Equipment
Mizuno MP-69 Irons Review
by floyd
Introduction:
This in my non-biased review of the Mizuno MP-69s. First I must say that I have played Mizuno blades on and off for many years. I have played the MS/MP-9s, MP-11s. MP-14s, MP-29s, MP-33s, MP-27s,MP-63s and my favorite TN-87s. They all were great feeling and top notch quality irons but I always found something I didn’t like. Either they had to much offset or too round or too square looking. So in nutshell, I have been well aware and kept up with Mizuno irons for many years. For the past three years I have been playing Bridgestone/Tourstage blades and CB’s. I have playing the MP-69s for a few weeks (about 15 rounds) now and have practiced with them extensively.
Pros:
On April 23, 2012 I met with Mizuno to get a complete fitting for a set of MP-69s. It was very impressive, especially the shaft optimizer. After an extensive two (2) hour fitting session I was fitted with the KBS Tour X, standard length, standard grip, and 1* upright. It was an awesome experience! After I left the session, Coby (with Mizuno) sent me an email and told me I would have the irons on the April 30th. Well, he was correct, they were on the door step. One thing I found out about Mizuno is they are very detailed about their fitting and they will not tell you what you want to hear. They will tell you the facts. They will fit you with what will work for you.
Now to the irons. These irons are things of beauty. Really too beautiful to hit. What I really like about them is there is minimal offset — especially in the short irons. The head shape has a soft roundish look which I really like a lot. The heads took me a little to get use to because of the size. They are somewhat small but very confident-looking. The first iron I hit was the 8 and it was love at first shot. The MP-69s have the traditional buttery feel like as usual. In fact I believe they have the buttery feel of the TN-87s. I was a little concerned with the sole width. They are thin, but after a few shots the concerned disappeared quickly.
Cons:
As a +2.1 GHIN, these irons are perfect. For the higher handicapper ,it might not be the best choice because of the small head, thin sole and very little offset. I have thought long and hard and cannot say one negative thing about these irons. Maybe the only thing that was not ideal was several of the grips were installed a bit crooked.
Quality:
As for quality , the MP-69s get an “A”. The swingweights on all irons were D3. All the lengths were spot on. All the lofts and lies were spot on. I must say I was really shocked about the lofts and lies being spot on. This is the FIRST time ever that the loft and lies were spot on after getting fitted. Very impressive. The only thing that was a little less desirable was there were a few grips that were crooked.
CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE MP-69S IN THE FORUM
Review:
MP-69s are grain flow forged with 1025E “Pure Select” mild carbon steel, 4D muscle design delivers unmatched ball and trajectory control by maintaining the perfect COG design in each club head.
Looks:
The looks of the MP-69s are stunning. Pure beauty. Shiny chrome with soft edges. No fancy or gimmicky looks. Very minimal offset with a smallish-type head. The leading edge has been soften some to prevent digging. The soles look thin but surprisingly very workable. I really like the edge. They have a nice round and soft transition rather than an abrupt edge. Mizuno went all out on these irons, paying a lot of attention to detail.
Performance/playability:
I practiced extensively and played about 15 rounds with these. To be honest at first I was very intimidated because of the size but after one hit I was in heaven. The performance is absolutely top notch. The sole design cuts through the turf without digging. They are very easy to hit any type of shot — fade, draw, high, low — Really easy to manipulate the ballflight. After hitting a lot of balls, I figured out the only way to miss the sweetspot is to miss the ball completely. Sound strange but that is what it came down to for me, in fact to me the MP-69s are easier to hit than cavity backs. I really like the sole design, when I think of thin soles I think of digging into the ground, the sole design is thin but will not dig unless you want it to, very easy to hit out of divots and deep rough.
Feel:
The feel is what is to be expected from Mizuno, soft and buttery, to me they very comparable to TN-87s, which to me is the all time best feeling iron. Don’t get me wrong, all Mizuno irons I have had were soft and buttery when struck but to me I feel like the 69s are the best they have made in years. Mizuno did a great job building the 69s. All the irons have a consistent swingweight of D3. All I can say is the MP-69s have impeccable feel. I have played many irons over the years and to me these are the best feeling blades since the TN-87s.
CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE MP-69S IN THE FORUM
Overall bottom line:
Years of playing on and off with Mizuno’s the MP-69s are the best blades they have put out since TN-87s. I had planned on playing these for a few weeks and putting the Bridgestones back in the bag, BUT that did not happen. The MP-69s are the gamers and the Bridgestones are a memory. If my review sounds like I am loyal to Mizuno, but I have no loyalty to any company. I use what works for me. It has been many years since any iron just shocked me with the feel, playability and quality….the MP-69s have done that.
Check out all the pics…
CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE MP-69S IN THE FORUM
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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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
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Greg Berlin
Aug 13, 2013 at 10:35 pm
I purchased a set on a whim after playing my old ping eye 2 abd callaway diablo forged. After playing those two interchangeably, both I found had pluses and weaknesses although both very good sets of clubs. These mizunos mp67s are absolutely incredible! I’ve never hit a set of irons better than these. Everything you said hit nail on the head. I haven’t found them harder to hit than any cavity back, but instead easier for me with more distance on both. I have the x100 tour issue shafts 1/2″ long in length d3 swing weight and they are incredible. The feel, the distance, the look, etc. I’m in love for the first time ever I think. I figured if I didn’t hit them well, I’d just sleep with them because they are quite possibly the sexiest irons I’ve ever seen. I highly recommend to everyone who loves golf to at least give these a try at your local range or store. There’s no way you could be disappointed. I may buy a 2nd set to keep when I wear these out.
