Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Your favorite blade irons?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from moorebaseball, who asks fellow members what their favorite blade irons are. Our members discuss what blades they consider to be best for them, and why, while also contributing plenty of great photos of their prized possessions.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- greenpiece: “MP-14 is my all-time favorite. Great feel, turf interaction, and control.”
- BMC: “The Callaway 2018 Apex MB feel incredible and are fairly easy to hit. I started playing blades in 1988 – Wilson Staff fluid feel. Those Apexes are sweet.”
- bodhi555: “I’d say any of the models Nike brought out when they were in the game – the OGs, VR TW or VR Pros. Current favourites are the VR Pros, usual great Nike looks and crisp feel, but the grooves are savage and put unreal amounts of spin on the ball. No harder to hit than a player’s CB either. Only challenge is finding a decent set. It took me 18 months of scouring eBay and Golfbidder to find mine.”
- bfp9: “My favorites: 2006 Hogan Apex. OG Nike Blades. Taylormade RAC TP MB. Mizuno MP-32. I’ve only hit older blades as you can see. I tried the PXG experiment, and that failed, so I’m sticking to what I know. To me old blades = new blades. Nothing has changed significantly enough to warrant new ones for me, except the grooves wearing thin on my Hogans.”
- kiwi1982: “MP-69. Traditional, proper weighting, great feel.”
Entire Thread: “Your favorite blade irons?”
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- Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
5-wood: Ping G (17.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 X
Irons: Wilson Staff Model CB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Wilson Staff Model (48-08, 54-08), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-L @59)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (48), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (54, 58)
Putter: Scotty Cameron TourType SSS TG6
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Kevin Streelman’s clubs here.
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The year was 2012. Gangnam Style ruled supreme, its infectious beats and ludicrous horse-riding dance moves hypnotizing us with their stupidity. Everyone was talking about the Mayan calendar, convinced that the end of days was near. Superheroes soared on the silver screen, with the Avengers assembling in epic fashion. Katniss Everdeen survived The Hunger Games. And the memes! The memes abounded. Grumpy Cat triumphed. We kept calm and carried on.
In much the same way that automotive enthusiasts love classic cars, we at GolfWRX love taking a backward glance at some of the iconic designs of years past. Heck, we love taking iconic designs to the tee box in the present!
In that spirit, GolfWRX has been running a series inspired by arguably the greatest fighting game franchise of all time: Mortal Kombat. It’s not “choose your fighter” but rather “choose your driver.”
Check out some of the standout combatants of 2012 below.
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Nike VRS
Often harshly critiqued during its years releasing golf equipment (right, Phil Mickelson?), Nike’s tenure in the club-and-ball business gets a gloss of nostalgic varnish, with many of its iron and putter designs continuing to attract admirers. Among the company’s driver offerings, the 2012 VRS — or VR_S, if you will — drew high marks for its shaping and toned-down appearance. The multi-thickness, NexCOR face was no joke either.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway’s first foray into moveable weight technology (married with its OptiFit hosel) did not disappoint. With a carbon fiber crown, aerodynamic attention to detail, and variable and hyperbolic face technologies, this club foreshadowed the tech-loaded, “story in every surface” Callaway drivers of the present, AI-informed design age.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Cleveland Classic 310
Truly a design that came out of left field. Cleveland said, “Give me a persimmon driver, but make it titanium…in 460cc.” Our 2012 reviewer, JokerUsn wrote, “I don’t need to elaborate on all the aesthetics of this club. You’ve seen tons of pics. You’ve all probably seen a bunch in the store and held them up close and gotten drool on them. From a playing perspective, the color is not distracting. It’s dark enough to stay unobtrusive in bright sunlight…Even my playing partners, who aren’t into clubs at all…commented on it saying it looks cool.” Long live!
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Titleist 910
While there’s no disputing Titleist’s “Titleist Speed” era of drivers perform better than its 2010s offerings, sentimentality abounds, and there was something classically Titleist about these clubs, right down to the alignment aid, and the look is somewhere between 983 times and the present TS age. Representing a resurgence after a disappointing stretch of offerings (907, 909), The 910D2 was a fairly broadly appealing driver with its classic look at address and classic Titleist face shape.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
TaylorMade RocketBallz
The white crown. The name. You either loved ‘em or you hated ‘em. TaylorMade’s 2012 offering from its RocketBallz Period boasted speed-enhancing aerodynamics and an Inverted Cone Technology in the club’s titanium face. Technology aside, it’s impossible to overstate what a departure from the norm a white-headed driver was in the world of golf equipment.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Ping i20
Long a quietly assertive player in the driver space, Ping’s i20 was more broadly appealing than the G20, despite being a lower-launch, lower-spin club. Ping drivers didn’t always have looks that golfer’s considered traditional or classic, but the i20 driver bucked that trend. Combining the classic look with Ping’s engineering created a driver that better players really gravitated toward. The i20 offered players lower launch and lower spin for more penetrating ball flight while the rear 20g tungsten weights kept the head stable. Sound and feel were great also, being one of the more muted driver sounds Ping had created up to that time.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
GolfWRXers, let us know in the comments who “your fighter” is and why!
