It isn’t a stretch to say that the Mizuno Pro iron release has become a much anticipated event for not only the company, but golfers around the globe. Well, the time is once again upon us. Last time, much ado was made about the official shift of naming and placing the “Mizuno Pro” script squarely on each iron in the lineup, but it was the performance (specifically of the 225’s) which ended up blowing golfers minds.
Today marks the unveiling of the newest version of Mizuno Pro irons, this time referred to as the 24X lineup. These again consist of three different irons and the newest version of the FLI-HI as well. However, the key theme for this new iteration is refinement, in all the clubs, with the goal of creating a more complete and balanced line.
Mizuno Pro 24X Irons – “A New Age of Forging”
Before we dive into each iron within the Mizuno Pro 24X umbrella, it bears discussing this release as a whole and just what the company has sought to accomplish. While the 22X release was, and continues to be, a success for Mizuno, there was also a copious amount of feedback both external as well as internal that the company took to heart when designing the follow up.
Visually, the 22X clubs were stunning and attempted to provide something for everyone whether they be a die-hard blade user or a golfer who wanted a more sophisticated hollow body creation. The thing is, the sizing and shape got a bit muddled within certain parts of the lineup, specifically the 223’s, as for some they didn’t hit the middle ground they intended, and perhaps overlapped on what the 225’s offered.
So, what was Mizuno to do? Frankly, what they do best, they went to work refining and innovating with the goal of creating the most balanced lineup of irons (and utilities) that they have produced to date.
Mizuno Pro 241 Irons – The Classic MB
Don’t you fret golfers who live and die by muscleback irons, it wouldn’t be a Mizuno Pro release without an MB. While yes, there is only so much that you can do with a muscleback because of the minimal discretionary weight available, no one carves and massages an MB iron like Mizuno. Not to mention, historically, they continue to create some of the most playable blades on the market thanks to not being total butterknives.
This time, Mizuno started with what you will soon see to be a trend with the entire Pro 24X series, refining the shape. With the 241’s, the long irons are visually a bit smaller while the mid and longer clubs are noticeably smaller compared to the 221’s. At first you might be shocked at the concept of making an MB smaller, as we mentioned, Mizuno has always had some of the most playable blades in terms of size and will continue to be as such even with this new change.
Additionally, the rear muscle will look familiar, but different. That is due to the massaging and shifting of material on the rear of the Pro 241’s to get a slightly sharper cutout and more mass directly behind the ball. That mass in the rear pad combines with Mizuno’s attention to Harmonic Impact to get the sound of each club within certain hertz levels, and according to them, means a more solid and slightly muted impact feedback. Add in the Copper Underlay and Full Nickel Satin Chrome that may be the best in the business, and the Mizuno Pro 241 looks poised to turn heads and break hearts.
The Mizuno Pro 241 irons will be available in 3-PW (3i is RH only) with KBS Tour shafts and Golf Pride MCC Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 241’s play off a 46-degree PW and 34-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro 243 Irons – Tour Speed Cavity
You might want to buckle up, because there is no doubt that the 243’s are the iron which has undergone the most significant change within the Mizuno Pro lineup, and rightfully so. As mentioned, previously the 223’s were a bit of an iron without a true niche within the lineup. Design wise they were beautiful, but many found them a bit larger than expected. Not to mention, within the set there were at times some gapping issues for some golfers not only when blending but also within the 223’s as a whole. What all that lead to was them not differentiating themselves from their hollow body siblings as much as intended. That changes this time.
It all starts with the shaping and the sole. As part of that focus on differentiating the Pro 243’s from its siblings, Mizuno has made the entire set visibly more compact both in blade length as well as topline. One piece of feedback on the 223’s was that they seemed a bit thick compared to expectations, so that has been addressed. Additionally, the sole now has what Mizuno is calling a “Wrap Around” to it, which allows the sole to look visually thinner while still keeping the same effectiveness. That means a more consistent design through the set, specifically where the transition of Micro-Slot versus no slot occurs.
Speaking of the Micro-Slot, it is one of the components that has been revised in the Mizuno Pro 243 with the aim of creating more consistency through the set. The 8-GW have no slot, while the 6/7 and 4/5 each have unique Micro-Slot designs with the longer irons now having a wider and longer slot. Additionally, the 4-6 irons have a thinner face and the 4-8 have a lower sweet spot and deeper CG.
