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Mizuno MP-64 Irons Review

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Review by: J13 – Updated 1-17-2013

Pros: Mizuno has hit a home run with these irons. I can’t stress it enough that along with Luke Donald’s help, Mizuno has taken a page out of the old play book and went back to the super soft feel that it is know for. My most recent set of Mizunos were the MP-68s. The MP-68s are certainly softer than the average forging, but the MP-64s just seem to melt at impact, like a hot knife through warm butter. Also the modern sized head and one of the best sole designs on record makes this a gem.

Cons: There’s not a whole lot to complain about with these. The only downside is that they aren’t super forgiving so you have to be a solid ball striker to wield the MP-64s. Now, I don’t like to put a handicap on irons like Mizuno does, but I will say that if you make consistent solid contact these irons will suit you nicely. If not, look at Mizuno’s MP-H4s, which are much more forgiving.

Bottom Line: Mizuno moved forward by looking behind. It took the feel that got Mizuno to the big dance and paired that up with the latest technology in forgiveness for a players iron. This goes to show that Mizuno is listening to the public.

Tested: Mizuno MP-64 (3-PW) with KBS Tour C-Taper X-Flex Shafts (Soft Stepped)

About Mizuno MP-64 Irons: Mizuno Golf has a history providing the best irons a golfer can buy. These forged irons were historically reserved for the better golfers. Now, Mizuno offers different designs for all levels of skill. The MP-64 irons we are reviewing here are for the better player, meaning if you have a handicap better than a 14 you could justify these, but more importantly is how you miss the shot. If you tend to hit the dirt before the ball and are heavy a lot, these might not be for you. The soles are on the thinner side. I will try to do an unbiased review. For the record, I play to a scratch handicap.

Here is a great tech video by GolfWRX:

[youtube id=”lWj4LJ-HhQc” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Click here for more discussion about the review in the forums

The Review

Looks:

The MP-64s are beautiful. Mizuno hit the nail on the head with these. They are understated — no crazy graphics — and set up to the ball like a players irons should. The Mizuno chrome shines like a set of 22-inch rims in a rap video. The satin face frames the ball extremely well and helps with alignment to the target.

mizuno mp64

 

Flow Thickness Diamond Muscle Pad delivers optimized performance and perfect flow through the entire set.

 

Another thing I enjoyed was all compliments from fellow players — I’ve never had another set that was so well received by other players. As you can see in the pics below, the MP-64s are consistent from heel to toe with a players iron. They do have a slightly thicker topline than some others however.

mizuno mp-64

It seems more noticeable in the 9 iron and pitching wedge, but again were talking slightly thicker, not thick. I really like the fact that I don’t see any cavity in the long irons, something that I’ve seen in other players irons that drives me nuts. The soles are perfect for all types of terrain, but they seem to favor firmer conditions.

mizuno irons 2013

As for offset, there’s not a lot. You can see from the pics and from specs that it ranges from 0.106 (PW) to 0.122 (3 iron). It’s very consistent throughout the set which is a plus. I know many players who want zero offset, but I personally enjoy a little relief.

mizuno mp-64mp64

 

Performance: 

Luke Donald, who never switches irons, moved to these within a week. That should be a good indication of how well these perform. Before I get to how these get that little white ball near that tiny cup, I want to first say that I’m a believer in the importance of custom fitting — irons will perform best if you have the right shaft.

Pitching wedge

2Y9G9646

 Scientifically designed to optimize sound and feel at impact utilizing Modal Analysis software and Mizuno’s Harmonic Impact Technology (HIT).

7 Iron

2Y9G9637

 

Forging process ensure that MP-64’s players cavity design delivers the ultimate in soft, solid, and consistent feel.

3 iron

2Y9G9628

 

Patented Grain Flow Forged 1025E “Pure Select” mil carbon steel provides the ultimate in soft, solid and consistent feel.

 

For me, that shaft is the KBS C-Taper, which is a low-launch, low-spin shaft that is good for fast tempos. I had mine soft stepped, which means I had a slightly softer shaft installed in each of my clubs. This is done by putting a 9-iron shaft in a PW, an 8-iron shaft in a 9 iron, etc. I’ve been playing the KBS C-Taper for more than a year now and they’re amazing. By pairing these up with the MP-64s, I had a set built for kings.

You can click one of these links to see close ups of PGA Tour players bags. Here is Charles Howell III WITB Photos .

mp-64 2013mizuno 2013

These irons have some of the tightest dispersion I’ve ever seen. For me, the ball comes off the face with a nice baby draw that hops and stops with some zip on it. These irons almost seem like they have square grooves even though I know they don’t. With my 8 iron, 9 iron and PW I was able to be extremely aggressive and hit past some pins knowing that the ball would zip back. I know my grooves are fresh, but the MP-64s spin more then the other sets I’ve tried this year. This has been extremely helpful in shots out of the rough and will definitely take some getting used to.

Flight and Distance: 

These are some of the easiest player cavity back irons to flight down if needed. I can control trajectory just as easy as a blade without question, as it appears to me that the center of gravity is not buried deep in the sole of the club like most cavity backs on the market. The first ball that I hit was with the 9 iron and my reaction was, “Wow these are flying low.” I loved it.

mizuno mp64

 

Modified U-Grooves produce the ideal spin rate for maximum playability in all conditions.

 

Now, for distance, there’s not a lot to say here. They are on par with other sets I’ve played that have the same loft. Mishits just off center fly just as far as a center strike, which is great for us humble amateurs. The lofts are essentially standard for today’s players irons so if you’re looking for irons that you can blast off into space and impress your playing partners because your PW is their 8 iron, this isn’t the set for you.

