My Experience Gaming Blades as a Mid-High Handicapper

[arbeck]

This is pretty laughable reading guys. Made me smile today.

 

Bottom line is there is little perceivable "forgiveness" in club design and the difference is not significant Much of it is marketing hype. The swing determines the result much moreso than the club being used. No club is going to bail out a less than perfect swing.

 

You can design a club with quite a bit of forgiveness if you want. It's just that people don't really understand what forgiveness is a lot of the time. You can use perimeter weighting to increase the MOI and make the club less likely to twist on off center hits. You can design a face with different characteristics across it such that ball speed remains fairly constant on hits that aren't in the center. You can put the weight down low to help increase the launch angel.

 

But that's about all you can do.

 

The biggest problem with GI clubs is that the companies mainly work on increasing ball speed and launch. That means that people with normal-ish swing speeds need to have their lofts lowered to keep the ball from going way too high. The less loft decreases forgiveness some and the lower loft decreases spin, which hurts consistency.

 

What makes a "players cb" a good club for a lot of people is that they take the forgiving aspects of a GI club (consistent ball speed across the face, higher MOI, and higher launch) but don't try to maximize ball speed. That means they can keep the lofts the same (which makes them easier to hit) and helps consistency.

[chisag]

This is pretty laughable reading guys. Made me smile today.

 

Bottom line is there is little perceivable "forgiveness" in club design and the difference is not significant Much of it is marketing hype. The swing determines the result much moreso than the club being used. No club is going to bail out a less than perfect swing.

 

Sounds like blade marketing to me.

 

... With 1% of OEM sales going to MB's, even they don't market them. :lol: But this has been a real eye opener for me. I am heading out to play Papago in Phoenix where I usually shoot around par but now that I know how bad my Cobra Forged Tour irons are for my game I am expecting to shoot in the 90's. How can I concentrate now that I know my GI's can't even get thru the turf causing errant shots both right and left. They have a much lighter swing weight than MB's so now I also expect to have swing issues. My 5 iron is really a 6 iron so now I am unsure how far any shot will travel. But most importantly, I will be swinging out of my shoes because my GI's will mask any swing mistake I make OR simultaneously they aren't any more forgiving than MB's because forgiveness is all just marketing hype and I am destined to hit a poor shot with a slight mishit.

 

... And if that weren't enough to completely destroy my round today, I still have my P790 4 iron in the bag which I use several times a round and of course now I know it will just explode with a flyer 25yds over the green on a perfectly struck shot. If I didn't already have a tee time, I would just take up tennis again ... using an older smaller headed wooden racket of course.

[gibbyfan]

There are so many variables to this thread that it is laughable. First, I am sure there are a tremendous amount of members here that are absolutely amazing ball stickers. Then there is a camp of people that feel that club choice should be based off of handicap. That is a terrible stereotype. Second, a 3 at one course or club is not the same at another. Duh! Just because he is a mid-handicap should have no baring. He may play at a really difficult track.

Also, since you are on Wrx you are fully aware that certain spec/grinds benefit other players better than some. I know that first hand. I went to the Apex pro last year and could not control the distance gaps. I went back to more of a traditional players cavity this season( and in limited time playing) I am seeing the ability to control flight and distance again. Something that was lacking all last year. I am not sure if I have the All around game to play them, but signs are showing promise. To the OP, thank you for sharing your experience. It is a reminder to all that this is a game and games should be fun. If your fun is the struggle to hit quality shots, then so be it. If others version of fun is to shoot the lowest scores then get fit and get after it. Don't begrudge another because they wanted to try something different and brings him joy.

 

 

The whole point of the HC rating system course rating/slope is so that your scoring relative to the course is taken into consideration - what are you evening trying to say? Of course some clubs are going to feel more comfortable than others - golf is about feels and comfortability with your clubs. If OP likes his clubs then great. No chance miss hitting an MP18 is helping him more than if he was miss hitting a 919 Forged or something else Mizuno makes. I guarantee you he would score better with a cavity. Guarantee.

