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

[BogeyParBogey]

Decided I am sticking with only AP2 and getting a groove going with those. Hopefully post some good scores, get the cap down, and have a lot of fun. Maybe consider blades late in the season if I think it'd benefit my enjoyment of golf (not necessarily score).

 

Dave

[PopIt&DropIt]

Thoughts on the new srixon blades?

 

I haven't seen them in the flesh yet but I will be testing these alongside the Callaway MB's to see if I fancy adding a new set to my collection

i was very surprised with how long the blade length was compared to even clubs like the new apex pro. definitely longer than the Apex MB's and several other blades... most notably the grooves are noticeably longer. Interesting.

 

That’s probably a no from me then ?

 

I had them for a brief period and while I liked the trajectory (more penetrating) they just were too big for me. Bigger than a lot of players cavities on the market and without question the biggest blade on the market. Just too long heel to toe and too light for my liking. I was coming from baby blades so my perspective is obviously skewed a bit in that regard. I think they are a very nice and very friendly blade and will make a lot of people happy. They are definitely hot off the face.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Had a quick and dirty range session with the FG62s. Very pleased so far, though I will need to adjust the lies at least 2* upright. Lofts may be a touch strong as well.

The ball flight was good and penetrating, without being too low. Another bonus was that the PW is a proper wedge, and so I can play a three wedge set up. I think the lack of offset makes the PW so versatile.

 

Good for you. A lot of my hoing involves finding sets I've never seen and taking a flyer on them. I've been both surprised and disappointed. Perhaps the most disappointing was an old set of Dunlop blades that had a ton of offset through the set. I find offset is manageable in the shorter irons now - the Japanese reverse offset style. I am getting to really like it in the wedges, to be honest. The F wedge (gap) in the MS203s feels so money, just chipping it in and around the house. That was a pretty pleasant surprise. Maybe it comes from growing up with Eye2s and Ping ISIs...

 

I still haven't gone out to hit the bloody things - woke up Tuesday with a fever and I've been delirious, just trying to hold everything together, since - Finally able to relax a little and I don't know if I have the energy to make it worth my while and go to the range today. Lord above.

 

Maybe I can muster the strength to get off this sofa.

 

Like you, I have certainly got used to the offset in the short irons, but it was nice hitting the FG62 short irons with little offset. I need more range time and playing time to be certain, but based on my first range session, I would have to say I prefer little to no offset on the short irons for full shots. But, for chipping, the offset is helpful. No doubt about it. Looks better at address to me, too.

[NixLix26]

not sure you guys consider MP32 a blade. But I took some serious cash off a few guys with a 72 at a nice Strantz design course this weekend. Competitors had all the brand new Ping irons and woods. I would be lying to say I didn’t enjoy this moment.

[Nard_S]

Had a quick and dirty range session with the FG62s. Very pleased so far, though I will need to adjust the lies at least 2* upright. Lofts may be a touch strong as well.

The ball flight was good and penetrating, without being too low. Another bonus was that the PW is a proper wedge, and so I can play a three wedge set up. I think the lack of offset makes the PW so versatile.

 

Good for you. A lot of my hoing involves finding sets I've never seen and taking a flyer on them. I've been both surprised and disappointed. Perhaps the most disappointing was an old set of Dunlop blades that had a ton of offset through the set. I find offset is manageable in the shorter irons now - the Japanese reverse offset style. I am getting to really like it in the wedges, to be honest. The F wedge (gap) in the MS203s feels so money, just chipping it in and around the house. That was a pretty pleasant surprise. Maybe it comes from growing up with Eye2s and Ping ISIs...

 

I still haven't gone out to hit the bloody things - woke up Tuesday with a fever and I've been delirious, just trying to hold everything together, since - Finally able to relax a little and I don't know if I have the energy to make it worth my while and go to the range today. Lord above.

 

Maybe I can muster the strength to get off this sofa.

