Softest-feeling current production blade irons?

[mukster]

As always with these types of threads, there are many, many forged blades that are the softest. 🙂

[byoshio82]

On 10/1/2021 at 8:16 AM, jaconbits said:

I'm unable to try all types of irons without shelling out cash, but I'm looking for the absolute softest blade irons on the market today.

 

I've tried Ben Hogans (very soft), Titleist 620mbs (firmer), and Blueprint (somewhere in the middle). I'm open to DTC brands as well, like Haywood, New Level, Sub70, etc, as well as any major brand.

Whatever you can consistently hit the sweetspot on. Most blades are going to be buttery if you do this consistently. I have a set of VR TW Blades I break out when it's hot and they still feel like butter when you flush them but dear lord if you miss you know about it instantly and forget about them when it's below 70 degrees!lol!

[TLUBulldogGolf]

MP-20s and the new Callaway MB both feel very soft to me. If you can swing it, Miura would be one to look at.

[BottleCap]

7 hours ago, Rocky Ball-boa said:

Just the fact that I quite often read people in our very midst say things like ".. feels really soft, solid and nice"

We clearly have very different ideas of what the word "soft" even means! In my mind they're the complete opposites.

Soft = mushy

Solid = hard (opposite of mushy)

 

Something can be soft to the touch yet solid, I guess.. like a fur covered rock. It's soft when stroked, hard when poked.  But why would anyone use that definition of "soft" in relation to golf equipment? I doubt even the most deidcated club ho has that kind of relationship with clubs!

 

But you wouldn't describe a pillow as soft and solid. A soft pillow is one that's soft to poke.

 

Or is it just me?

 

Ps. for the metallurgists out there; are there no measures of softness one can apply to materials at least get an inkling?  Like how we have compression for golf balls. Sure, the shell of the ball still impacts what we perceive as softness, but it's a start to a conversation at least.

i read something on the scotty cameron forum a while back where it was pointed out that the "harder" carbon steel putters emitted a softer sound at impact than the "softer" stainless steel putters. 

 

I personally think that if you hit the ball before the turf they all feel/sound the same vs hitting an inch behind the ball.

[dokex]

9 minutes ago, BottleCap said:

i read something on the scotty cameron forum a while back where it was pointed out that the "harder" carbon steel putters emitted a softer sound at impact than the "softer" stainless steel putters. 

 

I personally think that if you hit the ball before the turf they all feel/sound the same vs hitting an inch behind the ball.

Agree totally. The human nervous system is not nearly advanced enough to "feel" an impact that takes a mere fraction of a second to occur. The brain interprets the sound as being "soft".

[dokex]

5 hours ago, TLUBulldogGolf said:

MP-20s and the new Callaway MB both feel very soft to me. If you can swing it, Miura would be one to look at.

Why couldn't you swing Miuras? They are golf clubs, after all.

[TLUBulldogGolf]

2 hours ago, dokex said:

Why couldn't you swing Miuras? They are golf clubs, after all.

$$$

[dokex]

18 minutes ago, TLUBulldogGolf said:

$$$

Over the head.

[Rocky Ball-boa]

8 hours ago, dokex said:

Agree totally. The human nervous system is not nearly advanced enough to "feel" an impact that takes a mere fraction of a second to occur. The brain interprets the sound as being "soft".

 

Have you never struck a ball so badly that your hands are literally in pain on a cold winters morn? Or felt the soul wrenching feeling of a hosel rocket (which actually is a pretty pleasant sound).

If that's not feeling impact, then I don't know what it is.

 

Conversely a good strike also has a feeling.

 

I know the meme that "sound correlates to feel", and I 100% agree. It's definitely a large part of the sensory experience that golf offers. But if you're saying that we literally can't feel the impact and that it's all sound, then we have to agree to disagree.

[MattC555]

I don't need to hear anything to know whether I've flushed my MP20s.  And I certainly don't need hearing to tell you I toed or thinned it.  The ball virtually disappears into the sweet spot.  Its a fantastic and addicting feeling.  