If you read through the replies, I was gaming JPX 900 HM prior to these, and my handicap has gone down. Guarantee.

 

Mkay. Well I'm playing better with AP2 than I was with my old AP1 but that's due to working on my swing not the club. We are talking slight mishit results. They are better with perimeter weighting. I really don't care what you play. There's a reason pros often don't play full sets of blades anymore and many opt for combo sets. Enjoy fantasy land.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I didn't write out my response as well as I intended. I was making a couple of connections. First is that handicap should not fully dictate your selection of clubs. My second point was that the OP characterized himself as a midcap. I was trying to state that handicap is very arbitrary when characterizing your game based off of the course you play. I live in the Chicago burbs. At my club, I am a 3 if I literally walk across the street to another club, I would need to play well to break 80 ( thus making me closer to a mid capper)

 

As to your guarantee at the end of your post, then that is a pretty strong statement. We, as golfers( humans) have certain strengths and weaknesses. As a golfer, the OP, states that he is poor from 50 yards and in. Aside from 50 yards and in he very well might have poor course strategy... who knows.

 

Comparing club choice based off of what is in a pro's bag is also a little off as well. Many play blades and many play mixed bags. They are also playing for an OEM which has a financial interest in what they are promoting. Furthermore professionals play on fast rock hard greens which requires a different type of landing and spin. So, making the connection that pros aren't all playing blades means that others shouldn't? Tiger, hits the driver all over the place.. should he be using 12* M6 with a blue board profile? No. he plays what he wants to play and the look he likes...same as the OP.

[lenman73]

It's amazing that golf survived for over 300 years before the ping eye 2 irons were released. Oh the horror..... I have real world concerns like health, work, future prosperity. Looking down at a 4 iron blade does not cause me the angst it does for some here apparently.

[revanant]

I am actually going to put this into practice this season.

 

As of today, I'm a 27 handicap. I first picked up a club 3 years ago. My second year, I didn't play much. Last season, I played nearly every weekend.

 

In October, I moved to a building with a TrueGolf simulator, so I've been able to practice a lot during the off-season and during the week.

 

My game took a big leap forward when I bought a Mizuno T-Zoid Pro 6 iron for practice, and found that the club improved my ability to find the center of irons very rapidly and efficiently. The highlight of my golf season last year was nailing my first true birdie via a good drive and a 7 iron that I stuck within 3 feet on a par 4, via an intentional draw with a T-Zoid Pro.

 

Iron-wise, I have Mizuno MP-4s sitting in my bag. I practiced a bunch with them during the offseason, but haven't hit a real hole on real grass yet with them. That being said, since I was able to function pretty well with T-Zoids, I think turf interaction will be fine.

 

I have hopes to drop 10 strokes from my handicap with continued practice. My theory is that the blades will help, rather than hurt, because they keep my misses from going long and offline, and they give me true feedback about when my swing is working and I'm making good contact.

 

If I'm wrong, my investment was $280. But honestly, I find my misses with blades really aren't that bad, while my good shots feel amazing and are truly memorable. I play recreationally, and if I can walk out of a round with one or two great shots or memories, I count the day a great success. As a beginner who treats every round as practice and learning, I think blades are the right choice for me. :)

[mwcallison]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

[farmer]

I'm 68 and learned to play with a late 60's set of Walter Hagen's I bought used from a friend of my Dad. Modern blades are a completely different animal than my old Haig's. The true old school blades had the cog close to the heel, modern ones have it more toward the center of the club. So, they are easier to play. I've now gone full circle and play hybrids through the 7. Love them. They are ugly, but efficient for my old body, with old guy loss of speed. I hovered around a 2 for 40 years or so, now, with my hybrids and moving up, I'm still able to keep it around 5. Long ago, I learned that style points are not awarded in golf, so I have always played what gives me the biggest chance for success.

[slip8910]

Being a 15.4 handicap due to short game and putting is borderline impossible. The math doesn’t work, unless your home course is Augusta or you consistently 4 putt / take multiple shots in the green complex to hit the green on multiple holes per round.

