blades have better feel, more consistent strikes and distance control, which cast clubs struggled with.

I know gic's offer more "forgiveness" bigger sweet spot etc etc and improvements in technology & materials mean that todays clubs are becoming more "hybrid" ie blades with gic features, but if you have been brought up on gic's, try a blade sometime, you might be pleasantly surprised how good they are.

 

[Russ_D]

This topic crops up a lot on forums and always divides opinion. I have a set of Wilson Staff Di9 and Titeleist 695MB's. I love the 695's but cant hit them well enough. Sure, there is the whole idea that practicing with blades will improve ball striking but it all depends on the player. Some people just dont get on with them, I mean, many tour pro's have never played with blades and they play well enough with cavities.

I want to spend the limited time i have golf wise actually playing rather than at the range, thats why i replaced my 6 and 7 iron with hybrids as im very confident with hybrids. I can work them if i need to and use them for chipping too. Sure the "feel" isnt there compared to blades, but doesnt mean i dont get any feedback.


Again, its horses for courses. One day i may give the blades another go but today isnt that day.

 

[Dan2501]

[video=youtube;O1oArb2lJVs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1oArb2lJVs[/video]

 

[Junior]

I get the OP point. For most people though, golf is about how good the bad shots are. If your middling everything then blades are lovely to have in the bag, if your not, then get as much help as you can get.

There is a reason lots of golfers play AP2's, Ping I's etc etc

 

[Ethan]

Like the OP, I started with blades too, Mizuno TP Originals and have had a number of others over they years, including TP21s. And back then, we often carried a blade 1 or 2 iron. None of your hybrids. Back them, there weren't many players cavities, Ping excepted, possibly and most of the non-blades hit the ball straight up in the air. Few shaft options either, mostly TT Dynamic, later Dynamic Gold.

But now, there are loads of great players cavities, and loads of shaft options to change the flight and feel, so the need to play blades is much much less. In truth, I use them (Mizuno MP4) because I just like them, and I am sure I would get more performance out of something else.

 

[Dando]

Like the OP, I started with blades too, Mizuno TP Originals and have had a number of others over they years, including TP21s. And back then, we often carried a blade 1 or 2 iron. None of your hybrids. Back them, there weren't many players cavities, Ping excepted, possibly and most of the non-blades hit the ball straight up in the air. Few shaft options either, mostly TT Dynamic, later Dynamic Gold.

But now, there are loads of great players cavities, and loads of shaft options to change the flight and feel, so the need to play blades is much much less. In truth, I use them (Mizuno MP4) because I just like them, and I am sure I would get more performance out of something else.

my current irons are TP Originals and i love them!

 

[patricks148]

you have to go with what works for you.

i hit the MP4 far better than i did the JPX825 pro and prob about the same distance now ive gotten used to them

 

[kid2]

Horses for courses really. As has been said its always cropping up on forums but to be fair unless you really struggle to get a ball in the air in which case GI irons will help more than a blade.
There is also the confidence factor when face with a blade long iron. Most would get on with the blades down to say a 6 iron but after that your ball striking better be decent.
I use Mizuno MP 32's. Have been using them for the past couple of seasons.
Some would say their a blade others would say their debatable.
But I definitely think that if it comes home to change them I'll be looking at a more modern alternative to them. Maybe an mp64 or something like that.

I'm not sure would a GI club shave strikes off my handicap.
I don't carry blades either because of Ego. But that have their place in the bags of certain players.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Like the OP, I started with blades too, Mizuno TP Originals and have had a number of others over they years, including TP21s. And back then, we often carried a blade 1 or 2 iron. None of your hybrids. Back them, there weren't many players cavities, Ping excepted, possibly and most of the non-blades hit the ball straight up in the air. Few shaft options either, mostly TT Dynamic, later Dynamic Gold.

But now, there are loads of great players cavities, and loads of shaft options to change the flight and feel, so the need to play blades is much much less. In truth, I use them (Mizuno MP4) because I just like them, and I am sure I would get more performance out of something else.

oooooh - your MP4s look lovely...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I got a set of Ping S55's last year. While not a true blade the smaller head and cavity meant I had to focus really hard to get the maximum from them. I got them as a practice set but to be honest, the shaft wasn't quite right and the experiment wasn't a huge success. I got them moved on at a profit so it wasn't all bad. If I could find a second hand set (not necessarily Ping) I like it's something I'd consider again.