Why are fewer pros playing blades?

[rsiehr]

I was a forged cavity back guy for 15 years and just switched to blades in 7-pw a couple years ago. I find these modern blades to be at least as forgiving as my old cavity backs (and my current 4/5/6 cavity backs to be much more forgiving than older models). I notice, as I’m sure many of you do, that fewer pros play blades than in the old days, and many even play hollow, thin faced irons (even in the short irons).

 

In trying to explain to myself why I feel I need blades but the pros don’t, I came up with the following theory: blades are largely about feedback, which is something that my game absolutely needs, but is it possible that with the proliferation of trackman and the like, that pros don’t need that feedback in feel as much because they have the actual numbers?

 

Obviously the construction and quality of the irons the pros have switched to has improved dramatically over the past twenty years, but I wonder if there may be a little of truth to my theory. Any thoughts?

[sheezymaneezy]

I'd say forgiveness is 99% of the reason.

Even if you're an elite ball striker aka on tour, if playing a more forgiving club saves you 1 stroke per tournament, it could be the difference between making the cut, finishing top 10, winning etc. 

That's my basic thought anyway lol.

[Barfolomew]

You play for fun.

 

Pros play for a living and for many (maybe most I dont know) it doesn't even pay the bills.  So they'll play a club that gives them a little more room for error... one stroke might mean making a tour, getting to play in the Masters or getting kicked off a tour

[braincramp52]

Even pros like a little bit of forgiveness.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

It isn't like CBs are that much more forgiving in a way that over time we regular folks would notice. Both Blades and CBs will offer similar results, but the CBs are marginally more forgiving.

For a regular amateur that plays this game for fun, it is irrelevant.

For the touring pro, it is everything because that small margin, as mentioned above, make a much bigger difference.

Edited November 2, 2023 by Mikey_HACKilroy

[jda]

I asked a few in the past couple of years.  First (part A), they are better at finding fairways than ever - no need to cut/hack out of the rough.  First (part B), they hit the ball so much further, that if in the rough, they are 9 iron or a wedge and don't have to hack out long irons much any more.  Second, the balls spin enough without the muscle.  One of them said that this cavities are what they are paid to play by their sponsor - indicated that this is more common that most people know.  More forged cavity offerings help to customize/bend them - if you have played long enough you remember when most cavities were cast and would break.

 

They don't miss the center that often.  Being able to hit and hold a green from 205 out of the rough is worth more than a 1 in 250 mishit from a decent/good lie.  You can see more blades in tournaments that require lots of rough hacking and stuff... or known windy conditions.

 

Pros are a bad thing to compare to.  If you want to look at good players, find college or mini tour folks who buy their own stuff... you still see a lot of blades there.  They also have to contend with missed fairways with more than a wedge since most of them are not 330+ and stuff.

 

Just my thoughts, but blades used to be THE way to launch the ball high, spin and control it.  As long as forged cavities can do this, there is not as much need.  Cast cavities could never do this as well, at least for me.  That used to be one of the best ways to stop the ball on tour quality greens.

[Dabetic]

They just aren't necessary. Lot's of good small cavity backs out there

[CSagan]

Cause they ain't flushers like us!

 

 

Rory, TW, Fleetwood, Min woo, Adam Scott...still some flushers flushing.

 

[NRJyzr]

The confirmation bias in this thread is strong.  LOL

 

Remember Dufner switching mid tourney to National Custom blades and going off afterwards?  Then there's Els and The Open... 

 

At that level, it really doesn't matter. 

 

They're really only chasing launch conditions, for the most part.

 

 

[Barfolomew]

The trend is towards common sense...  easier is better and better is better

[Pnwpingi210]

Few different reasons I suspect.

 

i think tour golfers over the age of 30-35 learned how to play golf with musclebacks or a small players cavity back.  They are comfortable with the size, shape, and how you use it to control the ball.  Similar to why you see lots x100 and px shafts on tour.  Tour pros younger than that had many more options for cbs and may have learned to play that game with those more “forgiving” (whatever that means to them) models and are less likely to want to play a blade.

