Blades

I've been playing with cavity backs since I started golfing 2 years ago. Last night, I tried my dad's new set of blades and boy I notice a big difference in how easier and more effortless it is to hit with blades. The draw that I create on the ball with the blades are more pronounced than with the cavity backs. I've read that blades are harder to use but I find it the opposite. The clubface is smaller and not as heavy so I feel my clubhead speed increases and it's easier to control. I've always found the cavity backs too heavy.

I'm using Callaway X-14's btw and the blades I tested out were Titleist 690MB.

Blades get a bad press (mostly from pro's who need cavity backed consistency arent good enough ball strikers to use blades to good effect). It's much like everything else in the game some like em some dont. I play blades and have done for most of my life. The Mizuno T-Zoid Pro II's I use now are about as far from blades as I have ever strayed (apart from my ill fated experiment with Big Bertha's). But if you like them thats great. Go play a round with them and see if they suit you.

D.

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Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

I agree with you on that! I've been playing for 20 years and although I've experimented with cavity backs, I've never used them full-time. Even when I played on the tours I played with blades and semi-blades. I've played with RAM, Titleist, Cleveland and Dynacraft. I'm busy looking at either signing with Hogan or Cleveland again - and both to play the blade irons.

I've never had any trouble hitting them dead centre, so why would I want a larger sweetspot anyway?

With blades I can work the ball anyway I like whereas with CB's - you need so more effort and "trickery" to get the ball to move. No thanks!

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Ooooh Graham, were the Rams the forged blade with the heavy muscle back, like Watson used? They were so sweet, I always wanted a set of those......

D.

Yeah, they were RAM Tour Grind irons. I got them in 1987 and played with 3 sets of them until 1995. I still have the 1 set somewhere!

They were no doubt one of the best irons I've ever had the privilige of playing with. Pity RAM went bang and only produce mass market irons now!

Ricky, the Snake eyes 600C is such a club it looks like a blade from above and from behind the club looks like a blade until about halfway up the head where it then becomes a cavity back. Really top notch looking bats.

Or you could try the Taylor Made Pro Combo the 3 to 6 irons are cavity backs (like the RAC LT but a bit smaller) and the 7 up are blades (like the RAC MB). The problem with those is that they are ultra popular!!! Hard to find second hand.

D.

Honestly Ricky, avoid Nike irons especially the older ones. Ive tried them and so have a lot of my friends and we all agree that they are lovely looking bats but just not well enough made to justify the fact the prices are the same as the better established brands.

Go for Taylor Made (I forgot to recommend the 300 Forged btw), Titleist, Hogan or Mizuno if you are going for forged blades or semi blades.

D.

I have come to beleive that after talking to more and more people people who use blades or are converting to blades are doing it more for the pride of telling people that they use a harder club. Only a few are using them because they get a better result.

What I'm trying to say is that some people would be better to swallow their pride and hit a cavity back and become better players.

They do it with drivers, they opt for the larger heads, and bigger sweet spots. why not the same with irons.

I have to agree Bruce,

I would say 70% carry blades for a status symbol, 20% only think they are good enough and just accept poor shots......the other 10% are excellent golfers, a rare breed who are capable of hitting great shots with them, my playing partner uses MB90s and he great, when I hit one it's like hitting a brick and the long irons scare the s**t out of me.


I'll stick to my Callaway X16 Pro series.....give me a chunker anytime although I do wish I can hit them one day, they sure look great.


It's what's on the scorecard not in the bag.......



Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Try the Hogan Apex progressive irons - what a sweet set. The 3 iron is a full cavity back and the PW is a full muscleback. As you move from the 3i to the PW, each club becomes a bit more like a muscle back and less like a cavity back. They are truely great feeling clubs as well!!!

Blades aren't for me I'll stick with the muscle back B51's. Even given up on my Cobras to go back to the B51's. Brought the cobras and kept my old set for when dad comes over on holiday now he can struggle with the cobras ha ha