Blades vs. Cavity

[wwjdwithca]

This is a very interesting discussion that I think merrits a new thread. The following thread had some good stuff:
http://forums.golfreview.com/showthr...t=iron+choices

So the question remains, at what point does a player consider using blades, and can they truly lower your scores, or is Lambo exactly correct in that players play them only for prestige?

My initial reaction to Lambo is that he's being defensive of using a "Game Improvement club" when he's a 5 handicap. Afterall, most Tour Players use some sort of blade. Several very fine Tour players though use cavities, but it's true that the majority play blades.

Are Tour players good to use as a basis for the best clubs? I would say, "Certainly." They are the best players, what they play would be indictive of what is truly the best club.....for the best player.

So what about Lambo's comment. "Anyone with a 7 or higher is just kidding himself to play blades." Interesting that he picked a number higher than his own stated handicap of 5, telling everyone that he's good enough to play them, but chooses not to. Everyone else is an idiot with a 7 or higher. Tainted, but does that invalidate his comment? I would submit, "No."

I would love to hear more good conversation on this matter, and please don't say the obvious "Whatever works for you is what's best." Afterall, I think we all know that already right??

Anecdotal material is really the best for us 5-25 cappers who are thinking this issue through. I think not only the clubs you use or used to get your handicap down is good, but how many balls a week did you hit? Where were most of them hit (driving range, net etc)? What training aids did you use if any. How did you learn swing mechanics? Cause isn't that what this is all about? Lower scores? And the clubs we use just happens to be the most fun to talk about, right?

[captfluoro]

Well I'm a 10.3 handicap and play Mizuno MX-20s, a cavity back "game improvement" iron and really like them, they've helped me drop my handicap down from a 16. But I always wanted to try the MP-33 or MP-37 to see if I was good enough to hit them. Only thing is I'm left handed and until the MP-32s, Mizuno didn't make a left handed blade. My local course is going to get a LH set of MP-32s for me and fit them for me, but I have yet to hit them so I don't even know if I'll like them. I have a feeling I will. If I don't, I won't buy them. The question is am I good enough for these clubs? I think I am. I'm a good ball striker and my biggest problem is chipping and putting, not my iron play. As many others have said, a blade will give me a more accurate feedback to my swing. I disagree with the statement that you need to be a 7 handicap or better to play blades. That would be like saying "Unless you are a race car driver you should only drive Hondas and Toyotas, you shouldn't drive a Porsche or Ferrari because you obviously aren't a skilled enough driver to handle the car." Initially I may not be able to use these clubs to their full potential, but with practice I can only get better, and having a "better" club will only help lower my score in the long run.

But as everyone says, whatever works for you is what you should play.

Reid

[Bones04]

I would have to say that it really depends on your swing type and your ball striking ability to whether or not you should consider blade irons. I have read and watched the stories of various players about blade irons.

Most notably there are many good players that say they just can not hit blade irons. They have trouble with mis-hits and trajectory. Well I truly believe that your golf game is in the eye of the beholder. The club might not work well for someone just based on mental notes that they have about a particular club, or that they have a flaw in there swing when testing out certain clubs due to lack of experience or lack of confidence. My brother is a good example. He is a good player, his handicap is about 2 above mine at 6.5. However, when he hits blades he just does not hit them well and is more comfortable with a cavity back - so be it.

For me when I look at a blade club at address I feel a lot more confident than over a cavity back. I like the thin top line and small head, it makes me think that in order to hit the ball I will have to have a good shot due to the club head dimensions and look. I once read that a person should not switch to blades unless their hitting area on the face of the iron is no bigger than a nickle after hitting shots on the range. I think it is a nickle - if anyone knows it to be a quarter they could be right, it has been awhile since I read that. You can test this pretty easily by getting some golf impact tape and hitting balls on a range. I would say in general I stay within a nickle most of the time and I hit blades pretty well.

Hope this helps - Sean

[dorkman53]

I've just bought a set of Bridgestone J33 Combos which morph from a legitimate cavity back (even with tungsten weights low in the low irons) to actual blades in the 8-PW; the mid irons are intermediate. For me this is a nice transition between the blade and cavity back world. Personally, I hit my blade wedges quite well, so extending this down a few more clubs in the bag shouldn't be to difficult an adjustment. I still like help in the long irons. I'll see if the longer irons are forgiving enough to get my Hogan hybrids out of the bag for the 4 and 5 iron lengths. I hope to have some information to report within a week or so. They are supposed to arrive today or Monday at the latest.

[racerboy52]

playing blades is not for everyone, but neither is playing with cavity backs. personally, i do not enjoy cavity backs. i don't like the visual appearence of them, i hit most of them WAY to high, to much offset, and also personal loft preferences come into play. something about having a 46* PW is just wrong. i currently play with titleist 670's.

i think there is a certain leval of skill before one should be hitting blades, but i don't think it should be based on handicap. Personally, my handicap is dependent on 2 things, my woods and my short game. I can hit blades just fine and it's only when i make a (what feels like to me) a horrible swing do i have issues with them. i've practiced beside a good player with cavity backs and my misses were around the same as his. if your a good iron player and are a consistant ball striker, then go for it.

will they make you a better player? will maybe. for a serious golfer who is a range hound, then blades are great because they do take a lot of practice. if you only get to play twice a week, then stick to cavities.

[theidioticbizarre]

my first ever set of clubs were blades - they were cut down and i cant really remember playing them that well e.g. feel etc :P

but

i now have the nike pro-combo's - they are great.
the feel you get from the blades are amazing and i dont think that they are any harder to hit. infact i much prefer them to cavity...

[Lobwedge]

I hit and love my blades.

Two weeks ago I hit an 82 on a par 73 with 32 putts. The next day I hit a 98 with 48 putts. Maybe I should buy a more forgiving cavity back putter.

I like blades because they are more crisp and better looking. I played cavity backs before my current set and my handicap is the same.

[neverman]

A pro will hit the sweet spot the size of a "dime" every damn swing with every stick in his bag. A typical 1-5 handicapper won't and would be rewarded more for the mishit with a cavity back.... the problem is WHEN the 1-5 handicapper does hit the sweet spot, he won't be as richly rewarded with the feel, control, workabilty of the cavity back as with the blade.

So how often do "you" hit the "dime" on your irons? The short irons, I'd guess quite a bit. The long irons, I'd guess a passable amount. How much is won and lost on the misshits vs. the "pures". That's what people need to weigh as well as the "looks". I can't stand some of the thick top lines, wide soles etc.

It's really an idividual thing. Me? I'm better served with a cavity back for sure. I have enough mishits that hurt me with their screaming feedback.

Tiger Woods was so Pure he was correct in not needing a larger sized Driver. He finally went that route for the half dollar sized sweet spot so he can swing away when needed and not worry.

Blades sure are purdy though.

[NickP]

Very nice posts in this thread. Upon taking some lessons recently, I was able to cut down at least 6-8 strokes and just yesterday played a round of golf with blades to see where I was. On the second hole I felt like quitting and going home. But later on I was able to hit some shots that felt like butter and the one feeling I got was the club was like one single unit and were very easy to maneuver.
Of course the good shots were far and few in between many bad shots but I could appreciate why the pros would prefer blades as they would be so easy to control. The dime theory floated above thus makes complete sense and BTW, I am very happy to see my trusted cavity backs back in my bag.

[Beardsley]

I just pld my first round with my New MP-32s i duno if you would class them as blades but they certainly improved my game. Ive just changed from Ping eye 2s n i thought they were gd! these blade like MP-32s are easy to hit and easy to control and feel so much nicer. I dont even have a handicap and i shot a 78 with 'blades'

[wwjdwithca]

Again, the discussion has been good.

