Review: Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons
Published on 06/28/2023 · 3 min readCurated Golf Experts share their experience with using the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons. Note that experts are not sponsored by any brands; these are their honest opinions.By Golf Expert
Bobby Funkhouser
15 photos
The Curated Take
3.2/5
The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons are designed for mid to high handicap golfers seeking forgiving irons to hit longer, straighter shots. These irons feature a cast design that provides decent feel, and are capable of generating good launch for easier, high ball flight. Although their distance performance may not exceed some expectations, they offer substantial forgiveness on mishits. Additionally, their all-metal finish presents an attractive aesthetic. They offer great value with features like free customizations and competitive pricing.
Ideal for
- Great amount of forgiveness
- Very easy to launch
- Great spin for a game improvement iron
- Good blend of distance and control
- Attractive look at address
Not ideal for
- Strong lofts, which might cause larger gaps between each iron
- Super high launch, which might not appeal to the golfer who needs to keep ball flight down
- Some not impressed by the distance even with the stronger lofts
- Not the most forgiving play distance irons
- Does not work well for shaping shots
- Slightly thicker sole
Workability
These irons are not designed to be workable. They are designed to help mid to high handicap golfers hit straighter and longer golf shots. I tried hitting fades and draws...Read more
Forgiveness
I gave the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons a 4 star rating for forgiveness based on the way that they played for me. Multiple times throughout my round with them...Read more
Feel
I was pleased with the way that the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons felt at impact but it was nothing to call home about. For being a casted iron they...Read more
Sound
I normally play with forged irons so I am used to getting that amazing sound when flushing my irons. When hitting these Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons, I felt...Read more
Launch
While using these irons I was very impressed by how easy it was to get the ball up and in the air. I was able to swing easy and steep...Read more
Distance
When first hitting these irons I was expecting to gain a lot of distance with them due to the stronger lofts compared to my irons. The lofts on the Mizuno...Read more
Expert Reviews of the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons
Jess P. This might be one of the best-feeling irons I have ever had in my hands. They are a distance-packed iron that doesn't sacrifice sound, feel, or playability. They are super forgiving and easy to hit. In fact, the first time I hit these irons, I thought they practically hit themselves. The first shot with a 7-iron was a towering shot that carried 150 yards easily. I've hit them with graphite shafts and with lighter 95g Nippon steel shafts. Both perform beautifully. The lofts are super strong compared to most irons I've played or demoed, so it might take some golfers a little while to recalculate their distances. That isn't a bad thing. The added distance can help the golfer looking to hit those shorter irons into the greens. It's way easier to hit an 8 or 9 iron into a green than those longer 5 and 6 irons. These irons can do that for every golfer. The launch is outstanding. The higher launch means longer carries and also softer landings on the greens.
Bobby Funkhouser The Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons are a great iron for any mid to high handicap golfer that is wanting a forgiving set of irons that look very attractive in the bag. The first thing that I noticed about these irons was that the look was great compared to other game improvement style irons. The all metal finish with no color anywhere is very attractive to me because I am used to playing with forged irons.
I was really impressed with the feel off of the face of these irons once I started swinging them. I started with the gap wedge and slowly moved my way throughout the entire set all the way to the 4 iron. I was very happy with the amount of forgiveness from these irons. Mishits out on the toe or in on the heel still went a good amount of distance and near my target. I was very pleased by how easy it was to launch the ball as well. The ball was jumping off the club.
My only gripe with these irons is that I was not super impressed with the distance. I was getting about the same distance with these irons as I get with my current TaylorMade P790 irons. My irons are around 2 degrees weaker in loft so that is why it surprised me. I should have been getting 5 yards more out of these irons at least.
Ryan Hernandez Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons in my opinion are the best feeling and performing game improvement irons on the market. They still have that Mizuno feel though the construction is different than their forged line. And they have loads of distance and forgiveness to them. What is crazy is you can play them regardless of your handicap. Though a lower handicap may want a smaller club here. But the Hot Medal Pros could be the answer. Or a combo set.
Review Ratings
Workability
2/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 2 of 5 stars. These irons are not designed to be workable. They are designed to help mid to high handicap golfers hit straighter and longer golf shots. I tried hitting fades and draws with these irons and I was able to work the ball just a little bit. Compared to a forged iron, these were not workable at all, but that is a good thing for people who want forgiving irons.
Forgiveness
4/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 4 of 5 stars. I gave the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons a 4 star rating for forgiveness based on the way that they played for me. Multiple times throughout my round with them I had shots that I mishit out on the toe or in on the heel and they still produced great distance and went towards my target line. The only reason I did not give them 5 stars is because there are more forgiving irons on the market (oversized irons and hybrid irons).
Feel
3/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 3 of 5 stars. I was pleased with the way that the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons felt at impact but it was nothing to call home about. For being a casted iron they do feel pretty good, but I would not compare the feel on these to a higher quality forged set of irons.
