If you hit the same bad shot with a forgiving iron and a mb iron, the forgiving iron may lose 5-10 yards of distance. If you hit a mb iron badly, you lose 30 yards.
I’m a 17 handicap and I have the 919 tour’s pw-7 and forged 4-6. Love them. My striking has improved too. I don’t want a chunky club to hit a ball well. I want a good swing for a good result
Loved the idea of doing an on-course test, but I was shocked to see the test being done on a mat! As a washed up college golfer who has played blades and cavity backs I think you’ve understated how much of an impact your lie has on the contact made. I remember how difficult it was to hit the dime sized sweet spot of a blade from a lie that was nestled down in the rough.
Hit it on the toe when it's cold and you'll be afraid of the ball for the next 3 shots. When they say feedback with blades they really mean shock therapy the club will shock your hands if you do not swing right XD. Taught me to hit better though lol
In my mind, it's always come down to fundamentals and practice. If you are a high handicapper who really wants to get better and is putting time in to practice consistently making solid sweet spot contact, blades will work for you eventually. If you really want to get more fundamentally solid, blades are for you because the feedback on a bad shot is both visible and kinetic. If you are more concerned about distance, don't have time to really work on your swing, just want to go out on the course and shoot your 90 or 100 and have fun, grab a game improvement iron. I look at game improvement irons similar to an automatic transmission and blades as a manual transmission. In an ideal world, we'd all drive manuals because they are more efficient, have more options, etc. But by having an automatic transmission, more people have access to cars (some may debate if thats a good thing, but whatever). I have 3 sets of irons currently. A set of Nike Ignites (full game improvement), Mizuno MX 25s (mid to low cavity back), and Spalding Tru Flights (blades). I have a full work week and get one day a week to have a round and maybe one evening to practice at the range. So I mostly use the Ignites, and they do very well for me. The Mizunos go 5 yards less than the ignites, and the spaldings go 5 yards shorter than Mizunos due to the quality of hit and swing. Pick what you want, and stick with it to learn them.
I think almost any serious player can play blades. I've always believed that the feedback that blades give can outweigh the forgiveness/performance benefits of game improvement irons. You can learn a lot from that kind of feedback. It's a great way to get better. That said, I made the switch to AP3s recently because I don't play as much as I once did. Aside from lack of play time, I realized that the main culprit in my rising handicap was my falling GIR, (read irons) . I don't know whether or not i made the right choice. I guess time will tell.
I went over to my first set of blades at about a 12 HCP and now could happily play a CB or MB set with no difference in my scores, play off 3 now But I enjoy my rounds more with the blades
Exactly the results I expected, less distance with the blade but more consistency, spin and better front to back and left to right dispersion. If you want to genuinely improve your game, PLAY BLADES PEOPLE!!!! Such an awesome video again Good Sir.
@@gotoken5660 i love my MS-5 irons from the early 1980s, and traditional lofts, its badass carrying a 7 iron 180 thats the same loft as everyone elses 9 iron lmfao
Brilliant video James. I was a 15 handicapper 3 years ago i was told dont go near a set of bladed irons and when totally against them and bought a set of titleist 714 mb's after 5 months my handicap when from 15 to.12.6 and now i play off 7.6. Would never go back to a cavity club.
I’ve played MacGregor Tourney blades for 18 years and now MB-718’s @ a 5 handicap - blades will help you learn how to play better. You’ll learn how to be a better ball striker anyways. Always enjoy your videos !!
I recently switched to blades. I bought a set of Wilson FG-49 Tour Blade with DG S400 shafts. I like the smaler blade and the the thin sole, top line and the look of the club sitting behind the ball.
I switched to blades very recently and found similar results. I feel like they give you a very reliable outcome depending on your strike. It’s almost as if I can hit a draw just by thinking about it and vice versa with a fade. When you do mishit them you find out very quickly though. They give great feedback on how you mishit the ball wether off the toe or heel or thinned. With cavity backs you lose that feel and they offer a lot more forgiveness meaning it’s harder to determine how you mishit the ball. Can’t beat the feel of a pured blade though ❤
This video has me thinking about the Titleist AP2s again and all the hard work I had to do to get my gappings right with my new AP3s when I switched from blades. EXAMPLE 1: I hate my AP3 8i iron on bump and runs, its too hot! I am using my 9i instead with much better results. EXAMPLE 2: My stock 50 yd shot used to be a half swing with my SM6 56* SW . but now that I have a 54* SM7 I'm finding it flies a good 5+ yds farther. I'm struggling to find the perfect 50yd shot. I have it all working now except for my 50yd shot. It would have been so much easier to have just dropped the AP2s in my bag, however, and maybe adjust the loft of my gap wedge from 52* to 50*? It was all in the name of greater forgiveness and a bit more distance. Sometimes I wonder if it was really worth the headache and the expense though. Although my handicap is dropping...so maybe?
If you play and practice often, I think playing blades is the best thing you can do to improve your game. You will improve quality of contact and learn to control the ball much quicker with a blade. However, if you are a mid-high hdcp, weekend warrior, that does not have the time to play regularly I would recommend a larger club head that promotes a higher launch with a larger sole that will not dig into the turf. Also, I would NOT recommend blades for a player with a low swing speed. You need to be able to drive the ball far enough to put scoring clubs in your hands on approach shots. You need to be able to fully compress the ball at impact with a blade. Lower swing speeds LOSE far MORE distance with blades than higher swing speed players. (IMO "game improvement" irons compensate for lack of compression than anything) Finally, if you are not an elite ball striker, you probably need to replace the 3,4, and 5 irons with forged cavity backs. Only ELITE ball strikers can CONSISTENTLY hit the ball flush with these clubs. Longer shafts, lower lofts, and smaller clubheads make the margin for error miniscule in the long irons. If you have a long carry over water/hazard/bunker, you will lose slightly less distance with a forged cavity back than a blade on a mishit, and that is often the difference between carrying the trouble and being in it.
I play off 12 and am more than capable of playing blades. I just prefer to use a club that offers slightly more forgiveness. Mark seems a really nice guy, another enjoyable video.
It should come down to preference surely? There is a stigma attached that only "good players" should use blades, isn't golf about enjoyment? Of a 20 handicapper plays blades and hits 100 shots and only connects with a few but walks off the course and can't wait to come back, then play with what you want. Golf is a game to enjoy with friends, family other members of the course so hit what you want, as long as you get a level of enjoyment from it.
Totally agree Antony, too much "prestige" is attached to having a lower handicap.. as a my girlfriends dad said after a round this summer, "a single figure handicapper is probably going to be either single or unemployed" ;) I´ve always enjoyed playing golf with mid-high handicappers who play reasonably well and thoroughly enjoy the game, especially when they have good banter and score reasonably, and occasionally make those elusive dream shots. It´s still just a game in the end, hitting a ball around a field and paying a lot of money to do so. And there´s nothing more tedious than someone obsessed with shaving the odd point off their handicap or beating themselves up over missing a 6 foot putt.
Most of my golf is played with mid to high handicappers Alan, and as you said, it's about the banter. They hit the "dream" shots and you see the excitement as they do. I play off single figures but enjoy my golf the most with my friends.
Alan Waterworth - Bad golfers get just as angry as good golfers. If anything, golf teaches you patience and perseverance. It also teaches personal responsibility since it leaves you nobody to blame but yourself. The better you get the more it teaches. Plus , what other game can you go play with your son and your father at the same time? And on the same level. The game is so much more than chasing a ball around a field.
