Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro and Hot Metal HL Irons Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
- The JPX923 Hot Metal family is a brilliant option for club golfers.
- Choose from a huge array of shaft options with no upcharge.
- The new HL (High Launch) model is a geat option for lower speed players.
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Cons
- None of the JPX923 Hot Metal irons are forged.
What we say...
After fitting 350,000 golfers into a family of seven different golf irons, Mizuno felt they didn’t quite have enough different models to be able to offer the best golf irons for every single type of golfer. It’s a problem the company’s engineers and fitters have solved with the five-iron JPX923 family, which sits alongside the Mizuno Pro range.
Though Mizuno irons have grown in popularity on tour recently thanks to fewer equipment contracts, the brand’s fitters have spotted club golfers are trending toward more moderate swing speeds. And as we’ve said many times before, slower swing speeds aren’t well suited to flighting shots for maximum distance and stopping power, particularly at modern strong lofts.
“We’re constantly evolving the JPX series using the unique swings we capture every year on the Mizuno shaft Optimizer” says Bill Price, Director of Fitting at Mizuno. “We’re seeing an increase in the number of players with slightly slower swing speeds being fitted – and a trend to more shaft lean”.
To counteract the trend the company have increased bounce on all five JPX923 models and introduced a new, more lofted JPX923 Hot Metal HL (high launch), to specifically benefit lower speed players.
Just like their predecessors (JPX919 and JPX921) the five JPX923s are designed to help all golfers get more from their game. Whether you’re an elite tour pro or slow swinging amateur – or anywhere in between – there’s a JPX923, and one of 50 custom shaft options, to suit you. With the JPX923 Hot Metal models already in store and the Tour and Forged arriving in February 2023, here’s our guide to deciding which will benefit your own game.
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro iron
RRP: £150 per club | VIEW UK OFFER | VIEW US OFFER
Stock shafts: Choose from 21 premium options | 7-iron loft: 28.5° | Forgiveness rating: 3/5
All three JPX923 Hot Metal models are made from Mizuno’s new cast nickel chromoly material, which is 35% stronger than the original Hot Metal. Mizuno say the 4335 nickel chromoly, which is both springy and strong, lets their engineers reduce face thickness by 8%.
It means the thinnest, highest energy part of the face can be extended by 18%, which delivers additional consistency to shots hit off centre. Thanks to using a cup face construction, golfers can expect high launch, with controllable landing angles and good stopping power, even though lofts are slightly stronger than previous models.
Mizuno say:
The Hot Metal Pro is a players’ speed cavity that’s compact, with minimal offset. It’s for consistent ball-strikers seeking maximum ball speed. Typically the model falls into the hands of low to mid-handicap golfers.
Pros
- The JPX923 Hot Metal family is a brilliant option for club golfers.
- Choose from a huge array of shaft options with no upcharge.
- The new HL (High Launch) model is a geat option for lower speed players.
Cons
- None of the JPX923 Hot Metal irons are forged.
| Stock shafts: | Choose from 21 premium options | 7-iron loft: 28.5° |
| 7-iron loft: | 28.5° |
| Forgiveness rating: | 3/5 |
Verdict: Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro iron
The JPX923 Hot Metal family launched at the back end of 2022, and the intention of the Pro was cramming whatever speed and distance Mizuno could muster into a players’ sized iron chassis. With the model likely to be replaced at some time in 2024 the strong lofted, cast JPX923 Hot Metal Pro didn’t quite squeeze its way among our very top performers this year, but depending on your ball flight preference it completely delivered on data.
With 124.1mph of ball speed our 28.5° 7-iron sample delivered the fastest ball speed and longest carry distance (186 yards) of the entire 15 model Players’ Distance Iron test. Just remember though it also has the strongest loft too.
All that speed and distance comes with some drawbacks too. At 4881 RPM the Pro produced the least amount of backspin of any iron in teh category, it also flighted shots lower and landed balls on the green at a shallower angle than our test averages, so make sure you hit shots high enough to get the best out of this model.