 

I haven't hit a blade softer than my MP20s, but I haven't hit Miuras or the other super boutique brands listed.  But the MP20s were softer feeling than the Blueprints, Titleist 620MB, Callaway and Apex MB.  It was noticeable, and I preferred it.  Not sure if it's the copper layer, but they are also noticeably softer than my old MP68s. 

Edited October 5, 2021 by MattC555

[Buzzkill]

Those made up of 431 or 1020 metals.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Buzzkill

[gvalenti]

It's all marketing. It is the sound of striking the ball that gives you the feeling of soft.  Everyone on this thread who is arguing that it isn't, has written a disclaimer about hitting it in the sweet spot.   You have to test apples to apples.  If you set up two clubs exactly the same way (loft, lie, shaft and grip) and eliminate your ability to hear the strike while hitting the sweet spot, you can not tell which club head is softer.

 

We all want sexy clubs in our bag that we can brag about or impress others with and that's OK.  But let's be honest and just admit that's what we are doing.   Somebody already mentioned this and they hit the nail on the head, "If the manufacturers could quantify the "feeling of softness" they would advertise the heck of it."  If they can't, what makes anyone think we can.

[Maroon_19]

Feel is all relative...

I have played and sworn by Mizunos for the last 20+ years.  They are butter.  When you strike them well, it's like you didn't hit a thing.

 

One of my golf buddies grabbed a new set of PXG 0311P gen2 irons since PXG was basically giving them away.  I just had to hit one.  160 yard par 3 over water.  Grabbed his 8 iron.  Flushed it and stuck it to about 6 feet.  I have to admit that the PXG felt as good as or better than my JPX919 forged irons.

 

Wish I had never swung that club.  Now I have a set in my shopping cart online.  Just cannot make myself push the button.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Maroon_19

[Live to golf]

It's not a true blade but the zx7 is pretty mushy.

[JahSteve]

4 hours ago, Maroon_19 said:

Feel is all relative...

I have played and sworn by Mizunos for the last 20+ years.  They are butter.  When you strike them well, it's like you didn't hit a thing.

 

One of my golf buddies grabbed a new set of PXG 0311P gen2 irons since PXG was basically giving them away.  I just had to hit one.  160 yard par 3 over water.  Grabbed his 8 iron.  Flushed it and stuck it to about 6 feet.  I have to admit that the PXG felt as good as or better than my JPX919 forged irons.

 

Wish I had never swung that club.  Now I have a set in my shopping cart online.  Just cannot make myself push the button.

the bold part of the quote is exactly how I explain to buddies how nice my Hogan's feel. When you flush one its like I didn't hit a thing... 

[cjlayer30]

On 10/1/2021 at 11:16 AM, jaconbits said:

I'm unable to try all types of irons without shelling out cash, but I'm looking for the absolute softest blade irons on the market today.

 

I've tried Ben Hogans (very soft), Titleist 620mbs (firmer), and Blueprint (somewhere in the middle). I'm open to DTC brands as well, like Haywood, New Level, Sub70, etc, as well as any major brand.

I'm a blade whore. Have about 11 sets. My gamers are the Blueprints - have them MOI matched now and am shooting the lowest scores of my life. That being said, the softest blades I own are the Mizuno MP 69s. They are buttery smooth even on slight mishits, and there is no feeling more pure than a center of the face Mizuno 3 iron strike. 

 

 

[Kale_m]

I have played Mizuno Mp4/5/18/20 , Apex MB , titleist 712/714 MB, Scratch SB-1 , 

 

Now playing the Srixon Z945 and I think they feel the softest out of the bunch, Apex MB a close second. 

[1163]

Sub 70 Forged lineup are the softest irons i have ever hit

[ShowMe]

Oh great.  Another the metal in my iron is softer than the metal in your iron thread.