I'm playing off a 9 at the moment and I'm playing Mizuno JPX-919 Tour's, there not "true" blades but pretty damn close, with no problems !!! The feel is absolutely incredible !!! Great video Bruh, and if someone out there is thinking about playing blades, DO IT, you'll be fine !!!!
It was pointed out to me yesterday that most right-handed/right eye dominant players will 9 times out of ten aim right. My alignment was so bad until I figured this out. I would aim for a target, step back, and take a look, I would be aligned to hit it in the streets...LOL. Just correcting my alignment should save me a few strokes.
@@BayouHotBoy1 Crazy thing is -- I'm left eye dominate and play right-handed. I actually have a slight head shift (ex. Jack Nicklaus) just before I begin my swing. Pro's have equated that with me trying to get my sight squared up and eye's behind the ball.
Today's blades are much more forgiving than what some of us grew up with in the 80s and 90s. I think most mid-handicappers who think they can't play blades would be surprised to find they can, and that there isn't a lot of difference between them and the so-called "forgiving" irons. I'll caveat that by saying mid-handicappers who have a solid swing and can strike the ball reasonably consistently.
Agreed. Game improvement meaning improvement of score or game improvement meaning improvement of technique and eventual improvement of score anyhow. I’ll take the latter 👌
I learnt to play with a set of blades, bought second hand, and still have and use them, despite buying 2 other sets of more forgiving clubs since. The only advantage i´ve seen with more forgiving clubs is higher launch in the longer clubs (5 & 6 iron), so I still tend to mix the blades from 7 iron down to wedges with cavity 5 & 6. And despite being a mid-high handicapper, some of the best shots I´ve ever hit have been with the blades.. going into rough under trees on the left of the 3rd hole tee on my club course, then playing a 30 yard draw around the trees, over a stream and pond, not knowing where the ball had gone to find it middle of the fairway, that stuff stays with you and keeps you coming back, far more than plugging away at your handicap, or hitting the ball with a shovel, as some would have us believe we have to.
Alan Waterworth - I’ve been there and worse, believe me. I’ve pulled off the escape artist shot enough times where my friends say maybe I should just aim into the trees. I still enjoy an easy birdie more than a miracle par. Not trying to sound flippant but a good fitted consistent set of irons might make a positive difference in your game. If you can pull off a 30 yard hook shot like that, you probably shouldn’t be playing to a mid handicap.
@@sloebone7399 you´re probably right, and I do love the look of some newer clubs, but I don´t really care enough about playing in comps as when I have, my head usually goes and the game goes to pot, hence the higher handicap. The clubs I have have been fitted to me in terms of loft and lie anyway, and I don´t know if I can justify spending £500-800 on a new set of irons that might only save me a few shots; I´d rather spend that on a trip to the Caribbean (where I´m going in Feb :) ) we travel a fair amount and I usually play a decent course wherever we are (Caribbean, Portugal, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka are all places I´ve played) and I generally hire decent clubs such as TM M2, but still prefer the feel and control of blades; I´ve sorted out my tee shots this season, but my short game has gone a bit to pot. But now I wont play much at all now apart from on holiday or maybe a few sessions at an indoor range, as I live in Norway and all the courses are closed for the winter now. They didn´t open until late May-June this year after a long winter with heavy snow, and a lot of damage to greens and fairways, so every season is like starting all over again.
Alan Waterworth - understood. What I do to save some serious cash is I know my Ping fitting parameters and I go to eBay and patiently wait for a deal. My current set on Ping i25’s (3-PW, yellow dot, +1/2 inch, stiff) was purchased for $220, slightly used. If you know exactly what to look for, it works great. That set was over $1000 new not that long ago. I put my old set up for auction and sold them for more than the new set cost me, so I really got paid to switch irons!
I just got my jpx 919 tour 5-PW. Switched from MMC 5-PW. kept my MMC FLI-HI utility 4 iron(forgiving). I don't know why, but with the same shaft and specs im consistantly hitting the 919 about 3-5 yards further and it's trackman verified multiple times as well as noticeable on the course. (COG?) My handicap isn't so much from hitting off center irons. It's just other areas (management and distance control with wedges) My scores have gone down 2-3 shots on average. I'm able to control the distance on my PW so so much better (other short irons as well) There's so many more things to consider than if they are "hard to hit"
I am a high handicapper. I am trying to use an old set of Mizuno T Zoid blades my dad gave me, and I am really struggling with them. I have not played in several years, so my swing is less than great at the moment, but even when I catch them clean, they just do not feel good to me. I am way down on distance too compared to the Ping Zings I used to hit. I know it is the player and not the clubs in the end, but there is a difference.
Blades and MC's are perfect fits for mid handicappers. I ended last season at an 11 and made the decision to switch to MC's (Ping i210) and LOVE THEM. I dont hit better shots yet, but the feel you get deff gives crucial feedback to start correcting the subtle things that you dont get from GI's. My misses are IMMENSLEY more consistent, and im becoming a better ball striker. I say if youre bellow a 15 and take the game somewhat seriously, its time to get away from GI's.
I agree from below post. The blades today are much more forgiving but not worth your money and time. You still have to be a good player to get the most out of them. If you do want to play them insure to drink a beer every 2nd hole, that you won't care what you score
I think mark should start his own channel,I’d happily watch his progress because he’s got a great fluid swing so I could really see him improving even more.
It's a testament to the Taylormade blade, But as far as your question, yes a mid handicap can play blades but do they really want to? In my view most of us need as much help as possible to enjoy our weekly game to the fullest. If I could play just 2 more times a week maybe I would give it a go. ;-)
I normally go round my nine hole 11 over so I’m guessing that would be a 22ish handicap I’ve just got back from my first round ( of nine) with my new used MP32 ( old clubs were Nike pro combo os cavity’s And I again scored my usual 44 There’s more to a round of golf than just hitting irons Ps I loved them
I play around 14 handicap. 8 or 9 occasionally. I use 718 mb blades. I got them only because they were so beautiful.it was like they were saying take me home. couldn't not purchase them. now it has been about 10 months. I feel good with it now. of course it has less forgiveness , smaller head and it makes it harder to hit. I will keep buying titleist blades every two year. the best thing about blades are that they correct my swing. and it keeps me on getting better
Great topic once again. Definitely an interesting one. Two points. One being that AP2's are the most popular iron with pros. If they aren't playing blades, why should weekend golfers? Other point is. Hitting blades is awesome. There's no comparison in the feeling when you strike them properly. A lot of players are able to hit the ball properly from a mat and the fairway. But what happens as soon as you are in the semi rough or worse? Hitting center of the face from the rough is massively harder than from the perfect lie. That's where the blades become flaky to me. I don't trust myself to hit the middle from less than a perfect lie (which is more often than I care to admit). Mark did very well from the rough during this test but is it consistent?
Mark sounds like a highly intelligent guy, instead of other "mid handicap" testers who try to waffle on and sound like the pro, hes actually making clear concise points. Goodwork Mark
I think regardless of blades/cavities if you practice enough you will become good with whatever irons you use? Back in the day blades was all we had and it has to be said blades are a much nicer looking iron ?
They looked amazing. VR? combo set. I have titleist 735.cm irons. Cavity 3-7 blade 8-pw. I was instantly better with the upgrade from hollow body taylormade rsi2 irons. I'm sure the heavier stiffer s300 shafts helped me with my timing and rhythm, maybe more than the irons. They are from 2005 but better for me than the modern higher handicap irons I tested.. if I listened to the usual outlets I'd have never even tried them.
I think blades naturally make you a better golfer. I am like a 4 handicap but when using blades, you do focus more on making clean contact. It makes most players better by making them concentrate more.