 

That said, play whatever you find fun! It’s recreation. But you show me a 15 who thinks he/she’s got a good long game and I’ll show you a golfer who isn’t very self-aware.

 

I think you'd be shocked by how bad some of us are around the greens :-(.

[socalbonzi]

What is more fruitless: a person trying to justify why he plays a certain club, or someone trying to justify why said person shouldn’t play those clubs?

 

Nobody cares what anyone plays. Not sure why some try to convince others of something that just isn’t true.

After reading through this thread, I'd argue that there are plenty of people who care what other people play. Do I know why? Not at all. But they definitely do exist :)

[AutomaticTwoDown]

Being a 15.4 handicap due to short game and putting is borderline impossible. The math doesn’t work, unless your home course is Augusta or you consistently 4 putt / take multiple shots in the green complex to hit the green on multiple holes per round.

 

That said, play whatever you find fun! It’s recreation. But you show me a 15 who thinks he/she’s got a good long game and I’ll show you a golfer who isn’t very self-aware.

 

I think you'd be shocked by how bad some of us are around the greens :-(.

Nobody is shocked at how bad some short games are. However, the amount of 15 handicaps who claim to be great ball strikers is shocking. The OP said he hits 6 greens in regulation per round, then backtracked to say it’s closer to 2 or 3 GIRs per round.

 

These great ball strikers should be hitting 67% of the greens, and shouldn’t be left with difficult chips. So it stands to reason that these GBS’s should be able to get up and down at least a couple of times per round.

 

Something isn’t adding up, and I think it’s that a lot of 15 handicappers

[Tree Levino]

I am actually going to put this into practice this season.

 

As of today, I'm a 27 handicap. I first picked up a club 3 years ago. My second year, I didn't play much. Last season, I played nearly every weekend.

 

In October, I moved to a building with a TrueGolf simulator, so I've been able to practice a lot during the off-season and during the week.

 

My game took a big leap forward when I bought a Mizuno T-Zoid Pro 6 iron for practice, and found that the club improved my ability to find the center of irons very rapidly and efficiently. The highlight of my golf season last year was nailing my first true birdie via a good drive and a 7 iron that I stuck within 3 feet on a par 4, via an intentional draw with a T-Zoid Pro.

 

Iron-wise, I have Mizuno MP-4s sitting in my bag. I practiced a bunch with them during the offseason, but haven't hit a real hole on real grass yet with them. That being said, since I was able to function pretty well with T-Zoids, I think turf interaction will be fine.

 

I have hopes to drop 10 strokes from my handicap with continued practice. My theory is that the blades will help, rather than hurt, because they keep my misses from going long and offline, and they give me true feedback about when my swing is working and I'm making good contact.

 

If I'm wrong, my investment was $280. But honestly, I find my misses with blades really aren't that bad, while my good shots feel amazing and are truly memorable. I play recreationally, and if I can walk out of a round with one or two great shots or memories, I count the day a great success. As a beginner who treats every round as practice and learning, I think blades are the right choice for me. :)

 

 

Practice will drop your HC. Blades will not.

[cliffhanger]

I am actually going to put this into practice this season.

 

As of today, I'm a 27 handicap. I first picked up a club 3 years ago. My second year, I didn't play much. Last season, I played nearly every weekend.

 

In October, I moved to a building with a TrueGolf simulator, so I've been able to practice a lot during the off-season and during the week.

 

My game took a big leap forward when I bought a Mizuno T-Zoid Pro 6 iron for practice, and found that the club improved my ability to find the center of irons very rapidly and efficiently. The highlight of my golf season last year was nailing my first true birdie via a good drive and a 7 iron that I stuck within 3 feet on a par 4, via an intentional draw with a T-Zoid Pro.

 

Iron-wise, I have Mizuno MP-4s sitting in my bag. I practiced a bunch with them during the offseason, but haven't hit a real hole on real grass yet with them. That being said, since I was able to function pretty well with T-Zoids, I think turf interaction will be fine.

