Blade irons are not meant for every golfer out there. These irons are best suited for the low handicap player that prefers feel and performance over forgiveness and distance. Blade irons have changed quite a bit in the last few years. There are now blade type irons that offer some extra distance to those low handicappers who still need the help. Here are our favorite blade irons on the market.
THE Best Blade Irons
- Titleist 620 MB (Best Overall)
"The Titleist 620 MB is everything that golfers have always loved about a blade iron. These clubs have an incredible feel, plenty of distance, and lots of control when it comes to ball flight and spin. They have easily earned the top spot as the best overall." - Miura IC-601 (Best Premium)
"The Miura irons are not the most well known, but these irons deliver some of the best turf interaction on the market. Miura fans will tell you that you will never be able to hit another iron after switching to the Miura." - Ping i500 (Best For Forgiveness)
- Srixon Z Forged (Best Looking)
- Mizuno MP-20 MB (Best For Feel)
Best Blade Irons
Titleist 620 MB
Best Overall
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KEY FEATURES
The Titleist blade irons have always been known as some of the purest feeling clubs on the market. Other golf companies have started to make blade type irons that give the Titleist a run for their money, but many Titleist fans agree that it would be hard for anybody ever to compete.
The 620 MB is a new release, although this has been the standard look of the Titleist blade iron for many years. Part of what makes the 620 MB so great is that it has a classic and high performing shape. It is made of one piece of steel to make sure there is absolutely no vibration at impact.
The 620 MB is available in many different shafts to make sure that the stronger lower handicap golfers can get the proper weight and flex that they need in a golf shaft. The 620 MB are some of the best-looking irons on the market because of the fact that they have almost no offset. The majority of lower handicappers do not want to look at an offset club head when they set up to hit the ball.
The 620 MB is also built with a slightly progressive design, so the longer irons will be just a little easier to hit than the shorter irons. This is some relief that even the lower handicap players will welcome.
Miura IC-601
Best Premium
KEY FEATURES
The Miura brand golf clubs are not the most well known, but they are very high-quality blade irons. Golfers that know quite a bit about high-quality golf irons know that the Miura is some of the purest blades out there.
The Miura iron is known for giving golfers more distance, more forgiveness, and tighter dispersion. We love the weighting on these irons and how it will directly translate into high ball speed for a golfer.
Many golfers that switch to the Miura golf clubs feel as though they have more confidence when standing over the ball, even though they have a blade iron in their hand. The sweet spot on the Miura is also quite large and will allow you to miss slightly and still get some great results.
Miura irons are offered in the four iron down to the pitching wedge, and this is truly one of the best irons golf has to offer. If you have been playing with a forged iron and have not been sure about when to make the switch to the blade, the Miura will help you make that transition much easier.
Ping i500
Best For Forgiveness
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KEY FEATURES
Ping makes clubs for golfers that care about feel. If you are in the market for a set of blade golf irons, then chances are you care about how a club head feels at impact. The less vibration when the ball makes contact with the club, the better it will feel.
The Ping i500 irons are made with a variable thickness C300 steel face. This helps give golfers the incredible distance that blade irons are not usually capable of. The Ping i500 will have a bit more offset than some of the other blade irons on our list, but that is part of what makes them more forgiving.
The Ping i500 clubhead is small in size, and it will appeal to lower handicap players. The finish on the i500 is a unique hydropearl 2.0 chrome. This finish helps with turf interaction, but it also makes them look even more impressive.
There is no question that there is something impressive about Ping irons. These irons will deliver time and time again, and they will be a club that you can go back to for accuracy, ball speed, and incredible distance time and time again.
Srixon Z Forged
Best Looking
KEY FEATURES
It’s generally good advice not to judge a book by its cover; however, when it comes to the Srixon Z Forged Blade irons it is absolutely ok to judge these irons by how they look. This is truly one of the best looking blade irons on the market. The impressive thing is that the performance is just as good as the look.
These are truly a tour set of irons that will give you a completely pure feel at impact. If you have been playing with cavity back irons and you know it is time to make the switch, this is a set of forged irons that will take your game to another level.
The Srixon Z has a very slim address profile that will give you a look you need to try and work the ball. The Srixon Z Forged irons are made from a single piece of soft 1020 carbon steel. This is partly what helps them have the incredible feel and spin control that these irons deliver.
If you are in the market for a new set of blade irons and you leave Srixon off your list, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Mizuno MP-20 MB
Best For Feel
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KEY FEATURES
When you play with blade irons, they have to feel great. This feel is what helps golfers know what works in their golf swing and what does not work. That feel is the feedback that players need in order to lower their scores and become even better and more consistent players.
The Mizuno MP 20 MB blade irons are made from 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon Steel. After the steel, there is a nickel-chrome put on the club to add to both the look and the club’s durability.
Our favorite thing about the new Mizuno MP 20 MB Blade irons are the thin top line. The top line is the thinnest that Mizuno has ever created, and it is the perfect look for the lower handicapper. If you liked the MP 18, but the top of the blade irons was a little thick for you, the MP 20 MB would be a much better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Making the jump from cavity back irons to a blade-style iron can be a scary one. You will notice that golfers have a lot of questions and concerns before making the leap. We are here to help settle your nerves a bit and guide you towards the best blade irons that golf has to offer.
What Is The Difference Between A Muscle Back and A Blade?
A muscle back and a blade iron are the same things. In years past, golfers would call the club a muscle back to explain the different look that it has compared to a cavity back. The muscle back and the blade are going to perform in the same way; it's just simply a different name for the same product.
Are Blade Irons Only For Low Handicappers?
