About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the iron set, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2021.

My take

The Mizuno JPX921 Tour Iron Set targets a low-handicap advanced golfer. A very confident ball striker can unlock a tour level of feel and workability with these irons.

About the clubs I own

• Model: 2021 Mizuno JPX 921 Tour Irons
• Loft setting: 6-PW
• Shaft type: Project X 6.5
• Shaft flex: X-Stiff

About me

• Average score: 72–79
• Handicap: 2
• Experience: 8 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Left-handed
• Typical ball flight: Mid-high fade
• Golf ball used: TaylorMade TP5X
• Club swing speed: 90mph (7 iron)

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: January 2021
• Days tested: 2 years
• Where I’ve used it: Various golf courses and practice ranges
• Weather and wind conditions: Rain, dry, windy, calm, etc.

How it performs

What I was looking for

When I purchased this iron set, I was on the market for an upgrade from game improvement irons to a more advanced iron. I got fitted for an iron set and looked for a forged head with a great feel and consistency that I could custom order to have extra-stiff shafts. I wanted to improve my consistency and better bridge the gap with my wedges.

Why I chose this club

I chose to buy this club because I fell in love with the way that they feel. People often say “nothing feels like a Mizuno” when referring to their irons, and I agree with that statement. However, consistency was another factor that stood out and made my decision to buy them easier. I also considered the TaylorMade P770s during my fitting, but I was the most consistent with the Mizunos.

What I love about it

• Consistency: Advanced players should be looking at how consistently they can hit 10 golf balls with their irons. The less deviation in yardages that one has, the better. These irons are able to provide very consistent distances when one hits multiple shots. In this case, it is okay that the irons do not carry as far as other irons because I know exactly how far each ball will go—most of the time.
• Aesthetic Appeal: The JPX 921 Tour irons look amazing when standing over the ball at address. The iron head has a comfortable shape to start the swing. The entire forged head also looks great like it were almost a blade, but it is just barely not.
• Feel: These irons feel incredibly soft on center-face strikes that find the sweet spot. When I hit an iron flush into a par 3, sometimes it feels like I’m not even making contact with a golf ball.
• Sound: Hitting these irons pure from the fairway is hands down one of the best sounds in golf. Sounds similar and just as good as any other iron on the market.
• Shaft Feel and Performance: Project X rifle shafts are very reliable, which is why many tour pros trust them in their irons. The 6.5 (X-Stiff) version requires very fast swing speeds but gives a low-spin and low-launch result.
• Launch Angle: The ability to control the launch angle is what separates players in windy conditions. With these irons, I have hit knockdown shots that will pierce into the wind.
• Workability: I have been able to get very creative on my approach shots into greens. The more skilled one gets, the more this comes into play. There is never a moment where I think that I cannot hit a shot with these irons. It is all up to my swing. These irons deliver, whether it's a knockdown, fade, draw, or punch.
• Spin: On some short iron shots, I have been able to spin these irons as much as a full swing with one of my wedges. I usually have no problem getting these irons to spin, which is very important hitting into front-pin locations.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Distance: The smaller an iron clubhead, the less distance is typically returned by the club. In the case of the irons, they definitely do not travel as far as a game improvement iron—plus, the lofts are weaker. Some players with slower swing speeds need help and should look for a different iron.
• Forgiveness: Since the sweet spot on these irons is small, there is less forgiveness around the face. Shots where no part of the golf ball touches the sweet spot, can be very unforgiving and have a firmer feel. At the end of the day, these irons are recommended for a very advanced golfer whose percentage of those swings should be very low.
• Adjustability: There are not any adjustability options unless someone custom orders. As of the 2023 season, these irons are a year old now, and it would be very hard to customize the specs unless bringing them to a custom club builder.
• Grip Feel: I use the Golf Pride MCC Plus 4 grips in midsize on my irons. I want to note that one should take into consideration the larger nature of the MCC Plus 4 grips in general. I chose them because I prefer their soft feel, but they have less of a taper down the grip than others. Especially if one gets them in midsize, they can be comparable to what some other grips feel like in jumbo. Although this has no relation to the irons themself, if one customizes grip options, it can affect their golf swing and, thus, the iron performance.

Best shot with this club

It is difficult to choose just a single favorite shot I’ve hit with these irons. A couple of my favorite shots have been on a par 3 where I left myself with a short birdie putt. The most notable ones are those where the club interacts with the ball at contact, and it was almost like I had never even made contact with a golf ball. My favorite shot to hit with these Mizuno is when I know immediately that it hit it very well and just get to watch it turn out exactly as I expected.

Value for the money vs. other options

Since these are the 2021 model, the price point has dropped, which makes them a more affordable option when compared to almost all 2023 irons. However, this limits the customization ability. And players who want the newest technology may want to spend more on the newest model. A similar option in release and price point is the Srixon ZX7 irons. Other options that are similar in performance but offer newer technology are the Mizuno JPX 923 Tour, Srixon ZX7 MKII, TaylorMade 2023 P770, and TaylorMade 2023 P7MC irons.

Final verdict

Low handicappers looking for a high-level iron with a blade-quality feel should check these clubs out. These irons also unlock the ability for low handicappers to be confident in yardage consistency and get creative to hit different shot shapes on the course.