 

Like you, I have certainly got used to the offset in the short irons, but it was nice hitting the FG62 short irons with little offset. I need more range time and playing time to be certain, but based on my first range session, I would have to say I prefer little to no offset on the short irons for full shots. But, for chipping, the offset is helpful. No doubt about it. Looks better at address to me, too.

 

My Maruman's have the reverse offset thing. I don't mind it. It is of more use on partial, little shots so it does make sense and I get the logic.

[wmblake2000]

Oh wow, looks like I get to be first to post in new forum architecture.  Hope this change doesn't kill golfwrx.... Risky.

Anyway, I have been playing p790.  Like the very stout lofts.  But I sure do miss blades.  Kept fooling around on range with RomaRo, but the thrill is gone.  Then, lo and behold, I tried old faithful, Mac 1025M.  These are not the best looking at address, but in terms of just being a great, playable blade, these are STILL at the head of the class.  So... goodbye RomaRo.  I loved you for a long time, but now it's time to let someone else.  I'm going to get down to just P790 and Macs.  I'm kinda done ho-ing.  Been 5 months (an eternity in my way of counting time) since I bought a club.  

 

It's spring.  Hope you guys in colder climates are beginning to see some warmer weather. 

[kaaayelll]

What are you doing with those RomaRo, C?   :p

[revanant]

So, while GolfWRX was updating their forums with white-out, I got to experience my first 9 holes with blades this weekend. I'm a high handicapper that moved into a building with a golf simulator over the winter, so I've gotten in a ton of practice on matts with my new (to me) MP-4s, but had never hit them off turf. I also spent some time over the winter with a set of Callaway Apex MB. The Apex were the irons that turned me onto blades--easily the softest irons I've ever hit. I picked up a used set of 6-PW for $60 a club, but they weren't in great condition, so I turned them into a better-condition set of 3-PW MP4s at $35 a club (the MP-4s have a better topline and feel nearly as soft).

 

Anyway, it was 37 degrees and there was a headwind of about 15 MPH on Sunday, but the Mizunos performed flawlessly. Snuck a few under the wind, had no problem making good contact, and really enjoyed the feeling of these irons off of grass.  For a windy and cold round, I was happy to see my swing didn't suffer. I'm really looking forward to this new season--I think the combination of practice with blades and frequent sim time is going to help me shed a bunch of strokes off my handicap (assuming I start to make my putts).

[Nard_S]

wmblake2000 said:

It's spring.  Hope you guys in colder climates are beginning to see some warmer weather. 

Hit balls twice in the last week, first time with club in hand in over 2 months. Pure joy to swing again. Work & bad weather kept it at bay. Even had fun with the Driver, lol, I came back to work with such a sunnier disposition, cannot tell you, love nutting the Maruman's.  Don't quit on those Macs! Something real organic and primal about a fine forging. 

[wmblake2000]

kaaayelll said:

What are you doing with those RomaRo, C?   :p

Sell them on bst/ebay. I got them at a great price, will sell them for less.  If you want them, I'd love to keep them in the family.  

 

[Christen_The_Sloop]

Going to finally get out this Monday - Playing a Robert Trent Jones Jr. track called 'The Country Club.' It's got a lot of bunkers, tricky greens and OB on both sides of every hole, when there isn't water. Perfect for my first game in 6 months. I got out to the range today to see how everything is flying and to try out those MS203 that look so pretty. They are still pretty, but I wasn't enamored with the shaft. The s200 DGs just felt lifeless and limp, if you will. There is no comparison with the NS Pro I have in my TN87. I was flying the long irons 5-10 yards further and they felt so much better. The unfortunate part is I love the look of the Ms203. I haven't seen a better looking iron. I might throw the set of NSPro 105X in them and see how that goes.

