Mizuno JPX-825 Hybrid Review

2013 Hybrids Test

Testers were drawn to the curved leading edge at address, which lowered their confidence. James felt the size was just right, but the rounded shape was off-putting; he would prefer a flatter sole. He certainly felt like he was getting it out there, even if the numbers didn’t quite tally. Matt and Antony agreed the club was easy to align and that the white grooves either side of the sweetspot framed the ball nicely.

Matt, our highest handicapper, struggled to strike this consistently while Antony said it lacked the feel he was expecting on well-struck shots from the Mizuno brand. Antony also got a lower flight and plenty of distance on mis-strikes. The rounded bottom edge may account for the testers difficulty to strike the ball cleanly from the maton a consistent basis.

The JPX-825 is a smooth crowned hybrid designed to fire the ball long, high and straight. Though large by hybrid standards, the jet black crown and IP face manage to create a compact, powerful look at address.

Mizuno's irons have long been heralded as the stand-out product in the company’s equipment arsenal – but their latest woods look set to become a serious rival in that respect.

The new JPX825 woods have replaced the JPX800 series which have been in the line-up for the past two years – and while the older model delivered the goods in terms of performance, the blue crown didn’t prove as big a hit with golfers more used to seeing black, grey and, nowadays, white behind the ball.

So, the new woods have been designed with a stealth-like black crown – and this is a huge improvement on initial inspection. In fact, the vast majority of the clubhead is black, including the face, with just a few flashes of Mizuno blue remaining on the sole.

Away from the aesthetics, the technology is just as impressive – the five-piece Titanium head construction helps to launch the ball high, but with low spin while the Hot Metal face (which first appeared in the MX700 wood range) offers good distance even on mis-hit shots. The high launch can be explained by a thin crown which is just 0.5mm and has allowed engineers to fix a heavy weight deep within the clubhead, bringing the centre of gravity right down.

The hybrids feature Mizuno’s new L-Face construction which enables a rounder edge between the face and the sole of the club, making for higher ball speeds and greater distance. The face itself has been engineered using maraging steel which offers more flex across a wider area so mis-hits are catered for too.

Like the driver, the hybrids have been designed to set the ball off straight... with lots of loft.

If you’ve previously stayed clear of Mizuno woods, we suggest this a very good time to start taking them into consideration. These promise to be huge favourites, especially at this very competitive price point.

Available: 16°, 19°, 22° and 25°

Contact: www.golf.mizunoeurope.com