Until the 1960s, these were the only irons available. The blade is a clean-lined club with a short head, a slender sole and a small sweet spot. Any ball not struck from the middle of the clubface will not fly as it is supposed to. That is why today blades are designed for and played by only the best golfers.
Because of its small dimensions, the blade has more mass behind the sweet spot, channelling your power and control right to where it is needed if you hit the ball from the centre of the clubface every time. Good, traditional golfers believe that blades give them a better feedback, mainly because they are forged from mild steel, and that they are better suited for finesse shots.
Most blades have a large amount of weight in the bottom of the clubhead to lower the centre of gravity. This allows the golfer to hit a higher ball so that it lands more softly. But a few clubmakers produce models which have less weight around the sole, allowing the player to hit a lower shot in areas with a lot of wind.
Obviously, with such a small clubhead, there is a limit to what clubmakers can do about weight distribution. And while I like the looks of the classic blades and have designed quite a few myself for professionals, low handicappers, and traditionalists, I believe that with the advancement of modern technology in clubhead design, especially in the past decade, the days of the blades are numbered.
Oversized Perimeter-Weighted Irons
These clubs range at the opposite side of the spectrum. Their prototype emerged from the factories about thirty years ago with the weight distributed between heel and toe. While these clubs were designed to improve the accuracy and distance of mis-hit shots, they also tended to have undesired side effects. With too much weight at either end the clubs were likely to open or close depending on the golfer’s swing, aggravating the mistakes.
As designs were improved upon, the clubhead grew bigger, and the weight was distributed more evenly around the edges to increase the hitting area and expand the sweet spot. Perimeter-weighted irons, cast in stainless steel or alloys, generally have a wide sole and a cavity at the back. These game-improvement characteristics give better results for off-centre shots allowing the average golfer to make the most out of his or her playing abilities. They also tend to instill more confidence in the golfer through their sheer size.
The Ping Eye-2, the world’s best-selling club is a prime example of the oversized perimeter-weigh teds. Although originally designed for the amateur, this club is widely used on the pro circuit and was played to victory in major championships on four occasions. Some manufacturers are moving to even bigger clubheads, but now most of the new irons are mid-sized.