One of Miura’s most legendary irons is available at retail once again.
The KM-Baby Blades irons, originally designed for the personal use of late Miura founder Katsuhiro Miura, are once again being released in limited quantities.
This is the third release of the Baby Blades, which are 15 percent smaller than Miura’s MB-101 blades to produce an unmatched feel.
“The KM-Baby Blade is leaner, more exacting, and engineered for the golfer who seeks ultimate control and workability,” said Mirua Golf COO Bill Holowaty in a release. “Our goal with the creation of these new KM-Baby Blade irons was to reward commitment and help players realize that they are better ball-strikers than they believed.”
Keep reading below for more on the KM-Baby Blades, including who they are best-suited for and my thoughts on the limited-release irons.
What are the Miura KM-Baby Blades?
As told by his sons, Shinei and Yoshitake Miura, Kutsuhiro, who passed away this May at 82, began crafting the Baby Blades around 2000. He saw the trends in the golf equipment industry and wanted to create something that valued precision and feel over distance.
“At the time, driver heads were becoming larger, and companies were developing and manufacturing heads that offered greater distance and directional stability,” Shinei and Yoshitake said. “Soon after, irons also began to get larger, and unlike in the past, these new, larger irons evolved to offer greater distance and directional stability without requiring greater skill from the player.
“During this transition, Miura-san felt a strong desire to buck the trend and stay true to the basic performance and shape of a muscle back iron. As the pursuit for greater distance and directional stability evolved, so did the transition to larger heads which were designed to give players a sense of security at the expense of significantly reducing controllability. Miura-san’s vision was to minimize the head size in order to deliver maximum effectiveness with minimal effort.”
The resulting iron is 15 percent smaller than Miura’s MB-101 blades, and this is the third time they’ve been released to the public after limited runs in 2011 and 2019. While being smaller than the MB-101, the KM-Baby Blades maintain the same headweights and lofts, meaning they will actually have increased MOI and an increased thickness around the hitting area, giving them a more solid and soft feel.
With the third Baby Blade’s release, the company has also added the Y-Grind to the sole, honoring Yoshitake’s influence on his family’s company. The Y-Grind, which is found on many of Miura’s popular irons, like the TC-202, adds bounce to the leading edge of the club, allowing it to glide more cleanly through the turf.
Who are the Baby Blades for?
The Baby Blades are certainly not an iron for the masses, and Miura knows that.
That said, anyone who is unafraid of playing a traditional muscle-back iron will be rewarded with an incredible feeling iron. This iron is for the golfer who, like Miura-san, believes technology has cheapened the art of ball striking in golf.
My thoughts!
The Miura KM-Baby Blades irons are a showpiece that will turn heads in any bag (or wall if you so choose). The clean cosmetics are the best looking Baby Blades release and the signature Hanko Stamp, reversed for Miura’s most celebrated designs, is only going to make them more sought after.
Miura is releasing a fitting tribute to their late founder, with a subtle nod to their feature thanks to the addition of Yoshitake’s Y-Grind sole. Not only is there symbolism in that, but that will also enhance the playability of the iron for anyone who games them.
Price, Specs and Availability
The Miura KM-Baby Blades irons will be available to pre-order on Miura’s website at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday (Oct. 7). Only a limited number of sets will be available.
KM-Baby Blades are offered in the same specs as Miura’s MB-101 irons and cost $400 per club. The set is offered in right-hand only, 3-PW.
Want to get fit for a set of Miura irons? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