When i was fitted for new irons they did have me try a couple of the forged/blade clubs. The one i could use the best was the 919 Forged and i gave it some thought but ultimately went with a bit more forgiveness in the Hot Metal.
James and Mark. I'm really enjoying these vids. Looking forward to the next ones. Spring cant get here fast enough. :) Can't wait to try out my used Victory Reds forged split cavity i picked up recently. Have been using GI irons and rolling them through the greens :(
I play the mizuno mp 32 I'm a 13 handicap so yes you can my struggle is short game and putting the love for the irons makes me a more confident and concentrated player
excellent fun! i don't think handicap is too important in this comparison. your tester can obviously strike the ball well and that's the key here. at today's prices, you have to buy a much older forged blade iron to make this a reasonable experiment. newer blades just too expensive, and the soft steel wears on the face pretty quickly, making the grooves suspect. the original owners often practice a great deal and you are likely to see their wear pattern on the face. most forged irons are bought with stiff/extra stiff shafts and the grips are often beyond redemption. if you value looks, the used forged clubs are going to be pretty beat up as well.
Of course a mid handicap golfer can use blades! I know some that are excellent ball strikers but they are let down by their short game. Hence the handicap
Well done James and Mark. Great series. I must have to admit that I'm just a bit biased towards the blades. I have had my Mizuno's for around 20 years and adore them. I feel ANYONE, can hit blades. It all comes down to look, feel, and what are you trying to accomplish with your game. Blades made me a better ball striker I feel. To me golf isn't ALL about distance, there are little nuances to the game that I just don't feel game improvement clubs give me. That's just my humble opinion. Good luck to you with your fitting Mark. Mizuno baby!
I collect old Hogan blades and play with Srixon pro 100's with a mid handicap, won't play with so called improvement clubs. Favourite set is Hogan red lines from the 70's with pinned in shafts although the wrong shafts for my game the feel is amazing
Not too easy to combo set's, because the lofts are so different, you need to end up with 2 x 6 irons or 7 irons for example, to get the gapping right, unless you alter the lofts when custom fitting. ( I heard on TH-cam that Adam Scott carried 2 x 5 irons for a while with his combo set)
I think it just comes down to how you swing the club. Many blades like P730 have a VCOG that is actually located above the middle of the golf ball. Many pros probably love this because it would keep the flight down; however, they have [near] perfect swings and ample shaft lean at impact, so they strike the ball higher on the face than a higher HC golfer who may flip at the ball or have other swing flaws which would not allow for this. At the end of the day, your HC is just a number, it doesn't define how you swing the club. Get fit!!
On the 140 yard shot, why did he play the same club? With the different lofts, if he felt like he had too much, he should have clubed down with the 790s since the are stronger lofted to begin with. Almost seemed to be making the shot more complicated than it needed to be since he he was in between clubs, choose the shorter club with the stronger lofts and the shot would have probably been easier.
Golf is a game to be enjoyed - Handicap has nothing to do with playing Blades/MBs. If you strike the ball well most of the time you can play Blades/MBs. I've been playing them most of my adult life (over 40 years playing the game) without experiencing fear or pain playing Blades/MBs. The one thing I would say to Mark is, play whatever club you want. Blades/Musclebacks are not something that a golfer should be afraid of - if anything you might find that you have purer shots with the Blades/MBs. If you are not a distance freak, anyone can play Blades/MBs. I think you would find more golfers hitting fairways and greens gaming Blades/MBs. Using the word handicap is poor rhetoric when considering your club selection in my humble opinion.
It’s a mix of what suits your eye and performance, why anyone would pick a blade up nowadays baffles me, if Ernie Ells, Lee Westwood and a host of others are using cavity backs then no one on here should be hitting a blade. I don’t see it being many years off that you don’t even see one on Tour, we are just attached through nostalgia.
Played Nike blades until last year now gone AP3, don't notice too much difference in scoring ,AP3 are longer and I hit my 4 iron a lot better ,but that is down to practice more I think ,I'm shooting mid 80's to low 90's and was with the blades too.Lets not kid ourselves the modern blade is nothing like what was played 30 years or so ago. If you like practicing and are wanting get better use whatever feels and looks great to you regardless of handicap ,but if you don't practice and just have a game every week or so you're probably better off with some big shovels .It all depends what you want from the game .Good shots feel great with a blade thats for sure .
It all depends on personal preference. I am far from a scratch golfer but while learning to play I only ever had blades. Now anything other than blades feel like im trying to hit my approach with a baseball bat. I would sacrifice distance for accuracy and consistancy anyday.
I learned to play with blades. For me it worked well. I think the difference between true blades and cavity backs is much larger today than even 20 years ago. Play with what ever you wish - the more serious a player you are the more likely you are to move to blades.
I’ve used blades since I was a beginner, I could never look down at a chunky club and I think a game improvement iron makes you lazy on ball striking. Pressure equates to better golf in the long run
@@francoisdesmoulins-lebeaul4273 all dependent on numbers. While i could hit the blades, i like the confidence and numbers I got from the "mid" level clubs better. Its personal preference. Personally, i'm not out to play something i'm not 100% confident in. And that thin hit with a blade.....ughhhhhhh. If you are going to be practicing often (a couple times a week) and you can hit center consistently, then go for blades. I'll take forgiveness on miss hits and no buzzing in my hands. - Keep it in the short grass!
The workability with blades are superior and my shots find the greens more often using my bladed irons. To each his own. I played over a 100 rounds with blades and yes my cavity backs are better for distance but now workability
I hit almost any club straight so all GI irons do for me with more offset and big fat soles is create a lot of fat chunks and on good strikes go long left. I just ordered some new blades can’t wait to get them they will go straight and a little shorter with great spin All better options than GI Irons for me
Every shot here was a short-iron. The difference between blades and more game-improvement oriented irons is really in the long irons which most mid-handicappers have more difficulty striking consistently. Would of been nice to see a 4 or 5 iron for example. I would suspect we would see a big difference between the blade and the CB.
Another great video James ! Thanks for the content. Makes me want to put my P730's back into the bag and leave my P770's home next round. I do agree, the whole "made for this handicap level" is kind of BS.
I started using blades 30 yrs ago loved them,too many golfers believe the markerting,basically the crap there told ,you can.either play or not,but saying that if u dont practise and palY regularly you aint going to be able to play
I started with blades and I am currently thinking about a new set of irons. Do I stick with the blades even though I don’t always hit them the way I want? Or do I switch to cavity backs to improve my game?
I actually find that game improvement irons have a performance ceiling that muscle back and cavity back blades do not have. That being said if you buy blades, you need to practice ball striking with them, which in the long run will probably mean your game will improve
Great tests. Love the different lies, and not too surprised by results. True mid handicaps are good ball strikers and are just a few strokes here and there from being scratch. Most penalties coming off either tee box or on the green. Keep the great content going.
How forgiving can clubs really be? I've hit bad ones with my current GI irons and they don't go well at all. It's all down to strike in the end. If you can hit the middle of the face with blades regardless of your handicap, go for it. I've improved with my ball striking, I would certainly give blades a go as It would be interesting to see how well i'd perform. I hit an Apex Pro recently, it dwarfs my current godzilla sized irons and once i'd warmed up I was hitting 80% of the shots right out the middle. The flight was much more consistent than my 7 iron and it was going the same distance as my irons. (150 metres) despite the loft being 3 degrees weaker on the Apex Pro.
I was a 6 in the 1990s. I had a long layoff and have been playing again recently. . Currently I am a 20 and play pings. I tried my old hogan apex blades. I used to play then and hit them well. Now ... the biggest difference ? Mishits the penalty is severe and they hurt your hands.