I did just buy a set of MP-32's as well, and yes I would certainly classify them as blades. I have only played one round of golf with them, but I have been to the range twice, and have hit 4-500 balls into my net in my back yard with these irons. I'm am going to wait a month or two before I post a review on them.

I played one round with them and found them very good, and I shot 3 strokes below my average. But I would not agree that they are easy to hit, or just as easy to hit as cavities.

Do I prefer to hit them? Yes! They are awesome looking, the shafts are terrific, and they just feel really good to swing.

But I didn't buy them cause I thought they'd be easier to hit. I bought them cause I want to become a better player, so I decided to get a set of "Players" clubs. No tricks, no huge faces, just give me an excellent swing, and I'll give you excellent results. Quid Pro Quo.

The truth hurts baby!! I've been working hard on my game for a few months, and within the last few weeks I've been hitting over a 2,000 balls a week in my back yard just working on ball-striking. Ouch!! I'm constantly sore from hitting so many balls, and I'm disapointed because my ball-striking is not as good as I thought it was. My Ping Zing's masked my small errors, and made me feel like I hit it pure. My Mizuno's don't hide ANYTHING!

I thought I was well on my way to cutting my 'cap in half (currently a 12.3), but the blades have opened my eyes. It's really a good thing cause to be able to become a 6, I need to fire at pins, which means I need to keep hitting 2000 balls a week for some time. You gotta have a pure swing to consistantly fire at the pins, and so far it seems like the blades are teaching me just that. The next few months will be interesting.

[neverman]

Man at 2k balls a week you'll need some club bending gear or a practice set of irons. You will bend those babies out of shape at that clip especially since i "see" you hitting off of a "mat".

The 32's are a Blade in every sense of the word. I hit them when they 1st came out and loved them in the shop, I'm a coward though and know I have some limitations. THat and I don't practice at all any more.... I just play. I need my buddies in my group to start pushing me or I'll never hit the range again. ;)

[wwjdwithca]

Man at 2k balls a week you'll need some club bending gear or a practice set of irons. You will bend those babies out of shape at that clip especially since i "see" you hitting off of a "mat".

The 32's are a Blade in every sense of the word. I hit them when they 1st came out and loved them in the shop, I'm a coward though and know I have some limitations. THat and I don't practice at all any more.... I just play. I need my buddies in my group to start pushing me or I'll never hit the range again. ;)

Yeah, your right I'll need to take them in every 6 months or so for a "check-up". I don't hit off a matt though. I mow my grass down-low and tear-up large sections of grass, and then move the net, and do it all over again.

I'll tell you what to, it's really amazing how much hitting into a net off grass translates to the course. You don't know distance of course, and you can't practice working the ball, but you sure can develop a much better swing....every club, including a driver. Don't ask me how I can tell how straight I'm hitting a driver into a net....but I can. Pure is pure I guess.

[Benguk]

Yeah, your right I'll need to take them in every 6 months or so for a "check-up". I don't hit off a matt though. I mow my grass down-low and tear-up large sections of grass, and then move the net, and do it all over again.

I'll tell you what to, it's really amazing how much hitting into a net off grass translates to the course. You don't know distance of course, and you can't practice working the ball, but you sure can develop a much better swing....every club, including a driver. Don't ask me how I can tell how straight I'm hitting a driver into a net....but I can. Pure is pure I guess.

I know what else you can do, you can get impact tape and place it on the face to see how well you are or are not hitting the sweet spot.

[kirksey74]

I bought my MP-32's and when I first bought them I was trying to swing them like my old cavity backs that are the size of my head. I hit abunch of shots off the toe, when i finially got my swing grooved (took about 2-3 days to hit a consistant ball flight shot) I shot 37-38.
Part of it was the irons because I hit much more accurate shots within 15 feet for birdies and easy 2 pars.

I cant tell from the period of time that I have had these irons, my ball striking has improved drastically. And when handicap cards come out, The cards will show how much i have imprved form cavity backs to blades.

And blades aren't for just 7 and below handicaps....Anybody can swing em'.

Oh and yes, You dontt need to hit off a hard surface since the clubs are forged the club will lose/gain loft. That's why you get them checked every year.

I ain't going to lie, too make these puppies shine and make you look like a pro, practice...if you don't they'll bite you in the butt. perfect example is me friday,hadn;t swung a club in over a week, and i tried to go play and shot an 81, I hit some poor iron shots, I wasn't confident and i didn't know if i was gonna draw/fade the ball and missed alot of greens and didn't get up and down every time.

bottom line is. These irons can be for anyone but you need to keep practicing with them whenever you get the chance.

[neverman]

Sure anyone can swing em. Anyone can swing a baseball bat too but that won't help the majority of players out there. Blades are for the better player. I've seen duffers battle with old wilson staffs countless times. It's ugly. An argument could be made that they'll learn more from hitting blades but no way in hell do they belong in everyones bag. Well not if they want to score their best for that moment.

Blades take someone who will practice, practice, practice... someone with tempo. You can't go out once a week and whale on a 5 iron and expect good results. With a Cavity back you could.

That's a huge difference.

[wwjdwithca]

Sure anyone can swing em. Anyone can swing a baseball bat too but that won't help the majority of players out there. Blades are for the better player. I've seen duffers battle with old wilson staffs countless times. It's ugly. An argument could be made that they'll learn more from hitting blades but no way in hell do they belong in everyones bag. Well not if they want to score their best for that moment.

Blades take someone who will practice, practice, practice... someone with tempo. You can't go out once a week and whale on a 5 iron and expect good results. With a Cavity back you could.

That's a huge difference.

I tend to agree with all your points except the good results with cavity back. I think it's true, but it's an an overstatement. To me, missing is missing, and missing translates into strugling. Always need to make great chips or long 2 putts. I can put a decent swing on with my Ping's and it feels real good, but it still doesn't go where I'm aiming, which still translates into struggling. It's really a false sense of security. Missing is Missing.

[dnj30]

the most important thing here is personal preference. do you want a club thet will minimize and help correct your mistakes, or a club that will tell you what mistake you made, and its up to you to correct that swing flaw. i play mp32's, shoot in the low 80's and love my blades. i don't have to pick my head up to know where the ball is going, the feel of the club lets me know. i feel that this will make me a better player in the long run by forcing me to make better swings. i will also admit that there is a little bit of ego involved in playing blades, even at the pro level. the bottom line is this--none of us are making a living playing golf, we do it because we love it, so play whatever clubs you want to. if you're a 25hpcp and want a set of blades because they look cool in your bag(which they do), more power to you! you'll get rid of them if thay are too hard to hit, or you'll grow into them over time

[Red Raider 79]

I am not sure if anyone has noted that Blades can be cavity back or muscle back. There are 3 basic types of clubs as I see it. You have your Blade muscle back, Blade cavity back, and the game improvement cavity back. The blade mb are like the Titleist 690.MB, 680, 670, Mizuno MP 33, 37, 32, and so on. Blade Cavity backs are like Titleist 690.CB, Taylor made Rac TP, and so on. Then you have the Large group of game improvement clubs. Taylormade RAC HT, Rac OS, Rac GCB, Callaway x-18, Cobra SS-i, Titleist 804.OS, Hogan CFT, etc. It really comes down to your swing style as to what you should use. As some have noted if you are a good ball striker a MB Blade or CB Blade is the probably the club for you. It allows you more workability, Distance, and control. If you do not have a consistant swing, the game improvement clubs can be great for your game. Big sweet spots, easy to get up, with forgiveness. But again it comes down to what works best for you. If we could go and look in all the pros bags you would see all types of clubs. The best advice is to go see your local golf pro or golf shop Hit as many of the different types and styles as you can, and get fitted. Take one last thing into consideration. Take the turf conditions at your local courses into account. The shape of the club head and type of turf can help or hurt your contact and ball striking. I hope that this helps.

