"Forged feel", blech....

I'm selling off all my forged sets, going back to cast....

Never really experienced any "butter soft" feel that so many say is there. Owned plenty of Mizzy, Titleist, exotic Japanese forgings, they all felt hard as rocks to me.

Admittedly, my ballstriking is not optimal, and I am back to using my old Cally X20 Pros, but they feel better to me, softer.

Am I alone?

Requires a good strike on the sweet spot. Otherwise yea, gonna feel like a rock. A lot of multi-material cavity back designs dampen the feedback, so they aren't as harsh. But the blade guy will say that doesn't improve the feel, it just removes all the feel.

Personally, I can't stand MB forged irons. I need a little help.

A miss hit on a forged club definitely feels worse to me than a mishit on a cast club. However, I would not make that trade off to get rid of the feeling of a purely struck shot with a forged iron.

If the cast club has a better sweet-spot (COG) location for you, then they will feel better or "softer". Various brands and designs have sweet-spots that are in different positions, in both the vertical and horizontal directions on the face

A perfectly struck 4/5 iron Mizuno blade, AKA MP-4, MP-32, MP-33, etc. is a feeling like no other. You will know when you flushed it, and it is like a drug - you will want way more of it...

A perfectly struck 4/5 iron Mizuno blade, AKA MP-4, MP-32, MP-33, etc. is a feeling like no other. You will know when you flushed it, and it is like a drug - you will want way more of it...

That happens so rarely though, it's just not worth it.

I sold off my MP32s and 29s...

Forged VS Cast Part Deux?

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

The old adage that you have bitten off more than one can chew is quite applicable to golfers who start later in life... playing with blades. CB's are there to help the average golfer, use them.

If your ball striking isnt optimal then your premise already fell apart...

That being said, many cast clubs can hold their own in the 'feel' department. BUT If you strike a true soft forging with a good action consistently you'd never think what you do.

Strikers can tell the difference and appreciate a great forging.

The right shaft makes a big difference as well.

I did find some cast irons we’re surprisingly soft on feel such as the Mizuno HM and even Pings.

Even distance irons such as Srixons 565 were comparable feeling when you consider its not a full forging.

I disagree.

I know where this is going so we will agree to disagree but I’m basing my poll on my experience and engineering background.

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

 

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

 

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

You need to hit the center of the face...

No, you're likely not alone. I can tell the difference between my forged irons and my cast ones. Although the difference between my two main sets is pretty small.

And if you missing the sweet spot fairly consistently, you probably shouldn't even be playing blades. Forged or otherwise. JMO. :)

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

 

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

 

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

It's been discussed to no end, and even some tour level testing, but a purely hit shot with a "forged" head isn't going to feel too much different than purely his shot with a "cast" head. A "purely" struck shot is just that - perfectly centered both vertically/horizontally on the COG, and given the same shaft/grip, both will provide the same perception of "Feel".

Forging vs Cast doesn't make a club "feel" softer, unless it's mental. The design (MB vs CB), the shaft, and to a lesser extent the type of steel used can all make a difference in perceived "Feel", but just "Forged vs Cast" is overrated. A perfectly struck shot with a MB might feel marginally better than a perfectly struck shot with a CB, but not enough for most of us to notice.

Forged definitely feels/sounds amazing when you strike the sweet spot IMHO, but there's this false notion that cast is inherently more forgiving. It's not. It's just a different construction process.

While most Forged clubs tend to be players club designs (adding circumstantial weight to the myth) there are Forged clubs out there in more game improvement designs. Srixon and Wilson certainly come to mind.

I have a feeling this won't end well...

I disagree.

 

I know where this is going so we will agree to disagree but I’m basing my poll on my experience and engineering background.

 

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

 

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

 

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

Not sure what you disagree with and I certainly have no clue where I'm heading.

I do agree that the shaft plays a role in the feel of a club head.

I've put 12 sets of irons into play this year (blades/CBS/forged/cast/graphite/steel/different manufacturers) but am fully aware that my experiences may be different from the player in the next stall at the range.

Its been said but hitting the ball in the center of the club face makes a huge difference. It's one of the reasons I appreciate the one piece forgings, I like to get a little feedback when I miss.... But puring one is one of the greatest feelings ever.

IBTL, btw.