 

I have hopes to drop 10 strokes from my handicap with continued practice. My theory is that the blades will help, rather than hurt, because they keep my misses from going long and offline, and they give me true feedback about when my swing is working and I'm making good contact.

 

If I'm wrong, my investment was $280. But honestly, I find my misses with blades really aren't that bad, while my good shots feel amazing and are truly memorable. I play recreationally, and if I can walk out of a round with one or two great shots or memories, I count the day a great success. As a beginner who treats every round as practice and learning, I think blades are the right choice for me. :)

 

 

Practice will drop your HC. Blades will not.

The OP believes they will, or at least a with combination of both, how can you argue with that? And i say that based on the OP's comments in this thread, not in a mid cap generalization.

[Fried Slice]

Put a good move on any club and you'll get good results. Put a bad move on any club results will vary. Forgiveness in golf is defininety over emphasized but the fact is that a CB will help the bad swings.

 

I will be playing blades this year but I have other iron sets to go to when my swing isn't clean.

 

Good luck OP! I hope you have fun with the new sticks!

[Jack Pearsall]

Every day it’s a different game. Your game’s score variability moves around depending on your skills. A guy who shoots 80 might have only one aspect suck per round, generally, while someone shooting 93 regularly has maybe three. A club with a bigger sweet spot would more impact the many more subpar shots of a higher handicapped player. Plus better players can laugh at the awful looking GI clubs the hacks use.

[BiggErn]

Every day it’s a different game. Your game’s score variability moves around depending on your skills. A guy who shoots 80 might have only one aspect suck per round, generally, while someone shooting 93 regularly has maybe three. A club with a bigger sweet spot would more impact the many more subpar shots of a higher handicapped player. Plus better players can laugh at the awful looking GI clubs the hacks use.

 

Or maybe the +HC guy using Ping G series irons can laugh at the hack playing blades that can’t hit solid shot to save his life.

[Juiceboxguy42]

Every day it’s a different game. Your game’s score variability moves around depending on your skills. A guy who shoots 80 might have only one aspect suck per round, generally, while someone shooting 93 regularly has maybe three. A club with a bigger sweet spot would more impact the many more subpar shots of a higher handicapped player. Plus better players can laugh at the awful looking GI clubs the hacks use.

 

Or maybe the +HC guy using Ping G series irons can laugh at the hack playing blades that can’t hit solid shot to save his life.

 

Even better when the guy has iron covers for his blades. Made my day the last time I saw it.

[bub72ck]

Every day it’s a different game. Your game’s score variability moves around depending on your skills. A guy who shoots 80 might have only one aspect suck per round, generally, while someone shooting 93 regularly has maybe three. A club with a bigger sweet spot would more impact the many more subpar shots of a higher handicapped player. Plus better players can laugh at the awful looking GI clubs the hacks use.

 

Or maybe the +HC guy using Ping G series irons can laugh at the hack playing blades that can’t hit solid shot to save his life.

 

I played in a US Mid-Am qualifier with a guy playing Ping Gs. He said they helped him score better. The nerve of that guy...

[Tree Levino]

Every day it’s a different game. Your game’s score variability moves around depending on your skills. A guy who shoots 80 might have only one aspect suck per round, generally, while someone shooting 93 regularly has maybe three. A club with a bigger sweet spot would more impact the many more subpar shots of a higher handicapped player. Plus better players can laugh at the awful looking GI clubs the hacks use.

 

Or maybe the +HC guy using Ping G series irons can laugh at the hack playing blades that can’t hit solid shot to save his life.

 

I played in a US Mid-Am qualifier with a guy playing Ping Gs. He said they helped him score better. The nerve of that guy...

 

 

But how could he play at that level without being able to work the ball :stink:

[bub72ck]

I am actually going to put this into practice this season.

 

As of today, I'm a 27 handicap. I first picked up a club 3 years ago. My second year, I didn't play much. Last season, I played nearly every weekend.

 

In October, I moved to a building with a TrueGolf simulator, so I've been able to practice a lot during the off-season and during the week.

