Question: How Do Cavity Back and Muscleback Irons Compare?
Answer: A cavity back iron is any iron in which a small to large amount of the metal across the back of the head is removed, allowing that weight to be re-positioned on the perimeter of the head, farther away from the head's center of gravity.
A muscleback iron is the term given to any iron in which there is no cavity on the back of the head, i.e., the weight is more evenly distributed across the back of the clubhead.
All cavity back irons will have a higher moment of inertia about the vertical axis of their centers of gravity, so they twist less from an off-center hit. By twisting less from a toe impact or heel impact, the cavity back is more forgiving than the muscleback design. Therefore, off-center shots from the cavity back iron will fly a little farther than the same off-center hit with a muscleback iron design.
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About the Author
Tom Wishon is one of the most highly respected members of the golf equipment industry. He specializes in clubhead design, shaft analysis, and clubfitting research and development, and is the owner of his own golf equipment company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology. Tom is a member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and is the Technical Advisor to PGA.com, the website of the PGA of America.
