Can high handicap golfers use blades? There might be a valid reason

The traditional way of thinking is that blade irons are reserved for the best ball strikers in golf. But, could there ever be a reason a high handicap golfer would use blades?

We’ve all been taught from a young age that there are clubs which only good players can use and blades are one of them.  

Blades are hard irons to hit well. If you don’t strike one from the centre, you’re going to have a shot that doesn’t exactly perform how you want it to. Of course, when you do strike them nicely, you’re going to get the benefit of a shot that feels great.

We have seen blades used by the best players in the world, with most top brands making them. Well-known brands like Mizuno, Callaway, Cobra, Wilson, TaylorMade, Ping and the holy grail of blades, Miura, all spring to mind when we think of these clubs.

Should a high handicap golfer ever use blades?

Firstly, it’s important to note that when you’re a high handicap golfer, you’re probably not going to hit the centre of the face that often. A blade is probably not going to give you the forgiveness you’re going to need to hit good shots, in the same way a cavity back iron would.

Secondly, the compact head shape with the thin topline we see in these clubs can be incredibly intimidating, making them hard to strike.

Then, there’s the point of forgiveness and, well, in most cases, there isn’t any! We don’t see any hollow body designs or flexing faces to support mishits.   

There is one thing however that makes blades desirable for any golfer and that is their feel. We can all agree when you hit a Japanese forged blade, there’s no feeling like it, especially when you strike it from the middle. But, if you get it very wrong, hitting it thin or from the toe or heel, you feel the vibrations in the handle and that certainly doesn’t feel great. 

All this points to only better players using blades, but I’m going to throw a spanner in the works. What if you are a high handicapper that does want to play blades?

Well, let’s break it down by looking at how often you play and what your goals are. If you are someone who plays regularly and wants to shoot better scores and get your handicap down, then you’ll want to go for irons that offer more support.

But, if you are a high handicapper that plays only a handful of times a year, purely for the enjoyment of the game and wants to feel the pure sensation of a blade once every 12 shots – or maybe even less! – then you should go for it. If that’s how you want to enjoy the game, then you shouldn’t let anyone stop you.

I would argue that game improvement irons are, of course, going to give you the better performance and the forgiveness you need to shoot better scores.

But, maybe you don’t care about shooting better scores, and that’s absolutely fine. I’m not going to tell how you to spend your money and if you want to play a set of blades and enjoy the feeling hitting the middle of a forged blade once in a while, then you absolutely should.

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James Tait is bunkered’s Gear Editor. Want to know how the latest Callaway driver, Vokey wedge or Scotty Cameron putter performs? He’s the guy to ask. Better yet, just watch his videos on the bunkered YouTube channel. One of the biggest hitters in the UK, James also competes on the World Long Drive circuit and is a descendent of former Amateur champion Freddie Tait.

Gear Editor