From what I’ve seen the more compact and less offset Pro isn’t for everyone, you will need decent levels of speed to launch this model successfully. And when you understand the slightly bigger, wider sole standard game improver JPX923 model launches and flies higher with 867 RPM more spin (for our test pro), while also adding 4 additional yards carry and a steeper landing angle you can see why I’d urge admirers to try both models.
If you’re attracted to the Hot Metal Pro and are sensitive to playing the very latest models I’d seriously advise holding off any purchase until we see what’s coming next from Mizuno around August.
Video: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro compare to leading competitor Players’ Distance irons?
Data comparison: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro compare to leading competitor Players’ Distance irons?
| Iron | 7-Iron Loft | Ball Speed | Launch Angle | Backspin | Height | Descent Angle | Carry Distance | Carry Distance Drop Off | Shot Area |
| Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro | 28.5° | 124.1 MPH (1) | 14.6° | 4881 RPM | 28 YDS | 41.8° | 186 YDS (1) | 22 YDS | 741.4 SQ YDS |
| Srixon ZX5 MK II | 31° | 122.8 MPH (3) | 15.8° | 5292 RPM | 30 YDS | 44° | 181 YDS (T2) | 18 YDS | 392.4 SQ YDS |
| Callaway Paradym | 29° | 123 MPH (2) | 14.2° | 5120 RPM | 27 YDS | 41.5° | 181 YDS (T2) | 15 YDS | 360 SQ YDS |
| Mizuno JPX923 Forged | 30° | 122.4 MPH | 14.5° | 5117 RPM | 27 YDS | 41.8° | 180 YDS | 7 YDS (1) | 210 SQ YDS |
| PXG 0311 P GEN 6 | 30° | 122.2 MPH | 14.6° | 5520 RPM | 28 YDS | 42.6° | 178 YDS | 10 YDS | 199 SQ YDS |
| Vega Mizar Tour | 30° | 122.3 MPH | 13.5° | 5381 RPM | 26 YDS | 40.8° | 178 YDS | 13 YDS | 360.1 SQ YDS |
| Sub 70 699 Pro | 30° | 121.8 MPH | 14.9° | 5349 RPM | 28 YDS | 42.6° | 178 YDS | 10 YDS | 166 SQ YDS (1) |
| Yonex Ezone CB702 | 31° | 122.6 MPH | 15.6° | 5820 RPM | 30 YDS | 44.4° | 177 YDS | 23 YDS | 533.6 SQ YDS |
| TaylorMade P790 | 30.5° | 121.6 MPH | 15.1° | 5932 RPM | 29 YDS | 43.7° | 175 YDS | 8 YDS (T2) | 180.8 SQ YDS (2) |
| Wilson Dynapower Forged | 30.5° | 120.8 MPH | 13.9° | 5482 RPM | 26 YDS | 41.1° | 175 YDS | 9 YDS | 188.1 SQ YDS (3) |
| Ping i525 | 30.5° | 120 MPH | 15° | 5666 RPM | 28 YDS | 42.7° | 173 YDS | 11 YDS | 217.8 SQ YDS |
| Titleist T200 | 30.5° | 119.7 MPH | 15.4° | 5760 RPM | 28 YDS | 43.3° | 173 YDS | 13 YDS | 331.5 SQ YDS |
| Cobra Forged Tec | 29.5° | 119.4 MPH | 14.7° | 5558 RPM | 27 YDS | 41.9° | 173 YDS | 20 YDS | 612 SQ YDS |
| Mizuno Pro 245 | 30° | 119.3 MPH | 16.1° | 5481 RPM | 29 YDS | 43.6° | 173 YDS | 14 YDS | 271.6 SQ YDS |
| Takomo 101 T | 32° | 116.7 MPH | 16° | 6383 RPM | 28 YDS | 43.9° | 165 YDS | 8 YDS (T2) | 203.2 SQ YDS |
| Average | 121.2 MPH | 14.9° | 5516.1 RPM | 27.9 YDS | 42.6° | 176.4 YDS | 13.4 YDS | 331.2 SQ YDS |
How the three Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons differ
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal & Hot Metal HL iron
RRP: £135 per club | VIEW UK OFFER | VIEW US OFFER
Stock shaft: Choose from 21 premium options | 7-iron loft: 28.5°/ 31° | Forgiveness rating: 3.5 – 4/5
RRP: £135 per club
7-iron loft: 28.5°/ 31°
Category/Forgiveness rating: Mid-high handicap 3.5 / Moderate speed players 3.5
| Stock shaft: | Choose from 21 premium options |
| 7-iron loft: | 28.5°/ 31° |
| Forgiveness rating: | 3.5 – 4/5 |
By analysing the swings of 350,000 golfers Mizuno realised there’s a trend towards slower speeds. The research led them to develop a higher lofted JPX923 Hot Metal Pro HL (High Launch) model which targets moderate speed players and those with aggressive shaft lean.
