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The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons produce elite ball speed and very strong forgiveness. A good blend of distance and control. Very easy to mix with the other Hot Metal irons for a personalized combo set.
Check out the Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal irons HERE
Introduction
Since its inception, Mizuno’s Hot Metal line has been hugely popular. Golfers seeking more distance and forgiveness have been able to find both in a package that retain the brand’s signature appeals. The new Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons continue that tradition while balancing the desire for distance with the need for control.
Looks
The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons sits in the middle of the new Hot Metal line up. At address, it has prototypical game improvement looks. The top line has a little weight but it looks slimmer thanks to contrasting finishes and heavy beveling. There’s a healthy amount of offset, but it’s nicely shaped. The blade is long enough to give you a little comfort without dwarfing the golf ball.
One thing that stands out to me is the finish. Mizuno calls it White-Satin Brush. It’s not a fully-dull matte finish, but it’s not a shiny, high-glare chrome either. I think it gives the JPX923 Hot Metal a lot of appeal at address. If you prefer a larger footprint, check out the JPX923 Hot Metal HL irons HERE.
Moving from the 4I to the PW, the blade length and offset smoothly diminish. You also get a slightly more rounded leading edge in the scoring irons.
Mizuno has given the entire Hot Metal family a similar appearance in the bag. This makes sense given their focus on combo sets. The cavity eschews color for a range of silver finishes, from matte to chrome. Each model has the running bird logo in the toe above the “JPX923” branding. The name “Hot Metal” rests in heel, and you need a second look to notice the additions of “HL” or “Pro.”
Want less offset? Check out the JPX923 Hot Metal Pro irons HERE
Sound & Feel
With a material and construction that’s miles from Mizuno’s forged offerings, you shouldn’t expect the usual buttery feel from these irons, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t satisfying. In the short irons, contact produces a firm, satisfying thump in the hands. The sound is a medium volume “clap.” This sound gets a touch louder as you move into the longer irons, and I actually like it better there. Hitting shots with the mid and long irons feels explosive, which is a good match for the performance.
The JPX923 Hot Metal irons produce good feedback, also. They don’t slap you in the face when you mishit a shot, but there’s a noticeable change in the sound and feel. Unless you’re totally out to lunch, you’ll easily differentiate your pure strikes from the merely good ones.
Performance
The main performance engine of all three new Mizuno Hot Metal irons is Nickel Chromoly. This material is 35% stronger than the original Hot Metal material. Mizuno uses that strength to make the club face 8% thinner for faster ball speed. According to Mizuno, this new material performed so well it allowed their engineers to turn all their attention to feel and spin. It shows on the launch monitor: these irons produce elite ball speeds and smash factors.
In an iron that, per Mizuno, is geared toward “Mid to High Handicaps,” forgiveness can be even more important than peak performance. To enhance ball speed across the face, Mizuno made the thinnest part of the sole 18% wider for better energy transfer. That also showed up in launch monitor testing. It was hard to see more a couple MPH dip in ball speed without a substantial mishit.
While most players are focused on speed, I was most impressed with how the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons spin. In the scoring irons, there’s lots of spin for stopping power and even a little shot shaping. Through the middle and long irons, the spin stays in the average range to promote more consistent carry and the ability to hold greens. Zooming out to look at the whole set, this intelligent spin production creates meaningful distance gaps from the 4I through the wedges.
Finally, Mizuno continues to be an industry leader in combo sets. Not only do all of the JPX923 Hot Metal irons share a similar look and feel, Mizuno provides a tool on their website to help you properly meld the sets together. Click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page. There you can input which scoring irons you want, which long irons you want, and where you want to cross over. The tool will generate your set make-up with suggested loft changes to smooth the transition.
Make the top of your set extra forgiving with a JPX923 Fli-Hi Hybrid. Review HERE
Conclusion
The JPX923 Hot Metal irons further entrench Mizuno as a first tier OEM for irons regardless of handicap. While this latest version has the ball speed and distance that’s made them so popular, what really impressed me is their spin and intelligent distance gapping.
Buy the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons HERE
Visit Mizuno HERE
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons Price & Specs
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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37 Comments
Matt
The blended set seems to only give you two choices of the 923 – tour and forged. Not important to me since I picked up my new 923 HL’s last Thursday. Keep the excellent reviews coming❗️
Jim,
Yes, Mizuno has limited the options for what sets mix which others. I’d like to see all options available but the choices they offer do make the most sense.
Best,
Matt
I’ve played several versions of Mizuno irons through the years and currently play the 919 Hot metal pro’s and totally agree with your review. Good write up.
Looks like the sole is narrower than previous versions
Matt,
Did you notice any fliers? I’m looking for an iron with a lot of forgiveness but not a sweet spot that sends balls over the green.
Mike,
No, I did not have any fliers during my testing.
-Matt
Matt
What shafts were you using with these irons?