This has resulted in Mizuno’s internal testing showing a slower ball speed in the 7i and an increase in speed working to the 4i. This is combined with moving the lofts stronger in the 9-GW (PW now 44-degrees). Why are they slowing, speeding up, or strengthening lofts within different parts of the set? To create consistent gapping than what was seen in the 223’s. Add in Harmonic Impact calibration along with the Copper Underlay and Full Nickel Satin Chrome finish then you have a completely different animal than last time around.
The Mizuno Pro 243 irons will be available in 4-PW with GW available in RH only. They will be paired at standard with Nippon MODUS 120 (S) or 105 (R) and have Golf Pride MCC Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 243’s play off a 44-degree PW and 32-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons – Tour Speed & Launch
How do you follow up the most successful iron of the previous Mizuno Pro iron lineup, and one of the most popular hollow body iron designs in golf? For this company, it would appear that it is done with care while not fearing innovation and advancement. You see, the Mizuno Pro 245 irons are both similar, and new.
The first thing done by Mizuno was as they did with the rest of the MP offerings, they made them smaller everywhere. The Mizuno Pro 245 is more compact heel to toe and also has a thinner topline with the goal of expanding the audience for these irons into even the pickiest golfers out there. Interestingly, all of the irons in the 245 set got smaller except for the GW which is a bit longer in blade length as Mizuno believes it flows within the progressive nature more smoothly.
While it may sound cliché, it really is what’s inside that counts with the Mizuno Pro 245 irons. There is now 47 grams of suspended tungsten within the 2-7 irons compared to 30g last time around. That weight is placed as low as possible without touching the sole to get the CG lower and deeper. Additionally, there is now a larger “thin sole area” which brings up the COR meaning more power is possible.
The 2-8 are laser welded and built from Grain Flow Forged 4135 Chromoly in the face and neck with a 431 Stainless Steel back. As mentioned, the 2-7 use Tungsten, but it is of note that the 8i does not to aid in the transition to the 9-GW. Those irons are also laser welded but built out of Grain Flow Forged HD 1025E bodies and a 17-4 Stainless Steel back piece with part hollow construction.
All of these things are in place to get the CG deeper throughout the whole set while also optimizing the sweet spot location, specifically in the 6-8 irons when comparing the 245’s to the 225’s. Equally important is the implementation of an all new multi-thickness CORTECH design withing the longer irons that has increased power and speed potential as well. Most interesting might be that Mizuno indicates that their testing has shown more speed in the PW and 4i while the 7i has stayed the same as in the 225’s. That is big if true because it addresses one of the only hiccups some golfers saw in the 225’s as it pertains to gapping.
The Mizuno Pro 245 irons also feature the same Harmonic Impact tuning and Copper Underlayer as the other irons in the lineup and are tied together with the matching Full Nickel Chrome Satin finish. They will be available in 4-PW with a GW and 2/3 (RH only) irons available as well. The irons are paired with True Temper DG Mid 115 (S) or 105 (R) as standard and come with Golf Pride MXX Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 245’s play off a 43-degree PW and 30-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro FLI-HI – Tour Long Iron
Last but absolutely not least, the FLI-HI is coming back as well. The last version proved to be one of the fastest utility/long-irons out there, but that hasn’t stopped Mizuno from pushing things further. Foremost, the shaping and size is now more compact overall. This is done both physically by moving the weld line onto the face from the topline allowing a geometry change as well as removing the blasted topline, both making for a smaller look.
The Pro FLI-HI now utilizes Mizuno’s first L-Face design which wraps the face plate around to the bottom of the sole. That face is made of heat treated 4335+ Nickel Chromoly which Mizuno more affectionately refers to as Hot Metal. The body and neck of the club are also built from 4335+ Nickel Chromoly, but it is not heat treated which makes the clubhead more bendable for fitting.
You might recall that the previous version used a uniform thickness on the face, well, with the move to 4335+ and the L-Face Mizuno has also implemented a multi-thickness design on the FLI-HI to increase spin consistency and overall retention on the club. If that wasn’t enough, CORTECH is here too which was key in allowing the thinner topline and more flex lower on the face. Mizuno has also applied 23-grams of Tungsten (21-grams in the predecessor) to get the CG even lower this year.
