73 replies to this topic

[Hit em good]

If you play blades/MB's, what's your handicapp?

What model do you play?  In your opinion, what's the highest handicapp that should play your blades?

[Bcros80]

I play Cally razr x forged MBs with a 13 handicap. I hit my irons just as well as a low handicapper but I'm erratic in other facets of the game.  Since I normally am pretty solid with my irons I went to MBs despite my handicap.

[DaRiz]

I'm a 15 and have been playing MacGregor VIP tourney forged blades for a few years. When I got them I was probably a 20. Not the best irons to learn with, but playing with them has made me a great ball striker and taught me how to work the ball.  That being said, I've actually been considering switching to some GI irons because its time for a new set, and I've played a few rounds with GI irons and its soo much easier. I wouldn't recommend blades to anyone with a handicap 12 and over.

[Jake0331]

I don't have a handicap that is official but I would estimate that I am in "3" territory though. I am looking to shape my game up for some USGA qualifiers and other amateur events this year so in that spirit I decided to shake things up in my bag. I played Titleist 990B's for YEARS. Bought them brand new nearly 13 years ago and literally just replaced them a month ago with an old set of Mizuno MP-33 heads that I had procured over a 18 months ago. I got the MP-33 heads in great shape (for their age) from a fellow WRX member, took an honest assessment of my swing and goals (for my iron play) and also switched to Dynamic Gold S-300, I have Rifle Flighted 6.5's in the 990's.

In my opinion, if you are sub 15 in the handicap department and hit most iron shots solid, it could be worth having a set of blades to experiment with and possibly put into use. I would encourage a lengthy familiarization period though to ensure they do not do more harm than good. Blades are not so enormously hard to hit that it should be outside the consideration of a 10-15 handicapper. I don't think that someone trying to sweep every 9 iron will benefit from using blades, but for the price that a set can be had for, why not?

I guess the most important element for consideration is what does one want to get out of their iron play? I like to work the ball quite a bit. Left, Right, Low, etc. However, I have had my clock clean by guys who hit a 3 yard draw with every club, every time. They probably couldn't hit a fade (some others, a draw) if you put a gun to their head. In all honesty, you don't NEED the workability gain a blade offers over a GI or SGI club as much any more. Tech took things in a generally different direction, IMO.

[BillyBaroo1985]

I am a plus 1, Titleist 690 MB, It depends on your ball striking. I will say if you cant hit a long iron consistent blades will only hurt.

[juststeve]

My index is +3.1.  I play Titleist 681 irons and believe there is no maximum handicap to play them.  We should all play what we like to play.

Steve

[sblack5]

+4 miura baby blades......came from titleist mb 710s that i used as a 13 capper

[Gbyeball]

I play Mizuno MP 32 and am a10 hcp. As other have said hcp is not the limiting factor, your ball striking. That said I am not a great striker but I play these as well as a bunch of other more GI type irons that I own. Whatever you like to look at and gives you confidence over the ball be it blades or bats.

[GMR2iron]

I play MP-69's and am a 9 hdcp. No handicap limit on blades. Play what your comfortable with, play with what you want to look at. I don't care what anybody else plays, and don't give a rat's a** if someone worries about my bag. If you can hit the center of a SGI, you can hit the center of a blade. Get the right technique, GET THE RIGHT SHAFT, and have fun.

[SHORTBUTSTR8]

11-12 here.  MP-14s currently.  I don't hit them any worse than GI clubs.  Actually probably better!

[Tyler08]

6 hdcp currently playing 660mb

Have played x-proto's,mp33,mp67

[teeitlow]

Terrible golfer...maybe not that terrible.
Theory...smaller club...better chance of hitting the sweet spot....so any handicap
-D

[fore_life]

1984 taylormade tpf blades, handicap hovers at scratch, has been lower, has been higher.

I think with regards to handicap, no number really, but I don't think they help a high capper. Not nessisarily that they are light years harder to hit, but mishit a are more taxing, which tends to put more focus on your short game, which IMO is what most mid-high cappers struggle with.

I feel that I'm a pretty good ball stricker, and my iron game is probably my best aspect of my game, but I'm probably going to switch to i20's or something more forgiving just to make it rasier

[chiromikey]

currently 0.4 index and play yururi raw flatbacks.  if you can keep the ball in play you can play mb's...and if you can't, sgi's won't help much anyways.  so play what you like and have fun!

[ABgolfer2]

Question in title answered in title (i.e. yes I do and yes they are).

[pgolf22]

I'm a 6 and play TM rac MB tp forged.

If you can hit the clubs then play them.

[Hstead]

I am between 2-4, play Titleist 690MBs now and have a set of Scratch blades on order.  Every iron fitting I have ever had I end up hitting blades best according to LM and ball flight.  For some reason they just fit my eye better.  As for others, I think you should play what makes you happy unless your livelihood depends on making cuts and finishing high in professional tournaments, then I say play what ever performs the best which may be blades as well.

[gibbyfan]

I'm a 7 and have hit or owned pretty much every blade in the last few years minus Wilson and Japanese models

[Mags]

Around a 6 currently and just switched to some Adams MB2 at the end of last year.  So far I haven't noticed them being much more unforgiving than my last irons (Adams CB1) but I'm able to change trajectory easier.  The rest of the year I averaged around 7.5 GIR/ round. . .in the 3 rounds I got in with the blades, average went up to over 10 GIR.  Really hoping that trend continues this year.

[pdaero]

A 1.7 right now, and have played MP32s. Got them 5 years ago when I was shooting in the low-mid 80s because I loved the feel of them more than any other iron I'd ever hit. They definitely forced me to learn how to hit it with my hands leading and a descending blow.

[Big Ben]

3, Cally Proto's and now a brand spanking new set of 712mb's. I have one rule for clubs and golf, have fun!! Choose wisely my son...BB

[BMC]

5 cap here.  I play Ping S59 (ping's idea of a blade)  I also play Hogan Apex 99s.
If they look good to your eye, play a blade.

I strongly believe that driving, wedges and putter are much more important clubs for for scoring.

[kg92lefty]

+3 Razr Mbs

[ibradley]

+1 Miura baby blades. Love the feel of a well struck shot. Wish I hit more of them.

[RRFireblade]

+6 Cally MBs

I think they are pretty easy to hit for a MB. Kinda of a hybrid being flighted and all.

[markgolf11]

I am a 5.3 index and play miura tb.   I also have a set of miura cb202 but hit the TB better.  Other blades i have played include mp33 mp32 mp 37 hogan apex and adams.  I feel any decent.ball striker with the proper setup can play blades

[bravesgolf]

14.2 index and play Ping S57's. Have had many blades over the years (BH Apex '99, Macgregor Tourney PMB's, Maxfli Australian Blades, Cobra Greg Norman Signature blades) but mostly when I was younger and lower handicap. I think other posters here have nailed it though. Play what you like and have fun. I don't think there us a hard and fast rule when it comes to blades. Make sure you get properly fitted for the right shaft and specs and you'll be well on your way, no matter what you decide to use.

[Oldplayer]

4 cap (lowest is 2) and play snake eyes mc-01. (narrow soles with very low bounce) I just hit these better than any cb I have used.
You need a repeatable, well grooved swing with an ability to compress the ball to get the best out of blades so as a rule of thumb I think you need to be off single figures.

[Par4-ever]

8.6-Mizuno MP59. If your a consistant ball sticker these will work for you, but if I had to put a max handicap on it I would say a true 10.

[magnus7319]

Between +1 and +2

X-Prototypes, 712MB, and MP-32s