Mizuno irons have been known as being players irons. They have some of the best feel in the game, and they are undoubtedly high performing. Mizuno used to be known solely for its blades and players irons; however, they expanded their product offering quite considerably. If you are a mid to high handicapper, there are some great Mizuno iron choices on the market for you. Here are a few of the best Mizuno irons out there and some helpful information to choose the proper one for your game.
Our Best Mizuno Irons in 2021
- JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons (Best Overall)
"The JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro Irons are built for the mid to low handicapper that demands both feel and performance. Somehow Mizuno built these with an even better feel than the previous model. " - JPX 921 Forged Iron Set (Best Alternative)
- MP-20 HMB Irons (Best For Ball Flight/Launch)
- JPX 921 Hot Metal Combo (Best For Forgiveness)
- Mizuno MP 20 MB (Best Low Handicapper)
Best Mizuno Irons
JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons
Best Overall
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KEY FEATURES
In order to win one of our best overall categories, an iron has to feel great, look great, and perform as well. The JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro irons check all three of these boxes quite easily. We will not try to pretend like these are the most forgiving iron on the market, as they are not. However, they have a perfect balance of forgiveness and distance to make them a really great choice.
The Pro version of these Mizuno irons has a smaller clubhead and slightly reduced offset as well. If you feel as though you need forgiveness in your game, take a look at the Hot Metal standard irons.
The Chromoly 4140M technology has helped Mizuno increase ball speeds in the last few years. With the combination of the Chromoly and the .2mm thinner clubface, you can get the ball to travel very far with these irons.
JPX 921 Forged Iron Set
Best Alternative
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KEY FEATURES
The Mizuno JPX 921 Forged Iron Set has the unmistakable Mizuno forged iron feel. These are the real deal, grain flow forged in Hiroshima, Japan.
Some people complain about Mizuno irons being too expensive, but the reality of this is that they are very high quality irons. They have a specific forging and manufacturing process that they must go through.
The new Mizuno JPX 921 Forged also has a thinner club face than they have ever had in the past. This allows for much faster ball speeds than the previous JPX 919. Since the JPX 921 has a smaller club head than other irons on the market. Making sure that this club head stays stable at impact is very important. The stability frame in the JPX 921 really helps keep things from turning and twisting at impact.
The entire new line of JPX 921 irons have the pearl brush finish. This finish is a great fit with these forged irons as it helps to reduce glare when you are looking down at the ball.
MP-20 HMB Irons
Best For Ball Flight/Launch
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KEY FEATURES
The Mizuno MP 20 HMB Irons are a hybrid iron that looks quite a bit like a forged blade. If you like the idea of a hybrid but you don’t want to play with a larger thicker looking set of irons, theMP 20 HMB could be a great choice.
Most hybrids iron sets look quite a bit like a hybrid. For golfers that enjoy more of an iron look, feel, and playability, the Mizuno MP 20 HMB is a great choice. You can use these irons to mix with other cavity back or forged irons, or you can play the entire set in the HMB.
The HMB irons are grain flow forged, just like the Mizuno forged irons. They have very high performing loft features so that you can get the launch and the ball flight that you need. We love the extra ball speed and forgiveness that you will get out of the rough as well. You won’t find another long iron in the Mizuno line up that is as capable out of the rough as the HMB.
The biggest issue that golfers have with hybrid irons is in the short irons. The short irons tend to feel a bit clunky. With these, Mizuno took the muscle back concept and made it wider with a high performing sole. The HMB is truly the best Mizuno irons for those that want forgiveness and launch but need a player’s look to a club.
JPX 921 Hot Metal Combo
Best For Forgiveness
KEY FEATURES
The Hot Metal Combo set combines the forgiving Mizuno cavity back iron with a very high performing hybrid as the replacement for the long irons. If you read our guides, often you know how we feel about golfers with slower swing speeds that try to play with long irons in the bag.
With the amazing hybrid technology on the market, there is no reason to play with a long iron anymore; hybrids like the Mizuno JPX Fli-Hi’s are built to make the game of golf more enjoyable. If your ball ends up in the rough or you need some extra distance into a green the Fli Hi has a confidence-inducing look to it.
The irons that make up the other half of this set are the Hot Metal irons. The Hot metal is a cavity back design built for the mid to high handicapper. You will get plenty of forgiveness and distance with the Hot Metal irons.
The seamless cup face allows golfers to get lots of added performance when they hit the ball in the center of the club face, and it makes sure that when the club face is missed, there is still plenty of distance as well. Overall this is a tremendous combo set made up with some of the best Mizuno irons and hybrids that the game has to offer.
Mizuno MP 20 MB
Best Low Handicapper
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KEY FEATURES
This is perhaps the strongest category for Mizuno, and it is the player’s iron. There is nothing quite like a Mizuno players blade. They are designed to provide the feel, distance, and workability.
There is no question that Mizuno is known for its blade. The thinner and more clean looking a golf blade is, the better chance it has of being a Mizuno. Many low handicap golfers will tell you that once they made the switch to Mizuno irons, they could never switch.
