The video makes a good point of detailing the different way irons are made - forged vs cast - as well as touching on the different types which are blade and cavity back - more on the differences of these two is here. Even better is the fact that they also suggest mixing-and-matching blade and cavities which is definitely worth a try to anyone interested.

Finally, there is some good information on leading edge, offset clubs and weight - all of which might affect your play. I would highly recommend watching this video especially if you are a new golfer and aren't too sure which clubs to invest in.

The original video was sourced from youtube on the golfingworld channel.

So does this mean it is really down to preference?

As the popularity of golf was rising the main complaint from new golfers was that it had a steep learning curve. It wasnt enough to simply just to try and hit the ball towards the flag. Cavity backs were seen - and marketed - as a much easier alternative so it was a lot simpler for anyone to start playing golf.

In order to understand why they are seen as simpler to use, it is important to understand the differences between the two;

• Cavity backs are made by pouring liquid steel into casts in order to replicate the same from a mould. This means they are identical down to even the logo and manufacturer labels. They tend to have a large club head and this means that the 'sweet spot' is also bigger. This means that if you do not quite hit the ball correctly, you are likely to find it is somewhat self correcting and still ends up near where you had planned. This is called 'forgiveness'.

• Blade irons, on the other hand, are forged from steel and are usually chrome plated. They have a smaller head and are far less forgiving then Cavities as any mis-hit shot will show in the balls distance and flight.

From this, it is easy to tell why some golfers prefer to use cavity backs and on paper they would appear to be the smart choice, so what lets them down? It is correct to say that they are easier to get the hang of and you can achieve a decent level of play and consistency but on the other hand they are not without their downfalls.

First of all, when you peak when using cavities you will find it harder to correct any problems in your swing as the irons, by their nature, will make it harder to identify any problems - the forgiveness in them will make it look like you are hitting perfect every time. As a result, you are likely to become lazy and stagnant so your game will not improve beyond this point.

Blades, on the other hand, demand attention and even if you are a master golfer you will be able to notice any slight alterations you will need to make. It will keep you on your toes and as a result you will be getting better and better with each game. Also, as mentioned above, cavity backs have oversized heads so when it comes down to your short game it can be hard to know which adjustments you might need to make. Even with due care knowing the result of a small change might be hard to notice. However, with blade irons, you are in full control so this wont be a problem.

As asked above - is it really down to preference then?

The debate on which is best will surely continue for several more years, at least, so the usual advice is to play with which ever one suits you - every one is different so there is no blanket response without knowing your swing, the golf balls you use, your training aids and of course your commitment to improving.

If you are determined to be a golf master and you want to know your game inside-out then choose blade irons as you are going to learn much more by doing so - but bear in mind it will probably take more time and dedication to get there. If you are new, recently learning or just want to play for fun then cavity backs are a safe choice. If you want to experience both then there is no harm in using a set of mix-and-match irons - you dont have to use one or the other and many people are not using some blades and cavities together.

You can always change from cavity backs to blades once you feel you are not getting any better. Be warned, though, that most people will take a performance hit if they have used cavities for some time. This is only natural and practice will soon fix this and have you playing a better game. When choosing which irons to use, be sure to check out our blade iron reviews first.

Recommended Information on blades and cavity backs

Golf Irons
Blades Vs Cavity Backs

Some good golf irons - Choosing the right irons varies from person to person and much is down to personal preferance and experience. Having said that, if you choose a good set then you can get better far quicker. Forged blade irons are for those that are serious about golf, though be warned that they are harder to master than other irons.

Some good golf shoes - You can actually get away with a decent pair of sports shoes but if you are serious about golf then you should look at getting some proper footwear. Not only will your feet be more comfortable but they will also help to keep them dry and if you opt for spikes, you wont be slipping around. This is also true for the ladies as well - even the most fashion aware woman golfer will find what they can still be stylish when wearing womens golf shoes.

The right type of golf ball - There are different types of balls you can use and if you are starting out, you will want to look at a golf ball that is quite forgiving. A distance golf ball will go further than most others so are a good choice, plus they also limit the amount of swerve too. These would be best for anyone that is looking for straighter shots, with more distance but have yet to master the slice.

Some suitable head gear - Playing a full round of golf might mean you are on the course for most of the day. Not only will this help to shield your eyes from sun glare when you are taking shots, it will also help to prevent sun stroke. This is more common sense than anything else and as they aren't expensive there is no reason to not have one handy.

