Equipment

In-hand look: New Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal Pro irons

Published

5 years ago

Jan 22, 2019

Building off of the massive success of the totally revamped JPX series over the last three years, including a couple major victories with the JPX 900 Tour model, Mizuno is expanding the JPX options and again blurring the line between game improvement and players clubs with the introduction of the highly anticipated JPX 919 Hot Metal Pro.

What gets lost in the discussion with Mizuno and the JPX line is the original Hot Metal 900 was the best-selling iron for Mizuno in the 900 line up by quite a large margin and helped take back some relatively big market share from other OEMs in the category. When you take into account that for the majority of recreational (and even avid golfers) breaking 100 is a challenge, it’s easy to see how game improvement clubs make up the majority of on course and fitting studio sales. For a brand like Mizuno so closely associated with the PGA Tour and lower handicap players, that was a big step forward in consumer perception.

The JPX 919 Hot Metal Pro fits into the lineup for the aspiring player looking for both ball speed and an enhanced appearance from the top line. From first impression alongside my MP 18 blade, its easy to see how this club could find its way into the hands of even the most ascetically picky golfer.

The technology story comes from the combining of all the technology from the JPX 919 Hot Metal line including

Proprietary chromoly 4140M to increase face strength, flex, & speed – while still allow for lie loft adjustments
One Piece cupped geometry for improved feedback
Re-engineered ribs in the cavity to improve acoustics
Stability frame undercut to push mass to the furthest perimeters for maximum forgiveness

…all this now in a profile typically only seen in a “players cavity iron”

From a technical and fitting standpoint, the specs of the JPX 919 Hot Metal Pros are an exact match to the standard 919 Hot Metals (in regards to the lies and lofts). This makes it the perfect club to either combo into the short irons or, for those looking to add some forgiveness into the longer irons by combo-ing with either the forged of tour models in the shorter irons. This transition will be equally easy since the offset is inline to the offset numbers with the JPX 919 Tour’s. See more photos and discussion in the forums

Comparison between JPX 919 Hot Metal and 919 Hot Metal Pro

Comparison between JPX 919 Hot Metal and 919 Hot Metal Pro

Comparison between JPX 919 Hot Metal and 919 Hot Metal Pro

The best way to describe the target golfer for this is either a better player with moderate clubhead speed that needs more ball speed and higher launch to help hold more greens, the aspiring mid-handicapper looking to move into an iron that has a “players” profile while still offering forgiveness, or the golfer looking to combo a long iron replacement to compliment the rest of their set.

Even into the shorter irons, the Hot Metal Pros are a sight to been seen. Obviously, there is no mistaking this club for a pure blade, but you will be hard pressed to find a pitching wedge packed with this much technology in a shape that is both confidence inspiring and player preferred. There is also a matching 50-degree gap wedge to match the set and make the transition to traditional wedges easier.

Join the discussion in the forums.

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Whats in the Bag

Cam Smith WITB 2024 (May)

Published

59 mins ago

May 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Cam Smith what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: Ping Max G430 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 7 X

7-wood: Titleist TS2 (21 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Elements Proto 8F5

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (2, 3), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Series

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-04T)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130X (46, 52, 56, 60)

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Tack

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

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Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2024 (May)

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 Tour X

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125MSI 80 Tour X

Check out more in-hand photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs in the forums.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (18 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX

Irons: Titleist 716 TMB (2), Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Check out more in-hand photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs in the forums.

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @55), SM10 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Pt Customs No. 2

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

More photos of Patrick Reed’s WITB in the forums.

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Equipment

John Daly’s $750 custom irons and 10 must-see gear photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

In the last two PGA Championships held at Valhalla, Tiger Woods won in 2000 – when he famously pointed his golf ball into the hole during the historic duel with Bob May – and Rory McIlroy won the 2014 event, basically in the dark on the final hole.

The point is, history shows that Valhalla tends to produce top-tier champions and plenty of drama.

This week at the 2024 PGA Championship, GolfWRX got its first up-close look at what some of the LIV Tour players have in their bags in 2024. We also caught back up with a few PGA Championship legends, such as Rich Beem and John Daly, and we dove into the bags of PGA Sectional qualifiers, too.