Club   Loft   Lie        Offset     Bounce
3         21     59.50    .1222       38.75
4         24     60.00    .1222       38.25
5         27     60.50    .1222       37.75
6         30     61.00    .1143       37.25
7         34     61.50    .1143       36.75
8         38     62.00    .1064       36.25
9         42     62.50    .1065       35.75
PW     46     63.00    .1066       35.50

Feel: 

Mizuno is known for its “Grain Flow Forging” process. Words that could be used to describe the feel of the MP-64s are: astounding, fantastic, stupendous, buttery, soft, excellent, best ever, like hitting an 80 compression balata — take your pick.

These are the best feeling irons I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. As I stated earlier, Mizuno went back to the playbook and got that super-soft forged feeling of days past and married that with today’s technology. Mizuno is a smart bunch who listen to its consumers. It certainly delivered here. There’s not much more to say other than you should hit them and see for yourself. I’ve already had two people hit these irons at my club and order them. That’s how good they are.

Overall: 

Mizuno created a beautiful set or irons that actually feel better than the previous few generations. If you are looking for a players cavity back that can be worked like a blade but has some added forgiveness, then head to your local golf shop and grab the MP-64 six-iron demo. Better yet, if you belong to a club, have them get you a demo so you can test it on the course.

luke donald irons

The lower-lofted irons are consistent with the rest of the set. By that I mean if you can hit the 6 iron, you can hit the 3 iron and get that dreaded hook machine of a hybrid out of the bag. If you prefer a combo set, these would also blend nicely with the MP-69s, which I am a real fan of, or the MP-H4s. My final piece of advice is to find a fitting station, grab the shaft optimizer and slap it on the 6 iron. The next step is waiting eagerly for the pretty Mizuno box to show up at your door step. Enjoy the pics feel free to ask any questions.
Click here for more discussion about the review in the forums

If you are looking to dig deeper, you have found the promised land. Here is a collection of “best of the best” content from Mizuno about the MP-64 irons.

Here is Mizuno’s club designer Chris Voshall explaining why Mizuno went back to feel as the guiding design principle behind the MP-64 irons played by Tour professional Luke Donald.

Mizuno PGA Tour testing with Charles Howell III.


Click here for more discussion about the review in the forums

Specs:

mizuno mp64 specs

 

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69 Comments

69 Comments

  1. Pingback: Mizuno Irons Reviews Mp 53 – Nike Run JP

  2. Jacob

    Aug 18, 2014 at 9:40 pm

    I am stuck between a rock and a hard place at the momment, I’m just looking for some advice and comparisons between the mp-64’s and the Callaway apex pros. Anything helps thanks.

  3. Steve

    Jul 7, 2014 at 6:27 pm

    Fitted for the MP-64’s. Hit them at pro shop. Hit em sweet. I ordered with same shaft I hit in pro shop. I don’t think those were put in or my swing has changed drastically in 1 month. What shaft is the best shaft to compliment these irons? I’m hitting a lot of low shots, to low. I played mp-32’s for around 15 years. Love em, but it was time to retire them. Love these mp-64’s. Thanks all.

  4. Paul

    Apr 13, 2014 at 2:47 pm

    I orderd em yesterday:

    3-pw
    kbs tour stiff

    can´t wait *__*

    • Christian

      May 6, 2014 at 11:39 pm

      Lemme guess.. you love them. I love mine so much that sometimes I wonder why there are other irons made…

  5. Pablo

    Mar 28, 2014 at 6:17 pm

    Great clubs,Stay away from Adams & TM,they have no quality control.KBS S were actually Men’s SR flex.Adams refuses to retest?????.All my purchase price goes to Ernie and Dustin.

  6. larryoffthedeck

    Mar 13, 2014 at 12:55 am

    I got fitted to the MP-64s last September and have really enjoyed them. Great Mizuno feel. I’m still smitten by my old MP-33s. Flight not as boring as my Titleist 712 CBs, but a little more airtime. So there you have it. For 2014, I’m a double iron man. MP-64s for bluebird days and Titleist 712 CBs for when the wind is moving.

  7. Jason

    Mar 11, 2014 at 6:30 am

    I hit these tonight at a demo Mizuno put on at Victoria Park here in Brisbane…they were incredible. Had the Project X shafts in them and the feel off the club and ball flight were sensational. It just confirmed what I already kind of knew – I’ll be getting MP 64s soon (preferably before the price goes up next month. Just really lovely irons to hit.

  8. Jeff

    Sep 27, 2013 at 10:04 am

    I have been a long time Mizuno fan, loved them since my first set of MP-60/32 combos. Since then have had (3) sets of 57’s, (2) sets of 59’s, and a set of 68’s. Seem to always try to get away from Mizuno and keep coming back. Probably could be still playing any of the sets above if wanted to as all Mizuno products are top notch. Recently bought a set of MP-64’s as get back into the Mizuno kick and are great, hope to keep these in the bag for a long time!

  9. hklam

    Sep 19, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    Recently I just bought a set of MP64 and my handicap index is 15.4. Practiced hitting the MP64 couple of times at the range, and on my first day out on course with the MP64, I shot my first sub 80 round. Started with a birdie on the first hole from a nice flush hit with the 7 iron to about 6 feet, and at the end of the round, I had 4 birdies and 8 pars for a 78 score (Par 72 course). That was my best ever round so far.

    I have my set of MP64 on the standard Dynamic Gold R300 shafts which suit my swing speed.

  10. Pingback: MP 54 and MP4 Tech Talk – Grips Golf

  11. Craig

    Aug 26, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    I value the opinions/reviews here so was very helpful in my purchasing a combo set of MP-64s (7-pw) and JPX-825 Pro (4-6). I play between a 9-13 hdcp (don’t practice) and absolutely love these!! I have KBS C Taper Stiff Shafts which is an unbeatable pairing with these clubs. This shots are “punished” somewhat, however it has forced me to make better swings translating into more solid ballstriking. Terrific around the greens! Give these a try. Magnificent! Bravo! Mizuno 🙂

  12. Scott Shields

    Jun 21, 2013 at 8:39 am

    Ordered mine yesterday.
    4-PW
    +0.25″
    1* upright
    Blue New Decade multicompound grips, 1 extra tape
    KBC C-Taper Stiff hard stepped once.