I would try them if I could, just to keep my brain quiet. If you can hit them successfully then you will know that you are striking the ball really well. Great test James, well done Mark for striking the ball so well, now this will give your fitter some issues.
I don’t know if you have answered this question yet (you probably did and I missed it) but Why would someone hit blades in this age of technologically advanced irons? Loft is a non-issue since the loft can be adjusted in clubs so what would be the reason?
Because the "technology" in the irons is just not that useful compared to the "non technology" in blades. The feel you get from a forged blade or any similarly simple club like basic cavity back irons (gotta love the ever underrated Titleist CB) will teach you about ball striking more than you'll ever learn from "game improvement irons" (ironic that they don't improve your game. Finally, you want as much spin and as low a launch as you can get to play that game well (control of trajectories, stopping power, risk mitigation)... which is what a blades offers, and the opposite of what you find in "game improvement clubs"...
Blade will let you feel your off center hits, which for mid-handicap golfers is most of their shots. You’ll also learn about chipping and bunker shots because your misses will leave you in all kinds of crazy places.
Mil Sneler - actually..... yes! If an extra yard or two (or three) on a mis-hit gets you over the water or over a bunker or over the false front and up on the green, that’s a great result!
I started playing golf last year and bought a second hand set of PING blades. At the time I didn’t know what a blade was. I’ve learned using the blades am now starting to wonder if I’d be a better golfer if I bought something more ‘beginner friendly’
Looks to me like he's set up aiming to the right. I can see a mid handicap player using blades, they would challenge you to focus on strike. That can't be a bad thing.
I just think they look better and if I like The look and feel of a club I want to play better with them. I also like the challange using a harder club. I got the cobra speedzone, crazy for giving and they fly like crazy but when playing mizuno mp20 or taylormade 760, ping i200 I have to think more and getting a feedback.
The more interesting test would be a very low handicap player playing a cavity back or even better hybrid irons like the Clevland Launcher turbos. I guess they would improve their FIR and GIR. The ability to feel the club and the negligible ability to work the ball notwithstanding.
Seems like the 790 tended to go right on him and the blades went left. Odd. U would think with the off set of the higher handicap cub it would work the other way.
Yes! I play Mizuno MP-59s. I spent about a month with my first set, Ping Eye 2s. This past summer was my first year playing. I got in about 60 rounds from May to October. I use a hybrid instead of my 3 iron, but otherwise, the MP-59s are really enjoyable. Does 10 qualify as "mid-handicap"?
Does it really matter if the blade is 5-10yds shorter Just use a 6 instead of a seven It’s all relative at 200yds I’m looking at 4 iron or my 5 wood ( yes I’m that bad )
I think for me personally, it has become a mental thing thinking I can't hit blades. I always seem to hose it up. Probably has a lot more to do with my brain saying I can't more than anything.
I beg the question: why would a mid-hdcp golfer 'want' to play a blade? Is it strictly for feel? Example, I was an 11 hdcp last year and because of a LOT of short game practice I've lowered it to 7 this season. Goal is
I was in a similar boat. I pulled the trigger on blades because I knew they would force me to focus on a smooth, balanced form. My iron striking is now far more consistent . The forging process eliminates "pockets" of inconsistencies in the material, allowing for better consistency (yes, some cavity backs are forged). My distance control is now far greater over my cavity backs. The feeling a of a pured blade truly is tough to beat. Finally, what I did to lower the risk of potentially wasting $$, I bought a used 6-iron blade off eBay and played it for a month (Hogan Ft. Worth 15 blade). It got to the point that I preferred it over my cavity backs....I knew it was time to pull the trigger and ordered the rest of the set. I did a 5-PW set and then utility irons for the 2&4.
@@nathankaufman4131 wow, those are the same ones I'm considering lol. I bought a used 6 iron Ft Worth 15 off of Ebay and took it to a range(weather here in Indiana preventing me from the course). Problem is, it's standard length/lie and I play +.5"/1*up. I couldn't find the center of that blade to save my hide. Almost just gave up after 20 shots or so. Put an extension in it, took it back and it was great, feels fantastic(although all center hits drifted right cause of the lie issue). I've hit the Hogan PTx, and now the Ft Worth, both feel great. I'm so torn on which to choose!
@@praetorian7861 sounds like you've got great taste in blades :) The 15's feel unreal when flushed. I can't speak to the PTx line but have heard you retain good feel with tad more forgiveness. I fell victim with lack of fitting on a utility 2-iron I just got...digging the heel like crazy. The saying "get fitted" indeed holds true.
I changed to blades last year with a 20 handicap. Now at 17 handicap and dropping. It’s not the gear, it’s the player.
In my experience, the forgiveness aspect of clubs is substantially overstated. If I make a bad swing, I get a bad result.
Agreed!
100% I don't care how technology changes if u make a bad swing ur most likely gonna get bad results!
If you hit the same bad shot with a forgiving iron and a mb iron, the forgiving iron may lose 5-10 yards of distance. If you hit a mb iron badly, you lose 30 yards.
@@peekycheeks I mean sure, but normally if I hit a bad shot it got skulled or was hit fat and had no yardage anyway
I’m a 17 handicap and I have the 919 tour’s pw-7 and forged 4-6. Love them. My striking has improved too. I don’t want a chunky club to hit a ball well. I want a good swing for a good result
Loved the idea of doing an on-course test, but I was shocked to see the test being done on a mat! As a washed up college golfer who has played blades and cavity backs I think you’ve understated how much of an impact your lie has on the contact made. I remember how difficult it was to hit the dime sized sweet spot of a blade from a lie that was nestled down in the rough.
Hit it on the toe when it's cold and you'll be afraid of the ball for the next 3 shots. When they say feedback with blades they really mean shock therapy the club will shock your hands if you do not swing right XD. Taught me to hit better though lol
In my mind, it's always come down to fundamentals and practice. If you are a high handicapper who really wants to get better and is putting time in to practice consistently making solid sweet spot contact, blades will work for you eventually. If you really want to get more fundamentally solid, blades are for you because the feedback on a bad shot is both visible and kinetic.
If you are more concerned about distance, don't have time to really work on your swing, just want to go out on the course and shoot your 90 or 100 and have fun, grab a game improvement iron.
I look at game improvement irons similar to an automatic transmission and blades as a manual transmission. In an ideal world, we'd all drive manuals because they are more efficient, have more options, etc. But by having an automatic transmission, more people have access to cars (some may debate if thats a good thing, but whatever).
I have 3 sets of irons currently. A set of Nike Ignites (full game improvement), Mizuno MX 25s (mid to low cavity back), and Spalding Tru Flights (blades). I have a full work week and get one day a week to have a round and maybe one evening to practice at the range. So I mostly use the Ignites, and they do very well for me. The Mizunos go 5 yards less than the ignites, and the spaldings go 5 yards shorter than Mizunos due to the quality of hit and swing. Pick what you want, and stick with it to learn them.
I think almost any serious player can play blades. I've always believed that the feedback that blades give can outweigh the forgiveness/performance benefits of game improvement irons. You can learn a lot from that kind of feedback. It's a great way to get better.
That said, I made the switch to AP3s recently because I don't play as much as I once did. Aside from lack of play time, I realized that the main culprit in my rising handicap was my falling GIR, (read irons) . I don't know whether or not i made the right choice. I guess time will tell.
Hi James I Completely agree with Anthony's comments even high handicap golfers can play blades. It's about enjoyment of the game.
