Mizuno Irons: Model by Model Overview

You cannot search “Mizuno Irons” without seeing memes about “Nothing feels like a Mizuno.” Mizuno Golf has earned a reputation for being a category leader in feel with its grain-flow forged blade irons with soft copper underlay. That’s not to say they are stuck in the past. Mizuno has been constantly advancing their forging process and club designs to make material and design innovations to improve performance with faster ball speeds, higher launch, optimized spin and greater forgiveness. Split between the Mizuno Pro and JPX line of irons, there is something for everyone in Mizuno’s lineup.

Already sold? You can find a retailer near you with Mizuno’s new shaft optimizer and go from there. Not quite sold yet? Read on for a breakdown of the various models in both current iron lines: The Mizuno Pro and JPX923 iron lineups below.

Mizuno Release Cycle

Mizuno tends to release an update to a family of irons in alternating years. This keeps something fresh and new on the market while still covering all the bases of players who want to game Mizuno Irons. This means each model generally gets two years of service at retail before you should expect a refresh. This also gives Mizuno the time needed to evaluate the current model and get proper feedback to R&D teams on what can be improved on in the next version.

Key Technologies for Mizuno

When talking about Technology in Mizuno Irons, it is impossible not to start with one word: forged. It’s a key to the Mizuno legacy and something Mizuno has refined 

• Mizuno’s exclusive facility plant in Hiroshima, Japan, is known for being one of the best globally. Mizuno has been producing some of the best iron forgings in golf for over 50 years.
• Soft Copper Underlay – Mizuno uses a soft copper layer in several iron models to promote the soft yet solid feel.
• A new V-Chassis – Engineered via Harmonic Impact Technology to create a dense and satisfying feel at impact. This new version has been refined to allow for thinner soles and toplines while improving feel.
• Last, but certainly not least, is the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer. The shaft optimizer is a fitting tool that requires only a handful of swings to give recommended shafts based on 40 data points in each unique player swing.

Mizuno Pro 241, 243, 245 Irons:

Mizuno calls the 2024 Mizuno Pro line “A New Age of Forging.” Much like the prior iteration, the 2024 line of Mizuno Pro irons is composed of three separate models including a purist’s muscle-back blade, a compact player’s cavity-back and a hollow-body player’s distance iron. All three irons models are grain–flow forged and feature a microlayer of copper beneath the nickel chrome finish to enhance feel.

Mizuno Pro 241 – Center Muscle

Release Date: January 2024

Meant For: The Mizuno Pro 241 is a pure shot-maker’s muscle-back with mass accumulated centrally behind impact.

Available Irons: RH 3-PW, LH 4-PW

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the Mizuno Pro 241

The Mizuno Pro 241 is “an aggressive tapered blade” designed for the elite ball striker seeking soft muscle-back feel and workability. They are one-piece grain-flow forged HD from 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel. A soft copper underlay beneath the nickel chrome enhances feel. 

The Mizuno Pro 241 features a “Tour-preferred” thinner top line and a center of mass placed for enhanced feedback. Mizuno says the Pro 241 “delivers a softer, longer sensation at impact-matching vibration patterns identified by Mizuno’s Harmonic Impact Technology.” All that is to say that, with the 241, Mizuno believes it has built its best blade to date.

Mizuno Pro 243 – Tour Speed

Release Date: January 2024

Meant For: The Mizuno Pro 243 is a player’s cavity-back iron that delivers powerful performance for low-handicap golfers looking for more forgiveness than the 241 but still craving workability.

Available Irons: 4-PW (RH only)

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the Mizuno Pro 243

Mizuno calls the Mizuno Pro 243 a “manufacturing masterpiece.” It is more compact and produces faster ball speed with a more satisfying sound and feel than its predecessor. Mizuno credits improvements in performance to the long-term relationship between Mizuno’s R&D team and its exclusive grain-flow forging plant in Hiroshima. The 4- to 7-irons are forged with 4120 Chromoly with Flow Microslot. This is a wider, longer microslot than its predecessor which helps to create a “more expansive high-energy area of clubface resulting in a higher flight and faster ball speeds.”

Additionally, Mizuno has increased the bounce angle by two degrees in the scoring irons and one degree in the long irons. This, along with an updated wraparound sole grind, aids in delivering improved turf interaction across the full set.

All of these enhancements in the 243 line of Mizuno Pro irons still come in an “exceptionally compact players profile” with a “dramatically reduced topline and blade length.” This year, the 243 irons might make some blade irons blush with their svelte profile. The Mizuo 243 irons have a full satin-brush finish that look great and will not cause any unwanted reflection at address.

Mizuno Pro 245 – Tour Speed and Launch

Release Date: January 2024

Meant For: Golfers looking for a player’s distance iron with forgiveness and great ball speed.

Available Irons: 2-GW (RH), 4-GW (LH)

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the Mizuno Pro 245

Last, but certainly not least, in the new Mizuno Pro line is the 245 series of irons. Given the success of the 225 series, I suspect these will generate the greatest level of interest among MyGolfSpy readers.

Mizuno has made the 245 measurably quicker off the face than the 243 series while also making them easier to launch. This is going to help average golfers hit the trajectories they should be targeting for strong flight with soft landings. The Mizuno Pro 245 is able to achieve this due to its complex hollow-body construction and a healthy dose of, you guessed it, tungsten. The 46-gram tungsten weight is “internally suspended” in the 2- 7-irons to aid in forgiveness and launch.

