News
New Mizuno irons – exclusive pictures
The MP-67 range from Mizuno has been out for almost two years making it due for an update in a few months time. GolfWRX has exclusive pictures taken of what may be the replacement.
Not only that but an updated version of the MP-62 surfaced at the same event – what looks like a Black Nickel finish similar to that offered on the Mizuno wedges. As these are generally acknowledged to have a slightly softer feel that the chrome versions, it will be interesting to see if this carries through to the irons too.
The new muscle back seems to have a similar shape to some previous Mizuno classics like the TN-87 and the 14, 29 and 37 of the MP range by having the muscleback cut down at the toe end. Where they appear to differ is that there appears to be a narrow ridge of extra muscle along the bottom edge.Adopting the dual muscle concept of the recent MP-62 range seems to indicate that the cut-muscle technology has been well and truly superseded.
The darker version of the MP-62 extends Mizuno’s options in the better player market and along with this new muscleback shows that a company renown as one of the greatest iron manufacturers has not sat on their laurels.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Equipment
Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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cj
Jul 10, 2009 at 5:45 pm
They really don’t “look” all that great to me? I play 60’s right now…think the 67’s would be worth looking at. As a side, I liked the nike blade pretty well when I tried them. I still use the cally proto as my benchmark, it was a very solid club.
nick
Jul 8, 2009 at 6:05 pm
thanks martin, you are correct about the misleading part
Martin Anderson
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:53 am
@nick,
The grooves on Mizuno irons are modified U-grooves that are conforming to the new regs. These new regs do not actually ban U-grooves as such, only the more aggressive versions like you find on wedges and some irons. People refer to conforming grooves (a little misleadingly) as V-grooves for historical reasons rather than reasons of accuracy.
nick
Jul 8, 2009 at 12:56 am
on the mizuno website, it shows the 62’s as having forged u grooves. Thats why i was asking about the clubs conforming. Where did you see that the mizunos are v grooves
jjmcbryde
Jul 7, 2009 at 7:30 am
500 hundred sets have already been released in europe.
James Lawler
Jul 6, 2009 at 10:57 am
I was going to order a new set of MP62’s and tested these against the MP67’s. Absolutley no contest, the MP67’s were superior in every respect. When I tried to order a custom set of MP67’s I was told that they were no longer available. When I asked if a replacement was due they said there was and gave Sept as the launch date. I desperately want to see the replacement in the flesh and hit it before making up my mind. I hope it is worth waiting for as the MP62’s are not great
Martin Anderson
Jul 6, 2009 at 3:44 am
All the mizuno irons are already conforming so these will too.
nick
Jul 5, 2009 at 8:57 pm
anybody know if they are going to be conforming to the new groove rules…i.e u grooves
John
Jul 3, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Great club
Brian
Jun 14, 2009 at 12:15 am
wow, the blades look exactly like the mp-37s
Gary
Jun 10, 2009 at 12:54 am
Wow good news! It only make sense that the best iron makers would offer more options to everyone. Thanks Joel!
And Alex.. I have to agree with William here. The 67 looks a bit busy not because of the words but its contour. The 62 looks just perfect tho.
Joel
Jun 8, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I just talked to a Mizuno rep, and he said that these would in fact be available for all those who swing backwards….lefties. Just thought I would pass that along for those who have been left in the dark for so long. Cheers
Landon
Jun 4, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Mizuno needs to cater more to lefties. I would love to get my hands on a set of new blades!
alex
Jun 1, 2009 at 3:43 pm
How can they forget the bird, when that is part of there logo, it has been around for a long time, and is incorporated in everything Mizuno does? The back of the blade says mizuno and prototype, how is that busy?
William
May 28, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Pretty clubs. The back looks a little busy. I wish they would FORGET the “bird”!
Alex
May 26, 2009 at 7:58 am
Well hopefully they will be brought out at the end of the summer. Mizuno traditionally releases new irons out in August/September, so hopefully we will see some new additions soon!
Mike
May 25, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I’m a HUGE fan of any MP iron Mizuno brings out. I was going to buy a new set of MP-62’s to replace my MP-32’s but now I think I will wait until the Fall to see if these make it to market.
James Lawler
May 25, 2009 at 3:44 am
My God, that Prototype has drool hanging from my mouth……..when will we see a set retail???
surehands79
May 24, 2009 at 9:19 am
when will Mizuno let lefties into their top end blades?
Søren
May 24, 2009 at 4:14 am
Sweeeeeeeeeet… 🙂
Gary
May 23, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Mizuno never fails to impress, but will they out do themselves? Hopefully, although unlikely, these new sticks will be available for lefties.