The JPX Hot Metal family has targeted mid–high handicap players for a while now, expect a larger profile with additional hosel offset and wider soles. All three models are cast, not forged like the JPX923 Tour and Forged, which explains the lower cost. For this generation the 7-iron lofts are 0.5° stronger than previous models, with the HL being 2.5° weaker (in the 7-iron) to help maximise spin, stopping power and carry distance at moderate speed.
Mizuno say:
The JPX923 Hot Metal is a forgiving speed cavity for mid to high-handicap players, the HL is a high launch version for slower speed players.
RELATED: Everything you need to know about the Mizuno JPX923 Tour iron
Verdict: Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal iron
In a category that’s dominated by ball speed and distance, the Hot Metal stands out as a choice for golfers who put more of a premium on decent-looking irons, rather than just searching for flat-out power. At a time when there’s a decent amount of chatter around reducing the topline thickness on mid-handicap irons like the Callaway AI Smoke the Hot Metal is reassuring and confidence-inspiring rather than being frighteningly sleek and slender.
With a 7-iron loft at least 1.5° weaker than the strongest the JPX923 was always going to struggle to keep up on raw ball speed and carry distance alone. It was though just 8 yards back from our very longest (the TaylorMade Qi and PXG 0211 XCOR2) in 2024.
What catches my eye though is an above-average performance for ball speed, launch angle, backspin, shot height, and descent angle – all traits that will improve playability on the golf course.
Come August 2024 the JPX923 family will be close to clocking up their 2nd birthday, so if playing the very latest model is important to you I’d suggest holding off to see what Mizuno might have coming down the pipeline next. If not, I promise, so long as you reach decent levels of head speed, you won’t be disappointed with this timeless classic.
Data comparison: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal compare to leading competitor Mid-Handicap Irons?
