Ask any serious golfer what they think of Mizuno irons and you will more than likely get some variation of this: ‘Top quality forged irons with buttery soft feel’. In the years before big money contracts, Mizuno dominated the major Tours in iron usage with its MP range of irons. The MP-14, MP-29 and MP-33 are all rightly heralded as classic muscleback blades and the more recent award winning MP-32 with its cut muscle technology has proved a huge success.
Mizuno say that they only release new equipment when they are happy that they have something that is an improvement on its predecessor. For them to be releasing 4 irons sets at once indicates that some serious work has been going on in the offices of the Research and Development department. With the MX-100 and MX-200 aimed at the game improvement market and the MP-52 being aimed at the mid to low handicapper, Bag Chatter got to test the newest in Mizuno’s long line of better player irons, the MP-62.
Of all the more recent Mizuno irons, few have been held in higher regard than the MP-33. The classic muscleback blade produced an enviable combination of performance and feel that was adored by the best players in the world. That said, the uptake on Tour of the cavity back MP-60 irons showed that even the best players in the world appreciate a little more forgiveness. Mizuno have obviously taken this on-board, combined the principles behind both and created the dual-muscle cavity back that is the MP-62. When testing the prototype irons with Tour players Mizuno taped up the back of the club so that the players could not tell whether they were playing blades or cavity backs – the MP-62 is the result of the iron that dominated the players preferred choice.
MP-62 showing the Dual Muscle
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The MP-62 is described as a Dual Muscle by Mizuno. Unlike a simple muscleback blade where the muscle section is straight across the back, the muscleback on the MP-62 is separated across both the cavity and the perimeter. Unlike many of the recent Mizuno irons, there is no sign of the cut-muscle technology that made the MP-32 so stunning. Mizuno go on to describe this iron as a Tour-ready design that came out from numerous prototypes from the Tour workshop. With minimal offset, a centrally located center of gravity and the same sole grind as one of the finest iron strikers in the game, Luke Donald, this is a club aimed at the better player – one who does not need any help controlling their shot pattern but instead is looking to work the ball, both left and right and high and low.
Technical Specs
| Iron | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | PW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loft | 21 | 24 | 27 | 31 | 35 | 39 | 43 | 47 |
| Lie | 59.5 | 60.0 | 60.5 | 61.0 | 61.5 | 62.0 | 62.5 | 63.0 |
| Length | 38.75" | 38.25" | 37.75" | 37.25" | 36.75" | 36.25" | 35.75" | 35.50" |
| Swing weight | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D1-D3 | D2-D4 |
Material: 1025E pure select mild steel
Forged U-Grooves (unaffected by the recent USGA and R&A ruling on grooves)
Standard shafts: steel – Dynamic Gold R300, S300, Project X 5.5, Exsar IS2 Tour Spec (R, S, X)
Custom shafts: Dynamic Gold Superlite, Dynamic Gold High Launch, Dynalite Gold XP, Project X, Rifle, Nippon N.S. Pro 950GH, Nippon N.S. Pro 1150GH Tour
Standard grips: Tour Pride M21
Lie Adjustment: +/- 2 degrees
Length Adjustment: +/- 0.5"
Face-on view showing the classic box toe and heel-toe cambered sole
Appearance
An exceptionally handsome set of irons. With the small face and double nickel chrome plated finish at address the MP-62 is almost impossible to distinguish from a blade. The long irons have a classic box toe and sit tight behind the ball with a small but reassuring amount of offset. With the shorter irons the high toe is still present which makes aligning the ball very simple and the transition from hosel to face is as unobtrusive as you could wish for and the top line is super sleek. All things considered, this verges into a new iron category – the cavity blade, where the club is completely blade like at address but still offers the benefits of a cavity back.
Can you tell which is which? MP-62 on the left, MP-32 on the right
Feel
With the research performed by Mizuno into vibration and frequency analysis – where the pitch, volume, length of sound generated by each head was analyzed – a clean strike with these delivers a unbelievably pure sensation that is frighteningly addictive. The Grain-Flow forged heads ring like a bell when you flush one out of the middle. The feel is amazingly solid and harks back far more to the MP-33 than the MP-32 or MP-60 that this iron replaces in the Mizuno line-up. Combined with that trademark buttery soft feel that all Mizuno’s have and you have 8 pieces of heaven.