Their testing has shown 1.3 MPH more ball speed on average with more spin and an ever so slightly lower launch angle than last time. While that is exciting news, so too is the focus on Harmonic Impact tuning in which using internal sound ribs as well as the increase in Tungsten the company sought to make the FLI-HI more muted at lower frequencies while creating a higher sound pressure to make the club at the same time feel hotter off the face.
The Mizuno Pro FLI-HI long irons are finished in a Satin Black Ion brushed look and will be available in 2 (16.5), 3 (19.0), and 4 (21.5) in both RH and LH. They will be matched with SteelFiber HLS 880 shafts in F4 or F5 as standard. The FLI-HI will come with Golf Pride MXX Black/Gray grips and be priced at $250.00 per club. The 241’s play off a 46-degree PW and 34-degree 7i.
The Details
As you can see, Mizuno has certainly not rested on their laurels with the upcoming Mizuno Pro 24X release and feel poised to create even more momentum for this flagship lineup. Though the irons will not be hitting retail until 1/25/24, however you can expect to begin seeing them on Tour’s worldwide starting now. Not to mention, be sure to stay tuned to THP for much more on the full Mizuno Pro release.
For more information, check out their website at www.mizunogolf.com.
[QUOTE=”foodem, post: 12180233, member: 78665″]
Hi all,
New to Hacker’s Paradise and excited to be here. About to order 243s after a fitting had them edging out the T150’s but have been pulling over the specs.
Apologies if this is answered elsewhere but anyone also tackle these questions?
-Was fit at standard length and lie for both 243 and T150, and am standard in my current AP2s. But standard for Mizuno is 0.25” longer and 1d flatter, so should I order standard (and trust the results) OR order them 0.25” short and 1d upright?
-Ball flight seemed a bit flatter than ideal vs. my gamers. 5 yards further but slightly lower launch, spin, height and descent. Fitter didn’t mention weakening lofts. Anyone else move from a players cavity and have to adjust lofts on the 243s?
Appreciate your thoughts!
[/QUOTE]
I would order to exactly what you were fit….as for the flight and numbers, they are either about 1 – 2 degrees stronger for a players model. The PW is 44 and most players blades/cavities are 46*. I weakened my 243’s 1 degree and they’re still lower spin then id like but its also only indoor testing so not jumping to conclusions yet
I would first start by looking at the ball you’re playing. Off a 7i its not crazy to think you can pick up an extra 500 rpm’s backspin just from changing the ball
I went to a Mizuno Fitting yesterday and reviewed my 245 set up.
I came away thinking that these 245’s are just the bomb, just the bomb.
They are everything I’d hoped they would be when they were announced.
I hit them them really well with the fitter and established that I can hit a 6i, so I’m adding a 245 6i to the bag.
And here is the best part, even with a somewhat “Blind” Buy, I got the shafts right, so no need to change that.
I talked to the club buyer at the golf club that I was at and asked if the Ai Smoke was the big mover.
His answer was yes for Woods however overall, the 245’s are his biggest seller so far of 2024.
[QUOTE=”Iceman!, post: 12183322, member: 32688″]
I went to a Mizuno Fitting yesterday and reviewed my 245 set up.
I came away thinking that these 245’s are just the bomb, just the bomb.
They are everything I’d hoped they would be when they are announced.
I hit them them really well with the fitter and established that I can hit a 6i, so I’m adding a 245 6i to the bag.
And here is the best part, even with a somewhat “Blind” Buy, I got the shafts right, so need to change that.
I talked to the club buyer at the golf club that I was at and asked if the Ai Smoke was the big mover.
His answer was yes for Woods however overall, the 245’s are his biggest seller so far of 2024.
[/QUOTE]
Ugh, the 245 are so impressive.
Having enjoyed my time with the 225 in the long irons, it’s hard not to let these irons bounce around in the back of my head in 4-5 slot.
[QUOTE=”Iceman!, post: 12183322, member: 32688″]
I went to a Mizuno Fitting yesterday and reviewed my 245 set up.
I came away thinking that these 245’s are just the bomb, just the bomb.
They are everything I’d hoped they would be when they are announced.
I hit them them really well with the fitter and established that I can hit a 6i, so I’m adding a 245 6i to the bag.
