Blade users thread (NO DEBATING CLUBHEADS! NO Buy Sell Trade!)

[bodhi555]

After being away with work all week (in Barcelona, which is lovely) I have made a little bit of progress with the Yonex experiment - I've been to pick them up out the locker and put them in my "winter bag". First thing I noticed is why I never got round to selling them, they really are a beautiful set of irons - see below installed in the bag :)

 

 

 

I haven't swung them in 10 years or so so it's been fun getting re-acquainted. The grips could use replacing which I will sort next month, but otherwise they are in pretty decent condition for 15 year old irons, with just some bag rub on the shafts and the odd nick where either me or me dad hit a rock when we were escaping from trouble. Again, considering the age the shafts seem particularly impressive - in my experience graphite normally plays softer than steel, but from what I can tell so far these seem stiffer than the S400's in my blades - it really is a shame Yonex never offered their shafts aftermarket, they would probably clean up.

 

Other thing I noticed is, despite them having a (very small) cavity, the heads are exactly the same size as what I am used to:

 

 

 

Left is the Yonex, Middle is VR Pro, Right is the OG. It appears the largest irons I own are a set of Nike VR Pros. I am strangely smug about this :)

 

Going to the range tomorrow to compare all 3, I will report back :)

[Kingcat990]

What an interesting set. Went from a GI in the back to one of the thinnest toplines I have ever seen in a CB.

[wmblake2000]

Bodhi... OG means?

[Nard_S]

Bodhi... OG means?

 

Original Nike blades, 1st ones Tiger used.

[Clarinetmonster2]

I went from Adams A12 pro to Taylormade P790 but decided I didn't need a distance iron and wanted to challenge myself with blades as I've always loved the classic look and feel. Came down to the Mizuno MP-18 and the Callaway Apex MB and I kept going back and forth until finally settling on the Apex with PX 6.5 shafts. Couldn't be happier and IMO they are downright gorgeous, reminiscent of some older Mizunos.

[Kingcat990]

Well, I had a full day off today, so I decided to assemble the set. I had everything to do them luckily. Overall I took around 2-4gm's off per head doing the refinishing. Took Bigmeans suggestion and went with a black. I had them coated, took them to work and didn't like them. Then I had to bead blast them again and went a different route. Had just enough tip weights to get them back to C7/C8 SW. I installed some DGS105's in S. Just waiting for the epoxy to finish curing. Overall, this was a fun project and I absolutely love these heads a little more than I had originally. Hope you guys enjoy. I should be 100% completely with these by Friday. Hopefully.

 

 

 

[avguy]

Winter golf and cut muscle has been a recent topic here in the grand ole blades thread lately....

 

We will be below 70F the next two days here in the AZ desert, cold for us locals but comfy to play in. I hate the ropes rotation from real grass to mats at my range as Sundays are usually mats - I religiously will Not hit balls with my irons off mats.

 

But, as cut muscle goes - my main range set are Mizuno MP-32 shafted with graphite Recoils 125 (play @ 122g). These are forgiving for my generally tender left elbow, a lefty who golfs righty. With the dang Sunday mats thing - I did need some full swing work (thankfully, the seniors there do not crowd the chipping green where I get lots of time lately), so today it was just use of my three hybrids from the 18-21-25 degrees off the mats with better results on mats than I can remember.

 

Maybe a swing quirk, but my draw off a mat is less pronounced, my fades are too much. I always play for a draw in my irons, so this could be ok going forward if I don't get much range time on real grass in the winter.

 

So, I'll get 18 in both the next two days at about 65F, and my irons of choice lately are the lightest shafted I play - Callaway Razr MBs in Proj X 5.0F. My advanced age and smaller stature wants to play those irons more all the time, having them for 7 years now.

 

Kinda sucks, but my newest set, the Honma 727M, are abit "heavy" sometimes with their Nippon Modus 125R (play @ 127g). I really wish I had gone with the Modus 120S which would play @ 114g - very close to the Proj. X 5.0F. It may only be 12g of shaft difference, but I feel that.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Nice, Kingcat!

 

Kinda sucks, but my newest set, the Honma 727M, are abit "heavy" sometimes with their Nippon Modus 125R (play @ 127g). I really wish I had gone with the Modus 120S which would play @ 114g - very close to the Proj. X 5.0F. It may only be 12g of shaft difference, but I feel that.

