Expert Review: Mizuno Pro 225 Iron Set
Phoenix Country Club. All photos courtesy of Harrison C.
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the clubs, which I purchased with my own money in May of 2022.
My take
The Mizuno Pro 225 Iron Set is great for the 5 - 12 handicapper looking for a total distance iron. The set has a sleek look which is very similar to a blade but also offers a substantial amount of forgiveness. The Mizuno Pro 225 also has a super soft feel and a great sound at impact.
About the clubs I own
- Model: 2022 Mizuno Pro 225
- Loft setting: 2 degrees weak
- Shaft type: Nippon Modus Pro 120
- Shaft flex: Stiff
About me
- Average score: 85
- Handicap: 10
- Experience: 10 years of golf
- Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
- Typical ball flight: Mid
- Golf ball used: ChromeSoft X
- Club swing speed: High
Test conditions
- When I bought the club: May 2022
- Days tested: 50
- Where I’ve used it: Range (turf and grass), courses in Michigan, Arizona, Utah, and Florida
- Weather and wind conditions: Rain, extreme heat, cold, windy, clear
How they perform
What I was looking for
I was looking to switch from my game improvement cast irons (the Titleist T300, 2019 model) and into a forged club to help with distance, feel, and workability. I chose the Mizuno Pro 225 to help me achieve this but still offer the forgiveness I needed with off-center strokes.
6 and 7 iron
Why I chose these clubs
I decided on the Mizuno Pro 225 because of all the models I tested, these had the softest feel. My distances were very comparable to the Taylormade P790, Titleist T200, and Callaway APEX; but the feel is what made these a winner for me. The forgiveness in the Mizuno Pro 225 also stood out compared to the Titleist T200, but it was comparable to the Taylormade P790 and the Callaway APEX.
What I love about them
- Distance: The weighting in the bottom of the club really helps me feel like I can get a lot of power behind the ball. Distance for me actually was so long that I lofted my clubs weaker to take a few yards off and get to my preferred distances.
- Forgiveness: The top line is sleek, but the club still offers a substantial amount of forgiveness. The bounce of the club is large enough to give me forgiveness when I don’t strike the turf quite right. Overall, it possesses really good forgiveness for a 10 handicapper like myself.
- Feel: I chose these irons over some of the comparable options from other manufacturers specifically because of their feel. These feel buttery soft and I was so pleased with this particular model, that this made them the winning irons for me.
- Sound: The sound of the club with the Mizuno Pro 225 gives a lot of feedback to me because I can tell when I have a clean strike by hearing a click. But when I have an off-center hit, I can tell that the sound is more dull.
- Shaft Feel: I opted to go with the Nippon Modus Pro 120, which helped me feel like I could get the distance I needed on off center strikes.
- Shaft Performance: The Nippon Modus Pro 120 has been great for me so far in these irons. I have been able to hit more consistent shots and have better ball dispersion.
- Aesthetic Appeal: The Mizuno Pro 225s look sleek. They have a closed-back design—so they actually look like a blade model iron when in the bag. They also have a shiny finish that has held up well over the four months that I have been playing with them—especially in the rocky turf we have in Arizona that usually scratches up clubs.
- Spin: My spin on my scoring irons (8i, 9i, PW, GW for me) has been great. I have been able to hold greens and often the ball is only 1–2 feet from my ball mark on a clean strike. This was a big improvement for me over my previous irons, the Titleist T300, where I would worry about the ball rolling off of the green.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Workability: These clubs are workable but still offer a good amount of forgiveness. The 225 model is not quite as workable as a 223 or 221 model would be.
- Launch Angle: My launch angle with these was a bit low when I first got them due to my swing path. I have them lofted weaker to make them launch a bit higher.
Brand new set of Mizuno Pro 225 irons 4-GW
Best shot with this club
My best shot with my Mizuno Pro 225s was at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was about 105 degrees in the middle of the summer. I got caught in a fairway bunker about 125 yards out from the green, and I grabbed my Mizuno 225 9 iron to hit a knockdown shot and hopefully get it on the green. I ended up hitting a low cut with some spin that bounced twice and checked right into the hole! I had only had the irons for about a month, and it was probably my best shot of the season!
Value for the money vs. other options
The value for the price point is definitely there. Mizuno prides itself in having the highest-quality products, which is another reason I went with them. Their quality control for the retail clubs and the tour clubs is all the same. Whereas other brands have different quality control procedures for retail clubs versus tour clubs. The price point is similar to the TaylorMade P790 or the Titleist T200, which are super comparable in terms of performance, skill level, and forgiveness.
Final verdict
Overall, the Mizuno Pro 225 helped me unlock some untapped distance in my swing. I picked up about 10–12 yards with my 5 through 9 irons and about 15 yards with my 4 iron. This has helped me reach greens faster and use shorter clubs to pick up more distance. I am super happy with my purchase and love the look, feel, and performance of my irons.
These clubs are featured in Best Mizuno Irons for Every Skill Level. Check it out for more recommendations and reviews.
