Softest-feeling current production blade irons?

[cjlayer30]

On 10/6/2021 at 2:48 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

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.  🙂

 

Yeah the MCT-97 Australian Blades were something special. 

[Pepperturbo]

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

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.

IME asking for the softest blade makes no purposeful sense; users experience them differently.  Plus, NOT all users are feel players, nor do all users pay attention to impact details or move the ball both ways, which makes feeling impact subtitles important.

 

I have played blades for nearly thirty years.  Both the shaft composition, and ball composition play notable roles in how clubs feel at impact.  I currently play 620 MBs, DASH (harder) and AVX (softer), but combined with 620 heads and composite heavy shafts, they make impact feel soft like butter.   But the real variable measure is the users nerve receptors in their hands.  Can the user actually feel subtleties of impact; that's the million dollar question.

[AndersUK]

I have chased this and it is too subjective to quantify and far too dependent on how the club is made up, what ball you are using etc.

 

I have hit the same club heads with different shafts and grips and the feel can be soooo different - literally butter soft vs harsh and that is just from a different shaft and grip.  Then add the vast differences in the way different golf balls feel and you have endless possibilities.

 

The only thing I can say with some confidence is that for me Miura forgings tend to have the most "dense" feeling at impact but this might be different to what you are after.

[toddba11]

Wilson Staff Blades 2020 Model

[Charlie1961]

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.

Try the ballistic irons. Very very very soft.

www.ballistic.golf

Edited October 14, 2021 by Charlie1961

[stingerfade]

On 10/5/2021 at 6:47 PM, Kale_m said:

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. 

Z945 are almost too soft like can’t tell where in the face I hit it!!

[nitram]

I agree with what Roger said at the beginning of the thread. Some of the older JDM offerings 10-20 years ago were soft enough to require anyone who played more than once a week to change irons, especially in the 8-LW to change 'em out because of wear. The softest I ever swung was the Tourstage Z-101 followed neck and neck with anything Yamaha I tried. Also, '99 Hogan APEX deserves honorable mention. Currently, the Artisan wedges are as close to anything from those mentioned from two decades ago.

 

And Miura is not nor never has been noted as being in the "soft" category.

[Kale_m]

8 hours ago, stingerfade said:

Z945 are almost too soft like can’t tell where in the face I hit it!!

Going to be even softer after I raw them. 
 

 

[Barfolomew]

Softest is the Center of the Face of any iron 🦆

[TeeTee]

On 10/14/2021 at 11:13 AM, nitram said:

I agree with what Roger said at the beginning of the thread. Some of the older JDM offerings 10-20 years ago were soft enough to require anyone who played more than once a week to change irons, especially in the 8-LW to change 'em out because of wear. The softest I ever swung was the Tourstage Z-101 followed neck and neck with anything Yamaha I tried. Also, '99 Hogan APEX deserves honorable mention. Currently, the Artisan wedges are as close to anything from those mentioned from two decades ago.

 

And Miura is not nor never has been noted as being in the "soft" category.

 

 

99 Hogan Apex, Tourstage, 45 series of Srixon, and Yamaha irons are all forged at Endo...  clearly softer than Miura

Edited June 9, 2023 by TeeTee

[miles2go]

18 hours ago, TeeTee said:

 

 

99 Hogan Apex, Toustage, and Yamaha irons are all forged at Endo...  clearly softer than Miura

I have some Epon/Endo forged cavity backs. Great clubs. IMO, the perceived “softness” is nowhere near my old Mizuno MP63’s or 33’s when hit in the middle. Currently playing game improvement irons since I’m completely over how “pure” or “soft” that 7 iron felt as it came up just short of the green. 

[jomatty]

I recently picked up a set of Vega irons as well as a set of fourteen tb5.  They both feel fantastic.  The Fourteens are feel so good though.  The lofts may not be what you are looking for in the tb5/7 but the forgings are so good that I would definitely take a look at their offerings.  The Vega blades also look so good.  I haven’t tried them but I can only assume they feel better than the Mizar Tours that I have, so I would take a hard look at them if you are still in the market, and the lofts are not too strong for you.