I went over to my first set of blades at about a 12 HCP and now could happily play a CB or MB set with no difference in my scores, play off 3 now
But I enjoy my rounds more with the blades
Exactly the results I expected, less distance with the blade but more consistency, spin and better front to back and left to right dispersion. If you want to genuinely improve your game, PLAY BLADES PEOPLE!!!!
Such an awesome video again Good Sir.
My ass I am 14 and I hit blades further
once I played blades and sucked. everyone laughed at me. then I realized I was imagining things nobody gives a crap. play what makes you happy.
@@gotoken5660 i love my MS-5 irons from the early 1980s, and traditional lofts, its badass carrying a 7 iron 180 thats the same loft as everyone elses 9 iron lmfao
I like the split sets, 3-6 cavity and 7-PW blade
Brilliant video James. I was a 15 handicapper 3 years ago i was told dont go near a set of bladed irons and when totally against them and bought a set of titleist 714 mb's after 5 months my handicap when from 15 to.12.6 and now i play off 7.6. Would never go back to a cavity club.
Blades are better choices for learning game
You need a high-handicapper to test these. I'll humbly volunteer. It's only a short flight from the US :)
I’ve played MacGregor Tourney blades for 18 years and now MB-718’s @ a 5 handicap - blades will help you learn how to play better. You’ll learn how to be a better ball striker anyways. Always enjoy your videos !!
Thanks for this mate. I play off 29 and you’ve convinced me... just bought a set of miura baby blades for $1000. Hoping for big things next season
BTW, how are they going the same distance ? Makes no sense
I recently switched to blades. I bought a set of Wilson FG-49 Tour Blade with DG S400 shafts. I like the smaler blade and the the thin sole, top line and the look of the club sitting behind the ball.
I switched to blades very recently and found similar results. I feel like they give you a very reliable outcome depending on your strike. It’s almost as if I can hit a draw just by thinking about it and vice versa with a fade. When you do mishit them you find out very quickly though. They give great feedback on how you mishit the ball wether off the toe or heel or thinned. With cavity backs you lose that feel and they offer a lot more forgiveness meaning it’s harder to determine how you mishit the ball. Can’t beat the feel of a pured blade though ❤
This video has me thinking about the Titleist AP2s again and all the hard work I had to do to get my gappings right with my new AP3s when I switched from blades.
EXAMPLE 1: I hate my AP3 8i iron on bump and runs, its too hot! I am using my 9i instead with much better results.
EXAMPLE 2: My stock 50 yd shot used to be a half swing with my SM6 56* SW . but now that I have a 54* SM7 I'm finding it flies a good 5+ yds farther. I'm struggling to find the perfect 50yd shot.
I have it all working now except for my 50yd shot. It would have been so much easier to have just dropped the AP2s in my bag, however, and maybe adjust the loft of my gap wedge from 52* to 50*? It was all in the name of greater forgiveness and a bit more distance.
Sometimes I wonder if it was really worth the headache and the expense though. Although my handicap is dropping...so maybe?
I like how you're one of the only ppl that listen to them and not try to steer them to an answer compared to other content creators I've seen
If you play and practice often, I think playing blades is the best thing you can do to improve your game. You will improve quality of contact and learn to control the ball much quicker with a blade. However, if you are a mid-high hdcp, weekend warrior, that does not have the time to play regularly I would recommend a larger club head that promotes a higher launch with a larger sole that will not dig into the turf. Also, I would NOT recommend blades for a player with a low swing speed. You need to be able to drive the ball far enough to put scoring clubs in your hands on approach shots. You need to be able to fully compress the ball at impact with a blade. Lower swing speeds LOSE far MORE distance with blades than higher swing speed players. (IMO "game improvement" irons compensate for lack of compression than anything) Finally, if you are not an elite ball striker, you probably need to replace the 3,4, and 5 irons with forged cavity backs. Only ELITE ball strikers can CONSISTENTLY hit the ball flush with these clubs. Longer shafts, lower lofts, and smaller clubheads make the margin for error miniscule in the long irons. If you have a long carry over water/hazard/bunker, you will lose slightly less distance with a forged cavity back than a blade on a mishit, and that is often the difference between carrying the trouble and being in it.
I play off 12 and am more than capable of playing blades. I just prefer to use a club that offers slightly more forgiveness. Mark seems a really nice guy, another enjoyable video.
I suspect if you strike your irons well then you should give bladed irons a look regardless of your handicap.
It should come down to preference surely? There is a stigma attached that only "good players" should use blades, isn't golf about enjoyment? Of a 20 handicapper plays blades and hits 100 shots and only connects with a few but walks off the course and can't wait to come back, then play with what you want. Golf is a game to enjoy with friends, family other members of the course so hit what you want, as long as you get a level of enjoyment from it.
Totally agree Antony, too much "prestige" is attached to having a lower handicap.. as a my girlfriends dad said after a round this summer, "a single figure handicapper is probably going to be either single or unemployed" ;) I´ve always enjoyed playing golf with mid-high handicappers who play reasonably well and thoroughly enjoy the game, especially when they have good banter and score reasonably, and occasionally make those elusive dream shots. It´s still just a game in the end, hitting a ball around a field and paying a lot of money to do so. And there´s nothing more tedious than someone obsessed with shaving the odd point off their handicap or beating themselves up over missing a 6 foot putt.
Most of my golf is played with mid to high handicappers Alan, and as you said, it's about the banter. They hit the "dream" shots and you see the excitement as they do. I play off single figures but enjoy my golf the most with my friends.
Alan Waterworth - Bad golfers get just as angry as good golfers. If anything, golf teaches you patience and perseverance. It also teaches personal responsibility since it leaves you nobody to blame but yourself. The better you get the more it teaches.
Plus , what other game can you go play with your son and your father at the same time? And on the same level.
The game is so much more than chasing a ball around a field.
I'm playing off a 9 at the moment and I'm playing Mizuno JPX-919 Tour's, there not "true" blades but pretty damn close, with no problems !!! The feel is absolutely incredible !!! Great video Bruh, and if someone out there is thinking about playing blades, DO IT, you'll be fine !!!!
Cant get enough of Mid-cap Mark. Keep it comimg. Well done. Cheers from New York City.
Cheers Mitch!
3:08 As soon as I saw where he was aiming I knew it was going right. How do I know that? ... I'm an expert at aiming right.
It was pointed out to me yesterday that most right-handed/right eye dominant players will 9 times out of ten aim right. My alignment was so bad until I figured this out. I would aim for a target, step back, and take a look, I would be aligned to hit it in the streets...LOL. Just correcting my alignment should save me a few strokes.
@@BayouHotBoy1 Crazy thing is -- I'm left eye dominate and play right-handed. I actually have a slight head shift (ex. Jack Nicklaus) just before I begin my swing. Pro's have equated that with me trying to get my sight squared up and eye's behind the ball.
Today's blades are much more forgiving than what some of us grew up with in the 80s and 90s. I think most mid-handicappers who think they can't play blades would be surprised to find they can, and that there isn't a lot of difference between them and the so-called "forgiving" irons. I'll caveat that by saying mid-handicappers who have a solid swing and can strike the ball reasonably consistently.
Charlie Medd I Would add that if they don’t hit the ball particularly far it might be a psychological stretch for them to use blades.
Having now watched the video, I would say that it just goes to prove it's 95% about the golfer and only 5% about the clubs.
@@meddc1 agree 100%.
I agree with you guys. It's about the swing of the golfer and we should stop thinking about the forgiveness of the club.
I'd even go as high as 99% golfer and 1% clubs... and only in the case where clubs are blatantly not suited to said golfer.