Golfers can and should play with the irons that feel best to them. If that means it is a blade, then that is perfectly acceptable. However, it should be noted that blade irons are a much better fit for a lower handicap player.
The blades do not have the same forgiveness, and they usually have a much smaller profile clubhead. The smaller profile leads to a smaller sweet spot and a more complex club to hit solid.
Some mid to high handicappers will run into the problem that the blade has a certain look and feel to it that you can’t really get with the game improvement irons. As much as golf manufacturers try to accomplish this, it is nearly impossible to do. If you are a visual or a feel player, it may make sense to play with something built more for the lower handicap players. You will have to put some extra time into learning the game, but in the end, you will likely become a better golfer because of it.
What Handicap Does A Golfer Need To Be To Switch To Blade Irons?
There is no specific handicap number that gives golfers the right of way to use a blade. However, the unspoken number is usually right around a ten handicap. Once a golfer crosses into the single-digit territory, it is considered much more acceptable to go with the blade irons.
When you make the initial switch to the blades, you will very likely have an adjustment period in your game. You may have a few weeks of higher scores until you start to get the feel of the clubs and how they are intended to perform.
Why Are Blade Irons So Expensive?
Blades are expensive because of their manufacturing process. Since a blade is made out of a single piece of steel, it takes a bit of time and some precision to get the irons perfect. With a cavity, back iron pieces can be combined to put together the iron head.
Since blades are usually designed for the lower handicap golfer, they also have to have very precise performance when it comes to spin and control as well. These players have lots of swing speed, and they demand quite a bit of performance from their clubs.
Are Lofts Lower or Higher On Blade Golf Irons?
You may be aware of a trend in golf that includes lowering the lofts on irons. The lowering of the lofts helps golfers get some extra distance on their irons. These irons also have a lower center of gravity that helps players get higher ball flight while still getting that extra distance.
The blade golf irons have more traditional lofts, so they may not give you quite as much distance as these game improvement type irons. Where a blade iron may have a pitching wedge loft of 46 degrees, a cavity iron may be closer to 43 degrees.
For most golfers, the adjustment can be made to just swing with a different club. If you usually hit your nine iron 150 yards, you may now need an eight iron. For the workability and playability that you get with the blades, this loss of distance or change of club selection will be well worth it.
Are Blade Irons Worth The Money?
If you are a golfer who is committed to lowering your scores and you know that you will be playing the game for years to come, the blade irons are absolutely worth the money. The only time golfers are disappointed in a blade is when they determine their game was not ready for the switch. If you have confidence in your ability to score and to work on your golf game, the blades are worth every penny.
Testing Criteria used for evaluation
When you purchase a set of forged irons or blades, you will be spending quite a bit of money. Since these irons are priced so high, it is very important to make sure that you are getting a properly fitted set for you. Here are some considerations that you should think about before you purchase your set of irons.
Shaft
Most blades are sold with a relatively stiff steel shaft, low spinning, and quite heavy. This shaft tends to appeal to the golfers that typically play with blades. If you are not one of these players, you should be looking into a custom shaft in your irons.
You can get blades with graphite shafts in them; they usually need to be custom ordered. If you have a hard time getting the ball up in the air, make sure you go with a lightweight shaft in your blade irons.
Blades have very traditional lofts. This means that you may not be able to hit them quite as far as some of the game improvement irons. Make sure that the shaft that you put in your irons is lightweight enough that you can get plenty of speed.
Set Composition
If you are one of those golfers that loves the three iron, the blades are the way to go. Most game improvement irons are not made with a three iron as part of the set. Most golfers are switching to the hybrid clubs for the long irons, and there is just no need for the three iron for the higher handicappers.
For low handicap players, the hybrids are not as popular, and the option for having long irons in the bag is still a great choice. Luckily with the blade sets of irons, this will be a choice that golfers have.
Players Distance Irons
A new addition to the world of golf is the player's distance iron. Players distance irons are built to give golfers lots of yardages even if they are playing with blade type irons. Most of the time, blades are known for not flying quite as far as other irons; with players' distance irons, you will get the yardage and the feel.
There is a common misconception in golf that all lower handicap players have lots of swing speed. Although it is easier to lower your handicap if you have lots of distance and ball speed, it is not always the case.
Many players can keep a ball straight and combine that with having a great short game. This powerful combination will lead to very low golf scores, even if distance is not a strength. In the past, these types of golfers would need to play with a cavity back iron that gave them the distance they needed. The problem is the cavity backs don’t have the same feel.
With the introduction of the player’s distance irons, golfers have been able to check all the boxes and still play with a high performing set of blades.
Conclusion
| NAME | EDITOR'S CATEGORY | PRODUCT |
|---|---|---|
| Titleist 620 MB | Best Overall |  |
| Miura IC-601 | Best Premium |  |
| Ping i500 | Best For Forgiveness |  |
| Srixon Z Forged | Best Looking |  |
| Mizuno MP-20 MB | Best For Feel |  |
Hopefully, you now feel much better equipped to purchase the best blade irons on the market. One of the best things about blade type irons is that they are going to last you for a very long time. The quality of the construction of the club and the performance it offers makes it an iron that many golfers will keep in their bag for ten or more years. Since this is a long term purchase, it pays to put in the time when you make your initial decision.
The Titleist blade irons stand at the top of our list as the best blade irons on the market. These irons are built to have a better feel and higher performance than any other club on the market. When you hit the Titleist iron well, you will be rewarded; when you don’t hit it well, you will get the feedback you need to improve your golf game. This feedback you can take to the range and start to really learn what it takes to become a great golfer.