I am enjoying watching my putting green slowly change to green from winter brown too. My short game feels as good as it's every been as far as placing a ball where I want (below the hole) and I have been experimenting a lot with how the ball comes off different parts of a club. The most consistent is about the second groove and, hitting it out toward the toe takes out a lot of nerve when you've got to fly it a certain distance. Hopefully I can take it all to the course and have a decent round. Seriously best I've felt about my game in years.

[Bigmean]

Putting green At home getting green is winning for sure......

 

so while wrx was down, I accidentally bought a set of blades....for real, I was work bored and made a low offer on a set that the guy dropped $50 from week before and he took it without a counter..so I have my project set I guess.  I will post a link when I get over the shock of new format and lack of desire to figure this new forum out, but

it is the onoff 247mb that’s I have coveted for a while and go for a lot of dough overseas....not so much here, I stole them, sub $300.

 

So then I panicked, as my back is priority and no worries I had a project but not really what I was working on with another dude who was being super unreasonable on a beat up set coincidentally also onoff that I wanted and wound up meeting him half way, still cheap, but these have the recoils that fit me and are the shingo Cb that’s match my wedges I love so much.   Soooo, I have a graphite cb set to test those waters and a project blade set I am looking to put really mid and lighter kickpoint graphite in for a smooth blade experiment.  And yesterday, someone took the buyit now attus 10s shafts I was planning on getting for the MBs while I was readying funds for my Japanese proxy and that drove me nuts cause price was fantastic and good graphite even used is a hard pill to swallow...so I am just going to get some money in yen and not be in a hurry and wait for something close to as good I guess.

 

hit balls again, back inflammation better than last time, I also got a new strike mat that hopefully is better, also lost 10lbs last 2 weeks and on a hardcore gym/diet deal so I am really

giving my all this summer to this game.  Part of me knows if I end up like last year I need to hang it up for real, sell it all and move on save for a few putters...so I am going best foot forward.  I have wasted so many outings focused on score and not appreciating the luxury of playing.....now being pain free and enjoying being able to actually do it are clearly so much more important than stupid number that 5 shots at least of which are luck anyway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bigmean]

This is the blade set I got.  They are miura forged, square toes, I am hoping they are a bigger version (without being too long)of my small blades in which case it would be an ideal experiement set.  They should feel awesome, they are old as dirt and still go for unreasonable coin in Japan so they have a cult following for either rarity or feel....I am admittedly into both, so pretty excited to throw some bendy shafts in these and see if that ruins them and fail or if it makes for something interesting.

 

 

[revanant]

No Catchy Nickname said:

I went out for a round with the MP4s in the bag today, 5-PW. I took the 4i out for a 9w because the ground was soaking wet--most fairways were so waterlogged it was impossible to avoid a bit of casual water.

 

The first hole is a par 5, reachable in two for me. I hit a good drive, and was supposedly left with about 220~230. I thought I would lay up to the front with a 9w...beautiful strike, but it soared away left, probably out of bounds. Drop a provisional and rehit and it's good. When I get up there, I'm surprised to see my second a few yards off the left edge (first was OB). Either that yardage marker was wrong, or there was lots of wind behind high up. because there's no way my 9w goes 230 yards. Anyway, I a chip on with a 6i, and BAM! I hole out for a par!

 

 

 

I hit the irons well today, apart from a pulled PW on a par 3 and a thin 9i from a tough lie (downhill and ball below feet). I think I prefer the MP4s to the MP18s. Better feel and thinner top line.

 

My two problems aren't iron-related: putting and chipping. My putting is dreadful, and my chipping is mediocre at best.

I've actually had a similar experience. I have MP-4s in the bag, and I've hit the MP-18s a bunch. The MP-4s have the best combination of topline and feel that I've ever seen. The MP-18 doesn't feel as soft, and the topline seems to be a thicker compromise in the name of flowing more seamlessly/blending with the SC, MMC, etc.

 

Unrelated, if anyone can recommend an iron with a better combo of razor thin topline + softer feel than the MP-4, I'm all ears. :)

 

I suspect this is going to be a lifelong obsession.