Yes he should blades are the real game improvement irons, as they teach you to strike the ball better and concentrate on your form!
Agreed!
Agreed. Game improvement meaning improvement of score or game improvement meaning improvement of technique and eventual improvement of score anyhow. I’ll take the latter 👌
I learnt to play with a set of blades, bought second hand, and still have and use them, despite buying 2 other sets of more forgiving clubs since. The only advantage i´ve seen with more forgiving clubs is higher launch in the longer clubs (5 & 6 iron), so I still tend to mix the blades from 7 iron down to wedges with cavity 5 & 6. And despite being a mid-high handicapper, some of the best shots I´ve ever hit have been with the blades.. going into rough under trees on the left of the 3rd hole tee on my club course, then playing a 30 yard draw around the trees, over a stream and pond, not knowing where the ball had gone to find it middle of the fairway, that stuff stays with you and keeps you coming back, far more than plugging away at your handicap, or hitting the ball with a shovel, as some would have us believe we have to.
Alan Waterworth - which clubs got you into those situations?
@@sloebone7399 Driver off the tee, over turned into trees left. bladed 7 iron out (Maxfli pro special)
Alan Waterworth - I’ve been there and worse, believe me. I’ve pulled off the escape artist shot enough times where my friends say maybe I should just aim into the trees. I still enjoy an easy birdie more than a miracle par.
Not trying to sound flippant but a good fitted consistent set of irons might make a positive difference in your game. If you can pull off a 30 yard hook shot like that, you probably shouldn’t be playing to a mid handicap.
@@sloebone7399 you´re probably right, and I do love the look of some newer clubs, but I don´t really care enough about playing in comps as when I have, my head usually goes and the game goes to pot, hence the higher handicap. The clubs I have have been fitted to me in terms of loft and lie anyway, and I don´t know if I can justify spending £500-800 on a new set of irons that might only save me a few shots; I´d rather spend that on a trip to the Caribbean (where I´m going in Feb :) )
we travel a fair amount and I usually play a decent course wherever we are (Caribbean, Portugal, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka are all places I´ve played) and I generally hire decent clubs such as TM M2, but still prefer the feel and control of blades; I´ve sorted out my tee shots this season, but my short game has gone a bit to pot.
But now I wont play much at all now apart from on holiday or maybe a few sessions at an indoor range, as I live in Norway and all the courses are closed for the winter now. They didn´t open until late May-June this year after a long winter with heavy snow, and a lot of damage to greens and fairways, so every season is like starting all over again.
Alan Waterworth - understood. What I do to save some serious cash is I know my Ping fitting parameters and I go to eBay and patiently wait for a deal. My current set on Ping i25’s (3-PW, yellow dot, +1/2 inch, stiff) was purchased for $220, slightly used. If you know exactly what to look for, it works great. That set was over $1000 new not that long ago. I put my old set up for auction and sold them for more than the new set cost me, so I really got paid to switch irons!
I just got my jpx 919 tour 5-PW. Switched from MMC 5-PW. kept my MMC FLI-HI utility 4 iron(forgiving). I don't know why, but with the same shaft and specs im consistantly hitting the 919 about 3-5 yards further and it's trackman verified multiple times as well as noticeable on the course. (COG?) My handicap isn't so much from hitting off center irons. It's just other areas (management and distance control with wedges) My scores have gone down 2-3 shots on average. I'm able to control the distance on my PW so so much better (other short irons as well) There's so many more things to consider than if they are "hard to hit"
Absolutely agree Matthew
My 1st ever round of golf I used Titleist 735cm blades. Shot a 51 on a par 36. Now I shoot low 40's & it's only been 6 or 7 rounds since.
I am a high handicapper. I am trying to use an old set of Mizuno T Zoid blades my dad gave me, and I am really struggling with them. I have not played in several years, so my swing is less than great at the moment, but even when I catch them clean, they just do not feel good to me. I am way down on distance too compared to the Ping Zings I used to hit. I know it is the player and not the clubs in the end, but there is a difference.
Blades and MC's are perfect fits for mid handicappers. I ended last season at an 11 and made the decision to switch to MC's (Ping i210) and LOVE THEM. I dont hit better shots yet, but the feel you get deff gives crucial feedback to start correcting the subtle things that you dont get from GI's. My misses are IMMENSLEY more consistent, and im becoming a better ball striker. I say if youre bellow a 15 and take the game somewhat seriously, its time to get away from GI's.
I agree from below post. The blades today are much more forgiving but not worth your money and time. You still have to be a good player to get the most out of them. If you do want to play them insure to drink a beer every 2nd hole, that you won't care what you score
😂😂😂
I think blades are easier to hit than huge headed chunky game improvement irons.
Steve Harris
Good point
I can;t get over the look of a chunky looking iron. The thin line of a blade is very important to me. And golf is 90% mental. Right??
There are plenty of great choices in game improvement irons that have a thin top line and look just like blades when you’re swinging them.
Steve Harris I feel as if it’s easier to cut through the ground and hit down on it with a blade
I think mark should start his own channel,I’d happily watch his progress because he’s got a great fluid swing so I could really see him improving even more.
Absolutely Mick!
It's a testament to the Taylormade blade, But as far as your question, yes a mid handicap can play blades but do they really want to? In my view most of us need as much help as possible to enjoy our weekly game to the fullest. If I could play just 2 more times a week maybe I would give it a go. ;-)
I normally go round my nine hole 11 over so I’m guessing that would be a 22ish handicap
I’ve just got back from my first round ( of nine) with my new used MP32 ( old clubs were Nike pro combo os cavity’s
And I again scored my usual 44
There’s more to a round of golf than just hitting irons
Ps
I loved them
I play around 14 handicap. 8 or 9 occasionally. I use 718 mb blades. I got them only because they were so beautiful.it was like they were saying take me home. couldn't not purchase them. now it has been about 10 months. I feel good with it now. of course it has less forgiveness , smaller head and it makes it harder to hit. I will keep buying titleist blades every two year.
the best thing about blades are that they correct my swing. and it keeps me on getting better
Great topic once again. Definitely an interesting one. Two points. One being that AP2's are the most popular iron with pros. If they aren't playing blades, why should weekend golfers?
Other point is. Hitting blades is awesome. There's no comparison in the feeling when you strike them properly. A lot of players are able to hit the ball properly from a mat and the fairway. But what happens as soon as you are in the semi rough or worse? Hitting center of the face from the rough is massively harder than from the perfect lie. That's where the blades become flaky to me. I don't trust myself to hit the middle from less than a perfect lie (which is more often than I care to admit). Mark did very well from the rough during this test but is it consistent?
Mark sounds like a highly intelligent guy, instead of other "mid handicap" testers who try to waffle on and sound like the pro, hes actually making clear concise points. Goodwork Mark
Thanks brad
I think regardless of blades/cavities if you practice enough you will become good with whatever irons you use? Back in the day blades was all we had and it has to be said blades are a much nicer looking iron ?
Great on course test with the two clubs,Mark has been a great addition to your channel,I take my hat off to him 👏👏
Thanks Tommie 😀
I never looked at clubs in terms of forgiveness. If it fits my eye when I stand over it and feels good at contact I'm sold.
Do you remember the Nike set from a few years ago that featured blades, muscle backs and cavity in the same set. Seemed like a very good idea to me.
They looked amazing. VR? combo set. I have titleist 735.cm irons. Cavity 3-7 blade 8-pw. I was instantly better with the upgrade from hollow body taylormade rsi2 irons. I'm sure the heavier stiffer s300 shafts helped me with my timing and rhythm, maybe more than the irons. They are from 2005 but better for me than the modern higher handicap irons I tested.. if I listened to the usual outlets I'd have never even tried them.
