Equipment

GolfWRX Members Choice: The best blade irons of 2018

Published

6 years ago

Jun 4, 2018

We asked GolfWRX members for their three selections for best blade irons of 2018 based on their testing of the forged offerings from 17 different manufacturers.

And as all forum members generate in excess of 120 mph clubhead speed and need to carve the ball to tucked pins, blades are the only choice, so the data set is sure to be solid (kidding!). But really, WRX members are both discerning and carry handicaps lower than the general golfing population, so OEMs ought to (and do) take note of their feedback.

With the votes tallied, it’s time to take a look at the top-five vote getters of the bunch. And many thanks to all who voted! (See the thread here)

No. 5: Srixon Z 965 (8.19%)

The better player’s weapon from Srixon’s Z-65 lineup, Srixon’s Z 965 beat out some bigger name blades. Building on the popular Z 945, the 1020 carbon steel 945 irons feature V.T. Soles for improved turf interaction and five percent larger grooves.

Check out our review of the Z 965 here.

No. 4: TaylorMade P730 (10.43%)

TaylorMade’s successor to the 2014 TP MB iron line was developed in collaboration with TaylorMade staffers, and it looks like GolfWRX members liked the result. Clean, compact,with a smaller blade profile and milled rear channel, the P730 is popular both on Tour and in the forums.

No. 3: Callaway Apex MB (16.38%)

Another club with a long release cycle, Callaway made the faithful wait for an update to the 2013 Apex MB. These irons have the shortest blade lengths, the thinnest soles and the smallest overall heads in the vast line of Callaway irons. They’re designed for maximum workability, for tour-desired turf interaction, and to cut through the thick rough that tour players face week-in and week-out on Tour, as we wrote in our review last October.

No. 2: Titleist 718 MB (17.67%)

A favorite of purists everywhere, Titleist’s traditional-looking 718 MB irons scream “classic,” but the company optimized CG locations for maximum shotmaking possibilities using capabilities that those who first forged similar-looking irons could only have dreamed of. Big and bold “Titleist” stamping was a hit, too.

Related: Titleist 718 MB irons

No. 1: Mizuno MP-18 (27.16%)

Nearly 10 percentage points more preferred than the No. 2 iron, the Mizuno MP-18 is the clear winner. The least forgiving/most workable member of the mix-and-match MP-18 family (MP-18, MP-18 SC, MP-18 MMC, MP-18 MMC Fli-Hi) is immensely popular. The irons are forged from 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon (a departure from some recent boron offerings), and are smaller than both the MP-4 and MP-5 models. WRX members were particularly drawn to the irons’ simple, clear, classic look.

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44 Comments

toyzrx

Jun 20, 2018 at 12:02 am

Such as the women in our lives, we’d all be better off with something a little bit chunky and forgiving,

Reply Report comment
tlmck

Jun 12, 2018 at 3:13 pm

It’s not a muscleback, but I prefer the Maltby TE.

Reply Report comment
David Floyd

Jun 7, 2018 at 9:50 am

When is a survey going to happen that would be helpful to the majority of consumers?

Reply Report comment
- joro
  
  Jun 8, 2018 at 11:46 am
  
  Good question, and the answer is never. It is all about the tour and scratch players, of which there very few. Fact is todays MB is much more forgiving easy to hit then the ikd days, yet that is all we had and learned to play with until PING came along.
  
  It is past time some of the smaller companies get in on the act also and not just the big ones that spend Millions to convince we should play their clubs.
  
  Reply Report comment
The dude

Jun 7, 2018 at 9:35 am

Bring back the TN 87’s!!

Reply Report comment
rex235

Jun 7, 2018 at 12:43 am

Both the Taylor Made P-730s and the Mizuno MP-18s are RH Only.

The 2018 NCAA Champion uses LH Titleist AP2s.

Reply Report comment
Dave r

Jun 6, 2018 at 3:27 pm

No surprise at all .

Reply Report comment
SV

Jun 6, 2018 at 8:29 am

I vote for Titleist and Callaway. Being left-handed they are the only two of the five I have access to and it’s not any better with other brands. As a generalization, it seems most manufacturers think left-handers are all hacks and only need SGI clubs.

Reply Report comment
- Thomas A
  
  Jul 6, 2018 at 10:19 am
  
  No, they are just a small enough market to ignore.
  
  Reply Report comment
S

Jun 6, 2018 at 8:25 am

I’ve been gaming my MP-37 for about 10 years but I would have to go with Apex MB if I was forced to replace mine because they look the closest to MP-37 especially at address. And I miss the M logo… not a huge fan of this new hip younger gen runbird.

Reply Report comment
- DS
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 9:29 pm
  
  I hate the term ‘gaming’.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Boyo
    
    Jun 7, 2018 at 6:17 am
    
    +1000
    
    Reply Report comment
  - The dude
    
    Jun 7, 2018 at 9:33 am
    
    Not when he’s working on his dead arm traj….
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Reggie
    
    Jun 8, 2018 at 9:49 am
    
    I hate the term “gaming” too for some reason, but I have to agree that in the lexicon of golf logos, the run bird is a nonsequitur.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Funkaholic
    
    Jun 22, 2018 at 2:18 pm
    
    Settle down Francis
    
    Reply Report comment
Mick

Jun 5, 2018 at 10:40 pm

Titleist , by far number 1. Just as Webb Simpson !. Wins on tours all over the world, Mizzy is good but not near the wins the Titleist has.