| Iron | 7-Iron Loft | Ball Speed | Launch Angle | Backspin | Height | Descent Angle | Carry Distance | Carry Distance Drop Off | Shot Area |
| TaylorMade Qi | 28° | 129.2 MPH (3) | 15.6° | 5065 RPM | 33 YDS | 44.2° | 198 YDS (T1) | 12 YDS | 267.6 SQ YDS |
| PXG 0211 XCOR2 | 28° | 130.1 MPH (2) | 13.6° | 5057 RPM | 29 YDS | 41.8° | 198 YDS (T1) | 16 YDS | 193.6 SQ YDS |
| Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke | 28° | 130.6 MPH (1) | 14.5° | 5311 RPM | 32 YDS | 43.4° | 197 YDS (3) | 18 YDS | 552.6 SQ YDS |
| Wilson Dynapower | 27° | 127.8 MPH | 15° | 4910 RPM | 31 YDS | 42.7° | 195 YDS | 8 YDS (T3) | 196.8 SQ YDS |
| Cobra Forged Tec X | 27° | 127.7 MPH | 13.9° | 4872 RPM | 29 YDS | 42.1° | 191 YDS | 9 YDS | 360 SQ YDS |
| PXG 0311 XP GEN6 | 27° | 126.2 MPH | 13.7° | 4726 RPM | 27 YDS | 40.8° | 190 YDS | 20 YDS | 470 SQ YDS |
| Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal | 28.5° | 127.6 MPH | 14.9° | 5748 RPM | 31 YDS | 44.2° | 190 YDS | 13 YDS | 243.1 SQ YDS |
| Srixon ZX4 | 28.5° | 126.4 MPH | 14.7° | 5030 RPM | 30 YDS | 43.1° | 189 YDS | 22 YDS | 594 SQ YDS |
| Ram FXT | 126.1 MPH | 15.4° | 5395 RPM | 31 YDS | 43.7° | 189 YDS | 13 YDS | 161.2 SQ YDS | |
| Cleveland XL ZipCore | 29° | 125.1 MPH | 14.6° | 4719 RPM | 29 YDS | 41.8° | 188 YDS | 15 YDS | 210 SQ YDS |
| Ping G430 | 29° | 125.8 MPH | 14.9° | 5117 RPM | 30 YDS | 43.3° | 187 YDS | 7 YDS (2) | 110.6 SQ YDS (2) |
| Inesis 500 | 125.1 MPH | 15.6° | 5456 RPM | 31 YDS | 43.5° | 187 YDS | 8 YDS (T3) | 181.6 SQ YDS | |
| Titleist T350 | 29° | 125.5 MPH | 14.3° | 5159 RPM | 29 YDS | 42.6° | 186 YDS | 11 YDS | 167.2 SQ YDS |
| Cobra Darkspeed | 27° | 126.7 MPH | 12.4° | 5298 RPM | 26 YDS | 40.7° | 186 YDS | 8 YDS (T3) | 129.6 SQ YDS |
| Takomo 101 | 30° | 123.8 MPH | 14° | 4784 RPM | 27 YDS | 40.8° | 184 YDS | 4 YDS (1) | 52.4 SQ YDS (1) |
| Yonex GS i-Tech | 125.2 MPH | 13.8° | 5373 RPM | 28 YDS | 42.2° | 184 YDS | 21 YDS | 611.1 SQ YDS | |
| Vega Mizar Plus | 30° | 125.4 MPH | 14.3° | 5858 RPM | 29 YDS | 43.8° | 182 YDS | 22 YDS | 420.2 SQ YDS |
| Sub 70 699 | 31° | 124.1 MPH | 13.3° | 5847 RPM | 27 YDS | 42.1° | 179 YDS | 11 YDS | 154 SQ YDS |
| MacGregor V-Max | 118.3 MPH | 17.5° | 6305 RPM | 31 YDS | 45.3° | 171 YDS | 8 YDS (T8) | 121.6 SQ YDS (3) | |
| AVERAGE | 126.1 MPH | 14.5° | 5265 RPM | 29.5 YDS | 42.7° | 187.9 YDS | 12.9 YDS | 273.5 SQ YDS |
Video: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal compare to leading competitor Mid-Handicap Irons?
Who is the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL iron for?
Of the 350,000 fitting sessions Mizuno has conducted using their shaft optimizer, 27% of golfers measured have recorded a 75 mph or slower when swinging a 7-iron. That’s 1 in 4 golfers. Mizuno says at roughly 73mph (club speed) the carry distance between the new JPX923 Hot Metal and Hot Metal HL becomes negligible, so the new HL model is likely to best suit golfers swinging a 7-iron at 75mph and below.
Verdict: Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL iron
Until recently moderate speed irons have always had big chunky wide bodies, a look no matter how bad your golf, that really struggles to look attractive. But Mizuno’s introduction of the JPX923 Hot Metal HL marked a massive change in the market for moderate-speed club golfers in Autumn 2022.