 

I think another option is they get paid different amount to play different models.  The top 25 guys in tour earnings probably don’t care about the additional sponsor dollars they could get by playing the latest and greatest cb.  For the 71st ranked guy on tour, they may take and extra  $50k of guaranteed income to go t100 over 620 mb.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Pnwpingi210

[Nard_S]

I could care less. The Japanese revere fine forgings, so I'm good.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Why does this topic come up so much anyways? Is it really that important? 😄

[phizzy30]

I asked the same question to my client who plays on the Mackenzie Tour.  He said he played blades for a bit because that's what he grow up playing mostly, but realized that every stroke saved could mean the difference between making the cut or winning the tournament.  He recently switched to the Apex CB's and says they are the best Cally player's irons of late. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by phizzy30

[nsxguy]

5 minutes ago, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

Why does this topic come up so much anyways? Is it really that important? 😄

 

Well, the OP's only here 10 years.

 

He probly hasn't seen the other threads yet.

 

[Socrates]

But, they groove their swing practicing with a blade iron. 🙄

[Llortamaisey]

Cavities belong on your teeth, not on your golf clubs. 

[Sean124]

[Arafel]

I guess because they haven't joined GolfWRX yet.

 

[Ezekial]

I’m not consistent enough to play blades but I’ve bagged them plenty of times. Odd thing is my best shots in memory are usually with blades (both hole in ones came with blades). I always felt my best shots were better with blades. If you look at Strokes Gained Approach this year on tour 7 of the top 12 in the category play blades or a combo set with blades 6 iron down. Just saying the ones that have the confidence in them do quite well it seems. Which I would expect I guess lol

[Bigarch]

... because golf tournaments are usually won by the player who hits the best "bad" shots???

[Pnwpingi210]

6 of the top 10 stokes gained approach the green pros play blades at least to the 7 iron, some to the 5, some a full set.

 

 

[Kingcat990]

Not even Fowler could play the blades he designed with Cobras R&D behind him.

[Tiptx1122]

If playing blades is what you like and it makes you look like you’re a better player than what you actually are then go play them. If you’re not a pro and don’t play for a living go play blades if that’s what you want. Now when it means you made or missed the cut in a professional event then you better be able to have a better reason or theroy than you absolutely need the feedback. Blades look so much nicer but Blades are not the only irons out there that give you feedback. 

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

I think there are several factors… forgiveness while keeping slim top line, etc. 
 

However, we are talking about the most elite ball strikers in the world and they could all probably game blades just fine. The issue is the trajectory window. Blades tend to launch a bit lower than CBs, which can make it more difficult to hold firm greens. 

[Socrates]

1 hour ago, ProjectX_Mizuno said:

I think there are several factors… forgiveness while keeping slim top line, etc. 
...

At first, I thought you were describing the ideal woman...

[infinii]

Because they can't handle the pain of standing on a tee box and see their competitor using a 7i while they're holding a 5i blade.

[iknowbagu]

Because they're not stupid and we are. 

 

 

And are we ever going to drop the "feedback" strawman? Even with the shoveliest shovel that ever shoveled you can still tell if and where you missed it. 

 

[braincramp52]

30 minutes ago, iknowbagu said:

Because they're not stupid and we are. 

 

 

And are we ever going to drop the "feedback" strawman? Even with the shoveliest shovel that ever shoveled you can still tell if and where you missed it. 

 

Now you've done it. The guys here that need to know when they miss the sweet spot by 3mm are gonna rain down on you.😅

[iknowbagu]

7 minutes ago, braincramp52 said:

Now you've done it. The guys here that need to know when they miss the sweet spot by 3mm are gonna rain down on you.😅

 

It's fine. I also said swing weight is overrated the other day so I'm used to it. 

 

The season is coming to a screeching halt for most of us (woke up to frost today *sigh*) so we're all a little feisty. Might as well get it all out of our systems now so we can have a productive winter.