You can get most other items as and when you have the money. Be warned that some golf clubs and pavilions have a strict dress code though. Golf pants and shirts are not expensive and if you play often, its probably worth picking up a few pairs too.

The milled face also help to give uniform ball compression. This helps with the flight of the ball which once again means more accurate and longer shots.

The irons have a very good feel to them and when you are taking your shot you know when you've hit the sweet spot and it's something that will soon be very common when you get used to them. They aren't overly forgiving but thankfully the consistency you will get and the good contact means that you won't often be slicing your shots.

The VR Pro blades take the older generation of Nike blades a step further. The improvements made are small in some areas but all together is a significant improvement and the performance alone means that anyoner looking for some new blades should consider them. Nike's recent domination of iron win count is hardly a surprise with the performance they give you.

NIKE VR PRO STR8 FIT TOUR 95 DRIVER PROJECT X 60 STIFF WITH HC WRENCH NEW $138.00 Time Remaining: 29d 13h 42m Buy It Now : $138.00

NEW Nike VR Pro Forged Satin Chrome Wedges 525660 Set $152.50 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 1h 4m

NEW Nike VR Pro Str8 Driver 85 Stiff Project X $205.00 Time Remaining: 7h 56m Buy It Now : $235.00

NEW RH Nike VR Pro STR8 FIT TOUR 15 3 Wood 3w Project X 60 Graphite Stiff I $89.99 Time Remaining: 29d 12h 33m Buy It Now : $89.99

Nike Victory Red Pro Combo Iron set Golf Club $570.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 12h 3m

NEW NIKE VR PRO COMBO FORGED IRON SET 4 PW DGS300 MRH $549.99 Time Remaining: 13d 19h 22m Buy It Now : $549.99

Nike VR Pro Hybrid Fairway Wood Golf Club $65.00 Time Remaining: 12h 24m

Nike VR Pro Combo Forged Irons 3 PW with KBS Satin C Taper Protos Shafts X Flex $550.00 Time Remaining: 27d 14h 11m Buy It Now : $550.00

Nike VR Pro Cavity Iron set RH NEW $300.00 Time Remaining: 12h 32m Buy It Now : $349.99

Nike VR II PRO Str8 Fit Tour Driver 95 Project X 60 Graphite STIFF $99.99 Time Remaining: 22d 14h 23m Buy It Now : $99.99

Nike VR Pro Cavity Iron set LH NEW $300.00 Time Remaining: 12h 37m Buy It Now : $349.99

NIKE VICTORY RED PRO STR8 FIT TOUR 15 3 WOOD GRAPH STIFF FLEX GOOD $69.99 Time Remaining: 21d 10h 34m Buy It Now : $69.99

The first set came about in 1954 and since then they have gone from strength to strength; indeed, the 2010 Wilson Staff Tour Blades are one of the best performing irons you can get your hands on.

Even if you opt for a set that has been around for a few years though you will still be getting top quality. Though they aren't yearly releases there are frequent updates to a set of blades that is held in high regard with a lot of golfers.

The 2009 DI9 for example has the largest sweet spot ever produced which means it is very forgiving. Not only that, but you can get plenty of distance on your shots too. Ultimately this means you play a better game. With top accuracy and distance to boot, you will improve your handicap considerably.

Make no mistake - if you are after a top quality set of blades then the Wilson Staff Tours is what you are looking for.

Wilson Staff FG 51Tour Blade 3 P Golf Irons DynGoldR300 PLUS Wilson Sw $189.99 Time Remaining: 4d 17h 10m Buy It Now : $189.99

Wilson Staff Tour Blade Fluid Feel 4 Iron Nice $9.99 Time Remaining: 8h 40m

MRH WILSON STAFF RED DOTS TOUR BLADE 1 9 irons PW TOUR BLADE GOLF CLUBS $60.00 Time Remaining: 26d 6h 25m Buy It Now : $60.00

Wilson Staff Tour Blade Iron Set 3 PW FORGED NEW $387.99 Time Remaining: 13d 17h 39m Buy It Now : $387.99

Wilson Staff FG Tour V2 Iron Set 3 PW Stiff KBS Tour RH NEW 2795 $589.00 Time Remaining: 7d 8h 49m Buy It Now : $589.00

NEW Wilson Staff FG TOUR V2 Iron set 3 PW STIFF FLEX KBS TOUR STEEL RH $599.00 Time Remaining: 20d 10h 50m Buy It Now : $599.00