Thanks
Malcolm,
The stock Dynamic Gold 95.
-Matt
I currently play the 921 Hot Metal Pros and played the 919 Hot Metals so these are really on my radar. Thanks for antoher great review!!
Hi Matt, I have never understood how a 3° gap in the long irons vs 5° between 9i and pw with graduated jumps along the way can provide consistent distance gaps, since the shafts are consistently shorter… is it cg? Thinner/hotter faces?
Keith,
I think it’s primarily matching the CG to the loft to get the right combination of launch, spin, and speed.
Best,
Matt
Could you please tell me if these Irons would be suitable for someone in there senior years playing off a handicap of 4 . I currently play with stiff graphite shafts x forged clubs
I’m sure there are 4 handicaps who would enjoy these clubs, others who might not. It’s always a matter of individual fit, which is why we stress the importance of working with a high quality fitter like Club Champion to test multiple options and see what works best for your game.
-Matt
Always enjoy the reviews. Have always played Mizuno, from forged to the current hot metal irons. They don’t get much better. Thanks !
Matt, what would your opinion be on jumping from my current set of 921 Hot metals to the 923 HL set? Would it warrant the expense of a fitting? My main concern is the 2 degree difference in loft between my 921 7I and the 31 degree 923 HL 7I. Always great to read your reviews on new models and compare them to what we are currently playing.
Bob,
Let’s start with this: what about the 921s are you unhappy with?
Best,
Matt
Not at all unhappy with my 921’s but the course I play has greens with the softness somewhat akin to the adjacent parking lot. Was just wondering if the 923 HL would have more height and spin to warrant a jump.
Bob,
Comparing the 923 HL to the standard Hot Metal, there is a distinct difference in launch and spin. My advice is always to test your gamers against whatever you’re looking at to see if it performs better.
Best,
Matt
Do you have a review of the Mizuno JPX 920?
Brent,
We have a review of the JPX921 Hot Metal irons here: https://pluggedingolf.com/mizuno-jpx921-hot-metal-irons-review/
There’s also a search function at the top right of the page.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
Noticed the lofts continue to get stronger on many new iron sets (28.5 on the 7 iron in this set for example). How far do you think this trend can continue? Will we eventually have a 7 iron with a loft in the low 20’s ?
Thanks,
Michael
Michael,
I share some thoughts on it here: https://pluggedingolf.com/the-evolution-of-iron-lofts/
-Matt
You state, in response to a previous comment, that you were using the stock KBS Tour Lite shaft when you tested the 923 Hot Metals. Is the KBS Tour Lite shaft available as a no-charge shaft option with the 923 Hot Metals? ( I notice in your review of the 923 Hot Metals that you state that the steel shaft is the Dynamic Gold 95).
John,
I made a mistake in responding to that other question, which I’ve fixed. I thought that question was about the hybrid, not the irons. I’m not sure what Mizuno offers as no-upcharge shafts.
Best,
Matt
So even Mizuno is loft-jacking irons now. Interesting.
Great information here! Thanks for your write up! Game improvement with minimal offset, yes please!
How do these compare to the JPX921? Specifically on thin shots?. My miss is about 1/2 a groove low and I feel like the 921 Hot Metal Pro are very punishing under those circumstances, but boy do I love the pure strikes on them, there’s nothing like flushing a Mizuno. I’m a bit of a TM/Stealth fanboy and I took notice of you specifically giving those credit for forgiveness on low strikes.
Dave,
We have a full review of the JPX921 Hot Metal irons here: https://pluggedingolf.com/mizuno-jpx921-hot-metal-irons-review/
Best,
Matt
Yep I was curious about how you felt about them in direct comparison, in particular the results of low strikes on the JPX923. Are they as penalizing as the JPX921?
Dave,
I think they’re both pretty fair on thin strikes. I don’t see a big difference between the two, though I don’t have head to head testing data on that.
-Matt
To me, the most attractive selling point of the Mizuno 923 is that you can customize without any extra charge for graphite or premium grips. A great iron at a great price. You can get 7 clubs for under 1k and free shipping.
I am currently playing the 921 Hot Metals. Is the 923 Hot Metals an upgrade or are they fairly similar. I’ve been told the sweet spot is a little larger on the 923’s.
Michael,
As a rule, you’re not going to see big changes from one generation to the next in any club. If you want to see for yourself, bring your 921s to a fitting and hit them against the 923.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt. I am currently playing Ping G 410 irons. How would you compare these to Mizuno 923 Hot Metal irons.
Do you think they are more forgiving than a Ping?
Milos,
Matt Meeker reviewed the G410 irons here: https://pluggedingolf.com/ping-g410-irons-review/
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
What are your thoughts on pairing HMs in the long irons and HMPs in short/mid? Do you believe increased forgiveness and larger head would be advantageous?
Thanks
Nick,
The primary difference is the offset. If you want less offset in the short irons, this is a good set up.
-Matt