    I can’t wait!!!!!!

    • Scott Shields

      Jun 21, 2013 at 8:41 am

      Quick aside – I’m replacing my Adams CMB’s with these…which make no mistake, the CMB’s are amazing. But the MP 64’s are just 2nd to none. A touch more feel, and a cleaner look sold me.

      • Eric

        Aug 21, 2013 at 11:11 pm

        A little late to the party, but i’m wondering how you are liking the 64’s. I traded my CMB’s in on a new set as well and am having a little buyers remorse while i wait for my new sticks to arrive. How would you rate the forgiveness between the two? Thanks!

  13. Tom

    May 30, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    I thought nothing could feel better than my mp 68’s but the 64’s do. Absolutely amazing.

  14. KCCO

    Apr 29, 2013 at 12:35 pm

    Simply butter…..x100’s in mine, would never turn back, and prob buy another set just to have as a back up for when these get overplayed as you can’t miss the sweet spot. Hands down will be one of mizunos best ever, and puts most other oems a step below.

    • jake

      May 1, 2013 at 8:44 am

      can you get the MP64’s in left hand, i’ved looked every where or can anyone tell me where else to look

  15. Evensteven

    Apr 21, 2013 at 3:56 pm

    59. Dogs? Probably the most favorably rated clubs in recent history. The fact your friend or some one you met or you don’t hit a particular club well has no bearing on it.

    I don’t putt well with belly putters. Does not mean they suck.

  16. Evensteven

    Apr 21, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    59. Dogs? Probably the most favorably rated clubs in recent history. The fact your friend or some one you met or you don’t hit a particular club well has no bearing on it.

    I don’t putt well with bely putters. Does not mean they suck.

  17. Dave L.

    Mar 28, 2013 at 8:28 am

    IMO, That’s based on personal experience and perceptions. There are MP 59 owners that won’t part their clubs.

  18. C. Hansen

    Mar 27, 2013 at 4:28 pm

    Why are thw 59’s considered ‘dogs’.

  19. Wes kersey

    Feb 25, 2013 at 7:55 am

    I bought the heads after I tested all sorts of irons(I work at a golf shop so it’s easy). They are the best and the softest clubs I’ve ever hit. The shafts were an easy choice as well after putting the c-taper in. I’ve always found mizunos to be a good choice for most of my customers. Now they’re in my bag and will stay!

  20. Mark R

    Feb 8, 2013 at 9:38 pm

    Well said Tom D. The MP64 strike is like a hot knife through butter. For the ideal set: Go for 3 to 6 and then 7 to 9 MP69. Complete with three T4 wedges. Cast clubs only exist because they are so cheap to produce. When I started playing you could only buy blades – you had to learn to hit pure strikes and shape the ball flight. Cast clubs are for players who cannot strike the ball consistently well and are prepared to trade pure shot making effort for forgiveness laziness.

    Purely on looks the 64s would be perfection if the top line were a fraction thinner. Nobody comes even close to Mizuno’s grain flow process. They have used the same foreging house for over 30 years. Word is that over 95 percent of all other OEM forged clubs come from the same factory in China.

    • Dave L.

      Mar 26, 2013 at 7:59 am

      I’ve been on a quest the past few months to find a new set of golf clubs; forged irons to be more specific. After twenty-four years of playing the same set of cast irons the time has come to upgrade to an investment set of forged irons. I have achieved single handicapper status through hard work and dedication and realized that my inferior equipment was holding me back. Therefore, I went on a fact finding mission by trying and testing several different top brands on the market.

      I had established a list of criteria items that I used to research and critique each brand.

      (1) They had to pass the eye ball test. – The fact is It doesn’t matter what manufacturer or brand you try, if you don’t like looking at them you won’t play well with them.

      (2) Cast or Forged: – If you’ve been playing golf for any length of time you know that cast irons are designed to provide game improvement qualities. The goal was to provide the mid to high handicapper with shot correcting characteristics such as larger club heads and various cavity backed designs. The inherent draw back with these cavity backed irons is the lack of feed back at impact and the inability to shape shots as one would like to.

      Forged irons are the preferred design by pros and low handicappers because they provide much higher feed back at impact and they allow for a greater ability to shape shots. They don’t have the same amount of off set and their heads are almost always smaller than cast irons. They also do not have the same level of game improvement and shot correcting qualities that the cast irons do, BUT, once one gets accustomed to hitting them it becomes readily apparent that feed back, the ease of shaping shots and consistent accuracy is a premium with these type of irons. Keep in mind that when deciding to purchase forged irons that not all forged irons are created equal.

      (Price:) – Price is an issue with any purchase, but in my case, it isn’t what they cost. It’s what they’re worth.

      (The Winner is…) After testing several different brands of clubs, both cast and forged, I concluded that I greatly preferred forged over cast irons. That narrowed my focus and search for the Holy Grail of clubs… for me, of course. Name the brand and I tested it, exhaustively. After all of the testing I knew my journey was over when I tested different versions of the Mizuno forged irons. I became instantaneously smitten with their aesthetically beautiful, uncluttered, classic and clean appearance. To narrow my research and testing of the various Mizuno clubs I told the pro that I didn’t want a pure blade design that tour players use, but rather I wanted a tour level iron with modest game improvement qualities. That’s when I tested a six iron in the MP 64 line. My first reaction after hitting the first shot was, Wow! It had the softest feel I had experienced of any manufacturer’s design I tested. When struck properly the feedback from the shot is that of a successful marriage between the club head and the ball. It didn’t feel hard at impact. That was a common trait I was experiencing with the other manufacturer’s forged designs. It was evident that Mizuno’s unique grain flow forging process is second to none. I also found out that Mizuno is the only club manufacturer that forges their own irons. Their irons heads and hosels are made from one piece of high grade steel. Their hosels are not made separately and then welded to the face like nearly every other brand is. Their foundry is in Hiroshima. All other brands clubs are made in China.

