[Bobobsdo]

I have been surprised lately to see many golf companies bringing out players clubs, many of the forged!

Wilson has their Tour Forged on the market, Callaway has the Diablo Forged and I even saw that Adams (the ultimate SGI company) has brought out the CB1 and CB2, both clubs with minimal offset, much less perimeter weighting, and thin toplines. All of these clubs are aimed at the better player who does not want to work the ball. Surprising.

[U5pz6B71]

CT,
The current trends are companies releasing more sets each year. Some up to 5-6 sets in a line. This way as "they put it", they have a set for everybody. In fact I believe every single company out there has a set in all categories. They produce far less of the players irons than that of the GI irons, but it is nice that companies are giving people a choice. The way of the blade may be gone by most OEMs, but players cavitys are definitely here to stay.

[U5pz6B71]

One more thing to add, the same could be said in reverse. More companies are producing SGI irons or at least multiple GI irons than ever before as well. It just seems they are really looking at making a set for everybody.

[Grenader]

I have been surprised lately to see many golf companies bringing out players clubs, many of the forged!

Wilson has their Tour Forged on the market, Callaway has the Diablo Forged and I even saw that Adams (the ultimate SGI company) has brought out the CB1 and CB2, both clubs with minimal offset, much less perimeter weighting, and thin toplines. All of these clubs are aimed at the better player who does not want to work the ball. Surprising.

Was the bolded not a typo? Or is that what is surprising?

[lE3l6Lgn]

JB, arent cleveland,callaway,taylormade,mizuno,ping,nike,ada ms,titlest,wilson and cobra all selling blades

[U5pz6B71]

Cleveland has a split set produced in limited quantities
Callaway does not make any in 2010 (X-Protos were 09)
Taylormade does not make any in 2010
Mizuno has them
Ping does not make any
Nike has the TW blades
Titleist has them
Cobra not making them in 2010 (still selling the older ones)

[lE3l6Lgn]

Cleveland has a split set produced in limited quantities
Callaway does not make any in 2010 (X-Protos were 09)
Taylormade does not make any in 2010
Mizuno has them
Ping does not make any
Nike has the TW blades
Titleist has them
Cobra not making them in 2010 (still selling the older ones)

arent the ping s 57s blades

[U5pz6B71]

arent the ping s 57s blades

Not in my opinion. Definitely a players cavity, especially with their perimeter weighting.

[Bobobsdo]

Was the bolded not a typo? Or is that what is surprising?

You are correct. That is a typo.

[Bobobsdo]

I suppose what I find so surprising is that I have heard it said several times that the "player's iron" is gone, that GI and SGI are taking over the market, etc. because no one wants to learn to properly hit an iron anymore. I don't watch the market closely, but my impression is that companies that had virtually abandoned this market segment are coming back to it with new offerings. I always expect Titleist and Mizuno to offer blades and player's cavity backs and I expect them to be forged. I did not expect to see Adams bring out not one, but two forged players sets.

[drugstore]

I just ordered a set of the CB2s. I wanted to go back to steel shafts, something with a little less offset, no chrome, a bit smaller profile, and was forged. In addition, the CB2s have vibration dampening technology. I also love the way they look.

I recently purchased two Idea Pro Gold hybrids at a bargain basement price. These are supposedly "player's" hybrids, but whatever, all I know is I finally found a hybrid that I don't hook...they have very minimal offset.

That all said, most of us use a player's type club already: our wedges--thin top line, no real cavity for the most part, kind of a narrow sole, hosel that is very long (comparatively speaking), and the like.

[U5pz6B71]

I suppose what I find so surprising is that I have heard it said several times that the "player's iron" is gone, that GI and SGI are taking over the market, etc. because no one wants to learn to properly hit an iron anymore. I don't watch the market closely, but my impression is that companies that had virtually abandoned this market segment are coming back to it with new offerings. I always expect Titleist and Mizuno to offer blades and player's cavity backs and I expect them to be forged. I did not expect to see Adams bring out not one, but two forged players sets.

Do you have some examples of companies that have abandoned that sector of the market? As for what segment are taking over the market, the data tech numbers don't lie. GI and SGI have taken over the market. Its not even close. Look at the top 7-10 sets sold over 2009 and so far in 2010. Im not sure there is a single players iron on the list. So I wouldnt exactly say anything has changed. I dont see many companies making them now that werent, and they are all making them in smaller batches. Just more companies offering more sets.

[Bobobsdo]

Do you have some examples of companies that have abandoned that sector of the market? As for what segment are taking over the market, the data tech numbers don't lie. GI and SGI have taken over the market. Its not even close. Look at the top 7-10 sets sold over 2009 and so far in 2010. Im not sure there is a single players iron on the list. So I wouldnt exactly say anything has changed. I dont see many companies making them now that werent, and they are all making them in smaller batches. Just more companies offering more sets.