And here is the best part, even with a somewhat “Blind” Buy, I got the shafts right, so need to change that.
I talked to the club buyer at the golf club that I was at and asked if the Ai Smoke was the big mover.
His answer was yes for Woods however overall, the 245’s are his biggest seller so far of 2024.
[/QUOTE]
well that right there is pretty damn awesome.
[QUOTE=”Canadan, post: 12183327, member: 2320″]
Ugh, the 245 are so impressive.
Having enjoyed my time with the 225 in the long irons, it’s hard not to let these irons bounce around in the back of my head in 4-5 slot.
[/QUOTE]
[USER=1579]@Jman[/USER] and [USER=6727]@War Eagle[/USER] mentioned something about a group buy. You in? haha
[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 12183332, member: 782″]
[USER=1579]@Jman[/USER] and [USER=6727]@War Eagle[/USER] mentioned something about a group buy. You in? haha
[/QUOTE]
haha, probably not. But I’m going to let them bounce around in my brain for the next six months because that’s the healthy thing to do.
[QUOTE=”Canadan, post: 12183338, member: 2320″]
haha, probably not. But I’m going to let them bounce around in my brain for the next six months because that’s the healthy thing to do.
[/QUOTE]
is this because I make fun of the Blue Jays?
[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 12183348, member: 782″]
is this because I make fun of the Blue Jays?
[/QUOTE]
I’d get 245’s with Blue Jays logos on them, for sure.
[QUOTE=”Canadan, post: 12183338, member: 2320″]
haha, probably not. [B]But I’m going to let them bounce around in my brain for the next six months[/B] because that’s the healthy thing to do.
[/QUOTE]
[B]Bounce around for 6 months?[/B] you do realize you’re on THP right?
If you said 6 minutes or 6 days, I would have understood.
[QUOTE=”Canadan, post: 12183351, member: 2320″]
I’d get 245’s with Blue Jays logos on them, for sure.
[/QUOTE]
I’ll make a call
[QUOTE=”Iceman!, post: 12183358, member: 32688″]
[B]Bounce around for 6 months?[/B] you do realize you’re on THP right?
If you said 6 minutes or 6 days, I would have understood.
[/QUOTE]
haha, it’s only been a couple weeks since I hit the 6 iron demo interplanetary.
It’s hard to forget about it.
[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 12183332, member: 782″]
[USER=1579]@Jman[/USER] and [USER=6727]@War Eagle[/USER] mentioned something about a group buy. You in? haha
[/QUOTE]
I vote him in.
That makes 4, how many more can we get on board? :ROFLMAO:
[QUOTE=”Iceman!, post: 12183322, member: 32688″]
I went to a Mizuno Fitting yesterday and reviewed my 245 set up.
I came away thinking that these 245’s are just the bomb, just the bomb.
They are everything I’d hoped they would be when they are announced.
I hit them them really well with the fitter and established that I can hit a 6i, so I’m adding a 245 6i to the bag.
And here is the best part, even with a somewhat “Blind” Buy, I got the shafts right, so no need to change that.
I talked to the club buyer at the golf club that I was at and asked if the Ai Smoke was the big mover.
His answer was yes for Woods however overall, the 245’s are his biggest seller so far of 2024.
[/QUOTE]
That’s fantastic man!!
Plan on comparing these to my 225’s eventually….
[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 12183332, member: 782″]
[USER=1579]@Jman[/USER] and [USER=6727]@War Eagle[/USER] mentioned something about a group buy. You in? haha
[/QUOTE]
243’s call me.
Time seems to stand still when you’re waiting for your new irons to come in….. [emoji30]
It’s only been two week, but still…. The anticipation is killing me! [emoji23]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
its too early to form a decision for me and give up on the 243’s but im finding them to be dangerously low spin. My game and swing is nowhere near where it used to be so im trying to withhold judgement, but im seeing 5000 spin with the 7i and weakened 1 degree already
at this point i enjoy hitting the cobra cb/mb setup more than the 243’s
Just got the word that these are in and ready to be picked up!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[QUOTE=”meloisa, post: 12210072, member: 59081″]
Just got the word that these are in and ready to be picked up!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[/QUOTE]
Quick note, Tapatalk will be going away on THP beginning soon due to their horrible security and software issues.
