We run through the best Mizuno Irons on the market– Some offering workability and feel, others delivering distance and forgiveness.
Best Mizuno Irons
Mizuno is a company renowned for legendary craftsmanship across a variety of sports, and the golf equipment it produces is not immune from this.
Within the golf market, Mizuno has made some of the best golf irons for decades, regularly winning tournaments out on Tour, and building a reputation for soft-feeling, great-looking pieces of equipment. There is a reason the phrase, ‘nothing feels like a Mizuno’ is so synonymous with its irons.
The Japanese company is famed for its forging process, carried out at its facility in Hiroshima.
Although Mizuno is best known for producing classic, players’ irons, offering superb levels of feel and workability, they also produce models to suit golfers with higher handicaps – irons delivering impressive distance and also offering high levels of forgiveness.
Bearing that in mind below we have taken a look at some of the best Mizuno irons in the current range – models that cover a wide range of abilities.
However if Mizuno is not for you, check out our guides on the best Titleist irons, best Callaway irons, best Ping irons or the best TaylorMade irons too. Whatever you are looking for, we have got you covered.
Best Mizuno Irons
Mizuno JPX921 Forged Irons
+ Thin face and fast ball speeds
+ Low and deep centre of gravity
– Not as easily workable as Tour option
The JPX921 Forged iron integrates the power of Chromoly into a full body forged iron for the very first time. Initially applied in Mizuno’s Hot Metal irons – Chromoly has made the cross over to Mizuno’s forgings with excellent results. Testing shows the fastest ball speeds Mizuno has ever produced from a fully forged iron.
Grain Flow Forged HD in Mizuno’s facility in Hiroshima Japan, the JPX921 Forged irons offer an identifiable and classic Mizuno feel. The integration of Chromoly 4120 allows for a clubface up to 0.5mm thinner which delivers the fastest ball speeds Mizuno has ever produced from a full body Forged iron.
Additional perimeter weighting with toe bias creates a Stability Frame to maximise results from off-centre strikes, while a 6.4% wider CNC back milled slot further increases stability.
Despite this, the JPX921 Forged irons offer a sleeker, compact profile – a shorter blade length throughout, a beveled training edge and reduced offset. The feel is that of a traditional forged iron as the JPX921 Forged gets noticeably sleeker through the set.
Given this incredible performance and yet sleek design, the JPX 921 Forged is one of the best compact mid-handicap irons money can buy at the moment.
Mizuno JPX921 Forged Irons Review
Mizuno JPX921 Tour Irons
+ Soft and pure feel
+ Tour shape
– Not as forgiving as other JPX921 models
These Tour inspired irons have been designed to provide precise distance control for the better player.
The JPX921 Tour maintains its predecessor’s fusion of precision with stability from off-centre strikes.
Mizuno’s Stability Frame with toe bias weighting promotes a longer, straighter and more consistent ball flight while the pearl brush finish reduces glare.
Grain Flow Forgedfrom 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon steel, the JPX921 Tour delivers an identifiable and classic Mizuno feel as per the JPX921 Forged.
The shorter irons feature a narrower sole for improved turf interaction while a thicker cavity pad throughout the set, evolving from Mizuno’s study of vibration patterns, produces a harmonic impact that can be felt for a fraction longer.
Better players will enjoy the workability on offer with these irons.
Mizuno JPX921 Tour Irons Review
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Irons
+ Longest in the range
+ Greater consistency from off-centre strikes
– Chunkiest model of the JPX912 range
The JPX921 Hot Metal is the longest iron in the JPX range, thanks to the use of Chromoly 4140M and a re-engineered Cortech face, now 0.2mm thinner across the centre point, creating faster ball speeds.
These are assisted by a Seamless Cup Face featuring a variable thickness sole design that allows the leading edge to act as a hinge, generating more face flex.
Three additional sound ribs produce a more solid sensation at impact while extreme perimeter weighting and toe bias in Mizuno’s Stability Frame help to deliver greater consistency from off-centre strikes.
As such these are some of the best distance irons, and most forgiving irons anywhere in golf right now.
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Irons Review
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons
+ Fast ball speed
+ Compact looks
– Not quite as forgiving as Hot Metal model
The JPX921 Hot Metal Pro features the same technologies as the Hot Metal model above, in a slightly more compact package with less offset.
As such there is little to separate the two models when it comes to distance and performance, but with the slightly more compact head, better players who strike the ball more consistently, and yet still want a little bit of help, may prefer the Pro to the standard model.
Once again during testing, the Stability Frame was particularly noticeable as it gave more than enough assistance on heel or toe strikes. Ball flight didn’t appear to be effected too much and the launch assistance will benefit those players who swing the club a little slower.
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons Review
Mizuno MP-20 MB Irons
+ Great looking iron
+ Great feel and precision
– Only for good ball strikers
With the MP-20 MB irons, Mizuno has focused on improving the feel through adopting a former technique of adding a layer of copper to the head underneath the brushed satin outer finish and protective nickel chrome layers.
The best Mizuno irons always look great and we can all agree the MP-20’s look stunning. The design is heavily influenced by the most revered blades of Mizuno’s past and Grain Flow Forged HD from a single billet of 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel.
A tapered topline and cambered sole allow a fuller spread of weight to enhance vertical stability and forgiveness on strikes from high or low on the face.
A blend of satin and mirror chrome finishing has been engineered to eliminate areas of high glare in the playing position.
The MP-20 MB, with its small profile, isn’t for the faint hearted. Out of the middle, it’s arguably the best feeling iron you can buy, but you need to be precise with your ball striking to see the benefits of the distance consistency it can provide.
Mizuno MP-20 MMC Irons
+ Covers wide range of players
+ Good blend of forgiveness and feel
– Not as workable as MP-20MB
Billed as an “Elite Players’ Cavity” iron, the MP-20 MMC is the second generation of Mizuno’s multi-material concept.
The MP-20 MMC shares the chassis, set flow and proportions of the MP-20 MB, but it offers enhanced playability courtesy of a titanium muscle pad throughout the set, with a 12g tungsten toe weight from the 4- to 7-irons that adds ease of launch in a compact playing profile.
A second Ti muscle pad improves set flow by allowing for a narrower sole from 8-iron to pitching wedge.
In testing we found the MP-20 MMC produced good distance and consistency.
The ball feels lively off the club face and the MMC offers extra assistance on off-centre hits while still feeling soft, stable and maintaining a decent level of workability.
Mizuno MP-20 HMB Irons
+ Power and control
+ Nice looking muscle back style iron
– Not quite as hot off the face as expected
The MP-20 HMB (above) is part of the new breed of hollow-headed ‘Hybrid Muscle Back’ in a tour-ready profile that features Mizuno’s forged Chromoly material in the face and neck, supported by tungsten weighting.
It is inspired by the proliferation of long iron replacements on tour but extends the concept right down to the wedges.
The heads feature a brush satin durable plated finish and a complex, loft-specific construction.
From 2- to 8-iron, Mizuno’s multi-thickness Grain Flow Forged Chromoly face and neck is dialled in to be consistently hot across the clubface.
From 2- to 7-iron, twin 12g tungsten weights deliver stability and an easy launch, while use of a softer 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel from 9-iron to PW makes the short irons soft and responsive.
The MP-20 HMB is designed to be played as a full set or mixed with any MP-20 set, with recommended break points between the 4- and 5-iron or 7- and 8-iron for blended sets.
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