Mizuno again uses its Harmonic Impact Technology to “closely match the vibration patterns identified with a soft muscle-back feel” in the 241 irons. They have packed all this technology into a slimmer, sleeker chassis than the prior generation of player’s distance irons and the Mizuno Pro 245 “showcases more than any model how rapidly the grain-flow forged (GFF) process has evolved.”

The long irons (2-8) are constructed of GFF 4135 Chromoly face and necks with the aforementioned tungsten weighting, while the more compact scoring irons (9-GW) are only partially hollow. Those scoring irons are laser-welded and created with GFF 1025E body and a 17-4 stainless steel back piece to aid in creating a more penetrating trajectory.

Perhaps the most enjoyed feature of the Mizuno Pro 245 series is its traditional blade-like appearance but Mizuno also brought the increased bounce angles from the 243 series to keep improved turf interaction and playability.

Mizuno JPX923 Series

Mizuno’s JPX line is edgy and modern compared to the classic and traditional Mizuno Pro line. Here you will find contemporary shapes and technologies in five separate iron models to suit the needs of golfers from PGA Tour pros to a high-handicap weekend warrior. 

The five models in the JPX Line (Tour, Forged, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL) are made from three different metals. Mizuno says JPX 923 irons are “engineered for custom performance” and has based the irons from Swing DNA data from more than 350,000 real golfers.

JPX923 Tour

Release Date: February 2023

Meant For: Elite players looking for a shallow cavity design with blade-like feel.

Available Irons: 4-GW (RH Only)

Built for Combination Sets: No

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the JPX923 Tour

The JPX923 Tour is molded as a one-piece grain-flow forged from 1025E carbon steel. The aptly named “Tour” is Mizuno’s more-played iron model on professional tours. The JPX923 Tour now includes a soft copper underlay to add an additional layer of smoothness at impact.

Most suited to pros and elite amateurs, the JPX923 Tour is a shallow cavity-back iron. As such, the Tour model presents the narrowest top line of the JPX923 line and has a more rounded trailing edge to aid in clean turf interaction. It comes in a white satin-brush finish to help reduce glare and features a refined shape with shorter blade lengths, especially in the 6-iron to gap wedge where precision is most needed.

JPX923 Forged

Release Date: February 2023

Meant For: A better player’s midsize cavity. Suitable for a wide range of golfers from mid-handicap to pro.

Available Irons: 4-GW

Built for Combination Sets: No

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the JPX923 Forged

Designed for pros to mid-handicappers, the Mizuno JPX923 Forged is a one-piece grain-flow forged irons like the Tour but comes in a midsize cavity profile. Like the Tour model, the 8-GW are forged from 1025E pure select mild carbon steel. Then Mizuno incorporates its second kind of metal in the JPX923 line in the 4-7 irons which feature a single billet of 4120 Chromoly Forging. This helps increase ball speed and forgiveness. The 4-7 irons also feature a milling slot that extends wider to heel and toe.

As for shaping, the JPX923 Forged follows the lead of the Tour model and showcases a thinner top line across the whole set and more compact scoring irons (8-GW). The set includes refinements to the sole with new beveling for improved turf interaction.

JPX923 Hot Metal Series

The JPX923 Hot Metal Irons are three distinct models all under the Hot Metal name. We have a standard offering, the JPX923 Hot Metal, and two additional models in the Hot Metal Pro and Hot Metal HL.

All three models are forged from one-piece nickel chromoly that allows for a multi-thickness face design to increase forgiveness and maintain ball speed on off-center strikes. The new metal is 35 percent stronger than the previous iteration which allowed Mizuno to improve upon the iron faces.

JPX923 Hot Metal Pro

Release Date: October 2022

Meant For: A player’s speed cavity designed for low- to mid-handicap golfers seeking greater forgiveness than the JPX923 forged but still in a more compact package.

Available Irons: 4-PW

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the JPX Hot Metal Pro

Sitting at the player’s end of the Hot Metal lineup is the Hot Metal Pro. This model is designed for low to mid handicaps. Mizuno calls it a Players Speed Cavity. It has the most compact shape and minimal offset of the Hot Metal line within the JPX923 offerings. 

JPX923 Hot Metal

Release Date: October 2022

Meant For: A forgiving speed cavity designed for mid- to high-handicap golfers seeking full forgiveness from their irons.

Available Irons: 4-LW

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the JPX Hot Metal

Mizuno calls the JPX923 Hot Metal irons a full-speed, high-stability cavity for straight flight and distance. Designed with mid- to high-handicap golfers in mind, this forgiving speed cavity features more offset and a longer blade length than the Hot Metal Pro but it doesn’t lose out on the aesthetics of the compact pro model.

JPX923 Hot Metal HL

Release Date: October 2022

Meant For: A maximum forgiveness speed-cavity design for those with slower swing speed or seeking higher launch from swing dynamics.

Available Irons: 5-SW

Built for Combination Sets: Yes

Shafts: Steel/Graphite

About the JPX Hot Metal HL

At the other end of the lineup is the JPX923 Hot Metal HL. Mizuno bills this as a Max Forgiveness Speed Cavity. This set is likely going to be best suited to mid- to high-handicap golfers seeking a higher launch from moderate swing speeds or a golfer with aggressive shaft lean. While they do have marginally more offset than the standard Hot Metal they are only slightly larger.