50 Words or Less
The Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal irons are long and fairly forgiving. Better feel than previous generations.
Introduction
Mizuno has hit on a winning concept with their Hot Metal line. For the last several generations, more and more mid to high handicap players are switching to this “players” brand because the Hot Metal allows them to. I tested the new JPX921 Hot Metal irons to see if this trend will continue and to find out what’s new about Chromoly 4140M.
Check out the new Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons HERE
Looks
I believe that a lot of the appeal of the JPX921 Hot Metal irons, as with their predecessors, comes from the way they look in the bag. Mizuno ditched the bright colors often associated with game improvement irons and opted for silver and black. The mix of chrome and matte finishes gives them some flair, but, at a glance, they look like players irons.
At address, the JPX921 Hot Metal is clearly a game improvement iron, verging on super game improvement. It has the largest head, thickest top line, most offset, and widest sole of any current Mizuno iron. All that said, Mizuno did a nice job shaping the offset so it’s not jarring, and they used a two-tone top line to make it appear slimmer.
Sound & Feel
Both the JPX921 Hot Metal and the JPX921 Hot Metal Pro irons are made with the same Chromoly metal and feature a frighteningly thin face. These irons feel very crisp on center but are much quieter than previous iterations. Neither iron feels soft, but pure strikes do feel solid.
Feedback is about what you’d expect from a game improvement iron. Misses get dull, losing the crisp snap. Through the hands, feedback isn’t precise but it’s good enough to get a general idea about how you struck the ball.
Performance
If you’re familiar with the Hot Metal series, this section will contain exactly zero surprises. The JPX921 Hot Metal irons do exactly what their predecessors have done: create lots of ball speed with a decent amount of forgiveness.
Let’s get more specific about forgiveness. What the JPX921 Hot Metal irons do very well is maintain ball speed. That means that you can hit a toe or heel shot and it will still fly fast and far. However, if your primary issue is hitting thin shots, I think the Hot Metal is ordinary for its size. Thin shots are going to fly very low and run like crazy.
Speaking of running like crazy, the JPX 921 Hot Metal irons, just like the Hot Metal Pro [review HERE], are fairly low launching and low spinning. This is, in large part, because of the very strong lofts. If you tend to hit high, spinny shots, these irons will be great. If you struggle to hold greens, I would look elsewhere.
Finally, credit to Mizuno for making the Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro irons easy to mix in a combo set. Both sets share specs from loft to lie to length, so you can easily play the Hot Metal long irons and Hot Metal Pro short irons. The Hot Metal Pro has a shorter heel-to-toe length and substantially less offset, which are desirable traits in the short irons for some players.
Conclusion
The Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal irons continue to be a fine choice for the mid to high handicap player who wants distance but needs to play a Mizuno. There are no quantum leaps forward from previous versions, so if you’re happy with your current Hot Metals, there is no need to upgrade. The ability to easily combo these with the Hot Metal Pros is a real benefit.
Mizuno JPX921 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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41 Comments
Great Review Matt. How would you compare the JPX Hot Metal to the T400 irons you recently reviewed in terms of distance, playability and forgiveness. Keep up the great reviews. Thanks.
Julio,
Based on memory, not head to head testing, the distance and forgiveness of the T400 is better.
-Matt
I have recently struggling to find irons that I love to play golf with.. It reminds me of the first big bertha driver when it came out,, just loved it and hit good most of the time.. I tried the mavrik, M5, and pings 700…. I have made a decision that these Mizuno JP 921 IRONS ARE BETTER THAN All the ones mentioned… I’ve played 4 rounds with them and find the very solid and hold the greens just fine..
Why is there no 3 iron available? Not everyone likes hybrids! I have purchased my last two sets from Mizuno and like them, but it is frustrating to have to have my old ping eye 5, 2 iron in the bag ????
John,
Because, per Mizuno, there was not a single JPX 3I in play on Tour.
-Matt
Would the cost be worth the money over my Mizuno 850s
Donald,
Barring a major improvement in the way they fit you, I doubt you would see a major change in performance.
Best,
Matt
Great review Matt, but for us lefties the ‘advantage’ of a combo set does not apply. Worth mentioning?
For John, Ping Eye 5 2i loft is 18° and the Mizuno Hot Metal 4i is 19° therefore no need for a 3i.
I notice that the stock shaft is the new 950 Neo. Did you demo the club with the Neo and ,if so, what are your thoughts regarding the pairing?
Chris,
I did not hit these with the neo shafts.
Best,
Matt
Look y’all, these irons are FANTASTIC. I am a scratch player, hit irons pretty well, but have been going through iron sets like underwear lately trying to find a head/shaft combo that I love. I found it. I got the 919 Hot Metal Pro this summer (with KBS C-Taper Lite Stiff for me) I’ve been losing distance- these helped. I spin it a bit too much- these helped. My miss is toe side – these helped. I dig too much – the soles helped. I thought I may lose consistency of distances without a forged iron….. nope. Love them. The only “negative” would be that the loft spread makes for a few yards wider gap between clubs. And to the question of why there is no 3 iron…. dude, look at the lofts. The 4 iron is 19 degrees… similar to most 3 irons. I hit it almost as far as my 19 Hybrid (and mush straighter) so I no longer need the hybrid in the bag. Use that spot in the bag for a driving iron, or 5 wood, or another wedge.
I have been playing 921 Hot Metal for a month now. What a great long set of irons. Love the feel and distance. If you want a long set and a set that goes high and lands soft buy these irons. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for the review. I have had my eye on these since they have come out. I have also looked at the Cleveland Launcher UHX Irons. How would you compare the two sets? I am looking for something that is forgiving and easy to hit.
