MP 18 SC - More forgiving than the blade?

[swing thoughts]

I'm getting some new (used, new for me) irons soon and really like the MP 18 SC. I currently play either mp 69's or Nike Vapor pros but want a little more forgiveness. Ive talked to some folks who are saying that their SC's aren't very forgiving, like only slightly more than the mp18 blades or other mizuno blade/musclebacks. Is this the experience you've had playing them? I think they just may be saying that to make their game look better, they're kind of that kind of guys. Thanks

[Gmack1973]

I got fitted for Mizunos in the summer, and i didnt see a huge difference between the sc18 and the mp18. I ended up getting the mmc fli hi in the 4 and 5 iron(bent 1 degree weak) as the 4 and 5 in both sc and mp werent that forgiving.

 

I have 6 to pw in mp18s. I hit them great.

 

I dont know if that means the sc18s arent forgiving, or the the mp18s are more forgiving than other blades, if that makes sense?? I certainly didnt notice a huge difference, and in fact in 2 fittings i hit the MP18s better, hence wjy i went with them.

 

I came from CF16s.

[MKPAPA]

Can't say for certain as I don't own a set of either, but I feel like its a common understanding that a cavity back is more forgiving than a muscle back.

With that said, Maltby says otherwise: https://www.golfworks.com/images/art/MPF_MIZUNO.pdf

 

If MPF is not relative to forgiveness, someone please chime in. I could be wrong

[bcsquare]

I've got a set of MP-18 in 5-PW. During the fitting, I didn't see any difference in numbers or perceived forgiveness between the MB and SC. Misses went the same distance and direction. The only thing that was different to me was that the SC was slightly thicker on the top line and didn't feel as soft when struck out the center.

[Schulzmc]

I played about 15 rounds with the MP-18 SC and found my MP-5's to be more forgiving.

[TCZ]

I played the SCs for a while and just found them to be 'meh' in all categories.

I would say they were similar to my Apex Pros and 716 CBs in terms of forgiveness.

[Argonne69]

I played about 15 rounds with the MP-18 SC and found my MP-5's to be more forgiving.

 

I played MP-5's for two seasons. I purchased an MP-18 SC 7 iron to try for a few rounds, thinking it might be slightly more forgiving. However, after a few rounds I found that the MP-5s were just as forgiving, if not more so.

[WidespreadPanic]

I was convinced I was going to finally replace my MP33’s with the SC’s. After testing the SC’s, the 900T, the 18 MB, and testing them, and testing, and not being able to decide, I went with the JPX 919T. They were never on my radar to begin with but they ended up being the most forgiving of them all. I was pretty confused about it to be honest. I couldn’t understand why I hit them better than the SC, but I did. I also like the shape of them more. So before you buy them, hit them.

[mahonie]

I can’t speak from personal experience, but one of my mates put a combo set of SCs and MBs together and wished he’d gone full MB. He thinks the SCs are less forgiving and don’t feel as good as the MBs.

[swing thoughts]

I got fitted for Mizunos in the summer, and i didnt see a huge difference between the sc18 and the mp18. I ended up getting the mmc fli hi in the 4 and 5 iron(bent 1 degree weak) as the 4 and 5 in both sc and mp werent that forgiving.

 

I have 6 to pw in mp18s. I hit them great.

 

I dont know if that means the sc18s arent forgiving, or the the mp18s are more forgiving than other blades, if that makes sense?? I certainly didnt notice a huge difference, and in fact in 2 fittings i hit the MP18s better, hence wjy i went with them.

 

I came from CF16s.

That makes perfect sense. Thanks for the feedback.

[EliasMal]

I have 7-pw mp18 and 5, 6 sc. I feel that the sc are more forgiving and produce a higher flight, especially when caught a little lower on the face.

 

[Chuck905]

I own a set of the blades and 900T, would recommend either one or the other and dismiss the SC.

 

The SC take as much skill as the blade to put in play but the blades are way ahead in feel.

 

The 900T, which I played a round a couple days ago are easy to hit and out perform them all at the expense of a firmer clicky feel thru impact.

 

Somebody mentioned the 919T, I haven’t hit them yet but can imagine they improved the feel with their new HD grain process.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

I'm getting some new (used, new for me) irons soon and really like the MP 18 SC.

if you're going used shop around for a set of MP 62,63,64 irons first. IMO three of the best (which one is "best" could be WRX debated to death) in that iron category MIZUNO has ever made. And I'd play any of them over the MP18-SC.