We strongly recommend switching to the browser which has all of our features.
Finally have them in hand! First round will have to wait though, kid’s sports and birthday this weekend mean it’s going to be a minute until these beauties touch grass. [ATTACH type=”full”]9250048[/ATTACH]
243’s are treating me well. I’m starting to understand the new yardages, ball flight, and spin I’m getting with them in comparison to 923 and the dialing seems to be coming along.
This is an 8 iron into a 147y par 3. Ended pin high 10ft left. Sound and feel of the 243’s are ????
8-iron Zstar ? #par3
[MEDIA=youtube]L9hASGqV8qY[/MEDIA]
[QUOTE=”That post, post: 12222035, member: 65950″]
243’s are treating me well. I’m starting to understand the new yardages, ball flight, and spin I’m getting with them in comparison to 923 and the dialing seems to be coming along.
This is an 8 iron into a 147y par 3. Ended pin high 10ft left. Sound and feel of the 243’s are ????
8-iron Zstar ? #par3
[MEDIA=youtube]L9hASGqV8qY[/MEDIA]
[/QUOTE]
How do you like that ball so far?
Finally got to take these out for the first time today. Have 243 5-GW and 245 4 iron (though there was a mixup with the order so this still hasn’t arrived yet).
First round of golf since end of January. First time swinging a club since I was fit for these in February. Literally was peeling the plastic off of them in the parking lot of the course.
My swing was beyond rusty but man, I’m so happy with these irons. Makes me even more excited to finally get my 245 4 iron to complete the set. I scored terribly, and maybe only really flushed one iron shot all day….but it’s because of the round that I had that I left the course with a smile on my face. A smile that was there from the very first iron swing until I walked off the course. I got way more out of these today than I deserved. Mishits definitely get punished. My miss is low on the face and these 243’s handled that like absolute champs today. I was shocked at the distance and height I was getting out of living a few grooves low on the face all day.
I can’t wait to start flushing these and really see what they can do.
I’m in love. ?
Over the last 3-4 rounds I’ve been hitting the 243’s so well. There is absolutely no better feeling in golf than hitting the sweet spot of a Mizuno 243 7 iron.
I’m starting to occasionally experiment a little with shot shaping too, nothing dramatic but little fades and draw biased shots into wide open greens when there is no big trouble. It’s going decent needs more work. But one of the reasons I got the 243 over my HMP’s is for that reason.
Hit the 245s at my fitting today. I think I could game these on my best days but wanted to go with something a little more consistent for me in the end. When you hit these things pure though man, I don’t think I hit a better feeling iron all day. And I hit a bunch of irons including the JPX923, T150/200s, Callaway, PING i530 & Blueprints.
I couldn’t be happier that I put my big boy pants on, tightened my boots up, and went with the 243’s. I did some serious questioning of my decision early on but now that I’ve added a fair amount of speed and I’m hitting them just about as far as the 923’s I came from, I’m realizing what I was giving up with the 923 HMP’s.
Don’t get me wrong HMP’s are fabulous irons but the 243 is just in a different stratosphere of shot-making. The stopping power I’m getting from the higher more controllable ball flight is so nice. I’m dialing them in pretty well and now I’m extremely confident that I can play this type of ‘players iron’ with great results.
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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Those look amazing – heal up quickly!
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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Oh my… those are beautiful JB. The shafts are incredible love the laser etched Arrow what a great touch!
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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Wow. That’s a special set. Congrats.
Surprised more folks haven’t commented on those 245’s- Those are so well done JB! Wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the alternating color’s but it really pops!!
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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Those look sick [USER=3]@JB[/USER]. I was so close to pulling the trigger on these. They feel great and look even better, but just weren’t the best fit for me.
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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I am glad to see they finally came in! They look great!
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12297769, member: 3″]
Not big on video, so more posts will be written word coming up, but typing is challenging right now.
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You could send them to a Packer fan when you’re done with them ??
[QUOTE=”USAF Retired, post: 12299471, member: 51894″]
You could send them to a Packer fan when you’re done with them ??
[/QUOTE]
Ewww. I would never make Arrow go through that
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12299473, member: 3″]
Ewww. I would never make Arrow go through that
[/QUOTE]
He’d enjoy Titletown ?
Watching the Mizuno video really want to try the 245’s now