 

12g is a big difference in shaft weight, definitely noticeable. And the Modus 125s are a lot of shaft.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

So, first round in about a month an a half today. Cool, with about a one club breeze at times, but other times pretty still. The ground was wet, but the greens were pretty hard and quite fast.

I played badly. I'm coming massively inside the line, and basically I'm on my left tip-toe when I hit. My pitching was the worst of all, as I fluffed 5 or 6 easy wedge shots, which are normally my bread-and-butter. What was interesting was the divots. They were pointing at least 25* right of the target, which should give you and idea of how inside the line I'm coming. With a swing like this, it means that I'm of course compensating for a massive draw-hook, and it gets hard to keep the tee shots accurate. I have to work on getting the right shoulder through, but I've also injured my right lateral muscle, so it hurt like hell when I tried to do this. Anyway, no golf for a while now until my right side heals.

 

Highlights: PW to within 5ft on a short par 3 (missed the birdie putt!), and a 60* wedge to within 2ft after a bomb of a drive on a 400 yard par 4 for a birdie (made the putt)

Disasters: 2 OB (nice straight drives, well struck...I was just expecting a massive draw-hook....

1 lost ball from a drive that was down the middle of the fairway. Real mystery. Three of us saw it, it started right side of the fairway and drew back to the centre, but when we got down to where it should have been, there was no ball. We looked in the left rough (fairway slopes a bit that way), but nothing. Wasn't even a blind hole or anything. That stung.

[Golfingfanatic]

Need a little advice: settled on going back to DG again. Now since the Raw Apex MB is offered with the DG TI’s at no upcharge, I might aswell go for the fancy stickers. My question is regarding flex: I swing the driver at around 105 mph and around 92 mph in my 6 iron. What flex would you guys recommend? X100 soft-stepped or S400? I like to play a lot of partial shots, so I don’t want them to be overly stiff.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Need a little advice: settled on going back to DG again. Now since the Raw Apex MB is offered with the DG TI's at no upcharge, I might aswell go for the fancy stickers. My question is regarding flex: I swing the driver at around 105 mph and around 92 mph in my 6 iron. What flex would you guys recommend? X100 soft-stepped or S400? I like to play a lot of partial shots, so I don't want them to be overly stiff.

 

I like the X100s, but S400s are starting to look good. I like the heaviness. IIRC, the S400 uncut is actually a gram or two heavier than the X100.

[Nard_S]

Need a little advice: settled on going back to DG again. Now since the Raw Apex MB is offered with the DG TI's at no upcharge, I might aswell go for the fancy stickers. My question is regarding flex: I swing the driver at around 105 mph and around 92 mph in my 6 iron. What flex would you guys recommend? X100 soft-stepped or S400? I like to play a lot of partial shots, so I don't want them to be overly stiff.

 

Big thumbs up on S400's, cannot get on w/ X100's, find the tapered tip S's to be plenty stiff and capable. Excellent distance, target and shape control.

[bodhi555]

Need a little advice: settled on going back to DG again. Now since the Raw Apex MB is offered with the DG TI's at no upcharge, I might aswell go for the fancy stickers. My question is regarding flex: I swing the driver at around 105 mph and around 92 mph in my 6 iron. What flex would you guys recommend? X100 soft-stepped or S400? I like to play a lot of partial shots, so I don't want them to be overly stiff.

 

My SS numbers are around yours (104 mph with Driver, around 91 with 6 iron) and I find S400's perfect - the extra weight keeps my tempo smooth, and if you want to step on it they are not easily overloaded. Lovely low trajectory and easy to shape if required. I struggle to play anything else now :)

[wmblake2000]

Well, I had a full day off today, so I decided to assemble the set. I had everything to do them luckily. Overall I took around 2-4gm's off per head doing the refinishing. Took Bigmeans suggestion and went with a black. I had them coated, took them to work and didn't like them. Then I had to bead blast them again and went a different route. Had just enough tip weights to get them back to C7/C8 SW. I installed some DGS105's in S. Just waiting for the epoxy to finish curing. Overall, this was a fun project and I absolutely love these heads a little more than I had originally. Hope you guys enjoy. I should be 100% completely with these by Friday. Hopefully.

