Equipment

Forum Thread of the Day: “A comparison of current blades”

Published

4 years ago

Nov 14, 2019

Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from CardsChamps11 who recently tested out an array of different modern blades using the same shaft and shared his findings after doing so with our members. CardsChamps11 goes into fantastic details in our forum on his results using the blades giving a terrific write up which you will want to check out, and summarised his findings with the following takeaways:

“Favorite Iron: Honma (Surprise!)
Best Looking: Titleist 620
Best Feel: P7TW
Most Forgiving: PXG 0311t
Least Forgiving: Titleist 620 or P7TW

Ranking of all Irons:
Honma
P7TW
Apex MB
Blueprint
MP20 MB
0311t
MC 501
620 MB
P730″

Our members have been reflecting on CardsChamps11’s research and findings in our forums.

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.

Z1ggy16: “Nice write up, thanks. I have only hit the MP20’s, and I agree they aren’t as soft as the older offerings. I feel like though somehow, they are a lot more forgiving than those old offerings. The Blue Prints have me intrigued because of the hydropearl finish, and I’m already a pretty big fan of the Glides.”
Z4Z3R: “Very nice write up! Thanks for Sharing! I go back and forth between my Apex MB’s and my P7TW’s. That’s also partly because I have different shafts in each. My first couple of month’s with the TW’s, I thought they were fairly forgiving, but I think I was just swinging it really well. They do feel very good when middled. I started struggling a bit, and everyone in the group knows when you miss it, even if the result doesn’t show. The sound quickly changes to very clicky. The Apex MB’s on the other hand, still sound pretty good/soft on misses which I like. I know when I miss it, but I usually like my playing partners to still think I hit it good!”
cflo2382: “Solid write up. Spot on with the Miura MC-501. I’ve gamed them for a year now, and my takeaway is very similar to yours. Miura feel. Easy to hit. Look incredible.. but.. OFFSET. It didn’t bother me so much, but after hitting some of the recent blade offerings and then coming back to these, it’s striking how much it stands out. I keep kicking around the idea of moving into something else or sticking with them for another year. They do perform well (for me), though, that’s for sure.. but the Blueprints and Baby Blades have my attention.”

Entire Thread: “A comparison of current blades”

Your Reaction?

LIKE7
LEGIT2
WOW1
LOL0
IDHT0
FLOP1
OB2
SHANK12

Equipment

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

Published

5 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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

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!

Your Reaction?