      (Conclusion) – Given what I experienced with the Mizuno product, compared to their competition, I highly recommend that if any of you, are low to mid handicap players looking to purchase new clubs, give the Mizuno’s a test drive.

      I was fitted for a set of the Mizuno, MP 64’s. Let me tell you, opening that Mizuno box and seeing them only confirmed that I now own the best made forged irons in the industry.

      • Jim C.

        Mar 26, 2013 at 11:11 am

        Please tell me you’re not employed by Mizuno 🙂 What other forged irons did you test drive? Thanks!

        • Dave L.

          Mar 28, 2013 at 8:23 am

          LOL! No, I am not employed by Mizuno. As for the other clubs I sampled in my comparison test, I tried the following: Taylor Made, Callaway, Ping, Wilson, and Titleist. Of those brands I liked the Titleist API’s the most. Again, I didn’t start my search with the intwnt of buying a particular brand. The fact is the Mizuno MP 64’s were that much better. Once I hit a couple balls with the demo six iron of the MP 64 I new my search was over.

      • Jack

        Aug 30, 2013 at 8:27 pm

        Well written review sober and informative. By rep and appearance they were on the list…tried a playing partners 6 iron MP 60 on 2nd to last hole…great swing (t/g) and flushed it pin high 165 yds.
        Knew I had the right thought; came home and ordered the mp 64 +2 with the dynamic gold reg shafts. Can’t wait. Forget the cynics…can you imagine having to play with them. Enjoy.

      • reeves

        Nov 28, 2013 at 1:54 pm

        Does anyone know how the MP 64s compare to the MP 63s, Miura CB501 or Miura 9003 Passing Point— other than price.

        • Adam

          Jun 21, 2014 at 9:40 am

          Reeves- I’ve gamed both the 63 (in 2011/12) and the 64 2014. I’ve never touched a Miura, so I wouldn’t know. The 63 has slightly better turf interaction in firm conditions, and I prefer the top line of the 63’s. From a feel standpoint, the 64 is superior, but not by much; it’s mainly the sound, solid low register thump at impact. If I had a chance to buy both new at the same price, I’d probably go with the 63’s but just because I live in in Texas with very firm conditions, and the turf interaction is better with them.

    • alex simcoe

      Mar 22, 2014 at 3:13 am

      One of the most well written reviews i have seen. Thanks!

  21. Tom D

    Feb 3, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Please don’t pick your Irons based on handicap. A low handicap has as much to do with short-game skills as it does with ball striking ability. I carry a 30 index mostly because I still don’t putt well. I tend to hit my irons good, sometimes real good! I play forged, minmimal-cavity-back iron, usually reserved for “low handicappers”. If I followed the recomendations for “high handicappers” I’d have RocketBallerZ or some other high launch, high forgiveness, cast club. And, I’d be missing all the feel-benefits of my forged clubs. Play the irons you like the best and hit the best and don’t worry about your handicap.

  22. James

    Jan 24, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    The MP 64 is great, I still like blades as I grew up playing them, would love a combo 64/69 set 3-6 mp64 and 7-pw MP 69. Yes I play a 3 iron, think if more people start off with blades or semi blades, their ball striking will develop and will play better golf. Can’t think how people can hit a ball with Racket Balls…

  23. MizzyLuv

    Jan 21, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Hands down iron of year 2012-2013…..

  24. Tom

    Jan 3, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    Real talk, that dude in the video was awful. Irons look great though!

  25. juan burch

    Dec 28, 2012 at 8:34 am

    My MP60’s are toast and I need a new set. It’s down to the 59’s or the 64’s. Thoughts?

    • juan burch

      Dec 28, 2012 at 8:41 am

      aaannnnd the video answered my question.

      • Enis

        Feb 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm

        So Juan, how are your 64’s comparing with your old 60’s. Would love to hear. Not yet necessary but I am very tempted. They look beautiful and the reviews are almost to good to be true. Can you compare feel, workability, forgiveness and distance? Thx!

  26. Chris

    Dec 28, 2012 at 4:40 am

    Came into 64’s from 59’s. Upgraded from Project X 6.0 shafts to the Project X PXi 6.0, at the same time. Very happy with the upgrade from the 59’s that I had 8 months of play with. This review is pretty even to my assessment.

  27. Pgarobby

    Dec 14, 2012 at 12:02 am

    Just got fitted and had all forged option open…Titleit, Nike, Mizuno and Bridgestone. Ordered Mizuno MP64 with Dynamic Gold SL S300.

  28. James

    Dec 4, 2012 at 8:45 am

    I have played mine for about 3 weeks, 6 rounds, they are very close in looks to the MP62, the person stating they are JPX like, should look again. the PW and 9 irons are bigger than the MP63. the topline is just great, feel is perfect, I have played Miura CB202and still have them, I play of 3 handicap and is 52yrs old, have seen all the technoloy changes and have played origional Wilson and Mizuno Blades. the MP 64 to me is the best I have ever played. Would change 2 things, matt finish and smaller face of the 9 and PW same as the MP69.

  29. Scotty

    Nov 30, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    I left my AP2s behind for Mizuno MP59s 3 months ago have X6. shafts,everyone said it was to early for me with a handicap 19,I now play off 8.6 I admit I live a life of leisure and play golf everyday and constant playing these irons you can only improove I have seen the MP 64s but for me it would only be a cosmetic change for me they look fantastic, I stand over my clubs ready to play a shot and I know that these irons can make it happen,I have kept my Titleist big guns 910 D3 driver Fujikura Motore Speeder stiff in these, not the cheapest update but certainly the most effective a bit of luke coupled with a bit of Rory works for me.