[Bigmean]

Vega raf cm.  The vm01 may be the same, looks close enough.   

 

 I really really really like the MP4, I think they are on of the best irons mizuno has made.  They feel and look super.  

 

There are are too many good sets.  Typing this makes me wish I did an MP4 project set Or something Kyoei.  I am pretty excited about the sets coming though.  

 

I tested some shafts at PGA ss and they have nada for graphite but the Aerotech 95 was ok, hit that with forged Apex head and honestly if my Shingo set with 110 recoils feels like that I am going to be super disappointed and back on the block it will go.  Lighter than 95 and I really lose it.  95 I feel like I could adapt to.  100-115 probably perfect.  That was what I learned.   

[wmblake2000]

Bigmean said:

Vega raf cm.  The vm01 may be the same, looks close enough.   

 

 I really really really like the MP4, I think they are on of the best irons mizuno has made.  They feel and look super.  

 

There are are too many good sets.  Typing this makes me wish I did an MP4 project set Or something Kyoei.  I am pretty excited about the sets coming though.  

 

I tested some shafts at PGA ss and they have nada for graphite but the Aerotech 95 was ok, hit that with forged Apex head and honestly if my Shingo set with 110 recoils feels like that I am going to be super disappointed and back on the block it will go.  Lighter than 95 and I really lose it.  95 I feel like I could adapt to.  100-115 probably perfect.  That was what I learned.   

Great to see you back in action...hope the back accommodates. I was thinking MP4, too.  But right now, I just am a little stunned by my renewal of affection for the Macs.  How many blades have come and gone thru me? The Macs endure.  It's how easy they are to hit.  I can't ever recall a time when I thought I couldn't play these well.  Sorta wish they had stronger lofts, but I'm just going to call a Mac 7 iron and '8' iron.  Waiting for ferrules, gonna put KBS tour-v 110 S in them.  These are shafts I have never understood why I play them so well - no one would ever recommend them to me, but I do.  

PS: personal best shot with this combo....also, once I sell RomaRo, Royal Collection, I'll have NO JDM for the first time in years!  

[bellsy13]

**This thread started and has been moved for more exposure although I have received some neat info thus far**

Got these cleveland tour action irons with r400 shafts in a trade and I cannot find any info except what the owner had said  "they are before the ta-1s, pre 1998 andhe believes they're cast." I want to bend them 2*weak and I'm not sold on them being cast. They feel quite heavy after swinging them and quite forgiving for a pre-98 blade - but I have not weighed the club. Forged is usually stamped to distinguish so they could very well be cast - but from what? How can I find this out - thanks!   

Answers so far is cast from 8620 like the 588 wedges and possibly some form of tour issue heads.

 

[Bigmean]

No JDM??  The horror  :D.

 

I will never have an all JDM set.  I think I will have my 3 wood forever.  The face is worn out like an iron though..

I read that metal woods can go dead but I doubt it is losing power at the rate I am so I would never know even if it was.  

[Cubsfan24]

Getting ready to shaft these up with S400's next week. FINALLY!

[revanant]

wmblake2000 said:

Bigmean said:

Vega raf cm.  The vm01 may be the same, looks close enough.   

 

 I really really really like the MP4, I think they are on of the best irons mizuno has made.  They feel and look super.  

 

There are are too many good sets.  Typing this makes me wish I did an MP4 project set Or something Kyoei.  I am pretty excited about the sets coming though.  

 

I tested some shafts at PGA ss and they have nada for graphite but the Aerotech 95 was ok, hit that with forged Apex head and honestly if my Shingo set with 110 recoils feels like that I am going to be super disappointed and back on the block it will go.  Lighter than 95 and I really lose it.  95 I feel like I could adapt to.  100-115 probably perfect.  That was what I learned.   