[neverman]

I've not seen anyone refer to CB's as Blades before. Just checked both Titleist and Taylor Made and neither mentions the word Blade in the description of the TP's or the CB's you have. They may be a more forgiving forged club with better feel but I don't think they're Blades. At least in my eyes they're not. ;)

[Beardsley]

Its all about marketing, ive seen 25 handicapers hit blades alot better than they can hit cavity backs. Blades are just as easy to hit as cavity backs. I can hit cavity backs and blades well and i dont even have a handicap. Its all based on Titleist, Mizuno etc making more product lines and making greater profits. At the end of the day if u cant strike the ball well you will struggle with either clubs, u wont struggle any worse by using blades.

[kirksey74]

This is what Red Raider is talking about

MP-32's have a muscle back

MP-30's have a slight cavity back

Cleveland Ta2s have a micro cavity back

this just makes the blades a little bit easier to hit, but they are still blades.

I don't know much about titleist irons or Taylor made irons...

But yes blades can have cavity backs....they just aren't big cavity backs

[sfgolfer]

Comments like "you should be a handicap of X before you consider blades" completely miss the point. That's like saying "if you are over 6' 2" then you should bend your clubs 2 degrees upright." It's a hard/fast rule in a sport where there are very few such rules.

It comes down to look at address and feel at impact. While all blades do not set up identically, the look one gets from standing over a blade is significantly different than one from standing over any cavity back. Which look makes you more comfortable? In terms of feel (again, while blades feel different one from another) there is NOTHING that feels similar to hitting a forged muscle back. Do you like that unique feeling or not?

None of this other stuff matters. Anyone older than 18 probably hit blades when they first swung the club. Are we supposed to believe that all previous generation of beginning golfers with blades (much less forgiving blades than today's by the way) were terrible compared to the new generation that's equipped with cavity backs from the start? C'mon! It is a fact that cavity backs have larger sweet spots, but I could argue that this is a problem for some golfers. Cavity backs also have more offset, but - again - you could argue the benefit of that either way.

It comes down to what do YOU like to play, what feels best when YOU hit it, and what looks best when YOU line up to it. Billy Mayfair hits the shovel-like Titleist 804.OS. Davis Love hits the spoon-like 680 blade. Clearly, it's personal preference.

I play blades because they work for ME. And my handicap has dropped 5 strokes since they've been in my bag. Someone with equal playing ability might see the exact opposite effect.

P.S. - If you are a recreational golfer who plays a few times a year for fun, then I would indeed stay away from blades as there are just too many other clubs that can help you hit great/fun shots (as opposed to help you score low).

[Benguk]

my first ever set of clubs were blades - they were cut down and i cant really remember playing them that well e.g. feel etc :P

but

i now have the nike pro-combo's - they are great.
the feel you get from the blades are amazing and i dont think that they are any harder to hit. infact i much prefer them to cavity...

I just got some pro combo irons for really cheap. 20 bucks an iron. They were demo irons, but since they are retired, the store just sold them to me. I don't know if you would call the 3-7 irons cavity backs, they have a really really small cavity, and play like blades.I really like them cuz they go far and strait when I throw them, haha just kidding. But seriously they are really longer than any irons I have have ever hit. Get these now. Soon look for my review on them!

[pmclamb]

I just got some pro combo irons for really cheap. 20 bucks an iron. They were demo irons, but since they are retired, the store just sold them to me. I don't know if you would call the 3-7 irons cavity backs, they have a really really small cavity, and play like blades.I really like them cuz they go far and strait when I throw them, haha just kidding. But seriously they are really longer than any irons I have have ever hit. Get these now. Soon look for my review on them!

the pro combo long irons do not play like plades at all. the 3 and 4 irons do not have "small" cavities, and the 5-7 irons are half cavities, so i guess you were right about those, but they don't play like blades as far as i am concerned. Don't get me wrong, I like my Pro Combos, but I don't agree with that comment at all.

[Benguk]

the pro combo long irons do not play like plades at all. the 3 and 4 irons do not have "small" cavities, and the 5-7 irons are half cavities, so i guess you were right about those, but they don't play like blades as far as i am concerned. Don't get me wrong, I like my Pro Combos, but I don't agree with that comment at all.

Well, now that I look at them your right,they do have a signifigant cavity but not as large as some irons i have seen. They certantly arent blades, if I said that I was definatly not thinking correctly, but basically what I was saying was that the cavity isn't very large, lets say, compared to the big berthas or the ping g2s.

[NickP]

perfect example is me friday,hadn;t swung a club in over a week, and i tried to go play and shot an 81

No need to rub that in. An 81 is a heavenly day for the rest of us here!

[Spinner]

I think you can't name a handicap figure from which you are "blade material". A friend of mine started playing golf with tiny blades. And I mean REALLY tiny (old school style). I didn't know him by then and he once brought the 2-iron blade. Man, it was about half the size of my MP-33 2-iron! Since he saw everybody play with oversized irons, he thought big cavity was the thing to play. Now he's about to buy the MP-33's, and he's a 14 handicapper. His 'handicap' isn't his iron hitting but driving and short play.

For me, I was hitting my cavities really well, so I thought I was ready to upgrade to blades. I have to admit the status was a bonus, since IMO blades are so much more better looking than cavities. I think that's part of why I play better with blades than cavity (you know: golf is 80% mental and the rest is between the ears ;) ). For me the minimum offset and smaller head just gives me more confidence at setup.

In short, if you aren''t consistent/confident with irons, I'd stick with cavities.
But if the handicap is mostly due to inconsistent drivins, chipping, putting and irons are no problem, give blades a try.

[Beardsley]

hmm, had a weird round 2day, after having an excellent first round with my new MP-32s i am now hitting alot of shots off the toe of the club like Kirksey.

Kirksey, what'd u change to start hitting solid shots off the centre? Everytime i hit my 3iron off a tee it came off the toe hmmm

[kimchee411]

I can only speak from personal experience, but I don't see anything wrong with higher handicappers playing blades. First of all, as was mentioned, handicap is not a reflection of how you swing the club. I just played 9 holes after a 7 year absence from golf (though I've been going to the driving range a lot for the past 3 months), and I shot a 47, but it was only because of my atrocious short game (turned 4 birdie putts into bogies) and a couple bad lies off the tee. I didn't really mishit any shots, and on every hole I either hit the green in regulation or left myself just shy or wide. Personally I love having blades. Yes, it was difficult initially with the stinging hands, but that only made me realize that my SWING sucked, and made me work harder to improve it. And the rewards for that hard work with the amazing feel I get from solid hits makes it totally worth it. So I say for those who are only concerned with the numbers on their scorecard, go ahead and let those cavity backs give you a little extra help, but for those who really value feel and want to maximize their skills, blades are certainly worth a TRY.

