We're reviewing the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedge, and struggling to find a better looking club this year

With the build quality available to them, the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedges could be the outstanding short-game option on the market in 2025

While we all know about Mizuno’s ironwork, we don’t always associate it with their wedge lineup. You would expect that the quality used to create their irons would be easy to bring into the short game to make some of the best wedges available to golfers but it hasn’t always been the case (or, at least, not something recognized by many golfers). I think, with the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedge, the company may finally have created an option to help them go from being a second thought to being one of the first you consider for around the greens.

If you’ve followed Mizuno’s iron releases from the last few seasons of MP models, there’s plenty you’ll notice carried over into the new Mizuno Pro T-1 wedge, but it’s not just technology at work here. This is a wedge shaped by master craftsmen in Mizuno’s Yoro studio, the elite build house that oversees all the brand’s products to make sure it lives up to the history tied up in the Running Bird logo.

The team working here has been in the game of golf as long as anybody, and know exactly what the best in the world demand and how to bring it to life for them. Now, after work from both Yoro and the R&D department to combine this knowledge with the latest wedge design tech, the new Mizuno Pro T-1 wedge is ready for the public, and what a club it looks to be.

Looks/Feel – 5/5

Color is something I don’t normally care for in my equipment but even I have to admit, the new Blue Ion in the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedges looks incredible.

It’s a piercing blue, something like glacial runoff, that stops you from taking your eyes away, and I think Mizuno has done an incredible job of offering this again in what had been a limited edition in models previously.

You don’t have to have the Blue Ion finish, of course, you can also opt for more traditional White Satin or Black Ion if you’d prefer but every color scheme should hold up the same as the other according to the company.

Unfortunately, if you’re like me and stand on the other side of the golf ball, you’re only getting the White Satin finish but a man can still dream of Blue Ion, and there is more to be loved than just the colors on offer.

Switching to the Mizuno Pro branding on both the T-1 and T-3 wedges has been a smart move on Mizuno’s part. You instantly know which iron models these are likely to be compatible with, whereas before it was never as clear with the ‘S’ and ‘T’ series. The T-1 is the purist’s bladed wedge and has more options because of it too.

From a sole perspective, you have six grinds to pick from, all of which offer a unique camber to help different swing styles. We’ll talk about those grinds later, but it’s nice to see how clear they are on the bottom of the wedge too. While that isn’t going to affect performance, it does mean you can have those options explained more clearly to you and understand more about why each may or may not be right for you.

Looking down at the T-1, its got a fantastic shape to go along with the color choices too. There’s a clear teardrop shape to them, with a rounded toe leading into a straighter leading edge, albeit an edge that still has curvature to keep me happy.

It’s a personal choice on whether you want a straighter or more rounded leading edge, but for me, this strikes a nice balance between the flat edge that helps line you up more easily, and the curved one that becomes friendlier when opening up the face for more play on the course.

For the top line, there’s a similar beveling to what was seen on the T24 that preceded it but that’s a positive carryover from the previous cycle. The T22 was nice but always looked a bit too sharp and square compared to the rest of the head to my eye so I’m happy to see that retained from the last model.

Speaking of carryover though…

Technology – 4/5

Something that the Mizuno Pro irons have had in each edition has been a soft metal in the 1025 Carbon Steel that Mizuno is known for, coupled with a layer of even softer copper to act as an underlay for the final chrome finish, to create something that is incredibly responsive across the whole family.

With the Pro T-1 wedge, the company has taken that compelling formula from the irons and installed it into the wedges for the most premium feel you can find on the market. Whereas most wedges will be cast metal and have a firmer ‘click’ to them, you’re getting classic Japanese softness here.

It’s fantastic to see this focus on consistent feel flowing into the short game from the approach clubs in the likes of the Mizuno Pro 241 and 243 irons. Many golfers will play a softer-feeling iron to be then forced into a stronger feel in their wedges so it’s fully to Mizuno’s credit that they’ve created that continuity for T-1.

Along with the softer material are the Quad Cut+ Grooves and the Hydroflow Micro Patterning.

Quad Cut+ is essentially an ultra-tight cutting pattern that gives Mizuno more control over the angles being cut into their grooves, allowing increased spin over previous generations as well as, Mizuno says, their competitors’ products.

This cutting technique should also allow these grooves to last through more punishment than before, meaning you’ll get more top-level bite and spin around the greens for longer now.

The Hydroflow Micro Patterning allows smaller dirt, debris, and moisture trapped on the face to flow around and off the face more easily, so you’ll get cleaner and more improved contact at impact too, which is another key for retaining spin in every condition regardless of where you play your golf.

Finally, we have the grind options that we mentioned earlier. Those options are S, M, P, C, V, and X – each meant for different purposes.

The S, M, and P grinds are your workhorse options, with the S-grind available in stronger lofts as it’s a largely full sole designed for square-faced interactions. M is built from the S model and offers enhanced relief for more manipulation than S, but still provides a camber that is friendly to golfers who aren’t looking to lay the face flat open. The P model is like our M grind but with more effective bounce, so greater for steeper players or those who play in softer ground conditions.

The other three choices are limited to the higher loft options, where you’ll be using these wedges for more high-tariff short-game shots, and come in the C, V, and X soles.

