Thoughts on MX-200 vs. Others (JB in particular)

So I found THP last week surfing for any club tests and reviews I could find. Lots of great stuff here with the review write ups, the shoot outs and some great discussion on the forums. So I've been locked in!

JB, wondered if you would mind contrasting a few irons you have written on. You wrote a particularly glowing review of the Miznuno MX-200 irons back in the Spring. With these sticks being on my short list to replace a stolen set, I was particularly struck by some of your comments...

Over the next two weeks I played these irons for 6 rounds and each day I came away more and more impressed. I felt like for the first time since playing golf I found the perfect harmony between forgiveness and feel.

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And...

As a golfer I am constantly searching for that feel that I remember getting with my first great shot I had ever hit about 20 years ago. The first time I struck these irons well it brought me back to that day. To find a game improvement iron that feels this good is something special and does not come around very often in the eyes of this reviewer.

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Wow! Very high praise indeed. And it matches up with what I have seen from others commenting on the MX-200 series. Even better, you have also recently reviewed on of the other irons in my top 3, the new AP1. So I am wondering, would you give an edge to either in terms of forgiveness, particularly in the long irons? Any other thoughts considering these two in comparison? I am a 16 hdcp. and generally hit my irons pretty well. I struggle more with the driver. My most common miss with the irons is on the toe, which is why I am so interested in the MX-200 with the "Y-Tune" technology that claims to extend the sweet spot out toward the toe.

Just have an itch for the Mizuno's and probably would have pulled the trigger on them by now if not for testing better, according to PGA Tour Superstore, with the AP1. On the simulator I had better launch angle, average carry, club speed and ball speed with the AP1 and comparable shot dispersion. Plan to take both out for an extended session on the range.

The other iron on my short list is the Burner 09. I demo'd it over three rounds last month and like it a lot too.

Hopefully a few others will chime in with MX-200 comments. Not a whole lot have tried the new AP1s yet as they just hit stores in the last couple of weeks, with many stores still waiting on their orders.

The MX-200s were one of the best sets I tested in all of 2009. Definintely in the top 5 and may in fact be at the top of the list for GI irons. They are not really big on the GI side and a good comparison is that of these and the new AP1s from company specs alone. The R9s are similar in that aspect as well. Both border on game enhancement but still stay on the GI side of things.

I have hit both of those sets and I can say for my game, my opinion, and my money, it was not a fair matchup. The MX-200s beat them on look, feel, performance, and price. But at the same time the AP1s are still a great piece of equipment and are slightly more forgiving. They are top notch irons that are great for certain players. I just did not feel that they performed as well as the MX-200s or the R9s for that matter.

I have never been a Mizuno guy. Frankly I am not any guy as you can see by my bag that is mixed with so many different brands. I never thought that Mizuno irons had a magic feel or touch compared to some of the other brands. But this set was different. When it came to ball striking with a GI club, this was at or near the very top that I have played. I do get more forgiveness out of the R9s and even a little more forgiveness out of the AP1s, but the MX-200s have a great blend of all of it rolled up into one.

If it were me, for my game, I would choose the MX-200s. But I strongly urge you to check out both sets and see which one works better. I thought the Mizunos were the best I had hit and they still might be. But I am not sure i would even swap for the R9s right now either. All 3 sets are really good, and there are a few other really good ones this year as well. You will be happy with which ever side of the fence you fall on.

Thanks for the quick & thorough reply!

I owned the first version of the AP1's and found them to be very good but not exceptional (for my swing anyway). The biggest issue I had was with how quickly they wore and from some early reviews I have seen, finish might still be an issue. They were totally off my radar before the club fitter at the PGA store had me try them during my session.

The MX-200s were not far behind on the simulator stats and a couple of those strikes with the 200s were unlike anything else I have been accostomed to. Sweet, smooth, butter!!

Have you been able to hit the MX-300s yet? They are probably my idea of iron nirvana based on everything I have read but also probably a few shades too much in the direction of a player's CB than I should be considering at this point.

We have a thread on here somewhere about the entire line of 2010 Mizuno irons. I have been testing the MX-300s for a few weeks now and will have our review up shortly.

I'm new to the forum what does GI and CB mean? thanks.

Game Improvement and Cavity Back.