Thins and shots missed towards the toe or heel are dealt with surprisingly well for such a blade-like club with little or no unwanted vibration, but hit this club too high on the clubface and you are well and truly told that you got it wrong.
Performance
While it is clearly a cavity back, the amount of perimeter weighting is fairly small so while it is more forgiving than a pure blade like the MP-67 or MP-33, it is closer to them than a cavity back like the MP-52. With the minimal offset and the sheer mass of the dual muscle behind the ball, you would expect the ball flight to be mid-low and you are not disappointed. The natural ball flight of this club is one that will pierce through any wind, resisting ballooning or any tendency to be blown off-course. The marketing info contained the phrase "Neutral left / right shotmaker’s bias" which has confused some people into thinking that there is a bias towards playing a fade. This is incorrect as just a few shots will show you that there is no shot bias and that what the marketing blurb is saying is that the neutral COG allows you to move the ball both left and right with equal ease. The same few shots will also show you that these are definitely shape makers clubs. These are a paper-width less workable than the MP-67 blades – but only a paper-width – but the cavity and peripheral weighting makes them far more forgiving in comparison.
As mentioned earlier, the shape of the sole is directly taken from Luke Donald’s personal grind – having both a rolling leading edge and a rolled trailing edge to ensure consistent turf interaction – and has an aggressive camber from back to front and from heel to toe, allowing both diggers and pickers to play their natural shots.
MP-62 6 iron sole grind
Distance is also very good and in combination with the Project X shafts fitted in the review set we were able to really get the ball out there with very little extra effort. This excellent distance was not at the expense of any consistency as the dual muscle setup really came into its own when flag hunting. If you put the same swing on the club, you are able to predict exactly what the ball is going to do: shot height, shape and spin levels are all served on a plate and it’s just a question of what you want to do.
Conclusion
Everything about the MP-62 is 5-10% better than I expected, and I expected them to be seriously good. Mizuno’s determination to only release clubs when they feel they are improvements on what came before has paid off and the high level of customization and the wide array of shaft options mean there is no excuse for not getting the setup that is just right for you. While these are aimed at the better player, the dual muscle weighting makes these more accessible than a blade for almost exactly the same incredible level of performance but it does take a consistent iron player to get the most out of these. Mizuno’s stated aim for these clubs was to produce a Tour ready golf club and they absolutely have succeeded. Fans of blades and Mizuno irons in general will love these and I’m sure that they will also gather a few converts along the way.
Mizuno at their absolute best.
For more information visit golf.mizunoeurope.com or www.mizunousa.com/golf
Great review! Thank you. I wish that they make these in Left Handed!!! Mizuno…..there’s a lot of Lefties out there that would love to get a hold of these…..are you hearing me????
Thanks for the review!
I’m wondering how these compare to the MP-14s, which appear very similar and are cheap on e-bay? Any insight?
I’m in between the MP 62 and the MP 52, coming from the MP 67 (not consistent enough to hit sustained solid shots). I’d love to read the review on the 52, so I could make up my mind, but after this excellent review…… Just one more thing: if PX 5.5 is equivalent to DG 300S, then the PX 5.0 would be like the DG 300R, right?
As a Mizuno irons enthusiast, I read and follow everything new.
It would be difficult to move me from blades and thin top lines, but this review has certainly piqued my interest!
Looking forward to demo
CORRECTION: It looks like the MP 30 (not the MP-14).
Excellent review Martin!
The point of a review is to get you interested in buying. I think Mizuno has released too many forged irons lately and would like to see them slow down a bit. It also hurts the resale value of my just released MP-57’s. Nice looking blade though!
Great review! Just ordered a set today with S-400’s, and look forward to receiving them!