[Rocky Ball-boa]

19 hours ago, gvalenti said:

It's all marketing. It is the sound of striking the ball that gives you the feeling of soft.  Everyone on this thread who is arguing that it isn't, has written a disclaimer about hitting it in the sweet spot.   You have to test apples to apples.  If you set up two clubs exactly the same way (loft, lie, shaft and grip) and eliminate your ability to hear the strike while hitting the sweet spot, you can not tell which club head is softer.

 

We all want sexy clubs in our bag that we can brag about or impress others with and that's OK.  But let's be honest and just admit that's what we are doing.   Somebody already mentioned this and they hit the nail on the head, "If the manufacturers could quantify the "feeling of softness" they would advertise the heck of it."  If they can't, what makes anyone think we can.

 

As I've mentioned up-thread, I strongly disagree that the feeling of softness is wholly attributable to sound. There is definitely a physical feel component.

I agree that sound is a very large part of the enjoyment of hitting a club, and I also agree that I probably couldn't tell two forged clubs apart when hit on the sweet spot purely on feel in my hands.

 

But blindfolded and with ear muffs I can 100% tell you if I'm hitting a cast game improvement iron with "trampoline" face, speed pockets, areo-spheres, speed foam or whatever else in it or a forged blade.

[Red4282]

On 10/5/2021 at 3:08 AM, Rocky Ball-boa said:

 

Have you never struck a ball so badly that your hands are literally in pain on a cold winters morn? Or felt the soul wrenching feeling of a hosel rocket (which actually is a pretty pleasant sound).

If that's not feeling impact, then I don't know what it is.

 

Conversely a good strike also has a feeling.

 

I know the meme that "sound correlates to feel", and I 100% agree. It's definitely a large part of the sensory experience that golf offers. But if you're saying that we literally can't feel the impact and that it's all sound, then we have to agree to disagree.

I think what he means is you cant decipher two well struck shots with two different clubs. We detect the sound difference. Put some earmuffs on and let us know how that goes. EDIT: seen above post and we seem to be in agreement.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Red4282

[jaconbits]

16 hours ago, ShowMe said:

Oh great.  Another the metal in my iron is softer than the metal in your iron thread.

 

I think metal is really only one factor. Shape and weight distribution are potentially more important.

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, jaconbits said:

 

I think metal is really only one factor. Shape and weight distribution are potentially more important.

 

Along those lines...

 

Back in the first half dozen years of this century, when I was hitting everything that existed, the softest club I could possibly find was the Maxfli Australian Blade.  A cast club, not even carbon steel.

 

Funny how that is.  🙂

 

[BuddyLofton]

Kzg zo blades are the softest I've used, but I haven't tried many different irons. They only sell zo plus now, and I believe are made in a different factory with different process. But I've read that they are pretty identical feeling to the zo's

[Vegasgolfgeek]

I am a huge fan of new level 623-m softer and easy to hit than the others in your post. They unfortunately are discontinued. The pf series from them I've heard great things haven't tried myself. The most impressive irons from a dtc company for me are the sub70 taiii irons they are soft and loaded up with tech for a blade. The weight ports for me are a beautiful addition and let's maintain my swing weight due to bigger grips. Normally I have to add tons of lead tape. I have the raw ones and want to talk about a soft iron there is nothing softer than a raw finished iron for me. 

[tsecor]

hit the sweet spot and they all feel the same

 

I will say the new T100-S even feel really good when you hit them off the toe....very forgiving. I was shocked.

 

thinning feels harsh like any other club 

[Notorious22]

Currently in the Z-Forged. They are one of the best feeling blades I have ever Hit. I think if you get the correct dynamic lie and loft/bounce combo they are really fun to play with.

[Cpk23]

Miuras are not soft. The P7MBs are actually the softest I have hit in recent years. The P730 and P7TW are much firmer. Tiger likes his blades firmer and they feel identical to the original Nike blades, which were not soft.

[GJR10]

Wilson staff blades 2020

[Rocky Ball-boa]

28 minutes ago, GJR10 said:

Wilson staff blades 2020

 

I can't vouch for their softness, but if they feel anything like they look, it's gonna be an awesome iron! Real beauties.