Wilson Staff Tour Blade Golf Irons Various Model Set Customization VERY NICE $229.99 Time Remaining: 13d 10h 59m Buy It Now : $229.99

Wilson Staff Tour Blade 5 Iron Good $9.99 Time Remaining: 8h 42m

Wilson Staff FG 51Tour Blade 3 P Golf Irons Firestick 28 stiff +1 Nice set $214.99 Time Remaining: 4d 16h 37m Buy It Now : $214.99

1981 1983 Wilson Staff Tour Blade FG 17 Forged Irons 3 9 NO PW Reg Flex Steel $69.99 Time Remaining: 17d 15h 3m Buy It Now : $69.99

New Wilson Staff FG Tour Forged Iron Set 3 PW Golf Clubs $625.99 Time Remaining: 20d 15h 3m Buy It Now : $625.99

Wilson Staff FG 51Tour Blade Golf Irons 2 P DynGold S300 JPIISW Extra Long +125 $229.99 Time Remaining: 29d 13h 49m Buy It Now : $229.99

Most players would reason that cavity backs provide the same features as blade irons and are much easier to use, but all these things should be taken with a bit of perspective.

First of all, the main difference between the two lies on the design of the club faces. Blade irons are solid while cavity backs have a hollowed-out region at the back. This seemingly slight change makes all the difference on the outcomes of the shots made using each of the clubs. Because of its hollowed back, cavity back irons offer a larger sweet spot thus making it easier for you to make contact with the people on every shot. On the other hand, blade irons have a smaller sweet spot and thus every mistake such as a misalignment in your swing is sure to be reflected in the trajectory of your ball and the distance that it travels.

The difference in forgiveness of each clubs is what draws more people to cavity backs, without realizing that as difficult as it is to play with blade irons, they offer more feel and increased shot making capabilities that you wouldn’t otherwise get from cavity backs.

The trick is to know how to play with blade irons and it is as simple as hitting dead on. That’s basically the only way because of the small sweet spot. It’s also important to know that backswings aren’t the only type of swing to use and you don’t have to whack with so much power because the design of the clubs actually give you extra power and feel.

People who switch from cavity backs to muscle backs or blade irons might feel a bit queasy at first because they will notice the mistakes their wings, but you must not let it get you down.

Learn your weak spots when it comes to your swings and make the proper adjustments. With much practice and constant training with the blade irons, you are sure to get a better hang of using it and will begin to see how to work the ball in ways that cavity backs can’t.

Sports Sensors Swing Speed Radar with Tempo Timer List Price: $149.95 Sale Price: $124.95 You save: $25.00 (17%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Adams Golf- Tech A4-R Irons List Price: $699.99 Sale Price: $149.99 You save: $550.00 (79%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron Stiff Golf Swing Training Aid List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $98.99 You save: $21.00 (18%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Intech Future Tour Pee Wee Junior Golf Set (Age 5 and Under)

Tour Striker 8 Iron Regular Golf Swing Training Aid List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $97.97 You save: $22.02 (18%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Confidence Junior Golf Club Set w/Stand Bag for Kids Ages 4-7 RH List Price: $120.00 Sale Price: $69.99 You save: $50.01 (42%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Well, the kind of clubs to use really depends on the golfer and his reasons for playing golf as well as for his projected goals as a player. Listed below are some of the reasons why blade irons are the perfect choice.

Blade irons give you a better chance of eventually mastering your strokes.

Although it is true that the use of cavity backs tend to give you more consistency in your shots resulting to a lower score, its use may accustom you to some bad playing habits, which is definitely not good for you if you are bent on mastering the game of golf. Because of their high “forgiveness”, cavity backs are able to “correct” slightly misaligned shots therefore making you unaware of any flaws or error you may have with your stroke. For a more realistic view of your actual swing, blade irons are the way to go. They are definitely more challenging to use because of the smaller sweet spot, but if you are determined to up your game, it wouldn’t be so bad to be aware of your mistakes now so you can correct them right away.

Blade irons are the clubs of choice in short games.

The more seasoned golfers now that it is in the short game where your true capabilities as a golfer are best seen. In this respect, cavity backs are not a wise choice because they tend to get in the way of your senses and the ball due to their being large and clunky. Blade irons on the other hand are best for these games because they increase your feel and control, important factors you need to have in order to own your shots and lower your scores.