 

 

 

I saw version 1 of these in the flesh. I thought they were amazing, but KC wasn’t content and redid finish. I bet these are just off the hook beautiful.

 

The man has some skills with a club refinish, to be sure!

[dciccoritti]

Never too old to play blades :-)

 

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[dubbelbogey]

Never too old to play blades :-)

 

 

Great video. Enjoying himself remembering what it was like to play with clubs like that.

 

On the other hand, I still remember the first time I played a full round with real blades. It was so fun that I was laughing the whole round. (For perspective I started golf in the early 90's where all the popular irons were labeled "OS" in some form or another, and the only other time I had hit a blade was with a banged up and bent club from my local range's "free" rack with a grip that was so worn it felt like teflon.) That day blades went into my bag, and except for a few experimental stints since then, a set of blades have remained in my bag ever since.

[The Mad Bomber]

I'm backtracking a bit, but wanted to toss in a comment about the cut muscle clubs. Aside from the conversation Catchy and I had some 18 to 20 months ago, that is. LOL

 

For those thinking about the forgiveness angle, we can look at the measured MOI of several Mizuno clubheads. As it happens, the MP32, the initial cut muscle blade, has a marginally higher MOI than the MP33 (numbers are clouded by the MP32 using a heavier 6i clubhead), and also failrkky similar to the MP14 and MP11. Interestingly, the 11 with its fairly plain, straight muscle, has a higher MOI than the 32.

 

Point of all that, the cut muscle heads aren't appreciably different in terms of forgiveness as compared to more basic musclebacks. Such as the numbers say, anyway

 

I'd agree with all of that.

 

To me, the cut muscle design is almost purely an aesthetic twist on the MB theme, but really offers no playability difference. (How could it, really?) I do like the looks as they are a bit unique. I also like the last of that line - the MP-5s. Traditional style like the current MB-18s and all the various predecessors are super pretty, too, of course.

I haven't been able to get off the MP-5. I liked MP-18 and the black Cobra blades had my eye for a short while, but ultimately MP-5 is underrated if anything. It's such a fantastically playable club with perfect feel.

[3_Jack_Par]

Played with wmblake again today, and he mentioned Kingcat’s projects, and I came in to see what he was talking about, and damn, man, that’s some outstanding work! The only thing that would make me love my SB-1s more is if they had that kind of finish.

[FourTops]

Hogan Ft. Worth's for $700, steel or graphite...best deal in town. Unless you have sufficient equity in your home to buy PXG's...and you can hide the expense from your wife who wants new appliances.

[Clarinetmonster2]

Curious if anyone has put Steelfiber shafts or other graphite shafts in their blades? Is that just sacrilege?? I'm very happy with my PX 6.5 with the Apex MB's but you never know down the line....

[craz-e]

Curious if anyone has put Steelfiber shafts or other graphite shafts in their blades? Is that just sacrilege?? I'm very happy with my PX 6.5 with the Apex MB's but you never know down the line....

 

I did play around with the Matrix Ozik Program 120 shafts in a set of MP68's for quite a while. I had plenty of success with them, loved their feel but they did probably spin a little too much for me.

[Swingingk]

Played with wmblake again today, and he mentioned Kingcat’s projects, and I came in to see what he was talking about, and damn, man, that’s some outstanding work! The only thing that would make me love my SB-1s more is if they had that kind of finish.

 

Oh man, don't tempt me like that! I'm just getting my SB-1's back together and just put new grips on them and now you're getting me all excited with a new idea?! Damn it! Haha!

[Clarinetmonster2]

craz-e, I think I just tried that shaft yesterday at a custom clubfitter in a generic CB head 6i. Felt pretty nice and I was hitting it silly distances.

[wmblake2000]

Played with wmblake again today, and he mentioned Kingcat’s projects, and I came in to see what he was talking about, and damn, man, that’s some outstanding work! The only thing that would make me love my SB-1s more is if they had that kind of finish.

 

After my (repeated) awful play with 3Jack (while he scorched the back 9 on a 7000+ course he never saw before : 4 birdies, -3, I think) I have abandoned golf altogether and decided to devote my energies to knitting and earthworm farming.

 

Aarrrggghhh. Stupid game.

