Let's Talk About Blades vs. Cavity Backs

One of my many equipment "epiphanies" occurred in the 1990s as we were testing some various models of irons at the Hogan Company. What I noticed was that thin-faced perimeter-weighted irons threw a much larger pattern on dead-center hits than did the blade designs, regardless of brand. From that moment on, I've become more and more convinced that many more golfers could benefit from one of the modern blades than the industry would have us believe.

I hold a firm opinion that "modern" blade designs -- those which have a little mass moved around the clubhead to make them more forgiving than the blades of old - afford most golfers all the "game improvement"
features they could possibly need. I've been pretty outspoken in taking the industry to task for continually pounding into your heads the notion that, "you can't hit the ball on the face so you need this big shovel with as much weight as possible moved to the perimeter."

I'm not going to say that perimeter weighting isn't valuable to many golfers, but follow me here while we examine more deeply just what you can expect perimeter weighting to do for you.

First of all, there is no doubt that a ball hit off-center - especially if toward the toe - of a perimeter weighted iron, will fly farther and closer to the target line than one hit poorly from a blade type design.
That's simple physics. But Iron Byron never makes an over the top move .
. . never drops the club inside the swing path . . . never a hands-y slap at the ball . . . never anything but a perfect and repeating swing.
To test off-center hits, the researchers simply move the ball so that impact is made on various points around the face while Iron Byron makes his perfect, repeating swings. Well, that isn't the way you mis-hit golf shots.

In your game, bad contact is the result of swing variations. In our "real world", your pushes are caused by an inside-out swing path, not a toe hit. Your pulls are caused by outside-in paths, not heel hits. Your hooks by a rotating clubface at impact, your slices by a glancing blow with an open face.

I'm not saying perimeter weighting is bad, but only that it has its limitations of what it can do for your golf game. And the indisputable fact is, that while perimeter weighting can certainly compromise the effect of your worst shots, it's also compromising the results of your best ones, too. Think about that.

If you play a "game improvement" model of irons, the next time you are out for a round, ask one of your assistant pros or buddies who play blades to loan you their short irons . . . 8-, 9- and PW . . . and watch what happens. I'd bet dollars to donuts you see a better trajectory on all your shots, and your ball flight will be lower, which is where you want short irons. You'll see your distance control improve dramatically (but don't expect to hit them quite as far, as your cavity back irons are probably jacked up at least one club's loft).

And you will experience feel of a golf shot like you can't imagine.