Sound
3/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 3 of 5 stars. I normally play with forged irons so I am used to getting that amazing sound when flushing my irons. When hitting these Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons, I felt like they had the pretty typical sound that a casted cavity back iron has. The sound is not bad, it just isn't what I am used to.
Launch
4/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 4 of 5 stars. While using these irons I was very impressed by how easy it was to get the ball up and in the air. I was able to swing easy and steep down through the ball and still get a ball flight that I was pretty happy with. These irons would be great for anyone who is struggling with a low ball flight with their irons.
Distance
3/5
Bobby Funkhouser gave 3 of 5 stars. When first hitting these irons I was expecting to gain a lot of distance with them due to the stronger lofts compared to my irons. The lofts on the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons are 2 degrees stronger than the irons in my bag (TaylorMade P790). I was pretty confident that I was going to hit the 923's 4-6 yards further than my irons but that was not the case. The distances ended up being about the same as mine.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Bobby Funkhouser My favorite moment with the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons was when I was playing at my home course here in Arizona. I was 162 yards out, hitting directly into about 15 mph of wind. I knew the wind was going to knock down my shot quite a bit. I clubbed up to a 7 iron and absolutely purred it to about 4 feet and then managed to make my birdie putt.
Why did you choose this product?
Bobby Funkhouser I chose the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons because they provide a great amount of forgiveness and distance. I am also a big fan of the all metal look.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Bobby Funkhouser The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons are a great value for the money compared to other similar iron sets from other brands. They are about $55 cheaper than most other new 2023 game improvement style irons. The main reason I say that they are a great value is because of the free customizations. Mizuno does not charge for upgraded grips which can quickly save you another $100. Mizuno does not change the price of the irons when getting them in graphite shafts either, while other brands always tack on an extra $100+ for graphite shafts.
What do you love about this product?
Bobby Funkhouser What I love the most about the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons is the all metal finish. They are very attractive irons in and out of the bag.
How forgiving are these irons for off-center hits?
Aaron Howard The Mizuno JPX Hot Metal irons are specifically designed for maximum forgiveness. The thinnest part of the sole is extended 18% wider, creating a wider high-energy area to maximize the forgiveness all across the club face, including on off-center hits.
Jared T. The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons are very forgiving for off-center hits. They have a large sweet spot and a low center of gravity, which helps to keep the ball in the air and on the desired trajectory even on mis-hits. They also have a progressive face technology that provides more forgiveness on mis-hits towards the heel and toe. In addition, the hollow body construction of the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons make them a great option for golfers who struggle with off-center hits.
Austin Woodring These irons have been designed to provide maximum distance and forgiveness, making them ideal for golfers who need help getting the ball up in the air and maximizing distance. I personally own these irons and dropped my handicap 4 strokes in my first year.Â
One of the key features of the JPX 923 Hot Metal irons is the use of Mizuno's Chromoly 4140M material, which is a lightweight and strong alloy that allows for a thinner face design. This thinner face design creates a larger sweet spot and more ball speed, resulting in longer shots and more forgiveness on off-center hits. The JPX 923 Hot Metal irons also feature a stability frame that provides additional perimeter weighting and a low center of gravity, which helps to increase stability and reduce the amount of twisting at impact. This can lead to more consistent ball flight and improved accuracy, especially on mis-hits.
Finally, the JPX 923 Hot Metal irons use a variable thickness face that allows for precise control over the thickness of the face throughout the set. This can help to optimize ball speed and launch angle for each individual iron, resulting in more consistent distance and trajectory from shot to shot.
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One of the main driving forces for my purchase was the fact that the face is forgiving throughout. You are able to tell and get that feedback when missing the center, but the ball flight is generally unaffected. Overall, these irons are made to look thin and give you that players feel, but ultimately, their construction offers an abundance of forgiveness throughout the totality of the face.
Are these irons suitable for a mid-handicapper?
Grant Ellison Yes, the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons are suitable for a mid-handicapper. These are game improvement irons, which means that they are typically meant for someone who is a high to mid handicapper. They look great and are able to provide distance and forgiveness without looking huge and clunky like other game improvement irons.
Andrew Howard The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons are suitable for mid handicappers and also high handicappers. The game improvement attributes equipped with these irons aren't oversized, they are very playable. They are soft off the face with high ball speeds and are forgiving to hit. The long irons are constructed so that an off-center hit can still get decent distance. You will see a tiny bit of the cavity on the back of the long irons, but given the advantages it will be worth seeing it. This is an ideal club for mid-handicappers to get the level of forgiveness and launch necessary to improve. The feedback of the irons is solid enough to know a pure strike versus a mishit.Â
4.98
Bobby Funkhouser
Golf Expert1301 Reviews
22162 Customers helped
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