 

 

[wmblake2000]

Played with wmblake again today, and he mentioned Kingcats projects, and I came in to see what he was talking about, and damn, man, thats some outstanding work! The only thing that would make me love my SB-1s more is if they had that kind of finish.

 

Oh man, don't tempt me like that! I'm just getting my SB-1's back together and just put new grips on them and now you're getting me all excited with a new idea?! Damn it! Haha!

 

Kingcat has some serious talent he is developing...

[Christen_The_Sloop]

First game since May in the books. Another interesting round in Japan. I honestly don't know where to begin with this one. So, I'll start at the start. Father in law, his friend and I arrive with enough time to roll a few putts - great. Meet our fourth, a ramen restaurant scion with something like 30 restaurants in the area. I immediately forget his name, as you do.

 

I had envisioned casually warming up, stretching out my back and developing some sort of rhythm. I snap hook my first tee shot. Still manage a par 5 from the adjacent fairway. There are no more adjacent fairways. Second hole begins what will become the refrain for half of my day. Decent tee shot, iron shot slightly left of my target into bunker, short sided, bogey.

 

3 of next four drives out of bounds cost me a double and a quad (9) . Game over. Seething. Because of the company around me, I've got to suck it up. In my formative years, I'd let loose a string of profanity or kick a club, instead I just forget what happened. And, it served me well for the rest of the game.

 

I gain some measure of confidence parring the next 3 holes, before doubling the 9th a long narrow hole with ob on both sides. This time the score is due to a muffed pitch into a bunker, with partial credit due to a mildly errant drive.

 

We lunch. I beer. Everyone is playing poorly, but that's life. I realize that despite my awful score, I play a totally different game from my partners. I made more pars on that side than they do the entire day.

 

The TN87s with Modus 120s are a work in progress. I didn't miss a single swing with one, but, no exaggeration, every shot started left of my target and especially with 8 iron down there was too much draw. If anyone here knows what might be the issue. I am all ears. All, I know is that I really look forward to the next time with them, getting it right.

 

I hit two seven irons that will have me sticking with them for the next round at least. One was 177 out of the rough. Carried it over a bunker and it held the green on a slick, tiny green after pumping my first ball out of bounds. It was a great save for a 6.

 

The next was 172 on #15. This one start a hair left, but stayed laser straight, it flew pin high and rolled behind the pin about 20 feet away. What a feeling, that strike.

 

Back nine I hit 6 of 7 fairways all with driver. I suddenly found command of that club, making a small adjustment, I might describe as extending my hips at address. I hit 6 of the most perfect drives. Of course, the one fairway I did miss cost me a triple bogey (7).

 

Best of those drives were driving a 314 yard hole playing slightly down hill. Credit to the lady who was caddying for us for teaching me the correct line. I hit it over a stand of trees just where she said and I found myself with 35 odd feet for eagle. I managed to roll the come backer in from 7 feet.

 

The 17 is about a 380 yard hole, narrow, ob on, you guessed it, both sides and anything left of center has a way of disappearing. It's the only hole of the day I feel any breeze. It's slightly in our face. I teed it down slightly and ripped a low ball right down the pipe. Chunked a lob wedge onto the fringe and made another par.

 

18th another narrow shortish par 4 with white stakes protruding and prolapsing out of every fold of fairway, I calmly knock one down the left side and pitch one to 20 feet. It's almost like I had played the game for 25 years.

 

Despite 4 balls out of bounds I managed an 84. With a warm up and a little more thoughtful course management I think I could put together a really decent score.

[FourTops]

Mizuno MP18's or PXG's? Not in terms of blade vs. CB...but iron vs iron.

[NRJyzr]

Curious if anyone has put Steelfiber shafts or other graphite shafts in their blades? Is that just sacrilege?? I'm very happy with my PX 6.5 with the Apex MB's but you never know down the line....

 

 

I put NV105 shafts in a set Golden Rams, posted a fair amount about them in this thread. If you go to the search bar above while in this thread and search for "nv105" you'll get the posts where they're mentioned. Some may not be relevant but it's easy to skip past those.

[Kingcat990]

I'd love to take on some SB-1's :).

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

C_T_S

84 with 4 OB is good going. It's easy to get frustrated and lose concentration when your tee shots are going OoB.