Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro Iron Review
Joel Tadman tests this compact distance iron on the launch monitor and golf course to assess the hitting experience
A lively distance iron that will appeal to more accomplished game improvers, the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro strikes that perfect balance of being playable, powerful and visually appealing from every angle.
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Compact, refined looks
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Powerful feel and flight
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Controllable land angles
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Some may want a narrower sole
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Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro Iron Review
There are three new Hot Metal irons to choose from in the JPX923 range and while none are aimed at the better player per se, the Hot Metal Pro is the model that will undoubtedly appeal to the lower end of the handicap spectrum looking for a distance iron.
VIDEO: Watch Joel Tadman test all three Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons
The Hot Metal Pro is essentially a slimmed down version of the JPX923 Hot Metal. Visually, from the back the Pro version has more black paint fill as a distinguishing feature and while the sole width is similar across the two models, the Pro has a shorter blade length, less offset and a thinner topline. To the point that this club doesn’t really look like a distance or game improvement iron, but boy does it perform like one.
Out of the three JPX923 irons, I actually hit this iron the farthest. It gave me fractionally more ball speed than the standard Hot Metal despite the lofts being the same and a couple of extra yards of carry. I think this is down to me preferring the visual package - this iron just suited my eye better, and I therefore had the confidence to swing more freely and struck the ball better during testing.
The spin was refreshingly high for a relatively strong-lofted iron and a healthy descent angle at my swing speed meant I had no concern over getting the ball to stop. I do think slower swinging game improvers would be better off considering the High Launch iron, especially given the extra forgiveness that comes with the larger, higher lofted head.
That’s not the say the Hot Metal Pro is not forgiving. In fact, it produces a powerful, stable feel at impact that places it up there with the most forgiving irons around. But it offers this without the harsh, hard sound you can sometimes get from oversized iron designs. Mizuno has put its stamp on this compact players distance iron and while there is arguably some crossover with the Mizuno Pro 225 model, there isn’t much to dislike about the JPX923 Hot Metal Pro iron and for our money, it becomes one of the best Mizuno irons in the range for all round appeal.
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