Re: Blades??

I'm with Bill - if blades were truly the way to go, you wouldn't see the pros using anything else. Generally speaking, pros are the last to use something (think cavity backs and hybrids), so to have them use cavs is a huge statement.

Martin - what 'other differences' are you referring to, and writing off as marketing hype?

Re: Blades??

LowPost, since you speak generally, so will I.

Professional players prefer blades over any other design, generally speaking. Professional players are more precise than any other player, generally speaking. Professional players have more control over the shape of the shot than any other players, generally speaking. Professional players practice more than any other player, generally speaking.

These statements above are all generalities.

So are these statements below.

Professional players prefer cavity backs over any other design, generally speaking. Professional players are less precise than any other player, generally speaking. Professional players have less control over the shape of the shot than any other players, generally speaking. Professional players practice less than any other player, generally speaking.

Now, which set of generalities are more true?

The hype. My exact statement is: "All other stated differences are simply marketing hype. Except one, ..." It's up to you to figure out what the other stated differences are.

I prefer to think that cavity backs are detrimental to one's own ability to play well. If only for the simple fact that they give less feedback than blades with the resulting loss of control.

How can they help me when the only thing they do with any efficiency is to shield me from my own mistakes? They are certainly not straighter than blades. They are certainly not longer either. Whatever I can do with cavity backs, I can do with blades, only better.

With cavity backs, even the bad hits feel good. With a blade, bad hits feel bad. Blades don't lie.

Re: Blades??

hi martin
i have ping zings and i know by the feel if i hit it on the sweet spot or more out towards the toe. to say you get no feedback is rubish. you do get more feedback with blades but you make out that with cavity back your hitting with no feel at all and cant tell when you hit it sweet.
i know when i hit it sweet as i dont feel the ball on the club face at all. i also know if i hit it more out the toe i lose about 5 to 7 yards with my 5 iron.
i dont think cavity back or blades are best in all things, it's what suits your game and what helps you improve and both work for diffrent people, you do get cavity back blades too. ping i3+ that dimarco uses and calcavaca uses too, by your way of thinking there lesser players using pings than using real blades. golf clubs are a tool and you use what you find works and feels good to you, its called choice, i like the feel of my zings and the way the look, i dont like the look of blades as much including the new pings. i know lee westwood thinks the same and wont change.
going by what you say people should not use hybrids as there easy to play compaired with say a 3 iron blade and you wont get the same feedback. i'm sure there are a lot of cavity back players on here that get tons of feedback with there shots. maybe not as much as with blades but that dont make them a second class golfer to blade players as you seem to be making out.
most pros play the clubs they get paid to play with and not always the ones of there choice. but if pings were so bad for there game no pro would use them as they would never win on tour and thats just not the case at all.
bill

Re: Blades??

I think we need to differentiate between playing well and scoring well, as the two are not necessarily one and the same.

I will agree that there is more feedback in non-cavity designs. However, I fail to see how the level of feedback relates to ones' ability to play.

I will stand firm in stating that blades do NOT improve your ability to score. How can losing massive yardage on mishits help your score? The short answer is 'it can't.'

Re: Blades??


I have a set of Ping ISI's and had a set of Eye2's before them and love them both. Both a cavity style. Both exceptionally "forgiving" on miss hits. And my reality is, that as an 18 marker, I AM going to miss hit during my rounds.

I agree with Bill, golf clubs are a "tool of trade" and we search for what works best for us as individuals. If that's blades, then your swing must be well grooved. For me, my swing is anything but grooved, so its cavity's for me.

Golf is a truly game of millimetres (think I read that on here somewhere too) and even just a few millimetres off perfect and anything can happen.

Re: Blades??

LowPost42, please take a minute to read the following:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/feedback


Feedback is a fundamental part of the learning mechanism. It is also a fundamental part of practice. The total absence of feedback renders learning impossible. More is better, less is worse. In order to increase one's own ability, one must learn further and practice further. Learning, practicing and increasing one's own ability does not exist without feedback.

Feedback can be described as the information one acquires directly through the act of doing. The information is primarily physical sensation. Without this information, one can not learn from one's own deeds. My action, from my hands to the club, feeds back to me, from the club to my hands, my success or my failure. A blade performs this action better than a cavity back. I play better because of that.

Cavity backs feel numb, or unresponsive if you prefer, to me. So do graphite and supple shafts.

Re: Blades??

Guys,

Well, I'll be the guinie pig for this one. During my last round I hit my Blade 5 iron very well every time I used it. After Christmas ( I'll have the time) I intend to take my blades to the range and leave my cavity backs at home and I'll see how I do. I must say the shots I hit with that blade felt much crisper than almost any shot I hit with the cavity backs. I just want to hit the ball lower than I'm hitting it now. But if I can't hit the blades consistent enough I'll return to the CB irons.

Laserman

Re: Blades??

Martin,

I'm actually doing what you allude to: I've got a set of blades that I've matched as closely as possible to my gamer irons. (Maltby M03's and Wishon 560's respectively, for those who are interested).

I use the M03's to practice with - for the instant feedback. But to play golf with, I use the 560s. I completely agree that blades are great for getting immediate feedback on what you've done. I disagree that cavity backs don't provide feedback, but I'll agree that they're not nearly as 'telltale' as blades.

The point I'm trying to make is that unless you are a very consistent ball striker, I don't think it's possible (save an amazing short game) to score better with blades than you can with the forgiveness offered in cavity back irons.

If you're a consistent ball striker, I can see how blades could very well be your club of choice - especially if it's minute things that you're fixing in your swing.

But I would absolutely hands-down tell every beginner to golf to play with cavity back irons when they're trying to score. If you don't care what you score, then you don't need to care what you hit.

FWIW, I finished out this year playing Wishon 550C muscle cav irons. Plenty of feedback (and I got plenty of it), and decent forgiveness. However, I went to a tournament, and left the 550's behind. I wanted all the forgiveness I could muster, and went back to my SnakeEyes 600XCs. Certainly less feedback than the 550C's, but still enough to play a round of golf.

Now, all this said, my first response should have been: If it works for you, don't change it. Blades work for you and your game - play them. In fact, I think everyone should try playing with blades. I knew a guy who, when he switched over to blades, immediately started playing better. He had more confidence in hitting a 'real golf club', and it filtered down through his swing.

I guess the next step now is to debate square driver heads vs classic shape?