Andrew Diesel
Jul 25, 2013 at 10:36 pm
I just got the mp 69s today and I experienced everything that was said in this review. They are unbelievable!
Chad
Feb 1, 2013 at 1:11 pm
I put these in my bag on Jan 1. These irons are as pure as it gets. To me they felt much better than the mp64s and slightly better than the 712MBs. They really aren’t that hard to hit either. You have to hit it pretty far of the toe to get punished. The best part is flighting the ball. Very easy to play with the heights and spin on each shot. I did lose 5 yards cause the lofts and shafts aren’t jacked up. I could always turn them down a degree if it bothers me. +1.7 if it matters to anyone.
Oh, and they are absolutely gorgeous. It’s like getting to play with Brooklyn Decker a couple of times a week.
Daniel
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Hey, I play off of 10 at the moment , am a pretty decent ball striker, would these clubs help my game or am I getting ahead of myself?!
Fred
Dec 17, 2012 at 12:57 am
Just got my 69s – 1′ upright, KBS Tour C-Taper X-flex. Been playing MP60s for over 5 yrs now – haven’t been impressed with new irons until the MP69 came out.
WOW – great sticks! Assume the shaft is a big factor, as I was in DG X100s before, but impressive bump in workability, variability of flight, & feel @ contact.
I play between a 2-5 GHIN Index, and haven’t had any probs with the aggressive optics (topline, offset, head size) compared to my MP60s
Will be working on getting yardage gaps right over the winter, as the specs are about 1′ stronger than my 60s.
Net/net: I HIGHLY recommend these irons for any better player, Dont get wrapped around the axle on the hdcp guidelines- if you are consistently making good contact with forged, cavity back, perim weighted sticks, you will manage the transition to the more optically aggressive 69s just fine.
Jim A
Nov 10, 2012 at 9:54 am
I really didn’t find them to be all that small. At least they were bigger than my Titleist 681s.
Anyway, you really can’t appreciate Mizzy’s grain flow forging until you hit them in 40-degree temps. I waited all season to get the right temps to compare the GFF to my Titleist 681s, 690s,, KZG ZOs, and old MP-33s. When we finally got a sunny day with temps in the low 40s, I hit the range. I beat about 80+ of those hard-as-rocks off-season range balls with the 6-iron from all five sets. By comparison, the MP-69 felt like I was hitting ProV1x balls off turf in mid-season temps. And it was easily 5-8 yards longer than all the others.
At first, when the MP-69s first came out, I loved the 4-D concept because they gave me the trajectory of my low-muscle 690s. But I was iffy about the offset. Minimal as is might be, I don’t like more than 2mm in the mid and long irons, which is why I tended to favor my 681s or ZOs. But when the weather turns cool, the thin misses of my picker/slider swing would be too punishing.
But after playing over 20 rounds with the MP-69s (four in late season temps), the offset isn’t an issue in the least bit as the face is easy to manipulate regardless of which way I’m working the ball.
Riley
Oct 14, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Been gaming these in the 8-PW along with the 59’s in longer irons. I wish I would have gotten all blades. When struck well they are so pure. Nothing more rewarding then sticking one tight.
Chance D
Feb 20, 2013 at 8:51 pm
The mp59’s are still considered blades. Just a bit more forgiving.
Matt
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:43 am
Im a 3 handicapp and am looking for new irons and i really love the look of these irons. Do you think im good enough to have success with these irons?
Terry
Mar 19, 2013 at 11:00 pm
I have two sets of MP69, one with Dynamic Gold S200 and the other with KBS tour s. I’ve been playing with them for about 6 months now (USGA 7.5 handicapper). I don’t find them difficult to hit at all. I love their sharp look which gives me that I could really cut grass behind a ball. I also have Callaway Razr X forged, which is excellent irons too, but hardly play with them since I got my hands on MP69. You should definitely try! No problem for bogey player or better player.
Jake
Jul 12, 2012 at 5:06 pm
I never smiled for 45 minutes straight until I took these clubs to the range.
UNBELIEVABLE!
My last blades were Hogan Apex irons and they don’t even compare to the feel and workability of the MP-69.
You will not go back to a cavity-back after you hit these.
Mick
Jul 5, 2012 at 9:22 am
Awesome irons…but probably only suitable for the top 20% of tour pros. Anyone not named Luke Donald or Sergio Garcia would be better off with something more forgiving if he is really looking to improve his scores. Otherwise, a dream for equipment junkies and vanity handicaps everywhere
RJ
Jun 29, 2012 at 11:07 pm
I found this article to be spot on. I’ve been using the Bridgestone J38s over the last 12+ months and I had the same reaction when using an MP69 demo 6-iron at the range. I took the 53, 59, and 69 to the range and the 69 is hands down the best of the three. The 53 has a bit of a dull feel, the 59 is a bit too firm, and the 69 was quite a surprise.
David
May 28, 2012 at 8:22 pm
I also have to say that I could’t be happier with the irons, amazing!!
David
May 28, 2012 at 8:17 pm
I have a mix of mp 69’s and 59’s and had the same problem with the grips!
Goober
May 21, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Crooked grips would’ve made me crazy.
Dark Elf
May 20, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Well done Hipcheck. You could do this for a living. MP59’s should be here first part of the week. Having second thoughts after reading your review. And I would have saved $100. 5 years MP32’s and still amazed with the feel, performance, value and durability-still look great. Maybe 69’s 7-PW. Thanks again!