  30. Anthony

    Nov 29, 2012 at 5:30 am

    I just went from Yonex eZone mb’s (c-taper s+) to MP64’s with Matrix Ozik Program 130 graphite shafts and these are buttery soft and produce such a tight dispersion. I’ve been playing these for 3 weeks now and must say the reviewer is spot on with everything said!

    It’s true that it’s very important to have someone fitting you properly so my thanks go out to “TheGolfMechanic” (Matt) for his expertise in building these for me!

    Anthony

  31. Gangnam

    Nov 27, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    Still wish the top line was thinner

  32. James

    Nov 4, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Luke went from MP 62 to the mp 59 and then MP64. He never played the MP 63’s. the mp64 are very close to mp62.

  33. sean_miller

    Nov 3, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    Does Donald have the 58’s back in the bag this week or is he playing a mixed set?

  34. Mick

    Oct 25, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    I will stick to my Hogan 53s : )

  35. tlm66

    Oct 23, 2012 at 10:18 pm

    I recently received my set of MP-64’s with Project X shafts. I knew I would like the feel of these based on my fitting, but I really didn’t fully appreciate the buttery feel these clubs have until I used the full set. The workability of the ball flight is tremendous. My distance did not improve but my accuracy is more consistent. Try these clubs if you are looking for a forged players iron, it didn’t take me long to determine these were the clubs for me.

  36. Polorl204

    Oct 16, 2012 at 10:58 pm

    These clubs look great but like all clubs today they are too expensive.

  37. crb1888

    Oct 16, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Just got fit for a set of these today (at Pitbull’s favorite haunt) and I can’t describe how great these feel. While we did the shaft optimization I was swinging the JPX-825 Pro’s, they felt great. But when we switched to the MP-64’s, I knew I wasn’t going back. Not only do they feel ridiculously smooth at impact, but paired with the KBS Tour shaft it is both smooth AND solid. Soft and firm all at once. I think these are going to find a home in my bag for a very long time.

  38. G

    Oct 13, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    Yeah yeah yeah…… but Zak – you’re forgetting to mention the tremendous amount of forgiveness, feel and accuracy you’re also getting from the C-Tapers (which, you even soft-stepped!!!!!).
    I don’t think it’s just the heads’ design that’s giving you that buttery, nice feeling. I KNOW for a fact that those C-Tapers are doing their bit to make you feel like you can get back on Tour again. LOL

  39. strings4131

    Oct 10, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    i do not agree with the +2-12 handicap comment i played mp57s @22hcp im now down to 17 ive just bought mp64s they are awesome ive never been so happy with a club, you can hit every green in regulation but if you cant putt your never goin to score

  40. gticlay

    Oct 10, 2012 at 5:50 pm

    Do they still have the weird looking PW where the face connects to the hosel? Never liked that look.

  41. Brian Cass

    Oct 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    A reply to the above mention from Tom Flores. The 64’s seemed a bit larger in regards to hitter surface but this is a tiny difference. The sole grind on the 63’s seemed to have more attention paid to it as well. I’d say the 64’s could also be a hair more forgiving with more weight in the cavity vs the 63’s. The 63’s to me are the best feeling iron I’ver EVER hit, including my 690.CB’s which I won’t get rid of yet.

    • james

      Dec 14, 2012 at 5:45 am

      I have the MP 63 and the MP 64, the biggest differance is in the 8-pw, the mp64 is slightly bigger head. I will keep my MP 63 8-pw as I like a smaller faceand the rest play the MP64, the 64 is slightly softer. I have played many MP sets but from the MP60 to 63 to 64 not much has changes, the 64 and 62 are in many respects identical except for the cavity design, the 62 also had bigger 8-pw and as Luke D played with 62 with great success the same disign was followed. My personal best Mizuno MP cavity remains the MP60. Blades MP 69 is a class act.

  42. Bogeytrain

    Oct 8, 2012 at 9:16 pm

    Looks like I will be sticking to my MP60’s.

  43. Brian Cass

    Oct 8, 2012 at 11:07 am

    Luke Donald does in fact change irons more than you think so the fact that he switched to these is no surprise. He was hitting the 62’s and the 63’s prior to going to these so each time Mizuno has made a new forged cavity, he’s gone to it. He was world #1 with the 62’s. You could argue he never should have ditched those. I hit these 64’s and the article is bang on, they are sweet. Typically mizzy soft feel.

  44. Aung Lin

    Oct 4, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    I mean Mp 58 and Mp 64?

  45. Aung Lin

    Oct 4, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    I used Mp 32 for 3 years and I moved to Mp 58 . Can you tell me how these two are different?

    • Beattriz

      Nov 3, 2012 at 3:51 am

      Too many variables here and not engouh info from you on your swing and what you want out of your new iron other than just forgiving. I’d highly recommend you go to a PGA professional to be fitted and to get an opportunity to hit all 3 irons or maybe another iron you haven’t considered that would yield better results than any of these 3.With that being said, I’d prefer the Titleists .the R9 s just feel a little too light to me, and I am just not a fan of Callaway golf products, so I certainly wouldn’t consider anything from them..BUT that’s just me. Go and see your PGA professional and you guys work together to find your next set of sticks. Good luck!

  46. Curry66

    Oct 4, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    PS. Are these the clubs that took Luke from number 1 in the world to number 3. 🙂

  47. Curry66

    Oct 4, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    I had the JPX Pro before i bought the MP-69’s and these look like JPX’s to me with a MP badge on them.

    • larryoffthedeck

      Mar 13, 2014 at 12:56 am

      JPX Pro line = hook machine with all of that perimeter weighting

  48. Tom Flores

    Oct 4, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    Hello,

    I play the MP-63 with KBS shafts and love them. Do you know what the difference between the 63’s and 64’s might be? Looks like same same head design to me.