Every year or two Mizuno releases their new muscle back iron. The last release, the MP 18, was a great option, but some golfers felt as though they couldn’t get the ball speed that they wanted from this club.
The new Mizuno MP 20 MB is made from a single billet of 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon Steel. Not only does Mizuno pay great attention to their manufacturing process but to the materials as well.
Low handicappers love a thin top line, and the MP 20 MB is even thinner than the MP 18 and the thinnest that Mizuno has ever released. You won’t get the same exact anti-glare finish on these as you do on the other sets, but steps have been made to eliminate glare in those very high visibility areas. You should not have any trouble seeing these muscle back irons and using them to score some very low numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Some people are scared of Mizuno irons because they believe they are built just for the lowest handicap golfer. If you have been avoiding this brand as a whole, it may be time to start considering them yet again.
Why Do Golf Professionals Use Mizuno Irons?
Mizuno is very precise when they make their irons and their wedges as well. They care to use only the highest quality materials, and they are specific about their grooves and the placement of the center of gravity.
Mizuno irons are known for having a very “buttery” feel. When you hit them correctly, you will be rewarded. These are all things that golf professionals will seek out in a set of irons.
Why Are Mizuno Irons So Expensive?
There are a few reasons why the best Mizuno irons are quite expensive, but one of them has to do with the location of manufacturing. Most Mizuno irons are made in Japan and then will have to be sent wherever in the world they are needed.
Their manufacturing process is quite involved, and that is part of what leads to the higher prices in these sets. Although they may cost a bit more upfront, most golfers do not complain and say they paid too much for their Mizuno irons. When you learn to play with a Mizuno iron set, you will realize that they are some of the best in the game.
Are Mizuno Irons Just For Low Handicappers?
Mizuno irons are not just for low handicappers. Some of the best Mizuno irons are built for those that are not yet low handicappers. Golfers that are looking to get into that lower handicap range and lower their scores will love the Mizuno Hot Metal and the Hot Metal Pro as well.
The iron set you choose should match your handicap and your golfing capabilities. You should not pick a Mizuno blade if your game is not ready for one, but there are absolutely options on the market if you want a more forgiving Mizuno iron set.
Testing Criteria used for evaluation
Now that you know a bit more about the best Mizuno irons on the market, you have to work to choose which one of these is going to be the best fit for your game.
Shaft
Mizuno usually offers the Nippon shafts as a stock option in their golf irons. These shafts are widely known for having a better feel than many other shafts on the market. If you are going to purchase a set of Mizuno irons it is essential to make sure you choose a shaft that is a proper fit for your game.
With the higher pricing on these irons, choose a shaft that matches your swing speed exactly and allows you to get the most speed and playability. Since the JPX 921 series are a brand new release, you can get this iron set in several different shafts without paying an upcharge.
The more forgiving Mizuno irons are offered in graphite shafts as well. For golfers that struggle with distance, the graphite shaft is a great way to get some of that distance back.
Club Head Type
The club head type is a major consideration when you play with Mizuno irons. The player’s type of club head is going to be smaller and less offset. If you enjoy a thin top down look and you don’t mind giving up some forgiveness, go with the player’s blades like the MP 20 MB.
For golfers that miss the center of the clubface from time to time and would give their left arm just to hit it straight, the cavity back design like the Hot Metal will be the smartest choice. You can’t go wrong with any of the Mizuno club heads, but you can choose one that isn’t a good match for your game.
Pricing
Don’t choose your Mizuno irons set based on price. In all honesty, they are not budge priced irons. Regardless of the iron set that you choose, you will likely be paying a good amount of money. Choose the iron set based on your specifications, and you will end up with the best Mizuno irons for your game.
If you are worried about spending this type of money on an iron set, it can be helpful to know that the Mizuno irons have a very good resale value. People will be looking for these sets for years to come; if you decide to upgrade your Mizuno clubs every few years, you will find that you can still get some good money for your current set.
Conclusion
| NAME | EDITOR'S CATEGORY | PRODUCT |
|---|---|---|
JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons | Best Overall |  |
| JPX 921 Forged Iron Set | Best Alternative |  |
| MP-20 HMB Irons | Best For Ball Flight/Launch |  |
| JPX 921 Hot Metal Combo | Best For Forgiveness |  |
| Mizuno MP 20 MB | Best Low Handicapper |  |
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the best Mizuno irons on the market. We have to admit that the new releases they put out this year are quite impressive. With the high quality materials, tremendous ball speeds, and impeccable feel, it’s hard to be disappointed with any of the Mizuno irons.
The Mizuno Hot Metal Pro stands out as the best overall choice for us. These clubs have a little bit of a player iron mixed with a little bit of a forgiving cavity back iron. They will appeal to the broadest range of players and give golfers the feel and forgiveness that they should expect with a Mizuno iron like this. Although these irons are not the cheapest on the market, they will be well worth the money when you start lowering your handicap.
