Which Mizuno JPX900 irons are right for you?

Mizuno believe they have tailored each of their new JPX900 irons to a specific type of golfer, so which is right for your game?

Boron infusing, milled pocket cavities, multi-thickness faces, different head materials and PowerFrame technology.

Mizuno’s latest iron range, the JPX900 series, features them all, and it’s no wonder the company considers the three models in the series their most technological to date.

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Thanks to all this tech, Mizuno engineers believe they have tailored each iron to a specific type of golfer. And with the brand selling irons individually as well as in sets, an understanding of how each model is designed to perform is crucial if you are
to get the most from the new designs.

We used TG test pro Chris Ryan at The Belfry and TG Equipment Editor Simon Daddow (10 handicap) to give us a good indication of how each model performed in the hands of two very different golfers.

We collected accurate data across all three models to allow for precise analysis, meaning we can show you how each model compared.

Mizuno offer these three new models alongside five existing irons, all of which are available individually with 16 different shafts.

Ultimately, to find your perfect set-up a proper custom-fit is essential. But first, here’s how the three irons compare.

Mizuno JPX900 Tour £120 per iron

Availability: 3-PW Stock shafts: 13 steel and 3 graphite options 7-iron loft and length: 34°/36.75in

The JPX900 Tour is forged from a soft 1025E carbon steel to maximise feel. Their recent boron technology is absent as there are no speed pockets to fortify. This has helped Mizuno make what they think is their purest, most solid feeling JPX iron to date.

The Tour’s loft is 3º weaker than both Forged and Hot Metal. That’s about three quarters of a club, so it’s no surprise the Tour was the shortest of the three irons for both testers.
The Tour has the thinnest top edge and at 5mm it will be intimidating to less confident strikers. 

A sole width of 18mm (compared to 25mm on the Hot Metal) means less weight is low in the blade, which means you’ll need to regularly strike your irons well. As there’s no speed pocket, cup face tech or micro cavity it’s no surprise ball speeds are lower (than the fastest), albeit just a fraction for each tester.

A drop in ball speed of 6mph for Simon’s less accurate ball-striking (compared to 4mph for Chris) shows how penalising a more compact head can be for the average club golfer.

Who are they aimed at?

The clue lies in the name. Yes the heads are gorgeous, but with little offset, a narrow sole, a thin top edge and small cavity the Tour is definitely one for the confident ball-striker.

Mizuno JPX900 Forged £120 per iron

Availability: 4-GW Stock shafts: 13 steel and 3 graphite options 7-iron loft and length: 31°/36.75in

The head is created from the same steel as the Tour but this time there’s a sprinkling of boron in the mix. Mizuno created a precise milled pocket cavity to maximise ball speeds from a larger portion of the face, and boron strengthens the thinner metal.

Forged’s profile is a bit larger than Tour and there’s a fraction more offset. The cavity is bigger and deeper and the sole width and top edge swell to 21mm and 6mm. That milled pocket cavity behind the face removes 21g which is relocated to the head’s Powerframe to aid forgiveness and deliver a powerful sound.

Our data shows the Forged carries just as far as Hot Metal for Chris and a fraction further for Simon.

A drop off in ball speed between centred and off-centre hits of 9mph for Chris and 7mph for Simon wasn’t the lowest for either tester, but gives a good indication of what you put on the line by choosing anything other than the most forgiving iron in the range.

Who are they aimed at?

A true mass-market iron. Mizuno say Forged performs like a distance iron but delivers the feel golfers have come to expect of their irons. We agree.
It was Simon’s longest iron which speaks volumes about its ability to perform in the hands of a club golfer.

Mizuno JPX900 Hot Metal £105 per iron

Availability: 4-LW Stock shafts: 13 steel and 3 graphite options 7-iron loft and length: 31°/36.75in

The only JPX900 iron that can’t boast a forged head, Hot Metal employs a brand new chromoly steel cup face.

It delivered the fastest ball speed for both testers, albeit by just 1mph.
The Hot Metal’s profile isn’t massively different to the Forged, but the sole width expands to 25mm and the top edge grows to 8mm. Peer inside the cavity and you’ll spot some clever engineering which removes mass and strengthens the top edge – ideal for using weight to increase forgiveness.

As with many irons with extreme face speed tech, impact sound is a little different. But by different we don’t mean bad; both testers thought Hot Metal felt and sounded powerful.

Hot Metal produced Chris’ lowest mis-strike drop-off (just 3mph), which speaks volumes about the club’s ability away from the sweetspot. The impressive numbers translate into Chris’ most consistent distance control with just 9 yards of difference covering all shots hit.

Who’s it aimed at?

A huge audience of club golfers. If you thought you weren’t good enough for Mizuno, Hot Metal’s forgiveness will change your mind. Ideal for those wanting a good-looker, with as much forgiveness as possible built in.

Mizuno JPX900: what we learned

Mizuno has been making excellent irons for more than 100 years, so it’s no surprise they’ve built three more. But for us, what makes a real difference in performance right now is the big selection of top-quality shaft options at no additional upcharge. You don’t get that with every manufacturer.

Given the three irons are aimed at different ability levels, we were surprised how closely they were matched for ball speed, spin and carry distance. That’s testament to how well thought-out and engineered the JPX900s are.

With irons sold individually, you could create your ultimate combo set, perhaps with a forgiving Hot Metal 4 and 5-iron a Forged
6 and 7-iron and 8-PW in the Tour. Gorgeous as it is, JPX900 Tour could not quite match the Forged and Hot Metal for all-round performance.

So we reckon if you love the feel of a forged iron you’ll struggle to beat the JPX900 Forged, a strong blend of looks, performance and great feel all rolled into a single design.

If however you need to eek out every last drop of distance and forgiveness, Hot Metal certainly won’t let you down.