    Thanks

    • jim

      Mar 10, 2013 at 9:56 pm

      The difference is the leading edge isn’t as sharp from the 63’s to the 64’s

  49. chris

    Oct 4, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    The MP-%9 was a dog. Luke got rid of it as soon as he could. Looks like the 64 may be the way to go…

    • Sam

      Mar 8, 2013 at 10:20 am

      Agreed the MP-59 was a failure from a tour perspective. The 64 is getting great reviews and even Chucky Three Sticks(Charles Howell III) is hitting them well.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie Review: Cobra’s new King Tour irons

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The Cobra King Tour irons have been proven on the PGA Tour already and will be in bags of better amateur players this year. The previous King Tour MIM irons were very underrated and offered great precision with a solid shape that many players liked. Cobra went away from the Metal Injection Molded construction and went with a five-step forging process for soft and solid feel.

Make sure to check out the full podcast review at the links below and search GolfWRX Radio on every podcast platform.

I was a big fan of the previous Tour MIM irons and played them in rotation throughout the last two years. Out of the box, I was impressed with the more simple and clean look of the badging on the new King Tour. Badging is mostly silver with just small black accents that should appeal to even the pickiest golfers. I didn’t notice the shorter blade length in the new irons but did notice that the leading edge is just slightly more rounded. Topline is thin, but not razor thin, but still has enough there to give you the confidence that you don’t have to hit it on the dead center every shot.

Feel is solid and soft with just a slight click to the thud on well struck shots while mishits are met with a little more sound and vibration to the hands.

These King Tour irons are built to be cannons and place more emphasis on consistent and precise shots. I also felt like the new irons launch easily and maybe a touch higher than some irons in the same category.

My launch monitor showed my 7 iron with an average launch angle of 22 degrees and spin right around 5,800 with a Project X LZ 6.0 stock shaft. Ball speed isn’t the ultimate focus of this iron but it did well with an average around 108mph and the iron was able to keep the speed up well when you didn’t strike the center. You will still see a drop off in speed and distance when you miss the center, but you don’t have to be Navy SEAL sniper accurate on the face to achieve a good shot. Dispersion was very tight, and while there are bigger irons with more forgiveness, this players cavity still allows good playability when you aren’t bringing your A-plus game to the course.

Cobra lists the King Tour as an iron for a Tour level player up to a 7 handicap and I think this iron could see the bags of more golfers than that. I am a 9.4 handicap, and I felt more than comfortable playing this iron even on less than perfect days.

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Iron Reviews

Review: Honma TW737-Vs Forged Irons

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Equipment

GolfWRX Member Reviews: TaylorMade 2017 M1 and M2 Irons

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One of the many benefits of being a GolfWRX Forum Member is exclusive access to Giveaways and Testing Threads. For Giveaways — we give away everything from golf clubs to golf balls to GPS units — all it takes is a forum name. Enter any Giveaway, and we select winners randomly. You’re then free to enjoy your prize as you wish.

For Testing Threads, the process a bit more involved. GolfWRX Forum Members sign up to test the latest and greatest products in golf, and then they provide in-depth reviews on the equipment. Being the intelligent golf-equipment users they are, GoflWRX Members are able to provide the most-informed and unbiased reviews on the Internet.

df5745825623a9697f92315cd9d8f1d7

In this Testing Thread, we selected 75 members to test a TaylorMade M1 2017 7-iron and TaylorMade M2 7-iron. Each of the clubs were built with the stock lofts and shafts — M2 2017 (28.5 degrees) with a TaylorMade Reax shaft, and M1 2017 (30.5 degrees) with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shaft — and the testers were instructed to post their review of the clubs here.

Below, we’ve selected what we’ve deemed the most in-depth and educated reviews out of the 75 testers. We have edited each of the posts for brevity, clarity and grammar.

Thanks to all of those involved in the testing!

Brock9007

To be honest, looking down on the TaylorMade M1 and M2 irons at address, there is really not much difference. I would have to pick one up to see which is which.

The first 10 balls I hit were with M1 and 6/10 felt great, while the other 4 were toe hits, which I felt and the distance reflected that. Kinda what I expected with a club design for lower-handicap players. Distance was about 1/2 longer than my Srixon iron and dispersion was close, as well. I will say they did not feel as good as the Srixon on center hits.

Next 10 (ok, 15) balls were with the M2. Wow, can you say “up, up and away? The ball really popped of the club face, but wasn’t a ballon flight. Waited for the ball to come down and WTH, with the roll out it was 5-8 yards longer than balls hit with M1, and that is with a few toe shots. I did some smooth swings and then very aggressive swings and was a little amazed at this iron. Just like the M1, it does not have the forged feeling and does have a clicky sound (which I hate).

Bottom line: M2 is the longest iron I have ever hit. I love my 545s, but I could see myself playing M2 very easily. Matter of fact, I will be taking this M2 7 iron in my bag and play it more head-to-head against my Srixon 545 on the course.

deathbymuffin

These are both beautiful clubs. What surprised me the most is how much alike the two clubs look at address. I was expecting a chunky topline and significant offset in the M2, but it’s footprint looked almost exactly the same as the M1, outside of the chrome finish on the M2 versus the frosted finish of the M1. The M2 could almost pass as a player’s iron to my eye at address. These clubs both get A’s from me in the looks department.

The M1 felt a tad thicker than most player’s irons I’m used to, but it seemed to come with a bit of added forgiveness too. Well-struck shots felt good, with a nice mid-trajectory and with the workability that I’ve come to expect from a player’s iron. But true to TaylorMade’s claims, the M1 seemed more forgiving than a traditional player’s iron. Had a nice soft feel at impact, mishits didn’t sting and left you with a more playable result. A really nice combination of the better attributes of both player’s and game improvement irons. I’ve been playing with an old set of Tommy Armour blades, but I’ve been recently wanting more forgiveness for when I’m stuck with my B or C swing. Based on the early returns, I could definitely see myself bagging these.

