Blades and Cavity Back

[AaA]

At what point in one's game would blades become more valuable to their overall game play? I don't know too much about the differences, but here is what I do know: blades are less forgiving and therefore hard to hit well for amateurs. There sweet spot is smaller, however, it is also more significant in reward. Also, based on the last thread that I started (backspin like the pro's), someone chimed in about blades having traditionally been better in providing spin due to their forged material and softer face. However, cavity backs may have this as well.

Anyway, I was wondering why some of you would choose blades and others play with cavity backs? Is there anything that significantly stands out about the positive effects of either one? I've hit my friends blades at the range before (only a few shots) and didn't notice much of a difference, but I'm sure I would need to try them out in a round or so to be more observant of how they reacted.

Thanks!!

[The master]

At what point in one's game would blades become more valuable to their overall game play? I don't know too much about the differences, but here is what I do know: blades are less forgiving and therefore hard to hit well for amateurs. There sweet spot is smaller, however, it is also more significant in reward. Also, based on the last thread that I started (backspin like the pro's), someone chimed in about blades having traditionally been better in providing spin due to their forged material and softer face. However, cavity backs may have this as well.

Anyway, I was wondering why some of you would choose blades and others play with cavity backs? Is there anything that significantly stands out about the positive effects of either one? I've hit my friends blades at the range before (only a few shots) and didn't notice much of a difference, but I'm sure I would need to try them out in a round or so to be more observant of how they reacted.

Thanks!!

Blades are perferred by the better player for really only one reason easier to work the ball which is vital on tour,, for players the likes off Jim furyk would maybe play cavitys because his siwng doesn't allow for quite as much error as say ernies.

As for spin I would have to disagree with blades have more spin, I think really all you need to have is clean grooves and play with a softer ball.

If you would like to work the ball more and have more feel then change to blades if not cavitys will be best for you they are mroe forgiving and will hit the ball higher.

[690.CB]

I've just changed to cavity's after 10 years with blades aqn I play off 4. Modern cavity blades such as the 690.CB's I use are easily as workable as any blade and if anything provide more feel.

I wouldn't say there is any reason for an amateur to switch from cavity's to blades as it just adds difficulty to the game. You need to strike the ball from the middle of the club 100% of the time or you'll suffer the consequences.

Only real reason for blades is if you prefer them and they inspire confidence in your swing.

If your playing bad with blades it is far more difficult to get back on track than it is with cavity's.

[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!

[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.

[Rockford35]

I would have to agree, Crowe, it's all personal.

That being said, I read an interesting article last week written by a club maker and teacher. Both of them insisted that unless you practice everyday, play more than 200 times a year on top of that and carry a scratch handicap, there is no reason for you to be playing blades. They said that any of the new cavity back clubs that are designed as scoring clubs will reproduce any shot hit on the PGA without having insanely accurate clubhead speed and control.

Basically, if you're Vijay play blades. If you are any of us, play a club that is going to make your scores improve.

I identified with what they were saying, to a point. I mean, hitting a blade consistently well takes alot of skill - otherwise we'd all have them, right? However, many peopl will often sacrifice the perfect shot over feel. I mean, blades feel fantastic the 3 times out of 10 that you hit it perfect. But wouldn't you rather have 7 out of 10 with a cavity back? The math works for me, but everything on paper works, right?

Having been practicing with a forged blade the last month or so, i can honestly say that I understand what they are saying in this article. You really have to be on your game to hit blades well. And, after hitting a blade for a week straight, going to a "pro series scoring iron" like a X-16 Pro is like hitting the ball with a tennis racket in terms of sweet spot. You become so much more consistent and even if you are off by 1/32", it's no big deal.

Now, clubs can't help your swing. And good swings always allow people to hit basically any club out there. But unless you are playing below a 5 handicap, i really think that the new cavity back and forgiving irons out on the market are an asset over being a liability. They may not look as swank, but your scorecard will thank you.

Just my thoughts.

R35

[spankdoggie]

I have never broken 90, and I own a good set of Golfsmith blades. I love playing with them...

I would not let any bastard tell me what to play or not to play... When I used to play, I fluctuated regularly between my blades and cavity backs...

Get the blades you bastards.

You won't regret it... I never regretted my choice; in fact, I played better with my blades than cavity backs; go figure...

spankdoggie baller holler shotcaller

[Rockford35]

Never broken 90, plays with blades. Maybe this has something to say about your game, Spank.

You also mentioned "when I used to play", which I would guess would mean a while back. Cavity back irons today are much better than they have ever been. Have you ever hit a Big Bertha or a Ping HL? It's like cheating, almost.

I agree, no one should or can tell you what to play. I just somewhat see some validity in what these guys were saying. You might as well play what makes it easiest for you to score best, nothing less, nothing more. Otherwise, you have sub-par irons or you have irons that are making it more difficult for you to succeed.

I think that's a fair assessment, don't you? Play whatever you like, this game is always in the eye of the beholder.

Cheers,

R35

[Bravo]

I've just changed to cavity's after 10 years with blades aqn I play off 4. Modern cavity blades such as the 690.CB's I use are easily as workable as any blade and if anything provide more feel.

I wouldn't say there is any reason for an amateur to switch from cavity's to blades as it just adds difficulty to the game. You need to strike the ball from the middle of the club 100% of the time or you'll suffer the consequences.