"I don't watch the market closely, but my impression is that companies that had virtually abandoned this market segment are coming back to it with new offerings.'

I thought my disclaimer implied that I didn't have imperical data, just my impression. However, Adams for sure didn't have a players iron until this year, Callaway didn't offer (or at least advertise) that they had any forged clubs, Wilson just brought back their forged blade, Cobra never advertised their forged version of the S2 until this year's catalogs... those are all impressions from my browsing through the number of catalogs I get from different outlets.

I think you and I can just agree to disagree on the virtues of playing GI/SGI versus the advantages of playing a less forgiving club. That falls to personal preference. I am just heartened to see the club manufacturers finally trying to serve my segment of the market.

[CevepBiageCefm]

Although I agree with JB, I can kinda see your point because blades nowadays are way easier to hit than blades from even 5 years ago, but yeah id say the GI category is owning, and is bigger than ever before

[U5pz6B71]

"I don't watch the market closely, but my impression is that companies that had virtually abandoned this market segment are coming back to it with new offerings.'

I thought my disclaimer implied that I didn't have imperical data, just my impression. However, Adams for sure didn't have a players iron until this year, Callaway didn't offer (or at least advertise) that they had any forged clubs, Wilson just brought back their forged blade, Cobra never advertised their forged version of the S2 until this year's catalogs... those are all impressions from my browsing through the number of catalogs I get from different outlets.

I think you and I can just agree to disagree on the virtues of playing GI/SGI versus the advantages of playing a less forgiving club. That falls to personal preference. I am just heartened to see the club manufacturers finally trying to serve my segment of the market.

I agree that we disagree on the pros and cons of playing them, but I also think that Callaway, etc advertised their players irons just as much before as they do now. There are just many more "media" outlets now and more are paying attention to the different styles via forums and the internet.

[Illirmpipse]

I'm with you C-Tech. Not particularly scientific I know, but my own impression is that the local Golfsmith to me has a set of Titleist blades, Mizuno blades, the Nike TW blades, and I think a couple of other sets that I can't recall, whereas 3 or 4 years ago, there may have been the Mizuno set and anything else would have been custom order. It feels like they're pushing them harder now. I also think that the Wilson and Macgregor blades that have come out recently haven't been around for a long time, so there has definitely been a move in that direction. I believe that the golfing masses probably choose to go with GI and SGI clubs for the most part, but I for one am pleased that the blade club is still going fairly strong. 5 years ago, people were predicting that they wouldn't be around any more soon.

[U5pz6B71]

I'm with you C-Tech. Not particularly scientific I know, but my own impression is that the local Golfsmith to me has a set of Titleist blades, Mizuno blades, the Nike TW blades, and I think a couple of other sets that I can't recall, whereas 3 or 4 years ago, there may have been the Mizuno set and anything else would have been custom order. It feels like they're pushing them harder now. I also think that the Wilson and Macgregor blades that have come out recently haven't been around for a long time, so there has definitely been a move in that direction. I believe that the golfing masses probably choose to go with GI and SGI clubs for the most part, but I for one am pleased that the blade club is still going fairly strong. 5 years ago, people were predicting that they wouldn't be around any more soon.

Its ironic in some ways, because compared to 5 years ago, there are fewer companies producing blades and fewer sets being produced by each company. The two biggest club makers do not make them at all anymore.

[U5pz6B71]

One more thing to add. We spoke about this very subject with John Hoeflich, one of the best clubmakers ever, in our Spring issue of the magazine and on our radio show. He says part of the reason for the lack of blades nowadays is Ping as a maker. They are not a blade company, but are one of the biggest suppliers of equipment to college and amateur golf. So kids grow up with cavity backs and then when and if they move to the tour, have no reason to switch. Over 73% of the PGA Tour play cavity backs now. The number has gone up every year since 2002.

[lE3l6Lgn]

Its ironic in some ways, because compared to 5 years ago, there are fewer companies producing blades and fewer sets being produced by each company. The two biggest club makers do not make them at all anymore.

who are the two biggest clubmakers callaway and taylormade

[Illirmpipse]

Its ironic in some ways, because compared to 5 years ago, there are fewer companies producing blades and fewer sets being produced by each company. The two biggest club makers do not make them at all anymore.

Good heavens above. JB disagreeing with me. I never thought I'd see the day.

I personally don't consider that either of those two have ever offered a proper blade.

How many companies were offering blades five years ago and how many now? I assume you have numbers. How many fewer sets are being produced?