I’m not sure if it’s the shaft, the design of the clubhead, or a combination of both, but the M2 is definitely a different animal than the M1 at impact. This club launches the ball high, arguably ridiculously so. I was hitting Jason Day moonbombs with this bad boy. Didn’t seem to matter what kind of swing I put on it, the ball launched high, flat and dead straight. The club was super forgiving and if not for the insanely high ball flight, I would love to have a set of these for when my swing is out of sorts. I didn’t really try to flight it at all, so I’m not sure what it’s capable of at this point. One other note was that the M2 had a clicky feel at impact. It didn’t bother me since it still felt so sweet… so strange as it sounds, clicky, but smooth and sweet at the same time. I think these clubs will be big winners with the mid-to-high handicap set.

The M1 is a fine iron, but doesn’t really stand out in any way from other irons of its class.

The M2, on the other hand, is an iron on steroids. I’m really starting to love this thing. It’s super forgiving and just goes and goes. According to my laser, flush shots were going 195 yards (my usual blade 5 iron distance) and very high. I can’t help but think golf would be a whole lot easier, particularly longer courses with long par 3s, with a full set of these in my bag.

poppyhillsguy

M1 feels softer than the M2 and I felt the ball flight was more consistent and what I want in an iron. The M1 did have a harsher feeling in my hands than I typically like, but I’m going to credit a lot of that to the range balls.

M2 flies very high. It was a windy afternoon and about 100 degrees. I love the high ball flight on the range, but I have a concern what that ball flight would be like on the course. I like to hit the ball different heights for different shots and I don’t think I could do that confidently with the M2, but I could with the M1. I don’t like the sound of the M2. It sounded “clicky” to me.

Fourpar18

Initially on the range I was scared because the M1 had a regular flex in it, so I took it easy for my initial 10-15 swings with it. Ball SHOT off the face, loud crack (didn’t care for it, but not too bad) and ball just kept rising and rising but didn’t balloon. I thought, “whoa,” that’s not what I expected…did it again…another CRACK and the ball just flew. I set another down and I paid attention to how it looked behind the ball, not much offset for a game improvement and I thought…”I could actually play this club!”  The 5-7 were EASY swings, aimed at a target of 170 yards away (my normal 7 iron distance) and with a EASY swing I was flying it by 20 yards or so. The next 5-10 I really went after it, same CRACK and ball just flew but to my surprise it was a nice draw, harder draw than the first but it was a nice 10-yard draw. This time the balls were landing just short of the 200 yard marker. Damn, 200 yards with a 7 iron! I know they are jacked lofts but it feels good to say “my 7 irons just few 190-200 yards!”

P.S. LOVE the Lamkin UTX grip!

Now, this was interesting, the M2 was quieter then the M1… weird!  Now, there is more carbon fiber added to this one and there is a “Geocoustic” label on the back. I am sure that it has something to do with all that carbon fiber but it does have a better sound. Other than the sound, it played exactly like the M1: long and straight. The REAX shaft felt a little weaker than the True Temper shaft and it flew a little higher but nothing else I could pick up.

noahdavis_7

Finally got out to the range after getting these bad boys in on Friday. My first impression of them is that they look really sharp. The graphics and design really stand out and really give these clubs a cool, modern look.

They were both a little to big IMO, as I am currently bagging Mizuno MP-68s. The M2 isa definite “game improvement iron”, while the M1 was similar in size and shape to my previous irons, Titleist AP1s.

They both really launch it, high and far. Ridiculous for 7 irons. I don’t have access to a launch monitor, but it was about a 20-yard difference between my gamer 7 iron and these (stronger lofts, as well).

The M1 definitely was more suited for my eye, and produced more consistent ball flights. It felt much more smooth and solid as the M2 had a clicky, cheap feel.

The M2 just isn’t for me. I felt like it was launching too high and ballooning, which could be due to the shaft (the M1 had the S300, while the M2 just had a stock “Reax” shaft). The feel off the face of the M2 just turned me off, to be honest.

While I don’t think I’ll be putting either model in play, I can definitely see the appeal for mid-to-high handicaps. Both irons were super forgiving, and they should be a dream to the average weekend golfer who has trouble with ball striking consistently.

golfnut5438

Looks: As expected, I preferred the M1 with less offset, slightly smaller sole and a smoother finish. Less glare looking down on the iron. I must say the M2 did not look as bulky, or have as much offset as I thought it might have.

Feel: This was a close race, probably due to the shafts as much as the heads. The M1 was just a slight bit smoother feeling on solid shots. But the M2 was not bad at all, just not quite as smooth.

Distance and performance: Our range has a slight incline up the length of the range, so specific yardage gains or losses were difficult to measure. Both irons had a higher trajectory than my gamer 7 iron. Neither sole dug onto the turf either. The lofts for both irons are a degree or two stronger than mine, so I would think they probably flew a little further than my gamers. Neither iron flew “too” high, however. Might be a little harder to hit knock down shots, though.

Final thoughts: I had hit both the M1 and M2 irons last year during a fitting day, but did not like either. This year’s model were both better in my eyes. I asked a fellow member at our club to hit both and he felt the M1 was his preferred model, and he is a 20-index player. So coming from both a single digit, and a high double-digit, the M1 won this battle of wills. I will try and see if I can locate both a 5 iron and 9 iron to see if a full set might be a winner for me.

DblEgl

I was surprised that the M2 was the winner in this brief session. It felt better, flew higher, easier to hit and about 1/2 club longer that my gamer Apex CF16. The feel/sound was better than I thought it might be, but really not up to the CF16. I could, however, easily game the M2’s.

