Muscle Back Irons: What They Are, Who Should Play Them
Golfing has been a beloved hobby and professional sport for many years, offering plenty of unique and enjoyable opportunities to develop various skills. But, there is a vast selection of equipment and gear to consider for playability, all of which have various pros and cons. So, what are muscle back irons?
Muscle back irons are golf clubs designed with a full back of the clubhead. They developed from blades and are created from forging or casting manufacturing processes. They require far more skill to handle proficiently and are typically only used by lower-handicappers.
Although muscle back irons are well-known within many professional golfing circles, many factors should be considered before adding this golf club to your wish list. Join us as we discuss muscle back irons, how they are designed, and who would benefit most from the pros that they afford.
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What Are Muscle Back Irons?
Muscle back irons is a term that describes a specific golf club design. The term 'muscle back irons' refers to a golf club with a full back of the clubhead. These clubs are typically forged during the manufacturing process, but they can also be created with casting.
Muscle Back Irons vs. Cavity Back irons
Hollowed or scooped out club heads are known as cavity back irons, which assist in supporting or creating game-improvement qualities – commonly known as forgiveness and perimeter weighting. On the other hand, muscle back irons have a design that’s far more complex to handle while golfing, as they require much more skills. But, muscle back irons do afford numerous advantages as well.
How Were Muscle Back Irons Developed?
Once upon a time, all golf clubs were essentially muscle back irons – not because they are the best golf club type, but since it was all the only available design back in the day. They originated from the traditional blade irons, which were incredibly skinny and left little to no forgiveness for golfers.
The original blade was quite thin and incredibly challenging to land a good strike on the golf ball. The muscle back irons variants evolved from these irons, where metal was incorporated in lower areas of the clubhead behind the hitting zone to aid striking.
The founder of Ping, Karsten Solheim, popularized the concept of perimeter weighting, proposing that scooping out the back of the iron head will offer numerous benefits. Golfers were able to gain advantages from higher MOI and more forgiveness.
Although this cavity back irons design offered a much more enjoyable experience for most golfers, they were immediately perceived as irons for amateurs. Muscle back irons are certainly attractive, and some golfers even buy them as a motive to improve their game.
But, there is plenty of myth and obscurity surrounding the use of this type of golf club. Muscle back irons are not golf clubs for good golfers, and cavity back irons are not golf clubs for bad golfers – despite common belief. Cavity irons are simply suited to most golfers, including many who are experienced in the sport.
Is it Hard to Use Muscle Back Irons?
Yes, muscle back irons are much harder to play with compared to cavity back irons. There has been a common myth surrounding muscle back irons for many years, claiming that this golf club type makes it much easier to work the golf ball – this is, however, not true at all.
Muscle back irons also have a lower moment of inertia than cavity back irons. They are more exacting irons, requiring more precision to play proficiently. There is a greater loss of distance and potential for off-center strikes on the golf compared to cavity back irons, and there is lower consistency with strikes.
Due to the muscle back irons' full backs on the clubhead, they typically have a higher center of gravity location, potentially producing lower trajectories. Many highly-skilled golfers prefer this, but mid and higher handicappers tend to demand some assistance in getting the golf ball high in the air.
Advantages of Using Muscle Back Irons
However, muscle back irons do have some advantages for golfers who use them. They look better from the top down, making it easier to pick the shot. The feel of muscle back irons is another bonus, as it’s much easier to envision the shots before they’re taken.
The handling makes it simpler to understand what approaches or skills to repeat for future shots and what needs to be changed. The ability for golfers to identify mistakes clearly – even before the golf ball lands in some cases – is invaluable to many enthusiasts and professionals.
Muscle back irons offer flexibility concerning the ball as well, as it enables golfers to play around with angles. Although the distance and forgiveness are still challenging to work with, it is still much more lenient than the original blade irons. There are quite a few modern muscle back iron variants that are slightly more forgiving than the original versions.
Who Should Use Muscle Back Irons?
Theoretically, anyone can use muscle back irons, but it will be incredibly challenging to play well. While the look and handling of muscle back irons are undoubtedly alluring, giving off a more muscular feel, there are quite a few factors to consider before you invest in this type of golf club.
Generally speaking, only lower-handicappers golfers use muscle back irons and play well with them. Golfers who are not lower-handicappers and even many professional golfers still prefer full or partial cavity backs over muscle back irons.
Golfers who don't need help getting the ball higher in the air may prefer many of the characteristics of muscle back irons. Skilled golfers may not experience the disadvantage of inconsistency, as they can consistently repeat their swings and place the clubhead onto the golf ball accurately time and time again.
Some highly skilled golfers also enjoy using muscle back irons to improve their skills during practice. Muscle back irons are far more brutal in their honesty toward the handler, as it's very clear when determining good shots from poor shots.
While cavity backs are made for most golfers, muscle back irons seem to never lose their attractive qualities – especially for golfers who love traditional gear. The choice to use muscle back irons all depends on preference and skill. But, most golfers (even many professional golfers) are more than happy to stick with cavity back irons for better plays and a more enjoyable experience.