[Captain Bhangra]

i prefer blades over cavity backs even though i have a handicap of like 90-95...
i have cavity backs, and my friend has some old wilson pro staff blades, when i use his i get 10x better launch and accuracy with them compared to my cavity backs

[sfgolfer]

I've just bought a set of Bridgestone J33 Combos which morph from a legitimate cavity back (even with tungsten weights low in the low irons) to actual blades in the 8-PW; the mid irons are intermediate. For me this is a nice transition between the blade and cavity back world. Personally, I hit my blade wedges quite well, so extending this down a few more clubs in the bag shouldn't be to difficult an adjustment. I still like help in the long irons. I'll see if the longer irons are forgiving enough to get my Hogan hybrids out of the bag for the 4 and 5 iron lengths. I hope to have some information to report within a week or so. They are supposed to arrive today or Monday at the latest.

They are supposed to be one of the first sets of irons - outside the Nike's - that were engineered from scratch to be a "pro-combo" set. They sure look awesome. How do they play?

[dzguitar]

I played cavity backed clubs for nearly 15 years. Took several years off after getting my handicap to a 5. When I took back up the game 2 years ago I decided to purchase an old classic set of blades, a set of 1964 Wilson Staff Fluid Feel irons. They were great! It some getting used to but, it has grooved my swing to a better more compact and not so flat swing as I had with the CB's. I even bought a newer set of Staff's and have played those as well. Now I have in addition to the Wilson Staffs, two sets of Titleist Tour Model irons and they are without a doubt the greatest feeling and sweetest clubs I have ever played period! Long story short, cavity backed clubs will absolutely help the higher handicap player with getting the golfball higher and be more forgiving with off center club face shots. However, I believe that if you really want to become a better ball striker then get a set of blades and work on your swing. I have reduced my handicap to a 3 and although that doesn't seem like a considerable improvement, I have people comment all the time how grooved and smooth my swing looks. Even comments such as "pro like" among others.

[Brent Nadeau]

I don't have a handicap yet. This is my first year as a member of a club, and I intend to track it this year. My average season-form game is between mid 80'S and low 90'S right now.

I have been golfing for about 4 years now, and am using a set of game-improvement cavity back irons, albeit a set with a smaller head size. Having recently gotten them fitted, I have noted a considerable improvement in my ball flight, but the large offset of these clubs is still causing a lot of pulled shots, even on pure swings. I don't have trouble making good contact, but the offset is creating problems instead of fixing problems that were never there.

On the flip side, I have tried a few blade models and can honestly say that my swing is not reliable enough for me to feel confident with them - this is being said, of course, having hit them once or twice off of a mat in a simulator. Perhaps with some serious practice I could become efficient with them, but that would also demand the patience on the course to learn with them.

My compromise is to look at the 'in-betwen' models, with perimeter weighting and wider soles, but without the thick top-lines and offset. I've been looking at the RAC LT's, VIP 1025 C's, and the Titleist 704's. I love the feel of the 704's and the VIP's (both forged), and I hit the RAC's really well, but the feel isn't there.

I guess I've strayed from the original request in this thread in that I've given a 'what's best for me' response, but the fact of the matter is blades aren't for me, but neither are the chunky, offset cavity backs.

If you commit to a type of club and practice and play with it you will develope the ability to work with it. One thing that might be worth considering is that the people who claim blades demand devlopment have a valid point...if you want results then you have to improve, but there are a lot of people who lose their patience dealing with a constant source of disappointment because they are not learning quickly enough. When my son starts playing I intend to start him off with something easy to hit to help him enjoy the game. Later, if he shows enough interest and aptitude, he will get lessons and more demanding equipment.

I guess I'll shut-up before I fall off the fence I perched upon...

[wwjdwithca]

My compromise is to look at the 'in-betwen' models, with perimeter weighting and wider soles, but without the thick top-lines and offset. I've been looking at the RAC LT's, VIP 1025 C's, and the Titleist 704's. I love the feel of the 704's and the VIP's (both forged), and I hit the RAC's really well, but the feel isn't there.

If you commit to a type of club and practice and play with it you will develope the ability to work with it. One thing that might be worth considering is that the people who claim blades demand devlopment have a valid point...if you want results then you have to improve, but there are a lot of people who lose their patience dealing with a constant source of disappointment because they are not learning quickly enough. When my son starts playing I intend to start him off with something easy to hit to help him enjoy the game. Later, if he shows enough interest and aptitude, he will get lessons and more demanding equipment.

I guess I'll shut-up before I fall off the fence I perched upon...

Blades do wear-out faster than cast clubs too. This is important with young players. You don't want or need to be replacing their cubs every year. I've had my MP-32's a month and I've already dinged the 5 and 6 irons. Now I hit a lot of balls, but still I don't think my Ping Zings even have a single mark on them.

Now will I ever put my Zings back in play? Maybe the day I start to enjoy getting my funny bone wacked.

[WhoElseButMe]

Some thread this, over 1100 views.

[dorkman53]

Blades do wear-out faster than cast clubs too. This is important with young players. You don't want or need to be replacing their cubs every year. I've had my MP-32's a month and I've already dinged the 5 and 6 irons. Now I hit a lot of balls, but still I don't think my Ping Zings even have a single mark on them.

Now will I ever put my Zings back in play? Maybe the day I start to enjoy getting my funny bone wacked.

Again, it isn't whether they are blades or cavity backs that determines durability, but whether the club is cast or forged. Forged will be more prone to dings, but will feel a bit softer to many people. (You can get forged cavity backs, but hardly anybody makes cast blades.)

[AZBlueMach1]

I believe that you should have 2 sets of irons - Blades for the range, and something forgiving for the course - if you have time to hit the range. Hitting blades on the range will force you to focus a bit more, and they give great feedback on how you are missing. The last thing you want to do is mask your flaws during practice (i.e. game improvement iron off of a synthetic matt, in a big right to left wind).

When warming up for a round, I will take my gamer irons, but throw the blade 6 iron in the bag. Once I am loose, I will hit some shots with the more forgiving 6 iron, then some with the blade to sharpen my swing up a bit, and then back to the forgiving 6 to get a feel for distance that day.

I would really recomend having the same shafts and a VERY similar offset in your gamers vs. rangers. The nike NDS is a good example of game improvement with minimal offset. I go back and forth between blades on the course and GI irons. If I am hitting the ball well with the blades, I miss that ability to carve a ball into a tight pin behind a bunker.

[eyecon]

last june i bought the mx-23 thinking i couldnt hit blades consistantly and im pretty happy with the 23's but i get a in consistant 5 - 10 yard fade then the mp-32's came out and i demo'd them at the range and out of 75 balls 4 i hit off the toe and they stayed online but fell 10 - 20 yards short but the rest where the exact same shot on the same target ive never hit something so consistent. now im trying to sell my clubs to get the 32's does the offset of the 23 have to do with that inconsistent fade?

[AZBlueMach1]

last june i bought the mx-23 thinking i couldnt hit blades consistantly and im pretty happy with the 23's but i get a in consistant 5 - 10 yard fade then the mp-32's came out and i demo'd them at the range and out of 75 balls 4 i hit off the toe and they stayed online but fell 10 - 20 yards short but the rest where the exact same shot on the same target ive never hit something so consistent. now im trying to sell my clubs to get the 32's does the offset of the 23 have to do with that inconsistent fade?

I doubt it. First off, I assume that the 23s have more offset than the 32s. If that is the case, as you are coming through the impact zone, the 23s would have more time to close, and thus lead to draws or hooks, not fades. It is more likely a shaft flex (or flexpoint) issue, or maybe swing-weight. Of course all of this could be completely wrong, depending on your swing

[Captain Bhangra]

I was actually looking for a new iron set, after i can get a bit more consistency and better launch, so hopefully within a few months. Though I'm stuck between getting cavity backs and blades, the G2 and the S59 irons. I use my friends old wilson tour staff blades alot and i do alot better with them than i do with my other friends taylor made cavity back clones.
Anyone have any advice?

