blades v cavityback
heard a tip last week and wanted to throw it out there for a response. Although playing a handicap of 19 i heard that practicing with blade irons even as a high handicapper will help with your ball striking when reverting back to cavity back irons i would like to know how people feel about this
Reply : Sun 12th May 2013 23:47
I think the theory here is that when you strike it badly with a blade it really lets you know you havent caught it right, i think everyone knows the stinging feeling when you catch one a bit thin and toe-y and its like a shock to the hands. With this in mind the incentive is there to teach you to getting a pure strike this would then carry over to cavity backs. im sure someone will confirm or dispel this theory.
Reply : Mon 13th May 2013 09:44
The crash, bang, wallop game of today is far removed from the way the game was played during the 'blades' era. The game then was of skill, flair, imagination and having the ability to produce a variety of shots that the modern cavity backs are unable to do.
Playing into hard and fast greens requires a lot of pure striking skill coupled with control of trajectory and shape to get to those difficult pin positions which present no problem in the modern game due to soft and receptive putting surfaces.
It is strange that in those years handicaps were pegged at 24 yet now, they are 28 and will possibly rise again.
If you can strike a blade consistently well then the last thing anyone would do is to use cavity backs.
Reply : Mon 13th May 2013 12:52
Paul
If you try blades and find that, with effort and persistence, they reward your efforts to swing more consistently and hit the ball more sweetly, you won't be going back to cavity backs in a rush. I've been using Mizuno MP32s for the last year and, contrary to all the usual warnings from low handicappers about "Stay clear of blades if you're not a 5-handicapper or less", I've now gone and stayed sub-20 for the 1st time in my life, and although I've a long way to go, I'm looking forward to further improvement in my HC and general game in the future.
I do wonder if some low HC-ers are just trying to scare us all away from blades, in case we all do improve our games and challenge their supremacy. There must be some secret to the reason for their low scoring & general consistency of play - Could this success not be due, at least to some extent, on the fact that they ARE using blades rather than the "go-faster striped" "improvement irons which numerous golf magazines encourage many of us to bludgeon our way round courses with?
Reply : Mon 13th May 2013 13:02
It is true that a badly struck blade will not reach where you were hoping for it to go. Whether playing with blades will help you strike better is questionable and as JP states why would you play cavity backs if you could use blades? I think blades do provide better feel and control. However, if you feel it helps then why not. Playing with blades does attract negative vibes from the club police eg 'why do you play blades with your handicap', 'you shouldn't use blades unless your such and such handicap' All I can say is play with what you feel most comfortable with and tell them to go bollocks.
Reply : Mon 13th May 2013 13:17
like the response i am getting from this forum i have been offered some mizuno blades to try hence the reason for the post so will take up the offer and get back to you guys many thanks food for thought
Reply : Tue 14th May 2013 09:58
A quote from the BBC article today made by Tiger about his round at Sawgrass.
"And the way I was playing at Augusta, I was shaping the golf ball both ways and controlling my trajectory, and I thought that was important coming into this week.
"It ended up being one of the key factors because I missed the golf ball in all the right spots. The only really tough up and down I had all week was at 15."
This why he is the best, he has learned his trade properly by using blades. The modern game is so boring now.