 

My game took a big leap forward when I bought a Mizuno T-Zoid Pro 6 iron for practice, and found that the club improved my ability to find the center of irons very rapidly and efficiently. The highlight of my golf season last year was nailing my first true birdie via a good drive and a 7 iron that I stuck within 3 feet on a par 4, via an intentional draw with a T-Zoid Pro.

 

Iron-wise, I have Mizuno MP-4s sitting in my bag. I practiced a bunch with them during the offseason, but haven't hit a real hole on real grass yet with them. That being said, since I was able to function pretty well with T-Zoids, I think turf interaction will be fine.

 

I have hopes to drop 10 strokes from my handicap with continued practice. My theory is that the blades will help, rather than hurt, because they keep my misses from going long and offline, and they give me true feedback about when my swing is working and I'm making good contact.

 

If I'm wrong, my investment was $280. But honestly, I find my misses with blades really aren't that bad, while my good shots feel amazing and are truly memorable. I play recreationally, and if I can walk out of a round with one or two great shots or memories, I count the day a great success. As a beginner who treats every round as practice and learning, I think blades are the right choice for me. :)

 

This is a serious question. As a 27 handicap, are you really taking "turf interaction" into account when choosing clubs? I'm just trying to understand what people are thinking of as they learn the game of golf in 2019.

[LUMA]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

I find it to be the opposite in many cases. Everyone seems to need to justify why those who play muscle backs have "no business" playing them. Even in cases of players under a 10hc or even under a 5.

 

I had a twosome mention my bag at the course last weekend saying under their breath, "I betchu he hacks it up all over the course. Look, those irons look brand new. Titleist everything *giggles*". They teed off 45 minutes before I did with nobody in between and I was on top of them by hole 5. "uuugh oh ugh you can go ahead". Proceed to hit 213yd 4 iron gir... "Thanks guys have fun".

 

If that's not the "cool kids" table I dont know what is.

[cliffhanger]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

I find it to be the opposite in many cases. Everyone seems to need to justify why those who play muscle backs have "no business" playing them. Even in cases of players under a 10hc or even under a 5.

 

I had a twosome mention my bag at the course last weekend saying under their breath, "I betchu he hacks it up all over the course. Look, those irons look brand new. Titleist everything *giggles*". They teed off 45 minutes before I did with nobody in between and I was on top of them by hole 5. "uuugh oh ugh you can go ahead". Proceed to hit 213yd 4 iron gir... "Thanks guys have fun".

 

If that's not the "cool kids" table I dont know what is.

Its a story of two sides deeply invested in there beliefs. There will never be an end to this... just two groups ready to battle in a war however they just stand across from each other yelling back and forth without advancing. As amusing as it normally is to watch such an epic event, you run out of popcorn and decide to change the channel... and then comes another thread a week later. (rinse and repeat)

[bub72ck]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

I find it to be the opposite in many cases. Everyone seems to need to justify why those who play muscle backs have "no business" playing them. Even in cases of players under a 10hc or even under a 5.

 

I had a twosome mention my bag at the course last weekend saying under their breath, "I betchu he hacks it up all over the course. Look, those irons look brand new. Titleist everything *giggles*". They teed off 45 minutes before I did with nobody in between and I was on top of them by hole 5. "uuugh oh ugh you can go ahead". Proceed to hit 213yd 4 iron gir... "Thanks guys have fun".

 

If that's not the "cool kids" table I dont know what is.

Its a story of two sides deeply invested in there beliefs. There will never be an end to this... just two groups ready to battle in a war however they just stand across from each other yelling back and forth without advancing. As amusing as it normally is to watch such an epic event, you run out of popcorn and decide to change the channel... and then comes another thread a week later. (rinse and repeat)

 

I find these debates one of the most interesting topics on GolfWrx. I think it's fascinating to see the progression of people who are learning the game and seeing them have the same thoughts I did 20 years ago. As I said all along, I won't ever need a reason from someone to play what they want to play regardless of club selection and skill level. But, when people start throwing facts and data out the window to justify a decision, I love to jump in the deep end and discuss.