 

(edit: to give my opinion context I staffed sets of the MP62 , MP63, and MP4, and currently have MP18 blades)

 

KLP

[BCULAW]

I'm getting some new (used, new for me) irons soon and really like the MP 18 SC.

if you're going used shop around for a set of MP 62,63,64 irons first. IMO three of the best (which one is "best" could be WRX debated to death) in that iron category MIZUNO has ever made. And I'd play any of them over the MP18-SC.

 

(edit: to give my opinion context I staffed sets of the MP62 , MP63, and MP4, and currently have MP18 blades)

 

KLP

 

Boy, those MP63s were really an afterthought in comparison to the 62s and 64s. I liked all 3 sets, but thought the 63s were fantastic performers. Longer for me than the other two with slightly denser feel, IMO. The other two were better looking, but the 63s played better.

 

As for the 18s, I think the differences within the MP line are more about trajectory than forgiveness. MBs will launch a little lower (i.e., be a little harder to elevate) than the SCs, but the actual difference in forgiveness is pretty negligible.

 

 

 

[RodC]

Well, I haven’t played the MB but I come from TM M2 irons.

I’m 14 HC and I can tell the MP18SC ARE NOT difficult to play for me.

 

I love them. I have a set of p790 which has only two rounds ... because the MPsc’s are reallly great.

 

One thing I can tell is the correct shaft makes all the difference. I got them with Steelfiber i110 stiff and I really struggled. I replaced the shaft to SFi95 and wow. Different set.

[nofxnate28]

Im trying to decide between the mp18 SC and jpx919T. Are the tours really more forgiving!?

[noodle3872]

When I had the SC and MB sets, the only difference I could find was how the wider sole of the SC offered a bit more margin for error on heavy strikes.

[dunn]

MP18 is a design that's been around for along time....I played both SC and MP18 and there isnt much between em....sure there is cuz of cavity but its prolly on slight misses....

 

Wasnt really a fan of either, but i do love mizuno irons....

 

Probably has more to do with ballflight than anything

[kiwii]

I feel like the actual forgiveness is minimal it is more mental than anything. The slight cavity back provides the golfer slightly more confidence. The feel is slightly hotter off the face on the SC and the MB is more solid.

[Superbrit]

I love mine, and the MMC's in the long irons are also really good, my only gripe is the pitching wedge, a bit big and doesn't seem to match the rest of the set, think im going to change it to a SM7

[rxk9fan]

Maybe a little OT, but I have read and I agree there is not a lot of difference between the SC and MMC. This weekend the MMC made their 3rd trip to the course with me after a long year trying to get back into golf at a decent level. This year I played:MP18- MMC,i200,1210,P750,P770,X-Forged,CB, MP5, and could be forgetting a couple.

IMO, the MMC is the most forgiving (the way I judge forgiveness on the course) of the bunch. The big difference for me is that while I hit some greens with all, I was not getting close to the pin near often enough with most. The MP18 MMC is forgiving enough to help some less than good swings, but the good swings give me very, very predictable results. I FINALLY shot even last round for the first time all year and that is because the MMC excelled in tough wind conditions giving the exact flight and distance I expected with my swing.

In my head, I judge forgiveness by:

1. What does it do if I miss the center of the face.

2. Also, what does it do if I miss the center with a closed or open face when trying to hit draws and cuts.

3. What does it do when you have a crap lie (in the rough, setting down in a divot, etc.).

 

For me, clubs like the i210 excelled from the short fairway if you had a wide open shot to the green where trajectory did not matter. They were horribly unforgiving if I was in the rough and needed to keep the ball under tree limbs, ball in divots and the shot required anything low, etc.. The CB was beautiful on straight shots, but my amateur swing overcooked cuts and draws into the wind.

 

The MMC and P770 were for me the most forgiving clubs I have played on the course when different shots demand different trajectory, movement, etc.

 

Just one guys thoughts!

[Ryan5508]

I have a mixed set of pw-6 mp18 blades. 4-5 SC. 3 FLI-HI.

 

I wish I would have went full blades. I hit them better and they look better. never noticed any extra forgivess with the SC's.

[moadhia]

Im trying to decide between the mp18 SC and jpx919T. Are the tours really more forgiving!?

 

No noticeable difference between the two. 18sc has a slightly smaller blade length. I have the 919T and hit 18sc when I was deciding to buy. If you are after forgiveness, these are not the right club. They both provide great feedback and give you the ability to vary the trajectory of your shots.

 

If that's not what you want, look elsewhere. Maybe check 919F or 919HM

[WidespreadPanic]

Im trying to decide between the mp18 SC and jpx919T. Are the tours really more forgiving!?

