Blades and Cavity Back

[CG1MAN]

Originally Posted by bdcrowe

The argument for or against blades is a most moot point, and definitely can't be predicated on handicap. Blades or CBs are 80% about preference and 10% about whether one is willing to work often on their swing to see the true benefit of blades. The true benefit of blades is not working the ball, since most modern balls resist working anyway. It is the fact-- in my case-- that blades will give you a better swing if you work at using them. My swing is far more repeatable now with them. Mishits tell me more than with CBs. My personal findings are that distance penalties on mishits aren't much more than CBs, and direction penalties are actually less than with CBs. To judge someone's ability to use blades on handi alone is futile. I rarely break mid - low-80s. But that is because my driver and woods have been off, and my putting has been suspect at best. Irons are my strongest point, especially since ditching the CBs. Besides, the thin lines and small heads just look "right" to me, where they won't for everyone. Bottom line, use what you are comfortable with and what you are willing to invest your $ and practice time into. No one should play something just for looks, image, or worse still, because someone told them they should.

First statement i disagree with...most pros who play blades do so because they are able to work the ball easier. I was able to make a dulop rock bend left and right a considerable amount with a set of mizuno mp33's and could barely work a pro v1 with my CB's.

every pro shop club fitter has said that the best thing about blades is you have to have a very good swing that is repeatable to hit them, which means once you learn to hit them you have improved your golf swing....that can't be a bad thing.

thin top line is what i like the most...something about it just looks right. Another benefit of blades that may be overlooked...how many of you have ever missed a fairway with your drive and been in a buried lie in some tpc style rough. Well the smaller face of a blade is less likely to get tangled and twisted off line as the much larger CB faces.

Do you have to play a blade to be tour caliber....david toms just won the accenture wgc with the largest margin of victory in the tournaments history...6 and 5 playing, i believe, the cleveland ta6's....which are considered a beginners iron and he considers himself a top 10 calibur player now.

so it doesn't matter what you play...just commit to it and you'll be fine.

just my opinion.

[Silver]

Close CG1,

David Toms - 2005 WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship:

Driver Cleveland Launcher 460 Comp 9.5º
3 Wood Cleveland Launcher Comp 15º
5 Wood Cleveland Quadpro 19º
3 Iron Cleveland TA6
Irons (4-9) Cleveland CG2
Wedge (PW) Cleveland 588 49º
Wedge (SW) Cleveland CG10 56º
Wedge (LW) Cleveland CG10 60º
Putter Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Design Prototype
Ball Titleist New Pro V1



So...who sponsors him?

[CG1MAN]

i think its dunlop but not sure...that one cleveland club or so keeps throwing me.

thanks for the clarification...the 3 iron was but still he wasnt playing a mb blade...of course cg2's are as close as they come without being one.

[CG1MAN]

okay folks...here is the most amazing thing in the world....mizuno mp-32...it's a traditional mb blade but easy to hit like a perimeter weighted club...and long too. I just got done testing a set side by side with other blades and cb's. the mizuno blade 6 iron with my normal 80 percent swing carried 192 yds. average....that's about 10 yds longer than my 6 iron.... when i stepped on it i averaged 202 yds carry....yeah i know it seems ridiculous...i could shape shots and it looked fantastic....i'm sold as soon as i can get a set i will.

[690.CB]

Your carrying your 6 iron as far as Tiger, that's some big hitting.

[CG1MAN]

Originally Posted by 690.CB

Your carrying your 6 iron as far as Tiger, that's some big hitting.

only with the 32's....tiger isn't really insane long....the guy who got me started is about 160 lbs. 5'10" and he hits his old tommy armour 6 iron an average of 210 and as far as 220 when he stands on it. In fact the one iron that i carry i bought from him because he never had a reason to hit it....it was about a 300 yard club for him. he also carrys the same driver i do (cleveland 330 8.5 degree) and he hits that thing about 350 yards and i have even seen him put it out there about 385....it was that drive that set up his first eagle opprtunity....he was hitting a 52 degree into a par 5 for his second shot...

back to me though, my average 6 iron is usually 180....so that 32 going that far was very astonishing....now this was according to one of those machines and not on a range....not sure how much i trust those things.

[bdcrowe]

Originally Posted by CG1MAN

First statement i disagree with...most pros who play blades do so because they are able to work the ball easier. I was able to make a dulop rock bend left and right a considerable amount with a set of mizuno mp33's and could barely work a pro v1 with my CB's.

Disagree away. It doesn't change the fact that modern golf balls don't work nearly as easily as the old wound balls. All bets are off for those who hit 1 irons 300 yards tho. Some friend you have there.

[CG1MAN]

i would agree that modern balls don't shape as easily as balata balls did but who's playing those these days.... i mean most of tiger's most spectacular shots are big hooks and slices out of trouble and onto greens....if that's not working the ball i don't know what is....yeah he was a freak....he lives in baltimore now and i doubt i will see him again....

[CG1MAN]

Originally Posted by 690.CB

Your carrying your 6 iron as far as Tiger, that's some big hitting.

one other thing that seperates me and tiger in the 6 iron category....accuracy....i rarely hit greens with 6 irons...he rarely misses...so aside from the fact that he's 20 times better than me i'm almost as good as tiger....lol

[bdcrowe]

I think you're missing my point. One can work the ball, just not as easily as was done before. Even the pros are saying that these days working the ball isn't as big a part of the game as once before. Balls these days are produced with less spin off the tee for straighter shots and longer flight, but still retain spin for touch shots into the green. You look at the labels of 95% of balls on the shelf and see the claims of less spin off the tee. You do not get balls designed for straighter flight without giving up some shot-making capabilities.

[Jeff Gallo]

Originally Posted by AaA

When you guys talk about "working" the ball, you are referring to drawing and fading, for example, right? If that is the case, what makes it easier about blades to "work" the ball?

Thanks!

Blades are easier to work because they have neutral weighting and smaller clubheads. the smaller head means that it cuts divots smooter and neutral wieghting means that the clubface is easier to manipulate during the swing. Most Cavity back irons have a draw bias that is to say thier weighting makes them easier to to hit draws than fades, in other words the head balances slightly closed to counter act the common flaw of leaving the face open at impact. Blade irons on the other hand do not have this, they balance for a straight shot meaning that they are easier to change the flight with intentionally

[AaA]

Thanks to Jeff Gallo for answering my question. Much appreciated, my man!

[Clugnut]

Holy balls, this thread is three years old! How far back did you have to go for this one?

[dave.]

"most pros who play blades do so because they are able to work the ball easier. "

Thats totally and utterly false, they play blades because they like the shape of the head and other such aesthetics. Its been proven years ago that off the middle there is no difference at all in shaping a cavity back and blade.

3 years old or not myths need debunking