Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “When did you start playing blades?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from GolfWRX member Lamb, who asks fellow members who play with blade irons, just when they began doing so. The thread contains an interesting mix of those that have always played with blades and those who have made the change at some stage.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and let your voice be heard at the link below.
- High Plains Driver: “In 1987 when I started playing. Everyone either played blades or Eye2’s. I didn’t switch to a cavity back until after I had been playing for 4 or 5 years.”
- RayGorman: “Those of a certain age all started playing blades. I started playing blades in 1974, played those for 10 years when I went to the original Hogan Edges. Played those for several years until they were stolen. moved on to various Cast GI clubs, Moved back to blades this spring when I moved into the new Hogan Blacks.”
- Lamb: “The comments have def motivated me to get blades. The problem is this forum shouts at anyone who does not use GI clubs. I complained that I needed traditional lofts and someone said I wouldn’t make progress and missing out because I am not using Game improvement clubs. I am sticking to my guns – traditional lofts and then blades in 2020.”
- 11forgedblades: “I think the earlier you start with blades, the more comfortable you will be with them. I can’t imagine playing game improvement irons for my whole life and then looking down at scary blades. The same is true for me when I look at anything with a wide sole. It just seems completely unplayable from anything but a tee or fluffy stuff. Start NOW and come over to the dark side!!!”
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who 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, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Blade Buyer
Nov 30, 2018 at 10:08 pm
First set of clubs: 2-PW Wilson Super Stroke. To this day the smallest head I have ever seen.
2nd set of clubs: 1-PW Ben Hogan Apex PC.
3rd set of clubs: 1-SW Cleveland Byron Nelson 68.3
I finally played a set of DCI cavity backs in the middle 90’s and they were actually really solid… unlike most thin faced cavity backs of the day.
Scheiss
Nov 29, 2018 at 2:16 am
When I was born
Adam
Nov 29, 2018 at 12:04 am
RAM TW 276 Frequency Matched Tour Grind…. 2 – PW… breasty beauties… 😀
Jamie
Nov 28, 2018 at 8:01 pm
1975 MacGregor Silver Scots. Why? Tom Weiskopf was and still is a personal hero.
stevek
Nov 28, 2018 at 6:55 pm
Definition: Blade irons do not have a cavity-back… they only have a muscle-back. Now, go ahead…..
stevek
Nov 28, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Additional Definition: Hollow-back irons are not true muscle-back irons… which are solid.
Ken
Nov 28, 2018 at 3:02 pm
From the beginning. 1979, Wilson Staff tour blades
Jamie
Nov 28, 2018 at 12:52 pm
Are we talking butterknife blades? Real blades? Few people here have ever played a real blade. Were TM Tour Preferred blades? No. Blade is just a cool kids word now who have never seen a real blade. God I hate the groupthink epidemic. MacGregor VIPs, Muirfield 20th, and Silver Scots (1975 – my first) are blades.