Mizuno Irons – Syndication Server

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons

Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $150 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro 950 NEO steel shafts and Lamkin UT+ grips (Hot Metal)
Specs: Cast stainless steel body with Nickel Chromoly 4335 cup face and internal tungsten weight.
Available: Sept. 5 (pre-sale), Sept. 19 (in stores)

Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed and forgiveness (Hot Metal), accomplished players who want a better-player’s distance iron (Hot Metal Pro) or moderate- and slower-swinging golfers who want more height and carry distance from their irons (Hot Metal HL).

What you should know: Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons – the standard, HL (high launch) and Pro – feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot and more ball speed on mishits, while also delivering the feel and sound that golfers expect from a Mizuno iron.

The Deep Dive: Mizuno has invested significant time and resources to make better woods over the last few seasons, resulting in clubs like the ST-Max and ST-G drivers, but most golfers still think of the Japanese brand as an iron company. That’s not a bad thing because the Mizuno Pro 241, Mizuno Pro 243 and Mizuno Pro 245 irons are extremely popular with golfers who love classic-looking blade-style irons that enhance feel.

The JPX Series irons have been popular with elite players, but JPX irons are also where Mizuno blends unique technologies and design elements to boost forgiveness and distance, often making them more playable for a wider number of golfers.

The new Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL, and Hot Metal Pro irons continue that tradition, thanks to an updated face design and internal changes that should make it easier for players to hit longer, higher shots.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal irons — Using Nickel Chromoly allowed Mizuno to make the hitting area thinner across a larger portion of the face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While each club in the Mizuno Pro family is forged, the JPX 925 irons are all cast using Nickel Chromoly 4335, an extremely strong alloy. Nickel Chromoly was introduced in the JPX 923 irons and is significantly stronger than the standard Chromoly Mizuno has used. This allows engineers to redesign the cup-face hitting area to be thinner.

In the JPX 923 4-iron through 8-iron, the hitting area was 2.05 millimeters thick in the center and thinned to as little as 1.75 millimeters to allow a larger portion of the face to flex at the moment of impact. Now, in the JPX 925 irons, a tiny area in the center of the face is thick (2.4 millimeters), but a larger area around it is thinned to just 1.2 millimeters.

Mizuno refers to this new multi-thickness design as a CORTECH face. This cup face is complemented by a thinner leading-edge area that flexes more efficiently and allows the whole face to bend more at impact.

The thinner face design and the thinner leading edge should result in more ball speed and distance, especially on mishit shots.

The 4-iron through 7-iron in the JPX 925 series have also been given 11-gram internal tungsten weights. By positioning the weights low and forward but not allowing them to touch the back of the face, it should be easier to start shots on a higher launch angle and bring them down on a steeper angle of descent for increased stopping power and distance control.

Mizuno designers also added a series of reinforcing ribs under the topline to stiffen that region of the club. When combined with a new bar that goes across the back, this attunes the JPX 925 irons to sound and feel more solid and pleasing at impact.

There are three different versions of the JPX 925 Hot Metal iron. The standard is a game-improvement iron offered from 4-iron through sand wedge for both right- and left-handed players that should appeal to a wide variety of golfers. Its lofts are strong, with the 5-iron at 22 degrees and the pitching wedge at 42 degrees.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro, which is also available for right- and left-handed players, has a shorter blade length, thinner topline, and less offset, making it appealing to slightly better golfers. However, it has the same lofts as the standard Hot Metal irons, so golfers should easily be able to create a blended set by working with a custom fitter.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is for moderate and slower-swinging golfers who want to maximize carry distance and get more height on their shots. To help them do that, Mizuno weakened the lofts, so the HL’s 5-iron has 25 degrees of loft, and the pitching wedge has 45. The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is only available in a right-hand version.

Below are several close-up images of the JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL and Hot Metal Pro irons.

Best new golf irons you can buy in 2024

Check out Golfweek’s list of the best irons available to purchase in 2024.