Only real reason for blades is if you prefer them and they inspire confidence in your swing.

If your playing bad with blades it is far more difficult to get back on track than it is with cavity's.

I am curious. What did you play with before you made the switch?

[Golfbum]

Why not get the best of both worlds? Feel and shotmaking ability and forgiveness with a forged cavity back iron. Makes sense to me. Plus this crap about a guy like Furyk playing CB's because his swing is not consistant enough to hit blades is BS. He has one of the most consistant swings on tour. Sure he might not blast it out there 330+ all day, in the rough. But he hits fairways then greens. You don't win a US Open by missing greens all day.

To each his own when it comes to what irons you play, just don't get caught up in this MACHO THING that real golfers hit blades and hacks hit CB's.

I wonder why OEM's make cavity backs? Because they help you play better and is that not the bottom line here? To go score as well as you can with the swing you have and enjoy the game of golf?

Unless you have 2 hours a day to hit balls at the range you will not have the perfectly grooved swing. So why make the game any harder for yourself by playing blades that have a small sweet spot? Then again maybe you like being frustrated at not being able to break 90 every time you tee it up.

Hey I play to a 5 index and I do not play blades and have no intentions of ever playing them. I am however thinking about buying forged cavity back irons such as the Titleist 690CB's. Best of both worlds in those irons, soft feel and forgiveness on mishit shots. A + index golfer I know does not play blades, he uses Pings. Last years Club Champion at my course does not use blades. To be honest I don't know anyone at my course who plays blades. And that includes our CPGA Pro.

And don't forget to get fit for whatever irons you decide to buy. Would you buy a $800 suit right off the rack? Not likely so why buy a $800 set of irons off the rack?

JMO

[Youngun5]

"To each his own when it comes to what irons you play, just don't get caught up in this MACHO THING that real golfers hit blades and hacks hit CB's."




LET IT GO!!!!!!!! sheesh,

i was hardly part of that thread and i'm sick of it, I agree with everyone's thoughts that it is all personal preference, hopefully no results from some robot test will influence anyone's decision, i know it won't mine, i'm gonna be playing what i think gives me the best chance to shoot low and i think that blades will let me do that, now that the h.s. season starts i will get to play every day and my ballstriking and swing will hopefully improve, its all personal, i take my blades, rock will take his stinking callaway tennis raquets......... point being that it doesn't matter, its whatever you feel comfortable with, could be blades, could be CB's could be a $1k set or could be a $150 its all you man, with technology on the rise clubs are becoming better and better, as far as playing blades to work the ball, crowe i think was right, today's balls don't work at all hardly, i could work the ball more easily with my supersteels, which are huge CB's but with relatively no offset, personally, i still look back and may regret switching irons when i did, i was as good as i had ever been and switched irons which may have costed me going to the h.s. state championship this year, i'm just now getting back to form as i've gone through several swing changes....

this post has gone on way too long to say that you should play what you feel best with

[Loop]

I play with blades MB because:
1. they're nice looking
2. clubhead is small. I know where the sweetspot is.
3. Sole is narrow.
4. Minimum to no offset. Actually I hate offset...

Reasons I don't play with CB
1. Sole is too wide.
2. Clubhead mainly oversize.
3. Clubs like BB or Ping G2 have huge offset...

I would consider using an MP30 though
I completely agree with bdcrowe that distance penalty on mis-hits with MB aren't that much different than CB...

IMO, it's just a matter of preference.

[AaA]

Well, the one screaming consistency is this: like many things in life, it's all a matter of personal preference. I didn't mean to start a mini-war, but nonetheless, thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm perfectly happy with my CB's!

[690.CB]

I am curious. What did you play with before you made the switch?

Daiwa DG273's, beautiful set of irons. Took me 10 years to find a set of irons that come close, and in my eyes the only set that does, is what I know play with. Titleist 690.CB's.

Hit the new snake eyes blades/cavity's at the weekend, very impressed with them too. They're cavity long irons and blade short irons.

[mediaguru]

"Game improvement" clubs to me: Offset, cavity back with large heads typically.

With these types of clubs I can't "work" the ball and hit a light fade or draw as easily. I find that my Hogan's which are a muscle back/blade are much more "straight" than my old callaways.

With my forged hogans I find that "feedback" is amazing. When I bought them the salesman kept dropping the word "feedback" all the time. Playing my old big berthas I had not idea what feedback was. I do now. With feedback you know exactly how you hit the shot. With a "game improvement" club it doesn't matter as much if you are hitting the center of the club face and you don't generally know it anyway. With forged blades you do know and you can improve your game with that knowledge.

When I miss the center on my hogans, I loose about 10 yards but the go straight.

The one HUGE difference I noticed is this: With my callaways I could swing 80-110% and the ball would always fly the same distance. With forged hogans I can actually "step on" a shot to get a couple more yards. I can take something off and reduce it by a couple of yards. So I'd say that DISTANCE CONTROL is something nobody has mentioned in this discussion but is a HUGE factor. My callaway SW went 100 yards all the time. My hogan SW goes 100 yards with a perfect swing. If I need 105 I can swing a little harder. If I need 90, I can hit it 90%. The distance control is amazing.