AVOID Using These Golf Clubs

[@guywhittern2800]

As a low handicapper who has used Mizuno blades for years and years, my iron game was transformed in 2024 by Mizuno Hot Metal Pro irons. Not forged, chunky, and so so easy to use. I would never have believed it.

[@Pud56]

Golf is to be enjoyed, if hitting a shovel helps you get round effectively with a smile, play them

[@mariopayeur5885]

I started with cavity backs and switched to blades once I got to a single digit handicap. Now, as my strength and flexibility have decreased, I am going to players distance irons for the look as well as game improvement features. The cycle of golf.

[@DMKFACTOR]

I’m a single digit player who just passed my player ability test! I have and play game improvement irons! I shoot in the 70s quite frequently too!

[@edge21str]

I think it really depends on the kind of beginner. I started out with player's cavity irons. I was able to spend a lot of time on the range this past 1.5 years and now I'm actually striking them pretty well now.

[@markrigney4372]

What a lot of people don't talk about enough is the sole width. I like them skinny but am wise enough to know blades aren't practical to my best golf performance /experience. Recently put the Vice I01s in have dropped three strokes already. Kinda look like a blade but at address the face looks and is very forgiving to me. Turf interaction is great too.

[@mickritchie1815]

Have always loved blades when I’m taking them out of the bag before I hit the shot. Not so much putting them back after hitting it.

[@PNW_Sportbike_Life]

My i230s have been really good for me. Not chunky, not too much offset (don't like the look of a lot of offset) yet gives some forgiveness. I hit my friend's Rogue ST 7i around 165 carry, and my ping i230 7i around 150 carry. I'm not going to lie, the extra distance does appeal to me.

[@MrUlfdub]

First off, not all pros play blades (think Koepka, Matsuyama, etc). I learned in the early 80's and blades were the only option. Although I've tried cavity backs over the years I still come back to loving how blades look (first love). Fortunately we now have cavities with muscle running across the back. Best of both worlds (looks + performance) so that's what I play,

[@stephenbarker6453]

The whole purpose of taking up a sport is to enjoy yourself. Choose whichever club makes you smile.

[@sfink16]

Matt, as a high handicapper (19) and elderly (65 years old with bad arthritis limiting my golf swing), I have switched from cavity back to hybrids (Eleven). I still use a cavity back PW and Gap wedge. What are your thoughts, if any, on using the hybrids?

[@petermanns92]

I bought some mp32s for 9 and 8 irons because I loved my Vokey wedges...however I now have a big gap to my 7 iron because of loft strength as much as anything. My 8 and 9 iron shots are much straight now😊

[@lexxwhite747]

This is why I love my i230s. Basically the best of both worlds.

[@kamil4151]

I started out a year ago and got some second hand TM M2 game improvements, and I thought I hitting it well until I found out I'm a very bad ball striker and the clubs were doing overtime on forgiveness. As I broke few of them, I decided to get Mizunos MP20 HMB, and even though few weeks it was back to basics, I would not go back. That feeling of pure strike with those clubs has therapeutic effect on me.

[@scottgalbreath5707]

I started out playing golf as a teenager with game improvement irons and still play them today at age 45. I have and can hit a bladed iron, but with that being said, mis hits and poor strikes definitely affect the distance. I much prefer forgiveness with my game.

[@The-OC]

Really enjoyed that Matt, superb quality of production 👌🏼 Great advice with the club's too, there really no point in making the game harder than it can be when folks are starting out, the JPX 925 HL are perfect clubs for beginners and even mid handicappers, blades really won't help a high handicapper gain confidence.

[@Pud56]

Played blades all my life, now need some distance due to age and medical issues, so tried P790 after a fitting, they look great, and hit the ball a mile. Its enabled me to remain low single figures, very happy. I get they are slightly jacked, 31 degree 7 iron, tungsten weighting gives the iron some pep, and flight, really cant fault them.

[@guyr7351]

That is almost the standard loft these days which is about a club stronger than conventional lofts. I play Wilson D7’s and have dropped nearly 9 shots this summer a lot based on getting to grips with the driver at last. I’m tempted by new irons but the ones I have are doing a good job, but at 64 I’m thinking future proof by getting graphite shafted clubs next.

[@sabianmcleod]

I played golf occasionally over the years with cavity backs. No more than once per year, with cavity backs. When i took up golf seriously just over a year ago, I felt cavity backs lulled me into thinking I was better than I was. I was inconsistent and rubbish, but could hit ok shots with decent distance. So I got some blades to really learn to swing properly and to get maximum feedback. The results are, I now have a proper golf swing and down to single digits. I think blades are good for a certain type of beginner. I am a long hitter, so I don't need more distance than my Mizuno's offer. If you also get a buzz from puring a blade, you want to do it again and again, so want to practise. Nothing beats that feeling and if you have my type of personality, you want that feeling more. So I don't agree with Matt. It depends on the player.

[@Jyeriksson]

Having played with 718 CBs for five years im thinking about upgrading to 620 MBs this vinter. Love the look of blades...

[@DMKFACTOR]

Bet you LOVE the forgiveness too! Or I should say lack there of!

[@jimecherry]

a flush shot with a blade feels considerably better than with cbs however a miss hit or thin shot feels like crap with a blade but with cbs it feels almost the same as a flush shot.

[@DMKFACTOR]

@@jimecherry Anyone that plays blades with todays tech is leaving shots on the course! I’m a low single digit player, and I have never played with and never will play with blades! Put’s you at a disadvantage with the lack of forgiveness! We’re not pros needing the workability and have the ability to have a dime shaped wear mark on all our clubs! Mine is more quarter shaped.