As Golfweek explained in our 2024 Driver wrap-up, the undeniable trend in the world of drivers is toward higher-stability offerings that not only perform well when you hit the ball in the middle of the face, but also help you hit straighter shots and help you maintain distance when you mis-hit toward the heel or the toe.

When it comes to irons, the trend continues to be the broadening array of offers to meet the needs of different types of players. Not that long ago, equipment makers sold blades to the best players, cavity-backs to golfers who needed some forgiveness and oversized clubs to high-handicappers and beginners. Those clubs still exist, but they are complemented by better-player distance irons, sets that blend hybrids and irons for forgiveness, and sets that blend hollow-bodied long irons with precision-minded scoring clubs.

Take Ping as an example. The Phoenix-based brand now has the Blueprint T and Blueprint S for elite players, the tour-proven i230 for good players who want more forgiveness, the i525 for golfers who want a better-player’s distance iron, the game-improvement G430 and it still offers the G710 as a max game-improvement club. Brands like Callaway, Cobra, Mizuno, TaylorMade and Titleist have similarly deep stables.

Early this suumer, new irons like the Bettinardi MB24 and CB24, the Cobra Limit3d and the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron have dropped.

So much variety is great golfers, but it has never been more important to seek out a good custom fitter, try several different shafts and heads and see what the data reveals.

Below are many of the irons that you will see in pro shops and specialty stores. Use this list as a starting point to discover clubs that might be ideal for you game.

Best golf irons in 2024

Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons

The JPX 923 Forged irons bring some distance, forgiveness and playability to a better-player’s club.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Grain-flow-forged 4120 Chromoly (4-7 irons) and 1025E mild carbon steel (8-GW) with milled micro-slot. Available in left- and right-hand versions. 4-iron through lob wedge

Available: Jan. 19, 2023 (pre-sale), Feb. 9, 2023 (in stores)

Who it’s for: Accomplished golfers looking for a compact cavity-back iron that emphasizes feeling and control with some forgiveness.

The Skinny: Made for players who may have played muscleback blades in the recent past and golfers who demand control and feel, the JPX 923 Forged irons bring some distance, forgiveness and playability to a better-player’s club.

The Deep Dive: Between game-improvement irons and muscleback blades, there is a region for golfers who are improving and looking for their first set of control-oriented clubs, as well as players who may have contended for the club championship a few years ago. Clubs in this category need to look like something that a real stick would carry but with hidden technologies and benefits.

For Mizuno, the JPX Forged has filled this gap for several years, and with the release of the 923 Forged, the Japanese company tipped this club closer to the better-player’s irons that have made Mizuno so respected. Designers worked to make this version longer and more forgiving than the JPX 921 Forged it replaces, but it appears smaller in the playing position.

To do that, Mizuno starts with a single billet of grain-flow-forged 4120 Chromoly for the 4-iron through 7-iron. By forging the metal under extreme pressure three times into the shape engineers want, the grains and strands of material elongate, which Mizuno said makes forged clubs feel better at impact. There is no vibration dampener designed into this club because golfers who will consider playing it want all the feedback – good and bad – that the clubs can deliver.

The face of the JPX 923 Forged is thinner in every area than the JPX 921 Forged, which should allow the hitting area to flex more efficiently at impact for increased ball speed on well-struck shots and mis-hits too. There is also a milled micro-slot in the sole that is covered by a very thin plating. The slot allows the lower portion of the face to flex more easily, which should deliver better performance on thin shots. The JPX 921 Forged had a micro-slot, but the slot in this updated version is wider.

Mizuno JPX923 Forged 4-7 irons are forged 4120 Chromoly, while the 8-PW are forged 1025E mild carbon steel. (Mizuno)

The 8-iron through gap wedge are also grain-flow-forged, but instead of Chromoly, Mizuno uses the same 1025E mild carbon steel found in the company’s muscleback blades. These scoring clubs have not been given a micro-slot.