[the hummer]

Back in 2000, I was a 15 handicapper and had a set of Cobra Gravity Back irons which were considered game improvement irons. I always considered myself a pretty good ball striker, but had problems aiming with the Cobras because of the offset. So I decided to purchase a set of forged Ben Hogan Apex Plus irons. These irons have a slight undercut cavity and play pretty close to a blade or muscle back iron. In fact, before purchasing the Apex Plus irons, I tried various blade or muscle back irons and hit them with success. However in the end, I felt most comfortable with the Apex Plus irons as they were the best compromise between blades, muscle back and cavity irons. Currently, I have played my way down to a 9 handicap with these irons and improving.

So in conclusion, take it with a grain of salt when people generalize and tell you that blades or muscle back irons are merely for low handicapper only. It really all depends on the individuals ability to hit them with consistency.

[funamotoa]

i dunno, i was a 16 handicap, and i bought some nike pro combos on ebay (new) and I've dropped my handicap to just about a 10... i've only had them for about a month, but I say, thats pretty good for some that's not a 7 handicap (lambo). well, I think its just feel. Whatever feels right is right for you!
cheers

[ironman]

Its all about marketing, ive seen 25 handicapers hit blades alot better than they can hit cavity backs. Blades are just as easy to hit as cavity backs. I can hit cavity backs and blades well and i dont even have a handicap. Its all based on Titleist, Mizuno etc making more product lines and making greater profits. At the end of the day if u cant strike the ball well you will struggle with either clubs, u wont struggle any worse by using blades.

"Its all about marketing"
i know marketing works... afrer all these years of advertising and ubiquity (sp?) i like Budwiser beer, though I prefer Samual Smith's porters and stouts.

i have three #6 irons in my inventory: a vintage Spalding Personal Edition blade, a vintage Voit 300M blade and a newer Titlist DCI 762 CB. all three work well when i'm "on the ball" either on range or on course, but the only real differences are when i strike them really well...some how... the DCI does not give off as much "satisfaction" as the other two -- to clarify: it's still very good, but the other two blades feel more solid.. sure, it's subjective...but i've found out that playing golf is quite mental, afterall.

so my question to my self and anyone caring to reply: do i get a set of Titleist 670 or Ben Hogan (Callaway's) Apex FTX? I'll let price and availability decide.

my son's already decided: blades are for him, right from the beginning.
my wife went with TaylorMade Ladies Burner graphites, CBs.

[cheaptrick65]

I recently got back into the game after 8 years off. My Ping Eye 2's were stolen and I replaced them Ping i3 Blades a few months ago.
Do you gurus consider these true blades? I'm not sure I do because they look like they have a cavity back.

[maveric]

...Ping i3 Blades...

Now that's marketing...

[cheaptrick65]

Now that's marketing...

Whatever dude. I got them at a garage sale for $100 bucks. Not much marketing needed.

[neverman]

"so my question to my self and anyone caring to reply: do i get a set of Titleist 670 or Ben Hogan (Callaway's) Apex FTX? I'll let price and availability decide."

Without being able to tell what you edited to resurrect this thread... it should have died IMO... get whatever you want. You've already stated "I'll let price and availability decide" so go with it.

If you're looking for justification for what irons YOU should play from a bunch of guys here, you're game will suffer. Oh btw, get the blades... I could be wrong but you appear jaded towards cavity backs from the tenor of your post.

[dorkman53]

Whatever dude. I got them at a garage sale for $100 bucks. Not much marketing needed.

His point was that for Ping to call the i3 "Blades", it took some Madison Avenue creative thinking. They are definitely cavity backs, but a bit less than the i3 O-size they were selling at the same time, so they called the one with a bit less cavity back "blades", when they were in fact also cavity backs.

[cheaptrick65]

His point was that for Ping to call the i3 "Blades", it took some Madison Avenue creative thinking. They are definitely cavity backs, but a bit less than the i3 O-size they were selling at the same time, so they called the one with a bit less cavity back "blades", when they were in fact also cavity backs.

Ok. Thanks for the clarification.

[ChiCubsFanatic9014]

Here's my opinion on blades vs. cavity backs. I've owned both and personally I like the cavity backs better (I have a set of Callaway Big Bertha X-12s). I can hit them so much farther and more consistently then my blades I had (I can now hit my 6 iron 200 yards, but I live in the thin air and high altitude of Colorado Springs). The only thing I don't like about cavity backs are wedges. If you buy a set of cavity backs buy blade wedges because you probably won't like the wedges it comes with. I'm not the best golfer in the world but I'm definately not the worst. I like the feel of cavity backs better and just feel more consitent with them. I know a lot of people who like blades better but I'm not one of them. I get the impression though that people think that you have to be good to play with blades and that only bad golfers use cavity backs. My pro uses cavity backs and he is a mighty good golfer. Ultimately its what you like the feel of better, some people prefer blades while othe cavitys. I'm just tired of the generalization that you can't be good or can't improve using cavity backs because that is not true.

[bethpage caddy]

Heres my scoop on this:

There is no debating that blades are a tougher club to hit than the cavity backs. It really comes down to how committed you are to getting better. Sure, the businessmen who plays recreationally once a month isnt going to buy a set of blades, he has other important things to worry about other than playing golf. He just does it for fun or for a social outing. Perhaps both. However, there are some better handicapped players who still play with cavity backs. In my oppinion that is fine. If you don't want the challenge of striking the ball correctly consistently, then fine, You need to have a burning desire inside of you to get better and play the best you can to play blades. Playing them because they look nice and shiny is absolutely the wrong reason to be playing blades. I'll admit it, I play blades (Cleveland CG1's DG S300 ttipped).. They are definately harsher when you mis hit, theres no debating that. I have found that my mechanics have stayed sound, and if not gotten better since I started with my blades two weeks ago. I have shot several great rounds since I have gotten them. As I was saying before, it takes a certain kind of golfer to play them. Not so much a better player, but a player that has a desire to have good mechanics and build off that. Playing cavities does not make you a bad golfer or a golfer that isn't passionate about what he does, its just different. I think we all have our preferences, and thats what makes our individuality. I think thats important, to do what feels right to you. It isn't right to say that "Everyone should play blades," or "Everyone should play cavities, blades are for pros." My reaction to that comment about blades being for pros is, they aren't FOR pros. Pros use them because they have great swing mechanics and blades give them the best results. Shouldn't our goals and aspirations, especially as someone as young as myself be to be like a pro.

I'm 16 years old. I'll have years and years to fall back on hybrids, offset cavity back irons, laying up.

For now I'm going with my blades, 1-iron, and going for it every.time.

No questions asked.

[hubijerk]

there have been some interesting ideas concerning blades vs. cavity backs posted, personally i think that if your a serious player looking to improve you have 2 solid options, a smallish forged or cast cavity back with little offset, or a forged blade.... its simply a choice of trade offs, players cavity backs offer a bit more forgiveness with a higher, straighter trajectory, a player must work much harder to change ballflight from shot to shot with cavities. while blades offer the option of trajectory control at the sacrifice of some forgiveness and distance, i play blades because i can hit shots that i either could not, or would be much more difficult to hit with my forged cb's, 95% of the time it doesnt matter to me which irons i have in my bag cb's or blades, but its that 5% of the time that blades allow me to do something special . BUT to get the scoring benefits of blades a player really must understand how the weighting can be used to alter ballflight, hitting the center of the face consistently is only the beginning. as you see players get better you tend to see their equipment change towards a more simpler, function oriented set. currently you see many pro's playing cavities, all that says is that to them, distance and a higher straighter ballflight is more important to them then the ability to control every aspect of their ballflight, its not better or worse, blades just dont fit their image of their game currently. personally i dont think that playing blades will make you any better a ballstriker than playing cb's, blades simply offer 1 more gear that can be used by an already good player, i personally dont get the reasoning behing a higher handicap player buying blades over a players cb because they think theyll grow into a better player any quicker then if they pick up a set of good forged cb's. i also dont get the idea behind the suggestion to use different irons (blades) in practice then the irons you use during a round.....would you take fielding practice with a different baseball glove then you play with in the game??

