Muscle back advantages

[carlwantsgolf77]

I understand that the cavity back design of clubs is more forgiving for off centred strikes. But can someone please explain the advantages of muscle back clubs?

The reason I ask is that I bought a set of clubs from a charity shop to get back into it, the majority are cavity back irons but there's a bladed 3 iron which I seem to hit quite solidly but due to the distance I can't see the advantage in terms of spin etc.

 

[jim8flog]

It very much depends on the ball strike and the player

It is reckoned that most will hit the ball lower and generally it is easier to work the ball with a fade or draw with a blade than an out and out CB club.

Back Spin is a function of the type of ball and the type of grooves on a club rather than the head shape.

Some like me just like the smaller heads you get with blades.

 

[carlwantsgolf77]

It very much depends on the ball strike and the player

It is reckoned that most will hit the ball lower and generally it is easier to work the ball with a fade or draw with a blade than an out and out CB club.

Back Spin is a function of the type of ball and the type of grooves on a club rather than the head shape.

Some like me just like the smaller heads you get with blades.

Makes sense, though I've not tried shaping many shots with the 3.

I've just picked up another bundle of clubs from the charity shop too. This time with a full set of blades (ironically minus the 3 iron) much smaller heads and I'll give them a try at shaping the ball flight.

They look more like antiques. Swilken Eric Brown's made in St Andrews.

 

[Crow]

Makes sense, though I've not tried shaping many shots with the 3.

I've just picked up another bundle of clubs from the charity shop too. This time with a full set of blades (ironically minus the 3 iron) much smaller heads and I'll give them a try at shaping the ball flight.

They look more like antiques. Swilken Eric Brown's made in St Andrews.

If it's this one they're about as easy to hit as it gets for a blade, lots of weight low down in the head to help get the ball up, those pictured are mine, 3 to 10.
Came out around 1971 so not that old.


If it's this one then they're more like a traditional mussel back and will be a bit more demanding of a good strike, as Swilken were only formed in the mid to late 1960s they're not going to be any older than that.
Eric Brown was a renowned Scottish golfer, played in the Ryder Cup four times and won all his singles but lost all his foursomes.

 

[carlwantsgolf77]

If it's this one they're about as easy to hit as it gets for a blade, lots of weight low down in the head to help get the ball up, those pictured are mine, 3 to 10.
Came out around 1971 so not that old.
View attachment 32158

If it's this one then they're more like a traditional mussel back and will be a bit more demanding of a good strike, as Swilken were only formed in the mid to late 1960s they're not going to be any older than that.
Eric Brown was a renowned Scottish golfer, played in the Ryder Cup four times and won all his singles but lost all his foursomes.

View attachment 32159

They're the same as the top ones. Thanks for the history behind them; I was going to look into it out of curiosity.