To make its irons sound good at impact, Mizuno has studied harmonics for years and reinforced the topline of its clubs to create the type of vibrations that many golfers find pleasing. In some cases, that has forced designers to make the topline thicker, which accomplished players rarely like. In the JPX 923 Forged, the topline has more curvature, so it appears thinner in the address position while still reinforcing the hitting area.

The lofts of the JPX 923 Forged irons are stronger than those found in muscleback blades – the 5-iron is 24 degrees and the pitching wedge is 44 degrees – but by modern standards they are typical for a better-player’s distance iron.

Mizuno JPX 923 Tour irons

With minimal offset, an extremely-thin topline and a narrow sole, the JPX 923 Tour is all about feel and control for shot-shaping golfers.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Tour irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Grain-flow-forged 1025E mild carbon steel. 4-iron through lob wedge

Available: Jan. 19, 2023 (pre-sale), Feb. 9, 2023 (in stores)

Who it’s for: Is your name on your bag? Are you a college golfer, a club pro or someone who has a legitimate shot at winning the A Flight at your club championship? If so, the JPX 923 Tour could be a control- and feel-oriented option for you.

The Skinny: These irons are forged and shaped to appeal to the game’s best golfers, with minimal offset, an extremely thin topline and a narrow sole. While they have some perimeter weighting, the JPX 923 Tour is all about feel and control for shot-shaping golfers.

The Deep Dive: Last year, Mizuno brought back the Mizuno Pro muscleback blades, and while the majority of golfers do not have the repeatable, powerful swing required to get the most out of them, many golfers ogled them on social media and in pro shops.

The JPX Tour irons have been one-click more playable for most golfers than the muscleback blades produced by Mizuno, and with the release of the new JPX 923 Tour, the company is keeping the focus on feel and control.

The JPX 923 Tour is forged from a single piece of 1025E mild carbon steel for a soft feel, but for the first time that steel is covered by a thin layer of copper before the final chrome plating is applied. The copper layer has been added to Mizuno Pro irons to enhance the soft feel at impact, and its addition to the JPX 923 Tour is a sign this club belongs in the Mizuno Pro and JPX families.

Mizuno JPX923 Tour — The JPX 923 Tour is forged from a single piece of 1025E mild carbon steel. (Mizuno)

The JPX 923 Tour has the shortest blade length, most narrow sole and thinnest topline of the five new JPX 923 irons. Mizuno designers even gave the topline extra curvature to make it look even thinner.

In addition to extra trailing-edge relief, Mizuno added more bounce to the sole of the JPX 923 Tour to help the clubs work through the turf more efficiently. The added bounce should also help fitters if they want to strengthen the loft of any of the clubs. Delofting clubs often lowers the leading edge, which can cause digging; adding extra bounce can strengthen the JPX 923 Tour irons without making them dig too easily.

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal, 923 Hot Metal Pro, 923 Hot Metal HL irons

The three JPX 923 Hot Metal irons have been designed thin, fast faces for more ball speed and sound-enhancing features and modern looks.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal, 923 Hot Metal Pro, 923 Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $137.50 each
Available: Oct. 13 (available for pre-sale Sept. 23)

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Specs: Cast nickel chromoly heads. Hot Metal, 4-LW; Hot Metal Pro, 4-LW; Hot Metal HL, 5-SW.

Who it’s for: Golfers who want the looks and feel of better-player’s irons but need distance enhancement, forgiveness and spin.

The Skinny: The three JPX 923 Hot Metal irons were designed to cosmetically mix and match seamlessly so golfers and fitters can blend clubs to make a set. The offset and sizes vary, but all three have thin, fast faces for more ball speed and sound-enhancing features to go with sleek, modern looks.

