| Whenever I talk about irons in my golf lessons, | | | | something I work on in my golf lessons with low |
| students invariably ask which style is best?cavity back | | | | handicappers. |
| or blade. The cavity back has its advantages and its | | | | The blade iron is known as a more traditional iron |
| disadvantages. It also has its fans. | | | | because it lacks the cavity back?s special game |
| Golfers, however, shouldn?t choose an iron style | | | | improvement features. Players with low golf handicaps |
| because it?s popular in the clubhouse, since the style | | | | and touring pros prefer the blade style iron because |
| many not fit their game. The key to iron styles, as I?ve | | | | the added control and feel enables them to shape their |
| said in my golf tips, is finding what?s right for you. | | | | shots better?a necessity when playing on challenging |
| Cavity backs are popular these days?and for good | | | | courses. |
| reason. A cavity back has a small amount of metal | | | | Manufacturers make cavity backs and blades in cast |
| removed from the back of its clubface, producing a | | | | and forged versions. The terms ?cast? and ?forged? |
| small hole. Removing the metal re-distributes the | | | | refer to the manufacturing process used to form the |
| clubhead?s weight around the edges of the clubface, | | | | iron head?s shape. |
| father away from the center of gravity (COG). | | | | Casting turns the metal from which the iron head is |
| Re-positioning the COG creates a much more | | | | made into a molten liquid, which is then poured into a |
| forgiving iron, with a larger sweet spot along the blade. | | | | mold to form the iron head. It?s then left to cool. |
| Thus, a mis-hit with a cavity back is more likely to stay | | | | Forging involves pounding or compressing the metal, in |
| on target than a similar shot with a blade. Why? | | | | it?s solid form, from which the iron head is made into |
| Because the cavity back twists less in a player?s | | | | the desired shape. Other machining and drilling steps |
| hand when the ball is mis-hit. A mis-hit with a cavity | | | | complete production. |
| back is also more likely to travel farther than with a | | | | The manufacturing process has no impact on the |
| blade. | | | | iron?s capabilities, as I?ve explained in previous golf |
| Cavity backs are ?game improvement?? clubs, | | | | tips. If you have two irons, one forged and one cast, of |
| offering special features that help golfers play better, | | | | exactly the same shape, with the same center of |
| like an oversize head. I?ve talked about these clubs in | | | | gravity, same loft, same grip, hitting the same ball, and |
| my golf tips. Players with high and mid golf handicaps | | | | so on, the shots will travel the same distances 99 |
| prefer cavity backs, although some low handicappers | | | | percent of the time. And the players won?t know |
| and touring pros use them. | | | | which iron head is cast and which forged. |
| Blade irons are not as popular as cavity backs. A | | | | You need to find the iron style that best fits your |
| blade iron features a solid clubface back, distributing | | | | game, as I point out in my golf instruction. If you?re a |
| the weight more evenly across the clubface, closer to | | | | less experienced golfer, the cavity back is probably a |
| the clubhead?s COG. Thus, a blade has a much | | | | wiser choice, since you?re more likely to mis-hit a ball. If |
| smaller sweet spot than a cavity back. A blade is also | | | | you?re a more experienced player, then a blade is |
| much less forgiving than a cavity back because it | | | | probably your best choice, since it provides more |
| twists more in a player?s hands on mis-hits. | | | | control and better feel for shaping shots. |
| Distributing the weight evenly across the clubface, | | | | The best way of choosing a style that fits your needs |
| however, creates an iron with better control and more | | | | is to test it out. Hit a few balls with each style. If one |
| feel. These irons need to be hit nearly perfectly, | | | | style feels better than another does, and you have |
| though, to avoid a bad shot. Thus, it takes a lot of | | | | confidence in it, that?s the style that?s right for you. |
| practice and experience to hit these irons well, | | | | |