[A V Twiss]

My own experience with blades started in about 1995 when I picked up a set of button back Wilson Dynapowers for a bargain price. After having the lofts and lies set to suit me I found that they were nowhere near as difficult to hit as I had been led to believe. The problems for me were consistency and the degree of punishment that the blade would inflict on mis hits. My conclusion was that whilst, for me, they were excellent practice clubs that forced me to pay particular attention to my set up rythm etc, on a day to day basis they were not helping my playing especially when most of my golf was competitive and counted towards my handicap. So I went back to cavity backs (mainly of the cast variety e.g. Callaway BB and X12 followed by Cleveland Gun Metals and Wilson Deep Reds finishing up with Hogan Edge CFTs.

Recently I felt that I would like to go back to forged clubs and bought a set of Hogan Apex blades. The results were more encouraging in that I was much more consistent with the scoring clubs but still struggled with the mid and long irons. My final solution was to buy Hogan Apex FTXs which are a combination set.

In conclusion my personal experience leads me to think that whilst there may be a lot of mystique about how easy it is to hit blades the main issue for me is living with them from day to day. From a confidence point of view I feel a lot better having forged cavities in the long to mid irons and in golf, confidence counts for a lot.

[bethpage caddy]

After having the lofts and lies set to suit me I found that they were nowhere near as difficult to hit as I had been led to believe.

There it is. I'd say 9 of 10 people who hit blades after hitting cavity backs agree they aren't as hard to hit as marketing dictates. Give em a try!

[laxplyr25]

There it is. I'd say 9 of 10 people who hit blades after hitting cavity backs agree they aren't as hard to hit as marketing dictates. Give em a try!

I just recently bought a set of blades and found that they are easier to hit and more forgiving than hinted at. Yet, I found that the reward for hitting a shot on the sweet spot was about the same as when I hit cavity backs. Im switching back to the cavities for this golf season since they're the ones that I'm used to but I'm not sure if I will change to blades.

[dorkman53]

I just recently bought a set of blades and found that they are easier to hit and more forgiving than hinted at. Yet, I found that the reward for hitting a shot on the sweet spot was about the same as when I hit cavity backs. Im switching back to the cavities for this golf season since they're the ones that I'm used to but I'm not sure if I will change to blades.

I agree. I've demo'd blades and cavity backs from the same manufacturer in the same sitting more than once. It's not that blades are terribly difficult to hit and cavity backs are simple; it's a relative matter. A well struck shot with either a blade or a cavity back will be amply rewarded. It's possible to work the ball with either a blade or a cavity back or a blade, though it's easier with a blade. A really badly struck shot will be poor with either a blade or cavity back. Where cavity backs shine is in the slightly less than perfectly struck shot; you'll still get a pretty good result, whereas with a blade you will suffer a poorer result. On a poorly struck shot, blades will be a bit more jarring to the hands and joints, too, in my experience. Again, it's not black and white; it is a relative difference. Do whatever works for you.

[ironman]

i have access to several #6 irons, cavity backs and blades. I've tried them on the range and on the course. for me, grips (Lampkins are my favorate) matter more than CBs or not and then the overall build quality of a particular iron. i do not see any noticeable differences regarding cavity or not (reminder: my Handicap is a "61"). my favorate iron that i can swing with confidence is a Hogan Apex PC #9, a blade, but a big blade that's seem to be forgiving to me: it's my "rescue" club to get back on the fairway. my favorate iron to hack with is a clean sweep with a #1 iron, 160~180+ yards.. when it divots huge grassy scalp fly off the rough, but when i sweep it well, cutting through the grass, my Pinnicle ball flys low and far, a sight that fills me with joy.

[neverman]

61? Handicaps don't go that high... at least official ones =)

It may give you joy to hit that one iron but is it worth the risk? I don't believe but maybe 1% of all golfers have any businees carrying (or hitting) a one iron.

Lose anything higher that a 5, get some hybrids, hit something off the tee that goes straight and at least 160yds and you'd be at your goal of 25 within a month. It may not be the "way" you want to be a 25 but it'd work.

[afgolfer]

I bought my set of blades when I was a 13 hcp. and now I'm a 9 hcp. I like the added workability and feel in my blades that I didn't get from the cavity backs. With my old set, I would need to hit a draw up into a left to right wind, and the ball wouldn't curve at all. Since cavity backs are more forgiving, any little mis-hit, that in a blade makes a draw or fade, is corrected by the club and goes straight. Plus with the smaller sweet spot in the blades, it forces you to hit more consistently. Thats my take on them, but it really depends on your game and where you want to go with it.

[garcia is god]

I've not seen anyone refer to CB's as Blades before. Just checked both Titleist and Taylor Made and neither mentions the word Blade in the description of the TP's or the CB's you have. They may be a more forgiving forged club with better feel but I don't think they're Blades. At least in my eyes they're not. ;)

I don't think he actually meant they were blades.. rather they occupy a space where they offer a lot of the playability of a muscle back blade with some of the forgiveness of a cavity back.

I play with Titleist 990s. They certainly aren't blades, but I think they play very similarly and are only slightly more forgiving. At set up, they definitely feel a lot more like a blade than like a cavity back and are fairly easy to work.

[ironman]

61? Handicaps don't go that high... at least official ones =)

It may give you joy to hit that one iron but is it worth the risk? I don't believe but maybe 1% of all golfers have any businees carrying (or hitting) a one iron.

Lose anything higher that a 5, get some hybrids, hit something off the tee that goes straight and at least 160yds and you'd be at your goal of 25 within a month. It may not be the "way" you want to be a 25 but it'd work.

my #1 iron is the 15th club in my bag, just to swing on the driving range with. if i'm betting or if i ever enter tournements once i've obtained a real USGA Handicap of below 36.0 then i'll leave that out of the bag. nevertheless, i'd like to own a 0-iron (with perimetered weighting), when i can find it

[A V Twiss]

There it is. I'd say 9 of 10 people who hit blades after hitting cavity backs agree they aren't as hard to hit as marketing dictates. Give em a try!

Indeed, but living with them day to day when you are an inconsistent ball striker can be soul destroying.