Great to see you back in action...hope the back accommodates. I was thinking MP4, too.  But right now, I just am a little stunned by my renewal of affection for the Macs.  How many blades have come and gone thru me? The Macs endure.  It's how easy they are to hit.  I can't ever recall a time when I thought I couldn't play these well.  Sorta wish they had stronger lofts, but I'm just going to call a Mac 7 iron and '8' iron.  Waiting for ferrules, gonna put KBS tour-v 110 S in them.  These are shafts I have never understood why I play them so well - no one would ever recommend them to me, but I do.  

PS: personal best shot with this combo....also, once I sell RomaRo, Royal Collection, I'll have NO JDM for the first time in years!  

Thanks guys! Happy to hear more recommendations if you have any. I’ve been thinking about nabbing a set of Hogan Redlines or the 1999s if I can find them cheap. But, great to hear all the love for the MP4s. 

 

Personally, the only thing I would change about them would be a more squared toe, along the lines of my T-Zoids. 

 

I ran the experiment below in my building’s golf simulator over the winter. The MP4s edged out the Apex MB on topline and value (though not feel), and were overall were both thinner and softer than MP-69s in my hands. I’m thinking I might reshaft the MP4s into the KBS Tour 90 S or DG 105, but I’ll probably play a few more months before making any sort of change.

[wmblake2000]

I have busted my butt over a long time on improving. From a 15 index suck the club inside, loop it over the top, pull the handle, steepen the shaft, stand up and flip it to something that is much better.  One of these days that 7 index should drop one more time.  4 is what I think is possible, but we'll see.  I've been saying that a while.  But I am really excited with my whole game.  It's just the intangibles that are missing.  Getting the range swing to the course is hard, but it's almost there.  

 

One of the things all this hard work has done is make be appreciate how %@! hard it is to play well - to hit the ball solidly, in the direction you intend, consistently.  But I just can't abide big old clunky heads with big fat soles. 

 

Once I get the Macs reshafted, I am going to set the P790's aside for a while.  If I can really score with these, then ... wow. Just wow. I'd be so happy to play these to a new career low score.  

[NRJyzr]

bellsy13 said:

**This thread started and has been moved for more exposure although I have received some neat info thus far**

Got these cleveland tour action irons with r400 shafts in a trade and I cannot find any info except what the owner had said  "they are before the ta-1s, pre 1998 andhe believes they're cast." I want to bend them 2*weak and I'm not sold on them being cast. They feel quite heavy after swinging them and quite forgiving for a pre-98 blade - but I have not weighed the club. Forged is usually stamped to distinguish so they could very well be cast - but from what? How can I find this out - thanks!   

Answers so far is cast from 8620 like the 588 wedges and possibly some form of tour issue heads.

I think these are 588 blades from the early 90s, just without the 588 stamp.  Which makes them possibly a special order, I suppose even possible they're an early edition, before they added the stamping.  Or a late edition, where they decided to remove the stamping.

 

Nothing in the mighty Maltby book about them, which doesn't mean all that much by itself.

 

Put the whole "they're cast" out of your mind, it's a meaningless point.  The material used is far more important than whether the clubhead shape was created by casting vs forging.  I believe the 588 blades were 8620, similar to the various Cleveland wedges (and Vokeys and who knows how many other wedges), but they could also have been 304 stainless, or even some other alloy involving nickel, like the Ram FX Nickel blades, or the Maxfli Revolutions, Aussie Blades, and the A10s of the early 21st century.  All very soft.

 

I'm afraid I'm not much of a Clevelandologist.  :)

[Bigmean]

Cleveland wedges are mostly cast and I bent the crap out of an old nomad wrx your van one from 50-53 and all in between... I loved it to death and should have never sold. It went with my initial post op selloff before I found you guys....

 

 

Guess who’s wife called him twice about big packages today???(There is a T ball for you). This guy. “Another one!!!!!, really

Two????!!!!!” So Good news, both sets arriving on a Friday.....bad news was next words...”the one box is ripped open completely no top, looks like a ding you could buff out on one, 7 clubs in it.....”