In total, we captured 47 different photo galleries this week, including 32 individual What’s In The Bag (WITB) forum threads. Click here to see all of our photos from the event, or continue reading to see my 10 equipment highlights from Valhalla.

1) Brooks Koepka’s new putter

Koepka was previously using a Scotty Cameron T5.5 putter with a slant neck, which he used to win at the beginning of the month in Singapore on the LIV tour. This week, however, he tried a T5.5 with a plumbers neck instead of the slant neck, and it’s immediately going in the bag. According to Scotty Cameron Tour rep Drew Page, Koepka already loved the head, and now finds the plumbers neck a bit more familiar to the blade-style putters he’s used throughout most of his career.

See Koepka’s full WITB here

2) The lead tape king returns, with putting goggles

Phil Mickelson has always been one of the GOATs when it comes to lead tape usage, so it was no surprise to see his 64-degree custom Callaway wedge slathered with slabs of lead tape on the back.

The big surprise was that lefty was spotted using ProAim putting training goggles on Wednesday during his warm-up session.

The ProAim goggles are helpful to find center lines and ensure proper alignment to the target.

See Phil Mickelson’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship

3) Dobyns’ old-school gamer setup

Speaking of lead tape, check out Matt Dobyn’s old Titleist 718 T-MB irons, which are so loaded with lead tape that the club is nearly unrecognizable.

Respect.

The head professional at Meadow Brook Club is making his sixth start in a PGA Championship, and he’s using a throwback Callaway GBB Epic driver with MOI-boosting lead tape and adjustable weight placements.

As GolfWRX Forum user “InTheBag” pointed out in our Matt Dobyns’ WITB thread, he has the type of setup that makes you want to hide your wallet: “I don’t know Mr. Dobyns, but one look at that bag tells me he can take your money,” writes InTheBag.

Spot on.

4) John Daly’s custom Sub70 irons and wedges

We first saw John Daly using $750 direct-to-consumer Sub70 659-CB irons and TAIII wedges at the 2023 PNC Championship, and he still has them in the bag, but he’s since stepped up the customization on the Sub70 clubs.

Does Daly ever NOT keep things entertaining?

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A true showman.

See Daly’s full WITB

5) DJ’s custom putter

Dustin Johnson has always been one to test multiple putters week-to-week, and he has a keen eye for different alignment lines and crowns. This week, he’s opting for a completely gray TaylorMade Spider Tour “T3.0” prototype with a short slant neck.

See the rest of DJ’s WITB from the week here

6) Patrick Reed still rocking GrindWorks irons

Patrick Reed knows his stuff when it comes to equipment, and he’s a prolific tester. Still, however, the GrindWorks PR-101A irons are squarely in the bag after his departure to the LIV tour.

The most notable new addition to Reed’s bag is this Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 3-wood.

Click here to see Reed’s full WITB from this week

7) Beem’s Scratch set

Rich Beem, who won the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National, came to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla with a bag full of Scratch Golf irons, which are loaded with lead tape and equipped with some of the coolest custom ferrules in professional golf.

See Rich Beem’s full WITB here

8) Jon Rahm’s 10-iron

Before going to LIV, Rahm was using a Callaway Apex TCB pitching wedge.

Now, he’s using a Callaway Apex TCB “10 iron.”

He’s also since upgraded to three Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke metalwoods, and fresh stampings on his Jaws Raw wedges. Click here to see Rahm’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship.

9) “Why so serious?”

Tyrrell Hatton, another LIV player in the 2024 PGA Championship field, channels his inner Joker to ask everyone, “Why so serious?”

See Hatton’s full WITB here

10) Block’s “Proto” iron, from address

As you probably know by now, Block switched out of his old TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2014 irons, and into a full set of TaylorMade’s new “Proto” irons. We’ve already seen the Proto 4-iron in the bags of Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, but this is our first look at the higher-lofted irons in the set.

Here’s a look at the 7-iron from address:

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Proto irons in our Forums

And, with that, we say goodbye to Louisville, and the second major championship of the 2024 season. We’ll see you next week at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas after a champion has been crowned.

Until then, don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week at the 2024 PGA Championship!

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