[boomin_barber]

I belive u should go with ever feels right for you and what ever u get the best results from.
I myslef use wilson staff tour blades and have done since i was an 18 hndicapper many people said that it would ruin my game as id suffer on miss hits etc but my pro said that in the long run it would im prove my game as hitting blades promotes constant ball striking adn in the long run a better swing as it will become more repeative to hit the small sweet spot.
Also the other thing about blades is the power they hit the ball further than any cavity back ive tried. However i also own now Nike NDS's i knwo these have recieved soem bad reviews but the look of the club head at address is simular to a blade adn i love hit them as well.
Also club maifactures are makin "inbetween" clubs i.e Taylormade r.a.c LT and Mizuno MP-30 these apear like blades at adress but give the forgivness of cavities

Thats just my opinion but whatever feels right to you

[Benguk]

I belive u should go with ever feels right for you and what ever u get the best results from.
I myslef use wilson staff tour blades and have done since i was an 18 hndicapper many people said that it would ruin my game as id suffer on miss hits etc but my pro said that in the long run it would im prove my game as hitting blades promotes constant ball striking adn in the long run a better swing as it will become more repeative to hit the small sweet spot.
Also the other thing about blades is the power they hit the ball further than any cavity back ive tried. However i also own now Nike NDS's i knwo these have recieved soem bad reviews but the look of the club head at address is simular to a blade adn i love hit them as well.
Also club maifactures are makin "inbetween" clubs i.e Taylormade r.a.c LT and Mizuno MP-30 these apear like blades at adress but give the forgivness of cavities

Thats just my opinion but whatever feels right to you

i completely agree about everything you said, especially about those NDS's

[goldendog]

I just got some Mizuno MP 33s and have hit a bunch of balls on the range so far. Since my Callaway x16 pro series lofts are 2* stronger throughout the set I don't expect to be nuking my seven iron a million yards anymore. I did not have any particular problems or issues with my Callaways, I just felt like a change. I can't tell you the distances between the clubs as I have been hitting into a hurricane at the range the last couple days.

I got the blades 'cause I wanted to refine my ball striking and have always liked the feel and look of a blade. Even after only a couple sessions on the range, the offset on my x16s (which isn't much compared to other clubs) looks creepy. And yes, a well struck ball with those Mizunos makes my pants tight if you know what I mean.

I am going to play them for a while and then take them to my club guy and tweak away. He is a certified Rifle Shaft guy so maybe I'll have him throw some on.

I am not a great golfer but I am better than average. I am looking forward to hacking my way around the course with my new shiny blades.

MF

[garcia is god]

And yes, a well struck ball with those Mizunos makes my pants tight if you know what I mean.

Not really.. can you elaborate?

[goldendog]

You know, it is kinda like looking at a pretty girl.

MF

[ForeOnRoad]

I use Titleist 690 MB's. Recently, I hit a friend's 8 iron Ping I3 Oversize (cavity and offset) just to see what it would feel like. It felt great! I think the 690MB's feel great also, but I was surprised how "natural" and solid my one shot felt with that club. I expected a very different feeling considering the two clubs couldn't be much more different.

[TM82]

i prefer blades over cavity backs even though i have a handicap of like 90-95...
i have cavity backs, and my friend has some old wilson pro staff blades, when i use his i get 10x better launch and accuracy with them compared to my cavity backs

Hate to be playing with you on the course if your handicap is 90.

[RazorbackPingMan]

After having the lofts and lies set to suit me I found that they were nowhere near as difficult to hit as I had been led to believe.

Excellent point! I hit the PING S59 which I was fitted for.......sold my Hogans to hit these. IMHO, I hit the ball more solidly with the PINGs than I did with the Hogans. The Hogans I had, APEX EDGE, were just too big and bulky, especially with the thick topline.

The S59s are smaller and weigh-in with a C7 swing weight. The smaller size actually helps me mentally in a way that I know I can't just jump on these and swing as hard as I can. I have to keep my tempo honest and swing like I need to. Overswinging and swinging the club too quickly leads to tons of problems. Not just with irons, with every club in the bag. It's amazing to me how much straigher the ball goes when I slow down my swing and keep everything on plane.

My intensions were to purchase the G2 irons, 5HL thru W and I needed a green dot. I hit one of the S59s irons with the green dot and loved it. Even on mishits, they went further than the mishits I had with the G2 irons. This seemed really strange to me.....I couldn't believe that I hit these irons so well. I am glad I purchased these and not the G2.

The best thing about PINGs are you can purchase any number of clubs you want. I opted for the 6 - W and plan to add a G2HL later on this Fall. There is no better feeling to me than hitting these CAST irons. They just feel more solid to me than my old Hogans.

I firmly believe that anybody can hit any type of iron that they want to as long as they practice.......if you don't practice in some fashion, you may still improve but not at the same rate you will if you practice.

[underaverage]

They are supposed to be one of the first sets of irons - outside the Nike's - that were engineered from scratch to be a "pro-combo" set. They sure look awesome. How do they play?

What about the MAxfli a10's?? (what i play)

[boomin_barber]

i completely agree about everything you said, especially about those NDS's

Glade to hear it what u think to the Wilson Staff Tours FG-49's then? ;)

[Animal-Cracker]

I just tested 2 sets of clubs yesterday. Piranha Blades versus Piranha Cavities and I selected the cavities.
I'm not a great player but when I was hitting the blades well I was hitting more than 20 yards
further than the cavities. Had I been a better player and had a bit more money to spend the blades would have been in my bag. The cavities seem to suit my game and are an improvement on my 18 year old Mizunos for sure. Hope to be able to improve a lot now in the next 2 or 3 years and get to the stage where I can buy the blades. That extra distance was tempting.
I wish I had read this thread yesterday to give me a better understanding.

[famousdavis]

I just tested 2 sets of clubs yesterday. Piranha Blades versus Piranha Cavities and I selected the cavities.
I'm not a great player but when I was hitting the blades well I was hitting more than 20 yards
further than the cavities. Had I been a better player and had a bit more money to spend the blades would have been in my bag. The cavities seem to suit my game and are an improvement on my 18 year old Mizunos for sure. Hope to be able to improve a lot now in the next 2 or 3 years and get to the stage where I can buy the blades. That extra distance was tempting.
I wish I had read this thread yesterday to give me a better understanding.

Piranha clubs only seem to work well when you keep the whole set together. It's almost as if they are working as a team and devouring every hole in sight. Did you special order them from Africa?

[lorenzoinoc]

Piranha clubs only seem to work well when you keep the whole set together. It's almost as if they are working as a team and devouring every hole in sight. Did you special order them from Africa?

They're native to South America. Animal-Cracker, I can't believe you were only getting 20 more yards with blades. I get about 90 more yards per club with mine.

[famousdavis]

They're native to South America. Animal-Cracker, I can't believe you were only getting 20 more yards with blades. I get about 90 more yards per club with mine.

I thought the blades were native to South America and the cavity backs were produced around the Nile.

[lorenzoinoc]

I thought the blades were native to South America and the cavity backs were produced around the Nile.

These are the kinds of distortions we all harbor because of Hollywood. Around the Nile they don't produce cavity backs, they produce blacks with cavities. And South America doesn't produce blades, it produces maids.

[famousdavis]

These are the kinds of distortions we all harbor because of Hollywood. Around the Nile they don't produce cavity backs, they produce blacks with cavities. And South America doesn't produce blades, it produces maids.

That's true with the exception of the tribes that make the young women sew themselves shut. It sounds brutal but a man must keep his woman in check. It's also true that south of the border women are good at housekeeping. Tis the way it is was and is the way it shall always be.

[lorenzoinoc]

That's true with the exception of the tribes that make the young women sew themselves shut. It sounds brutal but a man must keep his woman in check. It's also true that south of the border women are good at housekeeping. Tis the way it is was and is the way it shall always be.

The only explanation for flappy labia is it makes it easier to do the sewing. I certainly wouldn't have designed them that way if it was up to me.

[Animal-Cracker]

Piranha clubs only seem to work well when you keep the whole set together. It's almost as if they are working as a team and devouring every hole in sight. Did you special order them from Africa?

I actually have 4 real piranha fish and contrary to popular belief they are very individualistic and territorial. They don't mind going solo at all.

I guess you don't know about piranha gold clubs. lol.
Jokes aside Piranha Golf are making some serious golf clubs. Don't knock them till you try them. They are focusing on each customer not a million sales like the big names. The amount of time they spend with you on choosing the right clubs is amazing.