[dciccoritti]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

Quite the 2nd post on Wrx. I've read through quite a few 'blade' threads and this is the first time I ever saw the word 'clique' used in one of these types of threads

 

Wait a minute... http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1743686-im-giving-up-blades-sort-of/page__st__150#entry18791772

[cliffhanger]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

I find it to be the opposite in many cases. Everyone seems to need to justify why those who play muscle backs have "no business" playing them. Even in cases of players under a 10hc or even under a 5.

 

I had a twosome mention my bag at the course last weekend saying under their breath, "I betchu he hacks it up all over the course. Look, those irons look brand new. Titleist everything *giggles*". They teed off 45 minutes before I did with nobody in between and I was on top of them by hole 5. "uuugh oh ugh you can go ahead". Proceed to hit 213yd 4 iron gir... "Thanks guys have fun".

 

If that's not the "cool kids" table I dont know what is.

Its a story of two sides deeply invested in there beliefs. There will never be an end to this... just two groups ready to battle in a war however they just stand across from each other yelling back and forth without advancing. As amusing as it normally is to watch such an epic event, you run out of popcorn and decide to change the channel... and then comes another thread a week later. (rinse and repeat)

 

I find these debates one of the most interesting topics on GolfWrx. I think it's fascinating to see the progression of people who are learning the game and seeing them have the same thoughts I did 20 years ago. As I said all along, I won't ever need a reason from someone to play what they want to play regardless of club selection and skill level. But, when people start throwing facts and data out the window to justify a decision, I love to jump in the deep end and discuss.

I get what your saying, i only ever speak on this topic based on personal experience. I do know that based on the people i know that are newer to the game like my son, are learning the game at a much faster rate than i did back in the 90's. just curious though as to what facts and data you are referring to?

[bub72ck]

It's your money, your time, and your game. Play whatever you want.

 

The whole blades crowd is like a clique of high school girls that won't let anyone else sit at their lunch table.

 

I find it to be the opposite in many cases. Everyone seems to need to justify why those who play muscle backs have "no business" playing them. Even in cases of players under a 10hc or even under a 5.

 

I had a twosome mention my bag at the course last weekend saying under their breath, "I betchu he hacks it up all over the course. Look, those irons look brand new. Titleist everything *giggles*". They teed off 45 minutes before I did with nobody in between and I was on top of them by hole 5. "uuugh oh ugh you can go ahead". Proceed to hit 213yd 4 iron gir... "Thanks guys have fun".

 

If that's not the "cool kids" table I dont know what is.

Its a story of two sides deeply invested in there beliefs. There will never be an end to this... just two groups ready to battle in a war however they just stand across from each other yelling back and forth without advancing. As amusing as it normally is to watch such an epic event, you run out of popcorn and decide to change the channel... and then comes another thread a week later. (rinse and repeat)

 

I find these debates one of the most interesting topics on GolfWrx. I think it's fascinating to see the progression of people who are learning the game and seeing them have the same thoughts I did 20 years ago. As I said all along, I won't ever need a reason from someone to play what they want to play regardless of club selection and skill level. But, when people start throwing facts and data out the window to justify a decision, I love to jump in the deep end and discuss.

I get what your saying, i only ever speak on this topic based on personal experience. I do know that based on the people i know that are newer to the game like my son, are learning the game at a much faster rate than i did back in the 90's. just curious though as to what facts and data you are referring to?

 

Looking at handicap and a person's ability to do one thing very well (hit irons solid) versus a very poor short game for example. That is what this thread started from. The OP said he was a 15 handicap but all of his shots were lost in his short game. That's impossible IMO. All facets of golf are interrelated whether an individual gives them any credibility or not.

 

Why do we have huge drivers with high MOI vs the old Taylormade Burners of the 80's and 90's? Forgiveness is why. Numerous tests have been done on MBs vs CBs and I have never found one that says "MBs and CBs make no difference". It's quite the opposite. A lot of the tests say dispersion on good shots is very close and dispersion on bad shots weighs heavily in favor of CBs. That's why a lot of guys on tour are using players CBs instead of MBs.