 

..... Shingo set is 5-pw, carry the one, that is 6. MB is 3-pw, but the PW is head only and not shafted...”was there a loose head in the open box?” “I don’t know I am not home”

 

I have less problems from Japan than from eBay....ridiculous.

[LUMA]

I'll throw my 718's in here for good measure. I went back to MB after playing CB's since the 710's. I'm getting a better flight and spin with the MB. That and they just feel crisper.

 

I think I'll be back in an MB for awhile...

 

 

[Bigmean]

 

From the wife. “There was a head taped to one of the shafts”. So I guess good thing he strapped that bad boy on for the ride??

 

[revanant]

You guys are a bad influence. I just bought a set of well-used Ben Hogan Redlines (3-E) for $65 (including shipping) off of ebay. They've got some browning on the faces, but look like they're in pretty good condition for the price. They'll be in on Tuesday.

These are the listing photos. I'm excited.

 



 

[NRJyzr]

Enabling is what we do best. LOL

[BIG STU]

Well I could not get the quote thing to work--- But NIX MP-32s are blades as good as anything else!! And I will say they are as much blade than anything else Does my heart good when someone takes all those folks money with old stuff and them playing all the latest and greatest. BTW you got me on the Jones bag thing> About a month ago I pulled the trigger on a used Jones Classic non stand bag on duh Bay cheap. Love it like you say "grab and go" LOL the shipping from NC was darn near as much as I paid for it but for $45 total I got a nice Jones bag and everything works.

[Bigmean]

> @NRJyzr said:

> Enabling is what we do best. LOL

 

Yeah, duh, I go away for 4 months, think about quitting game again, and in first 2 pages have 2 new sets......

 

So back to enabling.....everyone that passed on that set of blades with an unshafted PW and weird name that allowed that dude to take my offer and poorly packaged them......BLEW IT. I think I have figured out why they are so prized over there. They are indistinguishable from my small blades. I haven't gone through them yet, but grabbed the 8s from both new sets, and I had to put them on the ground and study them because for a minute I thought I just bought another set of small blades for 250 bucks. They are the same exact club except the onoff is like a little longer to toe, maybe a fat 8th (Same toe grind I love) and a touch taller. I assume not as fat to make weight in length and height, but hosel, the lines, the grinds on sole, heel toe....they are like a BB older sibling. Feel is expected Miura despite the project X 7.5 animal flex shafts on them, I am excited about this as a project set. I need to shaft them right and I am really considering copper plating them. I am shafting the PW up with a Nippon 1150 I have in pw length and if they feel 90% of my BBs I may put a lot more into this set in terms of time and money than I anticipated.

 

The shingos with the recoil 110 prototype. The head is ugly. Rounded toe I hate but a cool point on top I like for quirkiness and less rounded visual. Top line is fat, and sharp square, no rounding to hide it, fairly flat leading edge with some srixon looking relief my dcis had (this will work in play), I mean it looks gross, in almost all aspects of accessing a club, but not in a SGI way, in a who got high and drew this way. Sorta looks like an elf shoe at address. I knew this from pics so I was not thrown off, but it is probably more than I expected. So all that said, they look so different at address that the top line and rounded toe that I hate, the point for no reason and elf shoe vibe didn't seem to bother me even in rotation with the blades. Like it is so whack, it is what it is supposed to be and what you expect to see, if that makes sense. Now the good part. Feel is soft and not too hollow(Great contrast to Miura blades), and shafts feel great, I think, but I need time there. My gut is that I am going to grow to hate them or really like them. I am always hoping that my current CB set is the next "one", this seems unlikely, but I am intrigued it is so whack and I liked addressing it....

 

 

 

 

 

[Nard_S]

Isn't OnOff part of Daiwa? Nice find there, BM. Best of luck. OnOff percolates my interest in the JDM world.They have new set out next month that is stunning and by description have to be Miura sourced.