Mizunos JPX921 Series: Tour, Forged, Hot Metal

Buying the brand new Mizuno JPX921 at ExactGolf

With JPX921 Mizuno enters a new age and has changed a lot compared to its JPX919 predecessor. At first sight you might think that these are just optical changes, but that's definitely not the case. Mizuno has really thought about how to make each iron and also the irons of a series match better. The result is for example a better match between JPX921 Tour and Forged which can be used as a mixed set. That's why there is a SEL - Special Edition Lefty for the JPX series. It consists of JPX921 Forged for irons #4 and #5 and JPX921 Tour for the shorter irons. Exactly this mixture is also useful and conceivable for right-handed players. Let's have a quick look at the available irons.

JPX921 Tour

Without a doubt the flagship of the series and the name says it all. This iron is not only played by amateurs but also by the best tour pros like Brooks Koepka. By the way, without a contract. He plays them simply because he thinks they are the best irons. So much for performance. The motto of the JPX921 Tour was clearly not to change too much. Mizuno was already very happy with the performance of the JPX919 Tour and so the changes mainly affect the look. The center of gravity of the new JPX921 is a bit closer to the shaft. The JPX919 Tour had relatively much weight in the toe area. This weight has now been saved and distributed across the face. This means a little less forgiveness for hits at the toe, but on the other hand it is also easier to work with the ball. The new JPX921 has therefore become a bit more sporty overall without too many changes.

JPX921 Forged

The Forged has changed a lot more compared to the Tour and the iron has moved much more towards the "player's iron" category. This was mainly due to a much thinner topline and an overall smaller appearance especially in the short irons. If the JPX919 Forged seemed to be too big for some, the new JPX921 Forged will definitely have found an option. With this, the JPX921 Forged moves towards the JPX921 Tour and is at the same time easier to replace. Therefore a mixed set of these two heads is recommended.

What makes the JPX921 Forged so special is the technology behind it, which is no longer visible at all. What Mizuno does here in the manufacturing process is unique. The clubface is milled from the sole after the forging process. The result is an extremely thin face. You can't see anything of this milling in the final result - but you can feel it. All in all, the COR (roughly speaking the "trampoline effect") is not only higher but also larger. This means that it is distributed more over the clubface - despite the smaller club head.

JPX921 Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro

Now we come to the "Game Improvement" category. Compared to its predecessor, the JPX921 Hot Metal has become a bit bigger for the long and medium irons, while the short irons are a bit smaller. The JPX921 Hot Metal remains true to itself and offers maximum ball speed - hence the "hot" in the name and maximum forgiveness.

ES21 Wedges

Mizuno has also released a new wedge for the JPX921 series: ES21. You might think that this is just a mandatory extension but it is not. Because here Mizuno has really dared something. The ES21 wedge is a two-piece construction that actually places the center of gravity in the middle of the face. This is not the case with traditional wedges and the actual sweetspot is further down and relatively close to the shaft. Good wedge hits are therefore rather thin. While such a club may be feasible for a tour pro, amateurs may not be able to say the same. They have the problem of hitting the ball too high up on the clubface, especially with full shots. Therefore this change makes a lot of sense and we are sure that the ES21 wedge will find some satisfied customers.