[dorkman53]

I actually have 4 real piranha fish and contrary to popular belief they are very individualistic and territorial. They don't mind going solo at all.

I guess you don't know about piranha gold clubs. lol.
Jokes aside Piranha Golf are making some serious golf clubs. Don't knock them till you try them. They are focusing on each customer not a million sales like the big names. The amount of time they spend with you on choosing the right clubs is amazing.

And what, may we ask, is your financial relationship with Piranha golf?

I'm not saying they aren't great clubs. I am questioning why someone who had never posted before on this board would exhume an ancient threat to make their initial post on the board an opportunity to talk about an obscure product with virtually no North American presence. Sort of gets the "spam radar" up and running, big time.......

[Animal-Cracker]

And what, may we ask, is your financial relationship with Piranha golf?

Sorry about that. I see now.
No financial relationship, whatsoever. I met the rep in Japan last year at a tournament they sponsored here (Japan). They are just starting up here in Japan and don't even have any in the shops here. They had their first ever demo day here on the weekend so decided to go and try before I buy. A friend of mine won the first ever set in Japan at the tournament last year and he said I should consider them. He won a set of blades though. Plus I have pet piranhas as well which kind of swayed me.

I'm not saying they aren't great clubs. I am questioning why someone who had never posted before on this board would exhume an ancient threat to make their initial post on the board an opportunity to talk about an obscure product with virtually no North American presence. Sort of gets the "spam radar" up and running, big time.......

I was looking for the differences between cavities and blades as I am a bit of a novice and this thread popped up near the top of a google search. I can see why it seems like spam.
I guess I was just trying to see if anybody else knows about Piranha in particular as well.

As for North America... is this site only for North Americans?

[dorkman53]

Sorry about that. I see now.
No financial relationship, whatsoever. I met the rep in Japan last year at a tournament they sponsored here (Japan). They are just starting up here in Japan and don't even have any in the shops here. They had their first ever demo day here on the weekend so decided to go and try before I buy. A friend of mine won the first ever set in Japan at the tournament last year and he said I should consider them. He won a set of blades though. Plus I have pet piranhas as well which kind of swayed me.



I was looking for the differences between cavities and blades as I am a bit of a novice and this thread popped up near the top of a google search. I can see why it seems like spam.
I guess I was just trying to see if anybody else knows about Piranha in particular as well.

As for North America... is this site only for North Americans?

Most of us are from the U.S. There are a good number from the UK, Australia, and other areas around the world. No residency restrictions to posting on this elite and highly prestigious golf board.......

[lorenzoinoc]

Most of us are from the U.S. There are a good number from the UK, Australia, and other areas around the world. No residency restrictions to posting on this elite and highly prestigious golf board.......

Italy is more than simply some other area from around the world.

[dorkman53]

Italy is more than simply some other area from around the world.

You're right....as usual......it is the center of all learning and culture, and has produced a plethora of top ranked golf pros. 2000 years ago, it was the center of a major empire, but its power and influence appears to have slightly declined over the past 1600 years or so......we're all holding our breath for a major comeback........

[oldplayer]

Most of us are from the U.S. There are a good number from the UK, Australia, and other areas around the world. No residency restrictions to posting on this elite and highly prestigious golf board.......

If i am not mistaken Piranha Golf is actually an Australian company. They are not big over here, but do sponsor some pro's and try and get their blades exposure in the better player market. They have been around for quite a while and have a good reputation as far as it goes. Their clubs are well built and solid performers. They don't really seem able to compete in a realistic way with the big boys. Not too surprising as they are a small company from the colonies.

[famousdavis]

OP, I didn't realize you were bagging the complete 3-LW set of Ping Eye 2 irons. Well done.

[Steelman]

If you take two equal forgings in terms of head size, loft, lie, mass, etc, and one is cavity back and one is a blade the difference you should notice is what happens on shots toward the toe. Some 85% of missed shots by amateurs are toward the toe. Perimeter weighting helps this out. If you can consistently hit the ball in about a 50 cent piece sized circle centered on the center of the face, then blades are fine. If you hit a good number of shots toward the toe in a typical round, you might want cavity backs.

[famousdavis]

If you take two equal forgings in terms of head size, loft, lie, mass, etc, and one is cavity back and one is a blade the difference you should notice is what happens on shots toward the toe. Some 85% of missed shots by amateurs are toward the toe. Perimeter weighting helps this out. If you can consistently hit the ball in about a 50 cent piece sized circle centered on the center of the face, then blades are fine. If you hit a good number of shots toward the toe in a typical round, you might want cavity backs.

I think a 50 cent piece would be too large. If you hit the ball that far off of center you will definitely notice a loss of distance with blades. You'll feel it as well. I'd say the forgiveness factor is from the center of the clubface with a radius the size of a Susan B. Anthony dollar.

[Jeff_h]

I think a 50 cent piece would be too large. If you hit the ball that far off of center you will definitely notice a loss of distance with blades. You'll feel it as well. I'd say the forgiveness factor is from the center of the clubface with a radius the size of a Susan B. Anthony dollar.

A Susan B. Anthony dollar has a diameter of 26.5mm (1.04")

To say that the forgiveness factor is from the center of the clubface with a radius the size of a Susan B. Anthony dollar defines said forgiveness factor as having a diameter of TWICE the size of the SBA dollar or 2.08".

[famousdavis]

A Susan B. Anthony dollar has a diameter of 26.5mm (1.04")

To say that the forgiveness factor is from the center of the clubface with a radius the size of a Susan B. Anthony dollar defines said forgiveness factor as having a diameter of TWICE the size of the SBA dollar or 2.08".

Yes, but you know what I meant didn't you? I guess I should have said similar to that of instead of size of. Glad you're here to micromanage us.

[oldplayer]

OP, I didn't realize you were bagging the complete 3-LW set of Ping Eye 2 irons. Well done.

Yes I have had the complete conversion experience. A veil has been lifted from my eyes. I would like to also bag the 1 and 2 iron but I can't fit them in!

BTW I had to go to the plusses as the original square grooves are not sancioned for play by the R&A.

[lorenzoinoc]

You're right....as usual......it is the center of all learning and culture, and has produced a plethora of top ranked golf pros. 2000 years ago, it was the center of a major empire, but its power and influence appears to have slightly declined over the past 1600 years or so......we're all holding our breath for a major comeback........

Haven't you heard of been there, done that? We've been there...yawn. We focus on the search for pleasure now.

There aren't many golfers in Italy, but it seems about 1 in 3 become successful pros. Which means about 1 in 3 Italian golfers don't have to pay for $600 wedges.

[dorkman53]

Haven't you heard of been there, done that? We've been there...yawn. We focus on the search for pleasure now.

There aren't many golfers in Italy, but it seems about 1 in 3 become successful pros. Which means about 1 in 3 Italian golfers don't have to pay for $600 wedges.

With the recent devaluation of the euro, they can't afford a good $1200 wedge........

[SoonerBS]

These are the kinds of distortions we all harbor because of Hollywood. Around the Nile they don't produce cavity backs, they produce blacks with cavities. And South America doesn't produce blades, it produces maids.

I don't know why I didn't notice this until now, but I think I definitely see a discrimination against blacks and Latinos in this post . . . . . .

[lorenzoinoc]

I don't know why I didn't notice this until now, but I think I definitely see a discrimination against blacks and Latinos in this post . . . . . .

Once a complete acceptance of all is achieved, one is able tease without hatred or bias.