 

I saw a response a minute ago where someone who was new to the game (stated 27 handicap) was considering "turf interaction" when choosing clubs. A 27 handicap can barely break 100 on a consistent basis. It's impossible to determine how any given iron would interact with the ground with any sort of consistency. As much as I love GolfWRX, the information here can drown someone new to the game. You have guys and gals who can't make a single par worrying about shaft flex, launch angle, turf interaction, torque, smash factor, and all the other terms and jargon we talk about here. Get a set of clubs, take some lessons from a PGA professional, and practice. I guarantee that's what all the people on here with a low handicap did.

[buckrogers71]

Here's my take (not that it matters) if OP likes blades and wants to play them, good for him. If he doesn't care about his score or getting better, again good for him. I don't judge nor do I care. I'll play with him. I care about my score, wanna get better and want to relive my "glory" years so I switched to players GI's.

 

What drives me absolutely bonkers is when people buy blades, mixed sets etc etc etc and do it b/c they wanna be a "playa" without putting the time in. Then they moan and complain when they shoot 90+ and say they didnt make a birdie all day or that they didn't hit 1 good shot. Well your "birdie" putt was from 40 feet and you stink at putting and your 1 good shot is hard to find b/c you cant find the sweet spot on the center of the clubface.

 

That being said, i think blades are super cool looking and feel awesome when struck properly and if you have the time and inclination to practice and play and can play said blades, good on you.

[backhill]

I can definitely concur that playing clubs that are a tier below your abilities helps from a learning and feedback perspective. HItting shovels over and over keeps you on that crutch. I went from SGI to AP2's, and recently to MBs. They've helped me tremendously to learn how I'm mishitting. I've started to hit them well on the range and hoping it carries over to the course.

 

Lol. If they’ve helped you then you should be close to a world class ball striker by now. These kind of posts are hard to take seriously and so full of crap. Golf is hard and nothing is a “crutch”. You don’t need a particular club to see where your misses are and the goal is to hit them all in the center of the face. If you don’t be glad you have something available to give a little help when you don’t.

 

I'm no world class striker. That being said, my striking has improved tremendously from where I was, to where I am, by moving from Burner 2.0's to AP2's. With the Burners, I would hit bad shots, or good shots, and they would end up relatively well either way, and I did not feel the difference. Thus, I did not have proper feedback on what was good, or what was bad. I could heal it, toe it, catch it thin, and still end up fine. It wasn't helping me learn.

 

I'm in no way stating that going into tougher clubs immediately makes you better and maybe that's what you misconstrued. On the contrary, I had a more difficult time scoring. But if and when you put in work, and understand the feedback the club is providing, it will be noticed over what a SGI would provide. That's why I'm trying out blades now, to see how much more I can feel out, if I even can, and if I can improve. Mishits are definitely sharper on the hands over my AP2s, and so, I get feedback.

 

 

Nothing changed in my bag from 2016-2018 except the irons in 2017 and my game suffered tremendously. I started tracking round stats with an app in 2018, and my average GIR with AP2s went from 7.23 in early 2018 to 8.47 per round in my most recent 20 rounds. I don't know what my GIR was with the Burners, but I can tell you my HC was several strokes higher.

[dciccoritti]

 

Looking at handicap and a person's ability to do one thing very well (hit irons solid) versus a very poor short game for example. That is what this thread started from. The OP said he was a 15 handicap but all of his shots were lost in his short game. That's impossible IMO. All facets of golf are interrelated whether an individual gives them any credibility or not.

 

Why do we have huge drivers with high MOI vs the old Taylormade Burners of the 80's and 90's? Forgiveness is why. Numerous tests have been done on MBs vs CBs and I have never found one that says "MBs and CBs make no difference". It's quite the opposite. A lot of the tests say dispersion on good shots is very close and dispersion on bad shots weighs heavily in favor of CBs. That's why a lot of guys on tour are using players CBs instead of MBs.