The Deep Dive: For decades, Mizuno was known as a company that specialized in some of the finest muscleback blades for accomplished players and professionals. They were aspirational. Golfers with single-digit handicaps and powerful, repeatable swings loved the soft feel and control, while players who typically shoot in the mid-80s and higher yearned to be good enough to play them someday.

With the release of several JPX models of irons, most of which offered perimeter-weighted game-improvement clubs alongside a pro version for low-handicappers, Mizuno found a larger audience. The Japanese company started using different materials, such as Chromoly, stainless steel and tungsten, to get better performance and more forgiveness out of the JPX lineup without making the clubs so big that they no longer looked like the Mizunos golfers wished they were good enough to use.

Mizuno JPX Hot Metal irons (David Dusek/Golfweek)

With the release of the newest JPX Hot Metal family – the JPX 923 Metal, 923 Hot Metal Pro and 923 Metal HL – Mizuno is trying to expand its footprint across an even larger segment of the market, all while making clubs that look and feel (as much as possible) like the musclebacks used by Keith Mitchell, Luke Donald and other tour pros.

The 923 Hot Metal irons are all cast using a new material called nickel chromoly. Mizuno has used chromoly for several years, but adding nickel, according to Mizuno, makes the chromoly alloy 35 percent stronger. It is so strong that it is used in airplane landing gear assemblies and gears in automobile transmissions.

The Mizuno JPX 223 Hot Metal irons have thin, nickel chromoly faces. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Nickel chromoly allowed Mizuno to make the faces thinner and lighter without worrying about durability, so the center of the JPX 923 Hot Metal’s cup-face hitting area is just 2.05 millimeters thick, with the perimeter being 1.75 millimeters. That allows the hitting area to flex more efficiently at impact across a larger area for more ball speed while also reducing weight.

To ensure the feel at impact matches what golfers expect from a Mizuno iron, even though the face is thinner, engineers reinforced the cavity area in the back of each head, especially in the toe area and under the topline, using a series of small tooth-like pieces. They help reduce vibrations that cause low-pitched tones that sound like cracking.

Around the Mizuno offices outside Atlanta, Mizuno designers refer to the JPX 923 Hot Metal as the fastest-stopping fast iron. That means that in addition to creating more ball speed, the JPX 923 Hot Metal produces slightly more spin, giving shots more lift and a steeper descent so shots repeatedly stop quicker for better control and consistency.

All three JPX 923 Hot Metal irons were designed to have a premium look that appeals to better players, making it very easy to mix and match the clubs with the help of a custom fitter to create a personalized, blended set.

Mizuno JPX 223 Hot Metal Pro (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro has a shorter blade length than the standard model, along with a thinner topline and slightly less offset, but the Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro have the same lofts (5-iron, 22 degrees; 9-iron, 37.5 degrees).

Mizuno JPX 223 Hot Metal HL (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The JPX 923 Hot Metal HL (which stands for high launch) is a super-game-improvement club designed to maximize forgiveness and deliver more ball speed and height. It has a thicker topline, wider sole and the lowest center of gravity, but the most interesting thing Mizuno did with the JPX 923 Hot Metal Hot HL was to make the lofts 2 degrees weaker than the standard JPX 923 Hot Metal.

Many brands make the lofts stronger in max-game-improvement irons. Still, Mizuno discovered that with lower-lofted clubs like a 5-iron, slow and moderate-swinging golfers (below 75 mph with a 7-iron) who typically buy max-game-improvement irons have trouble getting the ball up in the air with the stronger-lofted clubs. So, carry distance is reduced and overall distance is not maximized. For these players – who research showed Mizuno was about one out of every four players – adding loft created more carry distance, and for players in this category, that means more overall distance. Fitters have used the same logic for years when they recommend that slow and moderate-swinging players use higher-lofted drivers to maximize distance.

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Best affordable irons for 2022

Iron out the kinks in your game and save some money while you do it.

This month, Golfweek is helping you find the most affordable equipment on the market.

Whether you’re young and new to the game, seasoned and looking for an upgrade or just want some new equipment without breaking the bank, we have you covered.