The C-grind has a more aggressive removal of metal in both the heel and toe, allowing the wedge to be opened or closed without as much of an impact on the leading edge raising up to cause thins.

The V and X heads are both the most aggressive designs that Mizuno has in their selection, with the X acting as the lower bounce option and the V as the higher bounce choice. Both will work for you Phil Mickelson-types, but I’d consider going with the X if you sweep the ball more or play on firm courses and the V if you’re taking bigger divots or on softer courses.

Performance – 5/5

So all this tech is well and good but how does it play?

For the most part of the time I spent with the Pro T-1 wedges, they’ve definitely made the grade. I’ve recently spent time with the new Cleveland RTZ so there’s an interesting comparison to be made between the two.

While I felt the Mizunos didn’t spin to the same extent as the RTZ (Lord, they stop quickly!) I still think there’s something really interesting going on here.

Don’t get me wrong, the T-1 wedges still have zip around the greens and you can get that one-hop-and-stop action that we try and emulate after watching the Tour guys do their thing, but I think this is more about how you want to approach your short game.

The Pro T-1 feels like it wants to encourage YOU to be the more aggressive component, rather than emphasizing the face or grooves or whatnot. Because there is that softer feel and quieter sound when hitting the ball, I felt like I was more able to put more into the swing to match the noise I expected with the distance I was looking at. Because of that, I needed to open the face more to get trajectory and spin from the speed instead of just the face.

If you like this more attacking mindset, the Mizunos are something to fall in love with and it reminded me of my ten-years-younger self who would turn to the open-face play whenever he could. I don’t dislike doing this now, but if I’m on tighter fairways I’m not sure I’d want to feel like this was necessary all the time.

I’ve tried the S, M, and X grinds during testing by request – normally S and X would be fine as I don’t need much bounce for my game in the higher lofts but I was curious as to how much difference I could find between M and X for the golfers who aren’t sure on the choice.

With the M, you can still get underneath the ball when required without much difficulty and it’s framed nicely. Having that extra bounce when closing the face is also more confidence-inspiring, so it’s definitely the right option if you want a more all-rounder wedge.

For my low-bounce brethren though, the X-grind is outstanding. It plays like the Vokey T-Grind, with an incredible ability to squeeze into the tightest of gaps between fairway and ball and I would, and have, trust this sole in any kind of grass condition.

The comparison is more interesting out of bunkers though, with the Mizuno seeming far easier to react against the sand than the T-grind. At times I get worried about hitting my Vokey, especially in soft sand, but the Mizuno Pro T-1 in the X-grind is easy. I’m not sure if it’s the slightly higher bounce or the camber being slightly further back in the head, but you can feel the wedge resisting the sand more and it gives me plenty of trust in this option.

Overall – 4.5/5

Overall I think these a brilliant wedges. the soft, forged face with its copper underlay is incredibly responsive, and you know exactly how you’ve caught the club at impact. There’s playability to hit different kinds of shots around the green, whether square, closed, or open with the face, as long as you’re comfortable with applying a touch more aggression but they’ll still be fantastic in the more laidback swing style as well.

I think Mizuno’s T-1 absolutely deserves its new ‘Pro’ moniker and is a worthy addition to the branding, with the classic Mizuno style not lost to improvements in technology.

So yes, I would definitely recommend that, whether you’re already getting fitted for their irons or not, the Mizuno Pro T-1 is worth getting into your hands as a wedge replacement for 2025. You’ll be surprised how quickly you fall in love with the performance and feedback, just try not to gloat to this Lefty when you show off your new Blue Ion finishes to me!

About the author

Lewis Daff

Lewis joined the Today’s Golfer digital team in 2024, having spent more than a decade in both big-box golf retail and independent stores working as a club fitter and builder.

Experienced with every level of golfer, from beginner to professional, he has achieved Master Fitter and Builder status with most major manufacturers, including Mizuno, Taylormade, and Callaway, helping him to cement both a wide and deep knowledge base, ideal for helping guide golfers towards the correct equipment for them. Lewis specializes in Clubs, Shafts, Training Aids, Launch Monitors and Grips.

In Lewis’ bag is Titleist GT3 Driver (9º) with Fujikura Ventus Black, TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Woods (15º and 18º), Wilson Staff D9 Forged 3-iron, Srixon ZX7 MKii Irons (4-PW), Titleist SM9 Wedges (52º, 60º), Toulon San Diego Putter, and the Titleist ProV1X Left Dash.

Talk to Lewis about why steel shafts are now dead and graphite is the only way forward, or any other equipment you’d like to debate, via his email, Instagram, or Bluesky.

RRP: £190 / $179.99

LH: Yes, Soft White Satin finish only

Lofts and Grinds

S-Grind: 46.08 / 48.10 / 50.08 / 52.10 / 54.12

M-Grind: 54.08 / 56.10 / 58.12

P-Grind: 54.10 / 56.12

C-Grind: 58.08 / 60.10

V-Grind: 56.08 / 58.10

X-Grind: 60.06

Finishes: Soft White Satin, Black Ion, Blue Ion

Stock shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue / KBS Hi Rev 115g Black

Stock grip: MCC Teams Black/Grey

Customizable: Not currently