 

I saw a response a minute ago where someone who was new to the game (stated 27 handicap) was considering "turf interaction" when choosing clubs. A 27 handicap can barely break 100 on a consistent basis. It's impossible to determine how any given iron would interact with the ground with any sort of consistency. As much as I love GolfWRX, the information here can drown someone new to the game. You have guys and gals who can't make a single par worrying about shaft flex, launch angle, turf interaction, torque, smash factor, and all the other terms and jargon we talk about here. Get a set of clubs, take some lessons from a PGA professional, and practice. I guarantee that's what all the people on here with a low handicap did.

 

What tests? You said 'a lot of tests'. Can you provide a few links? I'd like to see the ones you're referring to.

[cliffhanger]

i have seen tests performed from both sides including the Crossfield "it doesn't matter between CB's and MB's" video and they all come down to one thing, an opinion. These tests can be performed in a way that allows someone's agenda to be pushed. I also see a lot of opinion in the posts on this thread. If someone states that something is helping their game, then until proven otherwise i have no reason not to believe them. Even when that statement goes against everything that i believe in. There are exceptions to every rule, again until proven otherwise. These exceptions include variable handicaps for different facets of the game. Then there is the belief by some that the mind can be tricked into believing something if it is wanted bad enough. That logic and theory takes a back seat to desire and the mind allows it. I am not sure about that but, until proven otherwise.

 

I don't think that people generally are being unrealistic with the state of their games, i think that some people are unable to break down the root cause of their faults.

[pinestreetgolf]

I don't think that people generally are being unrealistic with the state of their games

 

He literally came back later in the thread and admitted he made most of it up (which is just as well because it didn't make any sense). Nobody hits a third of the greens but shoots 90 anyway because of their short game on the other 12. I don't think he did it on purpose. I think a lot of guys like the idea that they're great at bashing but bad at the stuff like chipping and putting even though that is almost never actually true.

 

This isn't confined to golf. "I would get promoted, but i'm just too damn nice to people. That's my problem. Too nice. Never be successful because of how nice I am."

*hardest eye roll humanly possible*

 

i have seen tests performed from both sides including the Crossfield "it doesn't matter between CB's and MB's" video and they all come down to one thing, an opinion. These tests can be performed in a way that allows someone's agenda to be pushed. I also see a lot of opinion in the posts on this thread. If someone states that something is helping their game, then until proven otherwise i have no reason not to believe them. Even when that statement goes against everything that i believe in. There are exceptions to every rule, again until proven otherwise. These exceptions include variable handicaps for different facets of the game. Then there is the belief by some that the mind can be tricked into believing something if it is wanted bad enough. That logic and theory takes a back seat to desire and the mind allows it. I am not sure about that but, until proven otherwise.

 

I think its not that the tests themselves are flawed, but the interpretation of them, and what constitutes "better". This thread is (somewhat) silly because it goes like this -

 

Joe: CBs are more forgiving. Worse players should use 'em.

Tom: Nope, CBs are not that more forgiving than blades. Players can play whatever.

Joe: Idiot.

Tom: Moron.

etc...

 

Note that nowhere in there did anybody actually define "forgiving". It is a scientific fact that ball speed is maintained better on twist hits (toe/heel) relative to the amount of mass behind the head in that spot. That isn't debatable, its physics. What IS debatable is how much that matters to that little paper card you carry around that tells you how well you did. Usually everyone in these threads just wastes a ton of time arguing whether or not CBs are more forgiving (spoiler alert: they are) instead of what actually matters, which is if that small amount of forgiveness is relevant to the score you card.

 

Example: in order for a CB to "forgive" your strike, you have to have good alignment. If you don't, a CB will push the ball (through the higher mass) down your body line, which could be way right or left of where you *think* you've aimed. A blade will spin, so if you line up left and hit it on the toe you probably will get a better result out of a blade (you want it to twist and open, you're aligned left). So I'm not sure I'm on board with this idea that making the ball go straight and farther is good for everybody who is a high cap. I've got a super high cap buddy who aims about 60* right on every shot. Its bizzare. He doesn't want clubs that send the ball down his target line (even though he doesn't realize it).