Bstein74

Feel: I hit the M2 first, and found it to be very solid when hit on the screws. There was almost no feel off the club face at all. When I mishit it, you knew it was, but it wasn’t harsh at all. Hit the M1 next, and same type of feel when hit solid. Much more harsh when mishit though, but I knew that was coming.

Distance and performance: This is was where I was curious to see how they would play. The M2 went out high in the air, and just kept going forever. Now granted my eyesight isn’t that great anymore, but it looked like I got about 10-15 yards more from the M2 compared to my Wilson D300. The only thing I didn’t like about the M2 was how much I was able to turn it over. Got a lot more hook compared to my D300. Don’t know if that was from the REAX shaft, but would love to find a less spinning shaft to correct that.

The M1 wasn’t a great performer for me. Same height as the M2, but much straighter off the club face. Didn’t get any great distance advantage as compared to my D300. Can’t game a player’s iron anymore, and testing this one just reaffirmed that.

Final thoughts: Was very happy with the distance I gained with the M2 compared to my current gamer. Very good-performing iron for me, and something I would definitely consider changing them out if I could reduce the spin off the face. If you’re looking for more distance, you need to try these out. The M1 just wasn’t for me, but as a player’s iron, I can see it as a great option.

Bobcat271

Like the other testers, I found the M2 to launch the ball much higher and is 10-to-15 yards longer than my Adams XTD forged 7 iron. Of the two 7 irons I prefer the M1. I like the design of the M1 and its visual appearance at address. I feel more confident in trying to work the ball with the M1. The M1 gave me more feedback as to where the club head was in relation to my swing plane. If I had my druthers I would put the M1 in the bag as it stands now. Will continue to test, what a treat to compare the two irons.

myurick2

Once I started making solid contact with a decent shoulder turn, the M2 really came alive in my hands. Towering flat height, for me, and very long. No more clacky hollow feel, just a very mild pleasant sensation… then zoom. Once I started making better swings, back to the M1, which was a very nice iron. Shorter than the M2 (though not short) and a little lower ball flight. Felt nice and substantial without being heavy. Very forgiving on slight mishits.

But the M2 was the star for me. High trajectory and very long. Club felt lively and fun. Frankly, unless a player wanted a lower trajectory, or likes to hit a lot of knock downs or feel shots, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t choose the M2. They are very attractive and a very fun iron. I think folks who say that the M2 feels and/or sounds clicky, clacky or hollow may be mishitting the iron toward the toe. I am not judging — I mishit a lot of shots at first. I agree on toe mishits the iron did not feel great. It almost felt like plastic. The ball still flew pretty well, but it wasn’t a very enjoyable experience. Not painful, just felt very dead. But when hit nearer the center, the iron felt fantastic. Light, springy and very lively. 

hammergolf

They are both good-looking clubs. Not too long heel to toe and toplines were not that distracting. M1 is more what I like to see shape wise, but M2 was not bad at all. Personally, not a fan of seeing the face slots. But I could see how some people may like how they frame the ball. 

Ace2000

M1 

– Has a very odd sound on contact, almost sounds a tad like a fairway wood “ting. Not a fan
– Looks very good at address with the brushed finish
– Most shots I hit with it seemed to fall out of the sky (very likely a lack of spin). Ball flight was much lower than I would have expected (not super low, just not much different than my 7 iron)
– Inconsistent misses. Next to no distance gains vs RocketBladez Tour 7 iron

M2

– Doesn’t look as good at address as the M1. Chrome finish at address is not an issue in even direct sunlight for me
– Feels and sounds quite nice to my ears at impact. Not a classic sound but very good considering what type of club it is
– Ball flight is very strong (comes off hot). Ball stays high in the air for awhile. Very high and lands soft
– 10-12 yards longer on average vs my 7 iron, it even had the horsepower to hang with my 6 iron
– VERY forgiving on thin strikes. Couldn’t believe how a near-top still traveled to nearly the front edge in the air and still went as far as the M1 did on a good strike
– Shaft is too light

Even though I’m a 2-handicap and don’t fit the M2 “mold,” I could see myself playing this club from 4-6 iron (although gapping would be a major issue mixing these with almost anything else) if it had a heavier shaft in it (I can only imagine how far this 4 iron must go… yikes)

M1 = 2.5/5 stars
M2 = 4.5/5 stars

tpeterson

Visual first impressions: The M1 7-iron is visually appealing to me as far as the finish and overall look. Even though it is classified as a player’s iron, it doesn’t seem so tiny that it would be tough to hit. I am not a huge fan of the bright-yellow badging, but I probably could get over it. The iron inspires confidence with its topline and a little bit of offset. The “rubber” piece on the hosel is a little bit funky to me.

I thought the M2 7-iron would look clunkier than it really is. Besides the finish being a little bit different, the difference between the M1 and M2 is actually pretty small. The M2’s topline and sole are a touch wider, but not by much. Not a huge fan of the fluted hosel since it can be seen at address. The M1’s fluting is only on the rear of the club.

I did notice that the sole’s finish did scratch pretty easily. Overall, I thought the M1 and M2 are pretty good looking, but I would definitely give the edge to the M1. I also preferred the stock Lamkin grip on the M1 vs. the ribbed M2 grip.

On course action: They both feel solid. I tried hitting both irons in all different types of on-course situations over a two week period. Both clubs launch the ball high but I would not say they balloon. For me, the M2 was about 10 yards longer and higher than the M1. Compared to my Cleveland irons, they are 1 to 1.5 clubs longer.

M1 loft = 30.5
M2 loft = 28.5
Cleveland TA7 loft = 33.5

I know this accounts for the distance gain but the ball definitely comes off hot compared to my set. I was hoping I would hit the M1 better since I like the appearance better, but that was not the case. The M2 definitely felt better for me and I felt more confident with it in my hands.

Discussion: Read all 75 reviews and the responses in our Testing Thread

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