Reply Report comment
- joro
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 11:29 am
  
  Do you thing that one of the reasons Titleist wins more is because they have 50 players and Mizuno only has a couple ? Could it be ? MBs today are much easier to hit than in the old days, and that is all we had.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Michael H
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 12:47 pm
  
  Wins would partially be a result of sheer numbers of playing them no?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Brian
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 1:10 pm
  
  Perhaps because Titleist has nearly 40 guys on staff and Mizuno has, what, two or three?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Dragos Racolta
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 2:55 pm
  
  Titleist is used more frequently on tour because the players have contracts with Titleist. Mizuno doesn’t pay as much, or as many. However, look at any players without contracts, and most will use Mizuno irons.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Boyo
  
  Jun 7, 2018 at 6:18 am
  
  Professional club ho’s don’t count.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Funkaholic
  
  Jun 22, 2018 at 2:21 pm
  
  This is just a stupid comment, I know a couple of club makers on the tour and even they will tell you there is nothing like a Mizuno forging. Taylormade has far more divers on tour than anyone so they have the most wins, it is a meaningless metric.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dan

Jun 5, 2018 at 6:20 pm

I hit them all and still prefer my MP 29’s

Reply Report comment
shawn

Jun 5, 2018 at 3:12 pm

What about all those hollow blades filled with jello… and those with skrews allover the heads? They look like ‘blade’ irons too.

Reply Report comment
- 3offthetee
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 11:43 am
  
  Troll much?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Mower
  
  Jun 16, 2018 at 6:52 pm
  
  Made by Tonka? ;-P
  
  Reply Report comment
Jeff Smythe

Jun 5, 2018 at 2:39 pm

At the end of the day – how much difference is there between all these and and the Nike blades of the late 90s & early 2000s – (VRs, VR red, TW VRs etc) and each other ? (gotta love frequent reference to “sole redesign for optimum turf interaction” – is Terry Koehler silently laughing?)

Reply Report comment
- Justin
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 10:25 pm
  
  Jeff – I doubt it, but I hope he is. . . his Fort Worth 15’s are exceptional clubs and are a whole lot more fun to play than the MP18’s
  
  Reply Report comment
- Bill Wood
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 12:16 pm
  
  Jeff – there’s just so little difference in the top 3. The Titleist really does remind me of the design a decade ago. In fact I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference, other than the large Titleist logo on the back.
  
  Reply Report comment
Scott Longmore

Jun 5, 2018 at 2:06 pm

I have the MP18’s and love them. I love the clean look and great feel of them.

Reply Report comment
Jeff

Jun 5, 2018 at 2:01 pm

I think the Cobra MB should be in this mix also, very solid club blew the Titleist and Srixon out of the water.

Reply Report comment
Shaker

Jun 5, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Tested all and mizuno was dead last. Mp-18s way overrated. Surprisingly the Apexs were tied for top with the srixons. I play miura professionals so i know what im talking about.

Reply Report comment
- HAHA
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 3:30 pm
  
  “I play miura professionals so i know what im talking about”… do you realize how stupid that sounds?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Realist
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 8:28 pm
  
  Cuz any guy playing miuras is wayyy better than someone else. Get over yourself
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Quit the BS
    
    Jun 5, 2018 at 8:50 pm
    
    Exactly! Shaker you play Miuras so your opinion is supposedly more reputable than those that don’t?! Are you for real!? I play Miuras too and the Mizuno MP-18’s are definitely phenomenal and in my opinion tops of this list. Unreal the arrogance of some people. And I must know what I’m talking about too because of what I play…
    
    Reply Report comment
- Mizzle Fizzle
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 11:27 pm
  
  At this point it’s not even… oh whatever.
  
  Reply Report comment
- joro
  
  Jun 6, 2018 at 11:32 am
  
  Just curious, but just what do you know about clubs, design, what makes them work, weights, shafts, etc. Please tell us.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Nigel Kent
  
  Jun 12, 2018 at 2:26 pm
  
  I play Miuras too , and sometimes I can break 140 .
  
  Reply Report comment
Travis

Jun 5, 2018 at 10:12 am

I would’ve put P730 and Cally’s far ahead of the Mizuno blades. I think Mizuno’s MP18 are one of their worst blade design so far, but clearly I’m in the minority there…

Reply Report comment
- 2putttom
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 11:13 am
  
  not in the minority . 14 days, 198 votes cast out of thousands of wrxer’s. In that time period MP 18 got 27% of 17 choices.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Realist
  
  Jun 12, 2018 at 11:12 pm
  
  Agreed….but 730’s, really? Come on guy…get over the hype.
  
  Reply Report comment
Woody

Jun 4, 2018 at 8:15 pm

What a snoozer list..might as well be a billboard ad.

Reply Report comment
James

Jun 4, 2018 at 7:54 pm

I would put Titleist at 5 and move the others up one. Mizuno is the real winner I think.

Reply Report comment
- larrybud
  
  Jun 5, 2018 at 9:17 am
  
  You realize the results are based on player’s rankings, right?
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

2 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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