Mizuno T22 Wedge Review

Name: Mizuno T22 Wedge Review
Brand: Mizuno
Price: 155 GBP

Last updated: 14 September 2021

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What we say...

The forged Mizuno T22 wedges have a refined teardrop shape to balance ultra-classic looks with modern wedge performance.

If you play forged irons to ensure feel and feedback consistency it’s very likely you’ll want to play forged wedges too. But while Vokey, Cleveland, Callaway and TaylorMade don’t offer forged wedges, Mizuno do.

In any normal year Mizuno T series wedges would be launched with a new MP iron, but 2021 has been no normal year. So this time the T22s have been unveiled under their own steam.

RELATED: Best 2021 Wedge

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Mizuno’s T series wedges were developed with input from short game maestro Luke Donald, and the T stands for teardrop, in reference to the high toe and flowing head shape so treasured by the Englishman.

Compared to previous models Mizuno say the T22s have a slightly more compact size with an extensively bevelled top edge so the head appears thinner at address.

There’s also a tapered blade design which positions extra mass higher in the blade to deliver more spin consistency, as well as a penetrating flight irrespective of where shots impact the face.

And to ensure maximum feedback, like the current MP-20 irons, each head (apart from the raw finish option which rusts over time) comes with a microlayer of copper under the satin chrome or denim copper finish.

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The Mizuno T22 wedges are available in four sole grinds, here’s how they differ.

S Grind: Minimal sole shaping for fuller shots and lower lofts

D Grind: Moderate heel and toe relief, allows gentle manipulation of the face

C Grind: Heavy heel and toe relief for more skilled players and firmer conditions

X Grind: Extreme heel and toe relief for real short game maestros

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Mizuno’s Chris Voshall on the T22 wedges

“Look at the T22 as a great balance between the ultra-classic looks of the older T7 and the performance traits of the T20. We’ve managed to bevel the top edge in a way to retain the performance of the T20’s tapered blade, but keep the more traditional look of the T7. Both models had a following for very different reasons.

When you looked at the T-7 wedge, everything about it was traditional. The back design, the head shape, the sole, all of it just spoke to tradition. There wasn’t a ton of pushing the boundaries or doing anything crazy on them. With the T-20, we went a little bit more aggressive. We dialled the center of gravity into exactly where we wanted it by using a tapered blade design. Which stepped on the toes of the tradition of the T-7, so with the T-22, it’s like the marriage of those two great wedges, you get the performance of the T-20 with the look, feel and sole interaction performance of the T-7.

When you look down at a wedge, there’s lots of loft and a big reflective area, and people tend to shy away from anything that’s super bright. Our traditional Copper and Chrome finishes have been pretty bright, which is why we matt out and satin the face. With the T-22 we’ve used a Satin Chrome, there’s a Raw finish that will naturally rust with age to give a little less reflection, and our new Denim Copper offering gives a very rich, unique look at address.

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The T-22 Denim Copper finish is different to just normal copper. We age it, as a standard copper will have a much brighter look and some reflection. This aged Denim Copper gives more glare resistance, but it’s not just there because it looks good. The Denim Copper has a performance benefit as it makes the wedge feel even softer. The Satin Chrome option also has our micro copper plating sitting underneath the finish.

Lots of players don’t understand how you should use the wedge sole in the short game. Luke Donald’s a perfect example of using the trailing edge. So many players get concerned about the leading edge, and when you’re using the leading edge of a wedge, you have to be very precise. The margin for error is tiny. By using the trailing edge, it’s almost like built in wedge forgiveness.

WATCH: Mizuno T22 Wedge video

There’s four grinds within the T-22 series. All of them have some consistencies, but each one’s a little bit unique too. The trailing edge is one area that’s consistently ground off. The sole width is a touch wider than we’ve had the past. But along that trailing edge, there’s a consistent relief grind that leaves the bounce.

The bounce angle is for turf interaction, but gives you a little bit of relief. So, the leading edge can sit a little bit lower. The S-Grind is what we call a straight line grind. It has trailing edge relief with minimal relief in the heel. This is the most full sole wedge. So, we leave the majority of the bounce, so you picture using this for gap wedge or pitching wedge shots, where you take more of a full swing.

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As you get in to the higher lofts we get a bit more aggressive. From the S-Grind we move to the D-Grind. The D-Grinds in a D-shape across the sole. You still have the trailing edge relief, but you also have subtle relief on the heel and toe.

From there we go a step even further on the C-Grind. The C is more like a crescent shape, it’s even more aggressive across the trailing edge, and eats more into the heel and toe on the lofts where you open them up or play with a toe down around the green.

And if you’re someone who loves to do a lot of face and shot manipulation around the green, getting very creative with how your club approaches the turf, the X-Grind are most extreme with significant relief along the trailing edge as well as the heel and toe.

There’s nowhere feel is more important than in the short game. At times you’re hitting very delicate shots, and others you’re trying to dial back and hit very specific distances, it’s not an all-out max power game. That’s where Mizuno’s Grain Flow Forging and our micro copper plating plus the Denim Copper finish will give you something you can’t get from another golf club.”