From the 900T to the 919T they made the sole wider and moved more weight to the toe, both of which made it more forgiving (compared to the 900).I prefer the head shape of the 919T to the SC when at address,, so I honestly didn’t give the SC the full treatment. I just fell in love the with T. I could easily play the SC though. They are slightly more forgiving than the blade. It’s like when people said the MP 30 was harder to hit than the 33. I played both and that just wasn’t true. The SC have a wider cambered sole which alone makes them more playable than the blades. The cavity back allows them to move weight around the head to make it more forgiving. You need to hit them and decide for yourself though.

[Cwebb]

Can't say for certain as I don't own a set of either, but I feel like its a common understanding that a cavity back is more forgiving than a muscle back.

With that said, Maltby says otherwise: https://www.golfwork.../MPF_MIZUNO.pdf

 

If MPF is not relative to forgiveness, someone please chime in. I could be wrong

 

The "SC" have a high sweet-spot (AVCOG) at .906". This is counter productive for most players, especially in a longer iron.

 

The MP-18 Fli Hi have an AVCOG of .738"

[swing thoughts]

Can't say for certain as I don't own a set of either, but I feel like its a common understanding that a cavity back is more forgiving than a muscle back.

With that said, Maltby says otherwise: https://www.golfwork.../MPF_MIZUNO.pdf

 

If MPF is not relative to forgiveness, someone please chime in. I could be wrong

 

The "SC" have a high sweet-spot (AVCOG) at .906". This is counter productive for most players, especially in a longer iron.

 

The MP-18 Fli Hi have an AVCOG of .738"

Does that mean that balls struck lower on the face are punished?

[Cwebb]

Can't say for certain as I don't own a set of either, but I feel like its a common understanding that a cavity back is more forgiving than a muscle back.

With that said, Maltby says otherwise: https://www.golfwork.../MPF_MIZUNO.pdf

 

If MPF is not relative to forgiveness, someone please chime in. I could be wrong

 

The "SC" have a high sweet-spot (AVCOG) at .906". This is counter productive for most players, especially in a longer iron.

 

The MP-18 Fli Hi have an AVCOG of .738"

Does that mean that balls struck lower on the face are punished?

 

Yes. Solid contact in the 'vertical aspect' of impact, comes from getting the COG of the head design at or better yet below the center (COG) of the ball. The center of a ball is .840", so any head design with an Actual Vertical COG that is higher than that, tends to more difficult to hit for most players.

 

So in the example above, the Fli-Hi has more room to work with in the vertical aspect of contact.....making them easier to hit and "more playable" for most.

 

For reference, your Mp-69's were measured at .790" and the Vapor Pros at .885"

[Z1ggy16]

Not exactly what you asked but I hit the SC's vs the 919 Forged and found the forged's to be much more forgiving in terms of flight and ball speed. The SC's felt and seemed to play much more like a true blade... just a touch bigger than the regular MP18.

 

Edit: And if I'm read this maltby table right... the "MPF" number would indicate that higher number = easier to hit. If that's the case... the SC's are be harder to hit than the 900 tours (135 vs 355). Heck... even the bladed MP-18 is 284! It's actually the lowest MPF on the whole list.. less than MP18 blades and also less than MP4 and 5 blades, which look to be fairly forgiving for blades.

[swing thoughts]

It's interesting that all the more "professional" reviews say the SC is much more forgiving than the blade, but everything I've heard here and on the course is the opposite. Makes you wonder about those reviewers...

 

I'm torn because I hit them and a couple other irons when getting fitted for iron shafts and hit them well and loved them, but that was indoors on a mat and a machine, so my experience on the course could be completely different. Sucks because I've had my heart on them for a while now but everyone says they are pretty difficult to hit! Oh, well, such is life.

[Cwebb]

Not exactly what you asked but I hit the SC's vs the 919 Forged and found the forged's to be much more forgiving in terms of flight and ball speed. The SC's felt and seemed to play much more like a true blade... just a touch bigger than the regular MP18.

 

Edit: And if I'm read this maltby table right... the "MPF" number would indicate that higher number = easier to hit. If that's the case... the SC's are be harder to hit than the 900 tours (135 vs 355). Heck... even the bladed MP-18 is 284! It's actually the lowest MPF on the whole list.. less than MP18 blades and also less than MP4 and 5 blades, which look to be fairly forgiving for blades.

 

Any design that has a sweet-spot (AVCOG) higher than .840" is penalized in the MPF. A higher sweet-spot is simply "harder to find" on a consistent basis from normal to tighter lies (not an 'up' lie), for most players