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/29/24): Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Krank Formula fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft.
From the seller: (@well01): “Krank formula fire 10.5 degree with AUtoflex SF505. $560 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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Kevin Streelman WITB 2024 (April)
Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)...
Team McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
Rory McIlroy WITB Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (45 inches) 3-wood:...
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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19th Hole3 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole3 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole1 week ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole2 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
pelling17
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:54 pm
Mizuno MP5 4-PW TT Dynamic Gold S300
Vokey SM5 wedges
Ping G30 driver, 3,5 and hybrids Ping Tour shaft
PING Zing2 putter
Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Have a new set of 2013 Taylormade Rocketbladez Tour irons 3-PW and some Taylormade V Steel woods, and a Titleist 905R with ACCRA SC75 shaft I goof around with, too.
Pelling
Apr 24, 2019 at 4:59 pm
Currently playing Mizuno MP5, True Temper Dynamic Gold S300. Vokey SM5 wedges, Ping G30 driver, 3, 5, and hybrids, Ping Tour stiff shaft.
Recently bought a great set of Taylormade Rocketbladez Tour 2013 just to try as alternative, KBS 120 Stiff
Have played Mizuno MP 32, MPT wedges
Ping G2 driver, Titleist 905R, Titleist 975D
Taylormade V Steel 3,4,5, woods
Adams Idea Pro hybrids
In the old days, played:
Walter Hagan Haig Ultra fluid feel
Spalding Top Flite Professional
Powerbilt Citation
Wilson Staff Dynapower
Wilson X31 (1968)
Toney Penna irons/woods
Tommy Armour 845 EVO v25
Pederson persimmon
Ping Zing2 putter, Ping O Blade, Odyssey White Hot 2 Ball
Always have played Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Tom54
Apr 24, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Best blade irons I ever saw was a 1982 Ben Hogan limited edition that I think was only a thousand numbered sets. They were $1000 back which was a lot of dough for clubs back then. I was told from a good source that the Mizuno mp 29s were pretty much a direct copy of those. I was never a fan of Ben Hogan irons but those were something special.
Pelling
Apr 24, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Going back to 1968, I’ve played Walter Hagan “Haig Ultras”, Toney Penna Originals, and Penna woods, Spaulding Top Flight blades, Tommy Armour EVO V-25, Mizuno MP 32, and Mizuno MP5 irons. I recently bought a set of Taylormade Rocketbladez Tour irons from 2013, beautiful wrenches! Play Ping G30 Woods, hybrids. In the past, played Taylormade V-Steel Woods. Have also used Adams Idea a2 hybrids, Mizuno F50/60 woods, and Titleist 975D and Titleist 905R drivers. Ping G2 driver. Mizuno MPT wedges, Vokey SM5 wedges. Ping Zing 2 putter. Ping O blade putter. Odyssey White Hot 2 ball. Golf Pride Velvet Cord grips, True Temper Dynamic Gold S300. Graffaloy Pro Launch Blue shaft. This covers almost 52 years…
KevinK
Apr 24, 2019 at 1:18 pm
I played Wilson Staff blades in high school and college then switched to MP-14’s. The rounded leading edge on the MPs gave much better turf interaction – less digging in compared to the Wilson Staffs. Played the MPs seemingly forever, up until about 4 years ago when I switched to AP2’s. I still have 2 sets of the MPs in my closet though…
vasquez
Apr 24, 2019 at 12:50 pm
1971 wilson staffs and 1988 hogan redlines. The distance control is phenomenal on these kinds of old blades. Much easier to hit than you would expect.
Alex
Apr 23, 2019 at 1:49 pm
I don’t really understand the blade thing for am golfers when only 35% of tour players use blades? Bad shots get killed with blades.
Dad
Apr 25, 2019 at 4:17 pm
Bad shots are bad shots no matter what iron you use. In my opinion, a bad shot gets compounded by a game improvement iron. Going further into the woods left or right if missed. A fat shot still falls short. A thin shot still comes out low spinny.
Blade or game improvement, you still need to find the middle of the club and control face to path to hit a good shot.
Dad
Apr 25, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Not to mention, blades are seen as a classic club. Hence why many of the comments note older clubs. They’re seen as traditional and are often sought after for nostalgic purposes. And if you have the confidence in your ball striking to game them, knock yourself out.
Irons these days are too expensive to not play exactly what you want to play with.
[email protected]
Apr 22, 2019 at 8:33 pm
Ive played MP-14’s, MP-29’s, MacGregor VIP’s, and MacG pro-m series, but i mixed 3,4,5 irons from my mizuno MP-29’s with the 6,7,8,9,PW from the MP-29set, along with Titliest Vokey sand wedge and Titliest Vokey gap wedge with a cobra trusty rusty lob wedge, Cobra Driver and 5 wood, that set worked the best, gave me playability, and easiness thru the rough, gotta love the blades man !