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

 

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

 

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

 

It's been discussed to no end, and even some tour level testing, but a purely hit shot with a "forged" head isn't going to feel too much different than purely his shot with a "cast" head. A "purely" struck shot is just that - perfectly centered both vertically/horizontally on the COG, and given the same shaft/grip, both will provide the same perception of "Feel".

 

Forging vs Cast doesn't make a club "feel" softer, unless it's mental. The design (MB vs CB), the shaft, and to a lesser extent the type of steel used can all make a difference in perceived "Feel", but just "Forged vs Cast" is overrated. A perfectly struck shot with a MB might feel marginally better than a perfectly struck shot with a CB, but not enough for most of us to notice.

All else being the same, yes I agree. Except all else isnt the same, the metals used in forgings are typically softer than those used in cast clubs and the club geometries that are attainable with each time of manufacturing process also plays a roll in terms of the size of the sweet spot. These differences can certainly play a roll in sound and haptic feedback, which translate to perceived "feel" .

Case in point, the last few generations of iphones that still have the home button. The home "button" doesn't translate, but sound and felt vibration are used to mimic that sensation.

What cracks me up is how people play forged irons and rave about the feel but pair them with cast wedges. Best example I can think of is playing Titlest or Mizuno blades with Cleveland 588s or Vokeys. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every set of players mb/cb irons I have played, but I think proportionally I have hit more full and partial wedge shots than anything else. Flushing center feels wonderful with either!

PXG ......nuff said

Forged hollow body ....forgiving as all getup .....very muted soft feel all over the face

I have a feeling this won't end well...

It never does.

It’s been discussed dozens of times. I’m not even going to inject my opinion. It’s like smacking your forehead into a wall.

When a forged club "feels like a rock", its telling you something is wrong with how you are striking the ball. Apparently, cast clubs don't translate that message well.

You need to hit the center of the face...

That's with any club, lol....

PXG ......nuff said

 

Forged hollow body ....forgiving as all getup .....very muted soft feel all over the face

Well yeah - SpeedFoam!

From what I gather, a small double blind test was done once where the exact same head was cast and forged and nobody could tell which was which. Maybe somebody with a better memory could fill in the details or correct me if I'm wrong about the result.

It's not so much the manufacturing process (forged vs cast) but rather the design of the head, quality of strike, and audio feedback that changes my 'perception' of feel.

 

A week ago I played a round in 30 - 45+ kmh winds. At times the howling of the wind made it difficult to hear the strike. Every shot felt different than normal. Almost a hollow sensation at impact. Good shots and not so good shots felt eerily similar. Only the thin stingers were really noticeable as I felt the shot in my hands.

 

Makes me wonder what I would think if I wore ear plugs during a round.

Commenting only on the bold part as it appears other sections of your post touched a nerve...

About five years ago, I was playing Mizuno MP-64 with Modus-3 120s and playing regularly at a course in very close proximity to a military airfield. There were aircraft in the landing pattern on a regular basis after a while you didn't really notice the noise. One day on a par three, with either a 7i or 8i, I hit my ball just as a jet was passing very nearly overhead (ie, 'normal' sound completely drowned out by the sound of freedom). I had absolutely no sensation whatsoever. As my head lifted during follow-through, I couldn't see the ball due to sun position. No sh!t, thought I had whiffed. I looked down, the ball was gone, there was a very slight divot in front of the tee that had been set just barely pround of the ground. My playing partner wondered what my issue was. I explained I felt nothing and wondered what had happened. He reported the ball was on the back of the green. Nearly identical scenario unfolded about a week later from the first cut of rough with a mid iron.

While that scenario (an utterly pured shot with very little ground impact and 'normal' sound completely overcome by jet noise) only occurred twice, there is no doubt in my mind that sound is about 90% of 'feel'.

Forged feeling softer than cast = BS (myth)

Muscle back (mb) blade clubs feel soft/pure on center strikes because the mass is directly behind the sweet spot.

The old adage that you have bitten off more than one can chew is quite applicable to golfers who start later in life... playing with blades. CB's are there to help the average golfer, use them.

... Really? I didn't start paying until I was 29. I started with MB's and played them for many years. Switching from Apex 99's to 962's was great for my game. And I made to to where I am today with CB's. Not making a MB vs CB argument, just that your statement is absolutely player dependent.