About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the irons, which I purchased with my own money in March of 2023.

My take

The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons are great for mid to high-handicap golfers looking for added distance, forgiveness, and maximum launch to hit more greens and lower their scores.

About the club I own

• Model: 2023 Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL
• Loft setting: Standard
• Shaft type: Project X 6.5
• Shaft flex: X-stiff

About me

• Average score: 70
• Handicap: +2
• Experience: 5 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Typical ball flight: Mid-high
• Golf ball used: TaylorMade TP5x
• Club swing speed: 95mph-7 iron

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: March 2023
• Days tested: 30+
• Where I’ve used it: TrackMan simulator and various golf courses
• Weather and wind conditions: High and low winds, rain, warm and cold conditions

How it performs

What I was looking for

I wanted to test out a set of game improvement irons to help people find the best set for their game. In addition, I wanted to better understand the performance and feel of game improvement irons to help customers better.

Why I chose this club

I chose the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL because I used the JPX921 Tour irons, my favorite ones. Therefore, the first game improvement set of irons I wanted to test had to be these because Mizuno is the best when it comes to feel and performance with their irons.

What I love about it

• Distance: These irons go extremely long and far. I typically hit my blade 9 iron about 167 yards which is already pretty far compared to the average. However, with this Hot Metal HL set, I effortlessly hit the 9 iron 178 yards. These irons are very long, and I am surprised that they do not have the same problem other game improvement irons have. Many game improvement irons go extremely far when hit well and out of the center, but off-center strikes have a significant drop-off in distance up to a 20-yard difference. However, I did not notice that at all with these irons, which makes them great for consistency.
• Forgiveness: The Hot Metal HL irons are designed to be the most forgiving in the JPX923 line due to the larger head shape and thick top line. These irons are designed to increase speed and launch to help high-handicap golfers hit the ball further and higher no matter where they strike it on the face. These irons give me added confidence, feeling that I can hit the ball anywhere on the clubface and the ball will go straight where I am aimed.
• Feel: I gave this iron set a 4 out of 5 in feel because the Forged irons from Mizuno are the best-feeling irons on the market. However, these Hot Metal HL irons are the best feeling max game improvement iron I have ever tried. Typically, improvement irons have a dull or clunky feel on most shots, but these irons feel extremely soft and responsive on every shot.
• Shaft Feel: The Project X rifle shafts have my favorite feel out of any iron shafts. These shafts do not have a designated kick point, and as a result, the whole shaft feels very stiff and string through the golf ball, which is perfect for my faster aggressive swing.
• Shaft Performance: The Project X 6.5 shaft is perfect for me due to my faster swing speeds. The extra weight helps prevent the ball from spinning too much and keeps the launch angle lower. These shafts are also extremely responsive, allowing me to feel where the golf club is at all points in my swing to help hit the center of the face more often.
• Launch Angle: These irons launch really well due to the low center of gravity that helps launch the ball even higher. I have been able to hit the long irons, such as the 6 and 5 iron, into greens having confidence they would launch really high and ultimately land softly on the green and hopefully get close to the pin.
• Spin: These irons are surprisingly spinny for a game improvement iron. Most of these irons are typically low spinning for maximum distance, but I have found the JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons spin really well. I have had multiple instances where the ball stopped right where it landed on a green. This is great for consistency and control in a high launch and distance iron.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Sound: These irons generally sound great on all well-struck irons relatively out of the center of the clubface. However, these irons sound dull and clunky on big mishit shots.
• Workability: I found these irons' high launch and distance factors made it more difficult to shape golf shots. Players should have no trouble with a small fade or draw, but players looking for an iron with a lot of workability should look at the JPX923 Forged or Tour models.
• Adjustability: These irons have no adjustability once purchased. The only way to adjust these clubs is a complete reshaft or using a machine to adjust the loft and lie.
• Grip Feel: I have the Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips on these irons. This grip is great for the first 2-3 months of use, but I have found that these grips are the fastest to wear out and will need a deep clean or regripping much sooner than other grips. I recommend the Tour Velvet Z-Grip or MCC, which will last much longer and offer a great grip.
• Aesthetic Appeal: These irons surprisingly have a great look and design for a large sole, max game improvement set of irons. However, many mid and low-handicap golfers will find these irons look way too large. As a result, if a golfer is looking for maximum forgiveness, distance, and launch, these irons are perfect for them, but for players who also want a sleek design, the standard Hot Metal irons are a better choice.

Best shot with this club

The best shot I hit with these irons was on a par 5. I was playing my home course from the tips, and my second shot was 230 yards out with about 10-15 yards of wind into the face. This made the shot play closer to 240-245 yards, and I hit the 4-iron from this set. I started the ball just left of the pin and hit a small cut that started turning just back towards the pin, and the ball ended up just short of the pin leaving me 15 feet left for a birdie putt. The putt was straight uphill, so I gave it a good run at the hole but just missed and made the short comeback putt for birdie.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons cost roughly $970 with great performance and design. Similar irons are the Callaway Paradym X, the TaylorMade Stealth, and Titleist T300. The Mizuno is by far the best feeling out of these irons, with more spin as well. These irons go roughly the same distance, so the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons are the best value set for game improvement irons.

Final verdict

The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons are perfect for mid and high-handicap golfers looking for maximum distance and launch. In addition, this set of irons is perfect for golfers who prioritize distance and forgiveness over workability and spin.