I think blades naturally make you a better golfer. I am like a 4 handicap but when using blades, you do focus more on making clean contact. It makes most players better by making them concentrate more.
What shaft is Mark playing in these irons, please?
Mark has been a good addition to the channel
Thanks Adam!
When i was fitted for new irons they did have me try a couple of the forged/blade clubs. The one i could use the best was the 919 Forged and i gave it some thought but ultimately went with a bit more forgiveness in the Hot Metal.
James and Mark. I'm really enjoying these vids. Looking forward to the next ones. Spring cant get here fast enough. :) Can't wait to try out my used Victory Reds forged split cavity i picked up recently. Have been using GI irons and rolling them through the greens :(
Thanks Stevo!!! :)
I play the mizuno mp 32 I'm a 13 handicap so yes you can my struggle is short game and putting the love for the irons makes me a more confident and concentrated player
excellent fun! i don't think handicap is too important in this comparison. your tester can obviously strike the ball well and that's the key here. at today's prices, you have to buy a much older forged blade iron to make this a reasonable experiment. newer blades just too expensive, and the soft steel wears on the face pretty quickly, making the grooves suspect. the original owners often practice a great deal and you are likely to see their wear pattern on the face. most forged irons are bought with stiff/extra stiff shafts and the grips are often beyond redemption. if you value looks, the used forged clubs are going to be pretty beat up as well.
Of course a mid handicap golfer can use blades! I know some that are excellent ball strikers but they are let down by their short game. Hence the handicap
⛳️👍🏼
That's me. I wish the hole ended when you got to the green. I'd destroy Tiger if that was the case! 😂
@sam evans Now thats what you call hard work and effort! Well done
@@simonh2011 I wouldnt be Tiger but id be low single figure!
@@tomosedwards8369 To be honest, maybe Tiger might just beat me! 😂
Well done James and Mark. Great series. I must have to admit that I'm just a bit biased towards the blades. I have had my Mizuno's for around 20 years and adore them. I feel ANYONE, can hit blades. It all comes down to look, feel, and what are you trying to accomplish with your game. Blades made me a better ball striker I feel. To me golf isn't ALL about distance, there are little nuances to the game that I just don't feel game improvement clubs give me. That's just my humble opinion. Good luck to you with your fitting Mark. Mizuno baby!
🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
I collect old Hogan blades and play with Srixon pro 100's with a mid handicap, won't play with so called improvement clubs. Favourite set is Hogan red lines from the 70's with pinned in shafts although the wrong shafts for my game the feel is amazing
Not too easy to combo set's, because the lofts are so different, you need to end up with 2 x 6 irons or 7 irons for example, to get the gapping right, unless you alter the lofts when custom fitting. ( I heard on TH-cam that Adam Scott carried 2 x 5 irons for a while with his combo set)
Paul Milsom can you get them bent?
I think it just comes down to how you swing the club. Many blades like P730 have a VCOG that is actually located above the middle of the golf ball. Many pros probably love this because it would keep the flight down; however, they have [near] perfect swings and ample shaft lean at impact, so they strike the ball higher on the face than a higher HC golfer who may flip at the ball or have other swing flaws which would not allow for this. At the end of the day, your HC is just a number, it doesn't define how you swing the club. Get fit!!
On the 140 yard shot, why did he play the same club? With the different lofts, if he felt like he had too much, he should have clubed down with the 790s since the are stronger lofted to begin with. Almost seemed to be making the shot more complicated than it needed to be since he he was in between clubs, choose the shorter club with the stronger lofts and the shot would have probably been easier.
Because we where testing the versatility of both irons in his hands. Golf is more than 100% full shots
Golf is a game to be enjoyed - Handicap has nothing to do with playing Blades/MBs. If you strike the ball well most of the time you can play Blades/MBs. I've been playing them most of my adult life (over 40 years playing the game) without experiencing fear or pain playing Blades/MBs. The one thing I would say to Mark is, play whatever club you want. Blades/Musclebacks are not something that a golfer should be afraid of - if anything you might find that you have purer shots with the Blades/MBs. If you are not a distance freak, anyone can play Blades/MBs. I think you would find more golfers hitting fairways and greens gaming Blades/MBs. Using the word handicap is poor rhetoric when considering your club selection in my humble opinion.
It’s a mix of what suits your eye and performance, why anyone would pick a blade up nowadays baffles me, if Ernie Ells, Lee Westwood and a host of others are using cavity backs then no one on here should be hitting a blade. I don’t see it being many years off that you don’t even see one on Tour, we are just attached through nostalgia.
Yes, you too can play blades. My Titleist combo set: Vokey GW, SW, LW; 716 MB PW, 9, 8: 716 CB 7, 6, (5), 716 T-MB 5, 4; 818 H2 3 hybrid.
Awesome as usual. What do you use to get the “Shot Tracer”? I cant find a good one. Thanks mate
Played Nike blades until last year now gone AP3, don't notice too much difference in scoring ,AP3 are longer and I hit my 4 iron a lot better ,but that is down to practice more I think ,I'm shooting mid 80's to low 90's and was with the blades too.Lets not kid ourselves the modern blade is nothing like what was played 30 years or so ago. If you like practicing and are wanting get better use whatever feels and looks great to you regardless of handicap ,but if you don't practice and just have a game every week or so you're probably better off with some big shovels .It all depends what you want from the game .Good shots feel great with a blade thats for sure .
I am thinking if I should change to a cavity irons to increase my distance. Currently using MP69 muscle-backed. I like the latest MP20 HMB.
It all depends on personal preference. I am far from a scratch golfer but while learning to play I only ever had blades. Now anything other than blades feel like im trying to hit my approach with a baseball bat. I would sacrifice distance for accuracy and consistancy anyday.
I learned to play with blades. For me it worked well. I think the difference between true blades and cavity backs is much larger today than even 20 years ago. Play with what ever you wish - the more serious a player you are the more likely you are to move to blades.
I’ve used blades since I was a beginner, I could never look down at a chunky club and I think a game improvement iron makes you lazy on ball striking. Pressure equates to better golf in the long run
It's mixed set for me
Blades in 7-pw cavity 3-6
Love them
Loved that birdie out the rough
And there is always the famous quote: "Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should."
LOVE THIS! Hahahaha
And to thtat there's always the famous question "but why shouldn't you do it?"
@@francoisdesmoulins-lebeaul4273 all dependent on numbers. While i could hit the blades, i like the confidence and numbers I got from the "mid" level clubs better. Its personal preference. Personally, i'm not out to play something i'm not 100% confident in. And that thin hit with a blade.....ughhhhhhh. If you are going to be practicing often (a couple times a week) and you can hit center consistently, then go for blades. I'll take forgiveness on miss hits and no buzzing in my hands. - Keep it in the short grass!
Try Mizuno TP11 irons. The shape and tiny bit of offset make them very usable…..well I use them!
The workability with blades are superior and my shots find the greens more often using my bladed irons. To each his own. I played over a 100 rounds with blades and yes my cavity backs are better for distance but now workability
I hit almost any club straight so all GI irons do for me with more offset and big fat soles is create a lot of fat chunks and on good strikes go long left. I just ordered some new blades can’t wait to get them they will go straight and a little shorter with great spin All better options than GI Irons for me
Every shot here was a short-iron. The difference between blades and more game-improvement oriented irons is really in the long irons which most mid-handicappers have more difficulty striking consistently. Would of been nice to see a 4 or 5 iron for example. I would suspect we would see a big difference between the blade and the CB.