We’ve already found some of the most affordable drivers on the market right now. Look out for affordable wedges, putters and other equipment coming out later this month.

Today, it’s all about the irons!

To classify as affordable, each iron set we selected had to come in under $1,000 for a set or under $150 per iron for a seven club average. Without cutting quality, we’ve done the digging to find the best deals out there at the moment. Many of the items below are currently on sale, so act fast!

For a deeper dive on the best irons on the market, check out David Dusek’s piece from earlier this year.

Mizuno releases limited-edition Mizuno Pro 221 blue irons

Blue blades? Yes, but only if you’re good enough to hit these new Mizuno irons.

Last December, Mizuno released the Mizuno Pro 221 muscleback blade irons. Golfers who want forgiveness and are looking for more distance from the fairway can look someplace else, because the Mizuno Pro 221 is for accomplished golfers with powerful, repeatable swings.

Now, on the eve of the 150th British Open at St. Andrews, Mizuno has released a special limited-edition version of the Mizuno Pro 221. Your eyes are not deceiving you: They’re blue.

Only 1,221 sets will be produced, and they will be sold for $2,210 (3-iron through pitching wedge) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts.

The blue plating is extremely soft, so if anyone buys a set of these irons and decides to play them, it will wear with use.

The limited-edition Mizuno Pro 221 Blue has a layer of copper over the forged steel and under the blue plating that softens feel. (Mizuno)

As with the standard Mizuno Pro 221, the clubs are forged from 1025E mild carbon steel with a layer of copper applied over the steel that softens the feel of impact. They have a narrow sole, thin topline and virtually no offset, so control-oriented players should be able to shape shots up, down, right or left.

The clubs will be available for purchase in the fall.

Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro irons

A thinner, more-flexible face helps Mizuno’s newest game-improvement irons deliver more power without growing in size.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro irons
Price: $1,000 (4-GW)/$125 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro 950 NEO steel or UST Mamiya Recoil ESX graphite shafts and Golf Pride MCC +4 grips
Specs: Cast 4140 Chromoly with a cup-face design and pocket cavity.
Available: Sept. 17

It is not uncommon for golfers on the PGA Tour to compliment their irons with a game-improvement club or a distance-oriented long iron at the top of their set. Those clubs tend to create more distance, a higher launch and a quicker stop on the greens. For example, Paul Casey has played a Mizuno Hot Metal Pro 3-iron for more than a year because the club is easier to hit from long range than his Mizuno MP-5 muscleback blades.

Many amateurs need that kind of distance and height gains not only in their long and mid-irons but throughout the set, and for years they were offered oversized clubs that produced those attributes but that often were not the best looking clubs.

Now, recreational golfers who are turned off by oversized clubs but who want more distance and forgiveness can benefit from more normal sized, perimeter-weighted clubs that have flexible faces. Mizuno has two new offerings – the JPX 921 Hot Metal and JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro – made to do that.

Instead of being forged from soft carbon steel, the Hot Metal irons are cast from 4140 Chromoly, a much harder material. Its strength allowed Mizuno designers to make the faces of the Hot Metal irons very thin. The center of the hitting area is thinner than the previous Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro, and that ultra-thin area is larger than in the predecessors. With a large pocket cavity behind the hitting area, it also flexes more efficiently for increased ball speed.

To broaden the sweet spot, Mizuno gave the Hot Metal irons a cup-face design, with the edges of the face behind the seams of the leading edge, the toe and the topline. When the ball hits the face, the leading edge acts as a hinge and activates a larger area.

Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro irons (Mizuno)

Finally, extra sound ribs were positioned around the frame’s perimeter to improve the impact sound and feel.

The only difference between the Hot Metal and the Hot Metal Pro is size. The Pro version shares the same materials and construction, but it has a shorter blade length, slightly thinner topline, less offset and slightly narrower sole.