[mvvraz]

If I had to choose a blade I'd go with Miura's, but honestly if you want that ultra soft feeling I'd be trying shafts more so than heads - about an year ago I switched to Steelfibers exactly for that reason, when I get the contact right it feels like I'm melting butter

[ranesy]

Long time Mizuno player but also have Bridgestone and Miura's in rotation at the moment. I find the Bridgestones to feel a bit clicky while the Mizuno's feel the softest to my hands. Does not mean you will feel the same...

 

The type of grip, ball, hardness of turf and the shaft all play a role in the 'soft' feel of an iron. Another important variable is the 'sound'....a thump will feel much softer vs a click or a clank.

 

Finally, yes there are industry standard hardness measures (e.g. Rockwell hardness scale). From a metallurgy point of view, the crystal structure of the metal, the type and thickness of the outer layer (i.e. chrome plating) will influence the hardness of the iron metal.

[HateTheHighDraw]

Check out the Edel SMS pro - small cavity but mega soft feeling 

[Kgglonghorn]

Callaway MB 18 comes in a close second behind mizuno MP 68 for me.  KBS tour in the callaway and nippon in the mizzies. I’ve tried them all from miura to Titleist and everything in between.  The above mentioned offer the most butter for me.

[Kaitsu68]

I don't believe you will find softer than Epon Af Tour Mb. Our club pro checked the lofts and lies of my set and did leave a mark on the first club he checked. He was sorry afterwards and said he has never seen softer metal used in golf clubs. Have even an old set of Miura Tournament blades. Not as soft as Epons. 

[TeeTee]

Agreed...  Epon Tour CB are the same Endo forging and have great turf interaction with the beveled leading edges

 

I just wish they were a little stronger in loft and had a little less offset 

[SwingBlade]

Having a little trouble with the concept and desirability of "softest".  I have less trouble with terms like sweetest or perhaps even communicative.  Softness does not equate to optimized sound and vibration or even simply "feel".     In fact, "soft" generally inhibits or muffles the transmission of the vibrations that the head and shaft combination employ to tell us the relative precision of our last swing.  
 

Using such terms, I would say that my Miura CB 57's are the most precise set of irons that I own while the old MP 33's that I just resumed playing are the sweetest.  Similarly, my Vokey SM 8 raw wedges are my most precise wedges but my Miura K Grinds are the sweetest wedges I've ever played.  
 

On a freeway or an enjoyable mountain road, I prefer a balanced combination of fun handling but on a track I want precise communication of every aspect of the car, the track, and my driving.  

Edited October 8, 2023 by SwingBlade

[RolandofGilead]

I’ve played the ‘99 Hogan Apex and ‘91 W/S Tour blades. Both are great feeling but in different ways: the Endo-forged Hogans were butter soft and the Tour Blades have that signature Wilson smash. I found no difference in accuracy/precision or ability to tell face impact location - both excellent. It’s purely a personal preference thing and I went with the firmer Wilsons. All W/S blades I’ve hit (‘76 bullet back, ‘87 Fluid Feel, ‘91 TB’s) have that same firm powerful feel and it’s just right for me.

[raspymcnasty]

Mizunos, but ive never tried miuras. 

[Nessism]

The "softest" club are the ones you hit in the center of the face!  Even cast clubs like Ping's, feel like butter when struck in the center!

[braincramp52]

9 minutes ago, Nessism said:

The "softest" club are the ones you hit in the center of the face!  Even cast clubs like Ping's, feel like butter when struck in the center!

This is the correct anser.

[Barfolomew]

If soft is that important to ya...... Just use a softer grip and play what you want

[dave w]

Titleist t100 2019 irons have a very muted feel, feel like a forged blade however with forgiveness