Another great video James. Would like you to do video on how you read a green and the best ways to do it. Thanks
Thanks Ronnie. Check out my aimpoint video
Another great video James ! Thanks for the content. Makes me want to put my P730's back into the bag and leave my P770's home next round. I do agree, the whole "made for this handicap level" is kind of BS.
Thanks mate! Yeah agreed!
I started using blades 30 yrs ago loved them,too many golfers believe the markerting,basically the crap there told ,you can.either play or not,but saying that if u dont practise and palY regularly you aint going to be able to play
I started with blades and I am currently thinking about a new set of irons. Do I stick with the blades even though I don’t always hit them the way I want? Or do I switch to cavity backs to improve my game?
It seems like Mark should go with an iron like the P-760 so he can get the feedback that he wants with a little help.
Blades look so good
I actually find that game improvement irons have a performance ceiling that muscle back and cavity back blades do not have. That being said if you buy blades, you need to practice ball striking with them, which in the long run will probably mean your game will improve
Great tests. Love the different lies, and not too surprised by results. True mid handicaps are good ball strikers and are just a few strokes here and there from being scratch. Most penalties coming off either tee box or on the green. Keep the great content going.
Thanks Jarrod
How forgiving can clubs really be? I've hit bad ones with my current GI irons and they don't go well at all. It's all down to strike in the end. If you can hit the middle of the face with blades regardless of your handicap, go for it. I've improved with my ball striking, I would certainly give blades a go as It would be interesting to see how well i'd perform. I hit an Apex Pro recently, it dwarfs my current godzilla sized irons and once i'd warmed up I was hitting 80% of the shots right out the middle. The flight was much more consistent than my 7 iron and it was going the same distance as my irons. (150 metres) despite the loft being 3 degrees weaker on the Apex Pro.
Ping i210 or the new taylormade I reckon for Mark. No feel from the p790, and they go like bullets, he is good enough to work better clubs.
I was a 6 in the 1990s. I had a long layoff and have been playing again recently. . Currently I am a 20 and play pings. I tried my old hogan apex blades. I used to play then and hit them well. Now ... the biggest difference ? Mishits the penalty is severe and they hurt your hands.
I would try them if I could, just to keep my brain quiet. If you can hit them successfully then you will know that you are striking the ball really well. Great test James, well done Mark for striking the ball so well, now this will give your fitter some issues.
I don’t know if you have answered this question yet (you probably did and I missed it) but Why would someone hit blades in this age of technologically advanced irons? Loft is a non-issue since the loft can be adjusted in clubs so what would be the reason?
Because the "technology" in the irons is just not that useful compared to the "non technology" in blades. The feel you get from a forged blade or any similarly simple club like basic cavity back irons (gotta love the ever underrated Titleist CB) will teach you about ball striking more than you'll ever learn from "game improvement irons" (ironic that they don't improve your game. Finally, you want as much spin and as low a launch as you can get to play that game well (control of trajectories, stopping power, risk mitigation)... which is what a blades offers, and the opposite of what you find in "game improvement clubs"...
Blade will let you feel your off center hits, which for mid-handicap golfers is most of their shots. You’ll also learn about chipping and bunker shots because your misses will leave you in all kinds of crazy places.
So you are saying there are clubs that deliver great results for missed shots.?
Mil Sneler - actually..... yes! If an extra yard or two (or three) on a mis-hit gets you over the water or over a bunker or over the false front and up on the green, that’s a great result!
Are the two sets lofted the same in each club?
I started playing golf last year and bought a second hand set of PING blades. At the time I didn’t know what a blade was. I’ve learned using the blades am now starting to wonder if I’d be a better golfer if I bought something more ‘beginner friendly’
You’ll be a better golfer with the blades because you have to learn how to properly strike the ball.
@@jeramym9506 2 years later... Still crap.just kidding! Still using them and love them
So a mid handicap player can play a blade but should he? He said there wasn't a difference in distance but was the cavity back more forgiving?
Looks to me like he's set up aiming to the right.
I can see a mid handicap player using blades, they would challenge you to focus on strike. That can't be a bad thing.
I just think they look better and if I like The look and feel of a club I want to play better with them. I also like the challange using a harder club. I got the cobra speedzone, crazy for giving and they fly like crazy but when playing mizuno mp20 or taylormade 760, ping i200 I have to think more and getting a feedback.
The more interesting test would be a very low handicap player playing a cavity back or even better hybrid irons like the Clevland Launcher turbos. I guess they would improve their FIR and GIR. The ability to feel the club and the negligible ability to work the ball notwithstanding.
James u got any tips for when playing poorly was a 13.5 handicap 2 months ago and now 14.9 and can’t seem to get a good score together please help
Seems like the 790 tended to go right on him and the blades went left. Odd. U would think with the off set of the higher handicap cub it would work the other way.
I thought this when filming. Funny old game!
Yes! I play Mizuno MP-59s. I spent about a month with my first set, Ping Eye 2s. This past summer was my first year playing. I got in about 60 rounds from May to October. I use a hybrid instead of my 3 iron, but otherwise, the MP-59s are really enjoyable. Does 10 qualify as "mid-handicap"?
Does it really matter if the blade is 5-10yds shorter
Just use a 6 instead of a seven
It’s all relative at 200yds I’m looking at 4 iron or my 5 wood ( yes I’m that bad )
Agreed. The only reason the blades are even shorter is cause their lofts are weaker than so called game improvement irons.
I think for me personally, it has become a mental thing thinking I can't hit blades. I always seem to hose it up. Probably has a lot more to do with my brain saying I can't more than anything.
YOU CAN DO IT !!!
That course looks fantastic.
I beg the question: why would a mid-hdcp golfer 'want' to play a blade? Is it strictly for feel?
Example, I was an 11 hdcp last year and because of a LOT of short game practice I've lowered it to 7 this season. Goal is
Mainly for enjoyment I guess mate
Well the blade would have more feel to it, so it might help you gain more accuracy over time plus the distance is more real
I was in a similar boat. I pulled the trigger on blades because I knew they would force me to focus on a smooth, balanced form. My iron striking is now far more consistent .
The forging process eliminates "pockets" of inconsistencies in the material, allowing for better consistency (yes, some cavity backs are forged). My distance control is now far greater over my cavity backs.
The feeling a of a pured blade truly is tough to beat.
Finally, what I did to lower the risk of potentially wasting $$, I bought a used 6-iron blade off eBay and played it for a month (Hogan Ft. Worth 15 blade). It got to the point that I preferred it over my cavity backs....I knew it was time to pull the trigger and ordered the rest of the set. I did a 5-PW set and then utility irons for the 2&4.
@@nathankaufman4131 wow, those are the same ones I'm considering lol. I bought a used 6 iron Ft Worth 15 off of Ebay and took it to a range(weather here in Indiana preventing me from the course). Problem is, it's standard length/lie and I play +.5"/1*up. I couldn't find the center of that blade to save my hide. Almost just gave up after 20 shots or so. Put an extension in it, took it back and it was great, feels fantastic(although all center hits drifted right cause of the lie issue). I've hit the Hogan PTx, and now the Ft Worth, both feel great. I'm so torn on which to choose!
@@praetorian7861 sounds like you've got great taste in blades :) The 15's feel unreal when flushed. I can't speak to the PTx line but have heard you retain good feel with tad more forgiveness. I fell victim with lack of fitting on a utility 2-iron I just got...digging the heel like crazy. The saying "get fitted" indeed holds true.