Mizuno JPX 921 Tour irons

Mizuno JPX Tour irons have been used to win four majors. The newest version offers more maneuverability with classic looks and feel.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 921 Tour irons
Price: $1,299 (4-GW)/$175 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 120 shafts and Golf Pride MCC +4 grips
Specs: Grain flow forged 1025E mild carbon steel
Available: Sept. 17

While not officially a member of Mizuno’s PGA Tour staff, Brooks Koepka has won four major championships playing Mizuno JPX Tour irons. Last season they were used to win nine professional events around the world, and none of those wins were by golfers who are paid to endorse Mizuno. The appeal of the JPX Tour irons is they provide accomplished players with loads of feel and control with just a touch of forgiveness.

With the release of the JPX 921 Tour, the Japanese company is hoping to make those clubs even more appealing to golfers who have a fast, repeatable swing.

Mizuno JPX 921 Tour irons — Removing some mass from the toe and repositioning it around the head maintains stability but should allow golfers to shape shots more easily. (Mizuno)

Aesthetically, the JPX 921 Tour irons are designed to appeal to elite golfers. The topline is thin, there is minimal offset and the look is clean.

But while Tour players told Mizuno the JPX 919 Tour was stable on off-center hits for a compact iron, a few said it could be challenging to shape shots and curve them in desired directions. To fix that and add workability, engineers shifted some of the mass from the toe to the head’s perimeter.

The overall moment of inertia is about the same, so the irons retain their stability, but the center of gravity has shifted slightly to the heel side. Mizuno said that should help golfers hit controlled draws and fades more easily.

To make the long irons slightly more playable, Mizuno made the soles a little wider in the 4-iron through 7-iron, while the 9-iron and pitching wedge are somewhat smaller. The sweet spot is also fractionally higher in each iron.

To further enhance feel, Mizuno reinforced the pad designed to be low and behind the hitting area, as well as the perimeter of the toe. That helps create a more substantial, deeper sound at impact.

Mizuno JPX 921 Forged irons

Mizuno’s JPX 921 Forged irons are designed to look like a better-player’s club, but a unique material helps them deliver more distance.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 921 Forged irons
Price: $1,399 (4-GW)/$175 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 120 shafts and Golf Pride MCC +4 grips
Specs: Grain flow forged 4120 Chromoly
Available: Sept. 17

Recreational golfers have aspired to hit Mizuno blades for decades because they have a clean, classic look and legendary feel. In reality, even fairly accomplished club players need some forgiveness built into their clubs, and a little extra distance is almost always welcome. With the release of the new JPX 921 Forged irons, Mizuno’s latest offering in the better-player distance category tries to deliver the performance those players need in a club that looks like something a Tour player might use.

The JPX 921 Forged is the first fully forged iron from Mizuno made from Chromoly. Mizuno has used the material in irons before because it is extremely strong, but the Chromoly in the 921 Forged is softer and more forgeable. Still, it is stronger than the boron-infused 1025 carbon steel used in the previous generation of JPX Forged irons. That let Mizuno make the faces thinner and the pocket cavity behind the hitting area slightly wider. The result: The sweetspot is larger even though the new irons are smaller.

Mizuno JPX 921 Forged irons — The thin topline and classic look at address will appeal to better players. (Mizuno)

Removing more mass from the face and the pocket allowed Mizuno to redistribute weight to the perimeter of the head and boost stability.

At address, golfers will see a thin topline, less offset and a slightly shorter blade length than the previous version of the JPX Forged iron. The sole is modestly narrow, and the flashy blue color that debuted 10 years ago with the first JPX irons is gone, replaced by chrome and black for a more elegant look. Some players may not even notice the pocket cavity in the back of the head.

While the long and mid-irons are each 1 degree stronger lofted in this edition of the JPX Forged, they are still comparable to the lofts found in most better-player irons, with a 5-iron at 24 degrees and a 9-iron at 40 degrees.