Great review!! Confirmed what I have experienced. I picked up a set of 62’s with s300’s two weeks ago. I have played mizuno’s for years and they are replacing my 32’s. My 32’s had x100’s and I haven’t notice any difference in performance with the s300’s. I have played six rounds and spend 6-8 hours on the range. These 62’s are for real. Solid, accurate and predictable! I am able to work the ball at will. Best ever!
Hcp +3
I hate to say this, but Mizuno looks like they are going soft. All the hot air in the world can try to explain away how great these new irons are, but one look at them and there’s no hiding the fact they are choppers clubs. If I wanted to buy an oversized forgiving cavity back I’d go look at Ping and Callaway. When I think Mizuno, I think forged muscle back blades in their purest form. I’m not thinking oversized hackers shovels like the MP62 seems to be.
Good review. I hit the MP62s next to my MP30s and I didn’t notice enough of a difference to buy a new set, even though I would like a slightly more forgiving iron. Any comments?
Finally the Mizuno Demo Van came to Madrid (Spain). A pitty that they only had a couple of 6 irons with the same DG 300R. I tested them for 45 minutes alongside the MP 52 (same 6 iron and shaft). Conclussion: they are great!: better feeling and NO less forgiving than the MP 52. Compared to my MP 67, they are much easier to meet the sweet spot consistently.
I would have liked to test them with the Project X and Nippons though.
Brave comments from Big Lou. While the need for wanting Mizuno to stick to making “real clubs” it is a bit below the belt to compare them to the shovel makers of Callaway and Ping (I cannot bare the sight of any Callaway or Ping iron, but the x-forged is a step in the right direction). I have hit the MP62’s and they are by no means “choppers clubs”. Yes they are a lot more forgiving than the classic MP33’s, MP37’s, etc., and yes the short irons are a bit bigger than you would expect. However, if you feel the need to punish yourself at least 20 times per round and love zingy fingers there are many sets of MP11’s and MP14’s on eBay……
Any feedback on how the MP62 compares to the MP60 ? I wonder if I should switch.
As a lefty, I was in love with the MP32s. After 3-4 years of loving them and waiting for their replacement from Mizuno, they’re finally here – BUT NOT IN LEFT HAND !!!!!
Have since bought a set of Miuras – at least as good as the MP32s….
Mizuno – if you’re listening – you make wonderful clubs…… Just wish you’d make at least one higher end lefty set ( I do have a set of MP57s which are great too, but they lack the surgical finesse that the MP32s had)…..
Phil
There’s a post on the Mizuno Europe site about this.
http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/resources/faqsearch.php?id=1336&cat=&search=left%20hand
Looks like there might be something in the pipeline.
Just purchased some mp 57s after playing mx 19 for quite sometime. I am a mid handicap and now wish I would’ve waited for the mp 57’s anybody have some feed back on both the 52’s and 57’s
I have just bought a set of MP 62. Took a few practice rounds/driving range to get use to,but think I have finally got it to work for me. Played a couple rounds in really harsh winds in Cape Town South Africa and believe me the wind did not stand a chance.
It should take a mid to low handicap a month or two to get the clubs to work for them. Great clubs
I got these new MP-62 custom fit with the dynamic gold S-300. Ah yeah! These are wicked sweet. The best forged iron out. Mizuno just keeps on making their irons better and better. These play unbelievable. Great distance, trajectory, accuracy, and pretty much anything you can think of. Less offset, thin sole and topline. A true player’s iron. Mizuno’s reputation precedes itself, the best forged iron in the game hands down.
I have a set of MP-32’s and absolutely love them. I haven’t been able to hit these yet but would love too. Ive had my 32’s for 5 years now so it might be time for some new irons. I dont even know if I need to hit them before I buy them. mizuno makes the best irons of any club company out there for lower handicaps and im glad to see that they are still producing something for low handicaps as it seems everyone else is trying to get you to buy something very forgiving with huge offset and thick top line.
Having owned MP 32’s ans 67’s (Both were MINT) I hit the 62’s.
They were crap. Hit a soft girly fade with them. The guy said maybe I would be more suited to a 57. Hit that worse. I said give me a 67. I flushed it so pure and sweet, he made me hit another.
The purest sweetest shot with a nice lazy draw. Time after time.