Troy,
I haven’t hit the UHX, but Matt Meeker has a review of them here: https://pluggedingolf.com/cleveland-launcher-uhx-irons-review/
-Matt
Matt,
Within your remarks you suggested that this might not be a good choice for golfers who may tend toward thin shots. Which irons would you recommend to minimize that tendency?
Thanks, tpm
Tom,
To be clear, no iron will minimize your tendency to hit thin shots, but there are irons that will turn thin strikes into decent results. I would suggest looking for an iron with a wider sole and, ideally, lofts that aren’t as strong.
Best,
Matt
Matt, I know it would be best to be fitted to find the set that suits me best but in your opinion which set from the Mizuno 921 HM or Titleist T300 are best? My handicap is currently 20 and I am a fader of the ball. I have my irons at 2 degrees flat after my custom fit session early last year. Or better still is there any irons you would suggest other than the 2 mentioned? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Alex,
You’re right, my suggestion is going to be to get fit. I can tell you what I like in that category, but that won’t tell you what will fit you. Also, a fitter is going to ask a lot more questions: what do you want from an iron? What look makes you comfortable? Etc.
Best,
Matt
Thanks for the feedback. Just out of curiosity which from the 2 do you personally prefer best and which from the irons in this category would be in your top 3? Am just after your professional view having tested many clubs yourself, thanks.
Alex,
I prefer the Titleist over the Mizuno. If I were looking for something in that GI/SGI range, I would be looking at the PING G410.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
I am a mid-handicap player who recently purchased a set of Hot Metal Irons. I used to hit the old Nike VRS 2.0 irons with a graphite shaft(Swing speed is 113-118 with a driver). I won these in HS and have played with them since. How much improvement do you think I will see. I struggled with a consistent ball flight due to my swing speed with the graphite shafts. Hoping to hit more GIR’s and lower my average score.
Mitch,
Were you fit for the Hot Metals before you bought them?
-Matt
Yes , I went to a club fitter who customized them to my swing etc.
Mitch,
Did you compare the new irons to your current gamers?
-Matt
Matt,
I’m a mid-handicap. How would you compare the Mizuno Hot Metal with PXG 0211 irons?
Vince
Vince,
I prefer the PXG 0211. Slimmer, better feel, with similar forgiveness and speed.
-Matt
Hi Matt. I own MP-57s. I lost a lot of swing speed over the years and thus power. I have been using stiff shafts, but am thinking about going to a Reg. shaft. My swing speed is down to low 80s. I was thinking of going with the hot metal/pro combo. Thoughts or a better suggestion. I am early 50s and shoot low 80s. Thanks. Great site!
Thank you!
My best advice is always to get fit. The Hot Metal irons are good in terms of ball speed and forgiveness, but you’ve got to be careful to pair them with the right shaft to get the trajectory to hold greens.
Best,
Matt
I was recently fitted for a set of JXP921 Hot Metals to replace my 20-year old Titleist DCI 990s. I also realize now that the loft of these irons has changed a lot over the years. I just looked up my DCI 990s and find that my 5 iron has a loft of 28° and the JXP 921 7 iron’s loft is 29° so these are the comparable irons now. It explains why I was hitting 7 irons 20 yards longer than my DCI 990 7 iron. Either way, I get them in a few weeks and can’t wait to play them.
Mike, That’s interesting. I actually am longer with my 990’s in every club by about 7-10 yards compared to the 921 Tours that I game now. I did have my 990’s lofted stronger by 2 degrees, so my 7i is 34 in the 990’s (same as 921 Tour). I play S300 in 990’s and X100 in 921, and what I see is a 1 to 2 degree higher launch and slight less spin w the 990’s, so the ball get downrange further before it peaks. Interesting how head and shaft combo’s can drive unexpected outcomes.
Am trying to decide between new TM P790 or these. I like to pinch the ball rather than sweep. Any comments? Am using an Adila NV iron shaft i e very light.
Tom,
My advice is always to get a fitting. The P790 is a low spin iron which is great in the right hands, problematic in the wrong hands.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt. How would you compare the feel and forgiveness of the 921 hot metal to the PXG 0311P Gen 3? Or do they match up better against the XP?
Thanks Matt, always love reading your reviews.
Randy,
Thank you.
I have full reviews of the XP here: https://pluggedingolf.com/pxg-0311-xp-gen3-irons-review/
and P here: https://pluggedingolf.com/pxg-0311-p-gen3-irons-review/
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt, hoping you can help as I’ve read a lot of your reviews and know you have demoed a lot of irons.
I’m looking for a set of irons old, recent or new where I can feel the weight in the head. I have tried a couple of pings, most recent the ping Karsten 2014 and just feel too light.
Currently looking at 2016 callaway apex CF16s or mizuno 921s, being a lefty I normally buy to try!
Hope you can point me in the right direction.
Cheers, Steve
Steve,
If you want a heavier swing weight, my advice would be to order whatever irons you want from Club Champion and specify the swing weight. They can built any iron to any spec.
-Matt
Could the hot metal 4 iron be used as a driving iron with the loft being 19 degrees?
Connor,
Sure, if that goes the distance you want off the tee.
-Matt
Hi Matt I currently play ping G-400 irons, I’ve brought my handicap down to a 2, but really feel better suited to 6-7. My question thought I would treat myself to new irons, something still forgiving but newer, would I gain anything with a JPX 921 pro or JPX 923 pro?, thanks
George,
Congrats on getting down to a 2!
What is it that you’re looking to gain from new irons? Or, said another way, what about the G400 irons is lacking or making you unhappy?
Best,
Matt