[@andrewlaw8121]

I’d like a jpx 925 without any offset. I like speed and forgiveness in an iron especially in winter. But my bad shot is a hook/ overdraw and there’s no option

[@KentnDebi]

Those blades look so pretty though Matt 🤪 Using the foot spray or dry shampoo spray is such a great feedback idea. It shows you instantly where you made contact with the ball...not where you think you made it 👍

[@petersmith9470]

Use technology if needed and you don't need the feel that cast clubs offer. I play both, classic Hogans and Srixon 100 blades in the summer and Hogan and Srixon semi cavity in the winter.

[@stewjohnstone4834]

I’ve got a set of jpx 923’s and love them but would like to start to blend my set once my game improves just not sure which set to start blending with

[@TurdFergusson318]

Unless you’re breaking 80 consistently Blades are for the range. Fun to hit but golf is a hard game take the advantages you can. A low score is much cooler than a good looking bag.

[@jaylisted9714]

So avoid using Mizuno blades or cavity backs? Understood

[@michaelsands708]

Learnt to play with Mizuno MX15's then moved to the MP32, no better feeling than flushing a 3 iron blade.

[@markkalinowski2180]

Only 2 factors determine my iron choice: sole width and visual of back of blade head. I can't stand to see the back of the head projecting into my vision (example: Mizuno JPX 7 iron through 4 iron - AWFUL). More than that, though, is sole width - don't know whether it is due to the fact that I started and learned to play using blades or whether its my delivery characteristics, but out on the course if the sole is too wide I can do nothing but thin shots no matter how hard I try not to.

[@escos0410]

Learned to play the game with blades Set of old Fred smyth 😂

[@scottd291]

To me the big difference is the flyer lie and nobody ever seems to talk about this. It’s the fact that suddenly you can hit a flyer with a game improvement large cavity back that goes forever and overshoots a green by 20 yards.

[@knowledgableed9607]

The question is does the low handicap player gain anything to compensate for a 1+ club drop due to better distance? Also how much does being able to work a ball actually matter? And finally who doesn't miss hit the ball occasionally? Even good players miss hit it. I personally think using a blade is a vanity move for people to say they play a players club.

[@craigcrawford6749]

If you can't shape the ball then you don't know the value in shaping the ball.

[@A1BASE]

⁠@@craigcrawford6749that’s pretty condescending. It’s a risk reward play. Most of the time needing to shape a shot comes from putting yourself out of position in the first place. I’d give up being able to shape a ball to be able to hit it straight 100% of the time.

[@Pud56]

@@craigcrawford6749most players know how to work a ball, its doing it to order thats difficult. Most dont practice, so how on earth are they going to work the ball to order? I am old enough to have played when working the ball was essential, if you wanted to get a lower handicap. Modern equipment enables beginners to hit the ball straight, so the need to work the ball is diminished. Thats not a bad thing, golf should be enjoyed

[@01devilboy]

I don't mind game improvement irons but lofts are to strong now you give a beginner a 5 or 4 iron In game improvement there no loft and they don't have the speed to launch the ball

[@andyfrizzell4352]

I think in reality unless they are hitting really slow they can manage a 5i. The extra weight down low compensates and assists in getting airborne. Or look at it another way a 6i is basically an old 4i. Buy 6i to GW. You will need a GW as the PW will only be 42 or 43 and leaves a huge gap to a traditional 52 wedge. Then look at hybrids or 7w or 9w in the top of the bag

[@blackheart7886]

Blades. Who cares if you score a bit higher, you'll just love pulling them out of the bag..... Blades are gorgeous and everyone should play them.

[@benloconnor1990]

Sadly there are no pictures on a scorecard and someone who is waiting on my new JPX 925 set, golf is incredibly hard as it is, having tools make more enjoyable are far better than “prettier” tools that far worse for their improvement and confidence

[@jeromekemmer8148]

​@@benloconnor1990I'm with blackheart on this. Golf is a game, making golf clubs toys not tools, and I don't want to play with ugly toys.

[@DMKFACTOR]

Who cares about their score? Bro you got some serious issues! Blades are for dopes who’ll never realize how good they CAN be! Signed a single digit handicap player that uses Game Improvement Irons! I like to shot as low as possible and I don’t care what my irons look like! I’d just rather break 80 as often as possible!

[@DMKFACTOR]

@@jeromekemmer8148No one in the clubhouse is going to see those irons! They will see the scorecard though! Dope!

[@blackheart7886]

@DMKFACTOR Then we like to play in different ways, why do you have a problem with that. I play for fun.

[@crispyduck1706]

Lofts are a club different - no real difference there really

[@coachJSDK]

So you go from 12y gap difference to 14y gap difference 🤔 the drop-off is about the same. And with one of them it will tell you while the other just feels the same? 🤷‍♂️ Anyway I love my 921's and the feeling. CB cast iron clicky sound and feel, no thank you! Mizuno is all about feel, right 😉

[@davidmcdermott3415]

I love my blades.

[@KevinRose-g1t]

Sound advice

[@PBRStreetGang68]

Are they the same loft?

[@brendanmchale4424]

HL is 2 degrees stronger than the blade

[@PBRStreetGang68]

​@@brendanmchale4424No real comparison then

[@hudsmack]

They're not pointless. Because I can't hit them for shit, but I am 9.4 index with my cavity backs. I also know my golfing buddy who is a +1 has a LOT more control with his PXG blades than he does hitting my cavity backs.

[@christophersiegert8343]

Those are not CB's, they're GI's lol how do you not know this?