I said don’t give me CAVITY CRAP. I want a real blade. Mizuno release a TRUE Players club a REAL replacement for the MP67 and I will buy it. I will not listen to your HYPE. Stop releasing Cavities.
Go back and make a Real blade to replace the 67. I have since gone to Callaway Prototype with TTTC X-1 shafts and they are mint.
I would love to try a New Mizuno blade with the TTTC X-1s in it. If Mizuno don’t bring back a Pure blade, then I may get another set of MP67’s. If you like cavities, go the 62. If you are a Blade man, stay away. The 62 is not a blade, and it does NOT behave like a Blade. The Mp 32’s were great, but I liked the 67’s even better. The 62’s are not in their league. Not even close. They should be compared to the MP60 not the MP67. Articles LIE, Ball Flight does not lie. I love Mizuno. I believe they make the Greatest irons on the planet. But they would be 33’s and 32’s and 67’s Please continue something on this path. Regards MJ
The MP 62s are a players iron. I played the 67s and noticed that the 62s feel just as good, and hit the ball just as good flush. If you ever mis-hit the ball which all of us do, unless you are Tom Watson or Fred Couples, the ball won’t go offline as bad as the 67s. Overall they are a 67 but more forgiving, and they are extremely workable.
MacGregor MT muscle backs from the late 70s. Remember those? I got out of those clubs finally in 1991 and lived life in the perimeter weighted world of Titleist DTR (’91 – 2003) and then PING IST (2003 – ‘09). Finally, I managed to find my soulmates again in the product known as the MIZUNO MP62. One-half inch longer S300 Gold TT shafts and a 1-degree upright build is all it has taken to fall completely in love with the game again. I carry a 7 handicap and in my second round with the MP62 I forged an Even Par round of 35 on the back nine from 3,300 yards. Dollar bill divots. A ball flight that can be easily controlled for penetration (wind) or butterfly landings with a controlled high fade, the new set of MP62 have me reliving the glory days of “blades” but with a nominal dose of forgiveness. Sure, there’s been a little sting here in there but I haven’t begun my work on the practice range to build a solid relationship with the MP62 yet, from 3 iron down to PW. I have ZERO worry that my move into the MIZNO MP62 was the right move for me this Summer.
After playing my first 4 rounds with these clubs I felt compelled to post a review. I previously played the Mizuno MP 67 (S300 shaft) and loved the classic look, feel, and performance of a true player’s muscle back blade. However, after a year with them i was still unable to consistently hit them where i wanted. They seemed like just too much club for someone who plays only 1-2x’s/week. When i hit them pure, it was amazing, unfortunately it just wasn’t on every shot.
In comes the MP 52s. These clubs are just truly amazing it’s not fair to my friends i play with. They are straight as an arrow, have great trajectory, amazing Mizuno Buttery feel, and yet are still workable left and right. With all the forgiveness that the 67’s just did not deliver. I’m usually a high 80s low 90s player, but i just shot a 79 for the first time with a pair of 82s and an 84 the first four times i used them!! I can’t believe it. The confidence these clubs inspires are great. I suggest the Project X shafts for players who think the S300s just don’t feel right. I got them in 5.5 flex. Overall, I highly recommend these clubs. Mizuno sacrificed nothing in accomplishing a truly forgiving, player’s style club. Feel is great, trajectory is fantastic and the performance is unattested by any other club.
Absolute rubbish MJ – a soft girly fade and a nice lazy draw are produced from different swing paths, NOT different clubs. Remember, there is a difference between ball flight and ball height. If you can nail an MP-67 you should crush an MP-62. If you owned MP-32’s and MP-67’s you wouldn’t heed the advice of a shop guy and yield to hitting an MP-57 – a real cavity
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I’m always amazed that there are golfers who want to argue that only blades produce the best feel/shot shape/etc. If that’s true, then why do more than 70% of PGA tour players play cavity back clubs? That is the logic for me. Mizuno makes fine golf clubs, but no one can argue that a pure blade is easier to hit consistently that a cavity. No one has commented that Mizuno also offers the chance to mix blades with cavities, or cavity with other models of cavity backs.