Sports Sensors Swing Speed Radar with Tempo Timer List Price: $149.95 Sale Price: $124.95 You save: $25.00 (17%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Adams Golf- Tech A4-R Irons List Price: $699.99 Sale Price: $149.99 You save: $550.00 (79%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron Stiff Golf Swing Training Aid List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $98.99 You save: $21.00 (18%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Intech Future Tour Pee Wee Junior Golf Set (Age 5 and Under)

Tour Striker 8 Iron Regular Golf Swing Training Aid List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $97.97 You save: $22.02 (18%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Confidence Junior Golf Club Set w/Stand Bag for Kids Ages 4-7 RH List Price: $120.00 Sale Price: $69.99 You save: $50.01 (42%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

They are quite forgiving although this comes at some cost as you do not have nearly as much control as you do in some other clubs and indeed the ones it replaced - the DI and CI7's. Top players can choose the line, height and strength of their shots due to the compact head and tin top line.

They are available in stiff or regular shafts and it is usually adviseable to opt for that latter, especially if you are a mid handicap player - they offer more compensation and ultimately help you to stay accurate.

Wilson Staff Pi7 Irons 3 PW DGS300 Very Nice with Pi5 54 degree sw $165.00 Time Remaining: 19h 2m Buy It Now : $185.00

Wilson Staff Pi7 Iron Set 3 PW Dynamic Gold R300 NEW $299.99 Time Remaining: 24d 10h 52m Buy It Now : $299.99

Wilson Staff Pi7 Single 8 Iron Steel Stiff $39.99 Time Remaining: 8d 9h 52m Buy It Now : $39.99

WILSON STAFF Pi7 6 IRON TRUE TEMPER DYNAMIC GOLD S300 STEEL STIFF FLEX RH $25.00 Time Remaining: 16d 21h 42m Buy It Now : $25.00

WILSON STAFF Pi7 6 IRON TRUE TEMPER DYNAMIC GOLD SHAFT STIFF FLEX RH $25.00 Time Remaining: 26d 19h 53m Buy It Now : $25.00

Learning to control your swings and getting a proper connection is imperative if you want to improve on your game, and these irons will help you do just that. With a low centre of gravity, the line of flight stays low which means you can reach distances that you never thought possible.

What is rather nice about these irons is that they have quite a level of forgiveness about them, even without a cavity back that are present in so many other irons. The dual muscle back will mean that even slightly off connections will still deliver.

It's no wonder that these are a popular set of irons.

TOUR EDGE FORGED V BLADE IRONS 3 PW DG S300 STIFF FLEX GOLF PRIDE RUBBER GRIPS $265.93 Time Remaining: 20d 14h 51m Buy It Now : $265.93

TOUR EDGE V BLADE FORGED 4 IRON STEEL STIFF $32.54 Time Remaining: 5d 10h 54m Buy It Now : $32.54

These irons are able to launch the ball with incredible speed and accuracy. The cavity back has a badge that covers the sweet spot meaning there is next to no vibration so you will perform at the best of your game even at the end of a long day.

As you move over, you may find you actually drop a few shots at first but this is normal as you adjust to a higher end game. Of course, this might be frustrating at first especially if you already have a high handicap. However, Once you understand how to swing properly with these irons it will give your game a new dimension, greatly improving it.

If you take your golf seriously then you are going to need a serious set of irons, and the TaylorMade Tour Preferred set is exactly that.

RH 2009 Taylormade Tour Preferred TP 3 PW iron set Dynamic Gold S300 Excellent $325.00 Time Remaining: 7d 9h 5m Buy It Now : $325.00

TAYLORMADE TOUR PREFERRED SYSTEM 2 10 DRIVER GRAPHITE GOLF CLUB REGULAR $0.99 Time Remaining: 10h 15m

BRAND NEW TaylorMade TOUR PREFERRED CB IRONS 4 AW S300 $386.00 (21 Bids) Time Remaining: 10h 56m

TaylorMade Tour Preferred CB 5 PW Iron set $399.00 Time Remaining: 24d 12h 19m Buy It Now : $399.00

Taylor Made Tour Preferred 3 pw Must See $150.99 Time Remaining: 11h 19m

TAYLOR MADE 2009 TP TOUR PREFERRED IRONS IRON SET 3 PW Rifle Flighted 65 $329.99 Time Remaining: 2d 16h 17m Buy It Now : $329.99