The HL has already opened up a whole new avenue towards higher lofts and more attractive designs for those swinging 7-iron less than 75mph, and I applaud Mizuno for it.
Of course, the HL was never designed with our test pro in mind, but our data highlights brilliantly what higher lofts bring to the party in the High-Handicap/Moderate Speed Iron arena.
At 31° in the 7-iron the HL launched and flighted shots higher as well as spinning shots more and falling out of the sky at a steeper angle than our test averages, all numbers that at reasonable speeds will mean approaches hit the green and stop quickly. And those are traits that will help you nestle shots closer to the flag and shave strokes from your game. The HLs really are a very different proposition to the distance irons pitched at slower-speed players just a decade ago.
Come autumn the impressive HL will be two years old so it’s likely the model might be superseded which is well worth bearing in mind if you’re sensitive to playing with the very latest equipment. If you’re not and you have a preference for great-looking high-handicap irons over hybrid alternatives then this superb model is exactly what lots of average speed club golfers have dreamed about for years.
Data comparison: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL compare to leading competitor High-Handicap Irons?
| Iron | 7-Iron Loft | Ball Speed | Launch Angle | Backspin | Height | Descent Angle | Carry Distance | Carry Distance Drop Off | Shot Area |
| Yonex Ezone Elite 4 | 125.6 MPH (3) | 13.9° | 4752 RPM | 28 YDS | 41.6° | 187 YDS (1) | 14 YDS | 219.8 SQ YDS | |
| Callaway Paradym AI Smoke HL | 30° | 127.4 MPH (1) | 14.8° | 5654 RPM | 32 YDS | 45.2° | 185 YDS (2) | 6 YDS (T1) | 103.8 SQ YDS (2) |
| Cleveland Halo XL Full Face | 29° | 123.9 MPH | 14.8° | 5079 RPM | 29 YDS | 42.2° | 184 YDS (3) | 13 YDS | 399.1 SQ YDS |
| Ram Wizard | 30° | 125.1 MPH | 14.4° | 5526 RPM | 29 YDS | 43.8° | 181 YDS | 6 YDS (T1) | 172.8 SQ YDS |
| Eleven | 31° | 127.2 MPH (T2) | 15.9° | 6454 RPM | 34 YDS | 47.4° | 180 YDS | 9 YDS | 169.2 SQ YDS |
| TaylorMade Stealth HD | 30° | 123 MPH | 15.8° | 5300 RPM | 30 YDS | 44.1° | 180 YDS | 7 YDS (T2) | 140 SQ YDS (3) |
| Cobra Air X | 31.5° | 123.6 MPH | 14.9° | 6053 RPM | 30 YDS | 44.8° | 176 YDS | 7 YDS (T2) | 53.2 SQ YDS (1) |
| PXG 0211 Z | 31° | 123.3 MPH | 15.5° | 6334 RPM | 31 YDS | 45.6° | 175 YDS | 15 YDS | 318 SQ YDS |
| Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL | 31° | 122 MPH | 16.5° | 6025 RPM | 32 YDS | 45.7° | 175 YDS | 14 YDS | 231 SQ YDS |
| Average | 124.6 MPH | 15.2° | 5686 RPM | 30.6 YDS | 44.5° | 180.3 YDS | 10.1 YDS | 200.8 SQ YDS |
Video: How does the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL compare to other leading 2024 High-Handicap irons?
Loft Comparison: Mizuno JPX923 iron family
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Product Information
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro iron
RRP: £150 per club | VIEW UK OFFER | VIEW US OFFER
Stock shafts: Choose from 21 premium options | 7-iron loft: 28.5° | Forgiveness rating: 3/5
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal and Hot Metal HL iron
RRP: £135 per club | VIEW UK OFFER | VIEW US OFFER
Stock shaft: Choose from 21 premium options | 7-iron loft: 28.5°/ 31° | Forgiveness rating: 3.5 – 4/5
RRP: £135 per club
Visit the Mizuno Golf website here
