50 Words or Less
The Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons are undeniably long. Looks and feel stray from traditional Mizuno. Lower launch and spin produce a lot of distance but may not help players shoot lower scores.
Introduction
Since its inception, the Hot Metal line has offered the Mizuno irons for the rest of us. If you need more distance and forgiveness, they’ve delivered reliably. I tested the latest in the line, the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons, to see if they break new performance ground and live up to the brand’s reputation for stellar feel.
Looks
At address, the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons appear to have packed on some weight since their last iteration, the JPX923 Hot Metal [review HERE]. The top line is thick and the offset is more pronounced. This version retains the heavily rounded shape. To my eye, this only makes the iron look larger, which it doesn’t really need. This is game improvement that’s leaning toward super game improvement.
In the bag, the JPX925 Hot Metal is a step backward. While the Hot Metal irons have always been a little busier looking, I thought the JPX923 was very sharp. For me, the white panel underneath “Hot Metal” is a big miss, and the overall shaping is clunky and lacking in refinement.
Sound & Feel
Made of Nickel Chromoly, the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons are not the irons that will have you saying, “Nothing feels like a Mizuno.” Impact is medium-firm, and the face feels very thin.
Mizuno’s materials refer to a “solid, explosive impact sound” which I would rate as being halfway correct. The clicky impact sound does convey speed and power, but it’s miles from “solid.”
The feedback from these clubs is surprisingly clear given their size. I could feel the impact location with reasonable precision. When you miss the center, the impact sound becomes notably more dull.
Performance
While the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons did not wow me in the subjective categories, one thing can’t be denied: they are long. Mizuno states that they “completely re-engineered” the face profile, making it “30% thinner”. It’s unclear if that’s 30% thinner across the board, in the sweet spot, or in specific locations, but in any case, it produces a lot of ball speed. Smash factors were consistently in the mid 1.4s on anything resembling a good swing.
All that ball speed is paired with mid launch and mid-low spin to generate massive distance. The lofts are slightly stronger than the JPX923 Hot Metals which were, predictably, stronger than the JPX921 Hot Metal irons [review HERE]. For me, this creates landing angles that are too shallow as early as the 6I. Additionally, there are just three degrees between clubs from the 4I to 7I, which may create poor distance gapping for players without above average speed.
In terms of forgiveness and consistency, the JPX925 Hot Metal irons are solid. The head feels stable on mishits, and doesn’t let the ball stray too far from the target due to poor contact. Obviously, the club cannot correct a poor face angle at impact, but toe or heel strikes won’t have you searching the woods.
Finally, these irons are designed, per Mizuno, for the “mid to high handicapper” and are not meant for precision shot shaping. They want to produce a strong ball flight, and getting them to fly higher or lower takes some effort. The sole is quite wide which provides insurance against digging but can be an impediment to clean strikes for some players. Directionally, the JPX925 Hot Metals prefer a draw. I could hit it straight with some effort but more frequently saw neutral swings curving left.
Conclusion
On the objective measures, the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons continue to be some of the best performing in their class. Unfortunately, I think they took a step backward on the finer points of looks, feel, and sound. Check them out for yourself at your next fitting to see if you agree or if these make it into your bag.
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He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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18 Comments
I bought the previous version instead of the forged head. The give up was at least one club of distance per club. Hot metal is a complete misnomer. Worst club mistake since I bought fat shafts, which thankfully were stolen about a month after purchase
Steve,
I’m sorry to hear about all of that, but I have to say “Thankfully [they] were stolen” gave me a great laugh.
Best,
Matt
I agree with your views on the looks. I have 923’s and was excited to wlsee the new release this year, and was disappointed.
Do you plan to test the Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro and/or Forged irons? Today, I tested a JPX 925 HM Pro 7 iron with 3 different shafts in a hitting bay using a GC Quad Pro. Coupling this clubhead with a Nippon NS Pro 950GH Neo S shaft achieved very favorable results for me, including tight accuracy and distance control. Swinging with this combination felt almost effortless (consistent with your review of this shaft). Whether or not I replace my Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons, I plan to move from Project X LZ 6.0 iron shafts to the Nippon Neo shaft. Thanks for another informative and useful review, Matt!
Chuck,
We have a review of the JPX925 Pro underway.
Best,
Matt
I have the 921 Hot Metals with TT Elevate 95 shafts (higher launching/spinning). From reading your 921 review, it doesn’t seem that much of an improvement.
I just bought the 925 HM and I totally disagree with your review. Compared to the 923’s I’m hitting these almost a full club longer and both my ball speed and launch angle are higher. Forgiveness is even better than the 923 and my dispersion pattern was unbelievably tight. I’m using the MMT 65R shaft and I absolutely love it with these irons. Anyway, each to his own but these fit me perfectly.
As a 14 handicap would you recommend hot metal or the pros
Ethan,
I always recommend a fitting. The Pro is probably forgiving enough, but I have serious concerns about the launch and spin for lower launching players.
Best,
Matt
Woof… These are really ugly. No offense to Mizuno, but seriously, what is going on here??? I’ve gamed 921 HMP and 923 HMP the last 4 seasons. These are a non-starter. I’ll give the 245 and i530’s a shot.
Will the 925 HL be reviewed at some point?
Yes, likely in October.
Best,
Matt
Maybe I’m just a traditionalist, but there’s no way I’m ever buying clubs with a 42* PW. Pretty soon you’ll need 3 gap wedges to fill your set up to your SW…
I try not to get too worked up about loft jacking, but, as a matter of taste, I agree with you. My PW is at 45*, and I’d hate to go much stronger than that.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
Have you received any indication whether there will be a 925 Forged or Tour? I think those smaller versions could potentially get to more reasonable lofts and other characteristics might make sense. Thanks! Jim
Jim,
Certainly that’s been Mizuno’s MO for the last few generations, but I have no advanced knowledge regarding whether or not those models are coming. While I know they are very popular, it wouldn’t surprise me if they were phased out because of their overlap with the Pro line.
Best,
Matt
Yes that would make sense. They have so many iron sets it would help to delineate. Maybe a 245 or 243 would be the answer then…
I totally agree….spending dollars on any club without fitting…especially the Mizzy’s does not make any sense…
I have trialled the 241/243/245 and 921 and found that the 243 suited my game..and bought those…