When it comes to game enhancement (players’ irons) few companies have the following that Mizuno Golf has and with the release of their new for 2010 line of irons, The Hackers Paradise feels as if we know why. THP got a sneak preview of the new irons late last year just before release when they were featured in our THP: The Magazine round up of irons and our testers came away pretty impressed. For the purpose of our testing we wanted to take the time in this review to expand a little bit with on course playing and be able to show off the new irons for those that missed out on the sold out magazine issue.
For those that missed the magazine, Click on each picture to enlarge including magazine page.
From The Company
Introducing the new MP-58 irons with revolutionary DUAL MUSCLE TITANIUM Technology! During the complex Grain Flow Forging process, a high-tech Titanium metal is forged into the outer muscle of the iron, which not only delivers the feel, workability and shape every MP player desires, but also takes playability in an MP iron to a whole new technological level. The light weight characteristics of the pure Titanium utilized in the MP-58s allow for an ideal amount of thickness behind the impact area to ensure the legendary soft, solid and consistent feel one expects from a Mizuno iron, while simultaneously providing a dramatic increase in perimeter weighting for enhanced playability. The MP-58 irons achieve the rare combination of a penetrating ball flight, increased MOI, and superior feel, all in the ultimate player’s head shape.
Dual Muscle TITANIUM design combines multiple materials during the Grain Flow Forging process to deliver solid feel and amazing playability.
Impact, sound, and feel are optimized through extensive utilization of Modal Analysis, which separates Mizuno irons from the competition.
Patented Grain Flow Forged 1025E “Pure Select” mild carbon steel and pure Titanium combine to provide the ultimate soft, solid, consistent feel.
Durable double nickel chrome plated finish and a Black Chrome stainless steel muscle medallion provide elegant aesthetics.
Modified U-grooves, which conform to the Condition of competition 2010, produce the ideal spin rate for maximum playability in all conditions.
Rolled leading edge, flattened mid-sole, and rolled trailing edge deliver consistent striking ability from all types of lies.
First Impression & Looks
Mizuno came to play with this set when it pertains to the aesthetics of these irons. Simple, Classic, Elegant, and Striking are all the terms that our testers used when they first put their eyes on the new set. Smaller head design and quiet graphics talk to you rather than scream at you and the subtle, but classy look instills confidence like few irons on the marketplace can right now. In the bag they show a sophistication that few have and at setup they are begging to be worked all over the course. When it comes to describing them for me, only one word comes to mind and that is CLASSY!
Range Testing
We were able to have 9 golfers test the Mizuno MP-58 irons over the course of 2 days on our range and not a single person did not fall in love with them. All 9 of our golfers were lower handicap players (sub 10 index), and that certainly played a role in the outcome. The MP-58 is not geared towards the game improvement crowd, Mizuno has plenty in their lineup to help in those situations like the Mizuno MX-200 or the Mizuno MX-300, both of which we reviewed already. However almost all of our testing panel did remark on the forgiveness that was packed into these beauties. Do not be fooled by the traditional look, for a lower handicap player that is looking for a touch more forgiveness, Mizuno has arrived to deliver what some were calling the ultimate golf club!
Testers took turns hitting balls for approximately 2 hours and one of the drills was to work on shaping the shots they were hitting. We wanted each golfer to hit them straight, fade, draw, high, and low and see what kind of response they were getting. One word can be used to describe the ball movement performance and that was “Outstanding”! But something else stuck out during this drill and that was just how much forgiveness was in the irons, particularly off near to the toe of the club. When missing high on the club face or off the heel side of the iron, the forgiveness was okay, but not great. Pretty much what you expect for a game enhancement iron at this level. Miss the shot off of the toe with the MP-58 and we saw a much larger amount of mis-hits that still flew straight. The feedback given through your hands was phenomenal and when it came down to it, the testers involved felt as though Mizuno has a true gem on their hands with this set.
Course Testing
I was able to put the Mizuno MP-58 irons in my bag for 8 rounds of golf and came away extremely impressed. The set came setup with 3-PW and were shafted with DG S300 shafts. While I prefer other shafts on the market, this has become a gold standard for many iron sets and combined with this club head is a perfect marriage of feedback, ball flight, and control. Looking at the iron set coming out of the top of your bag as you get ready to hit your next shot is truly a joy, because as mentioned previously, these are simply gorgeous looking clubs. They inspire confidence that you can really do whatever you want to do with the golf ball. I had no issues moving the ball all around the course in terms of ball flight and become a huge fan of the nice controlled cut that my natural swing was producing with these.
The feel is what you should come to expect from a players iron of this caliber. Soft, smooth, and buttery are all terms that are thrown around a lot and the Mizuno MP-58 irons live up to the hype of all the descriptions out there. I was surprised at the amount of forgiveness was packed into the irons, especially off the toe, which was previously mentioned. The ball flight is a thing of beauty, with a slightly higher ball flight than the previous Mizuno blade offerings, but definitely not too high. After the rounds were completed and these were pulled out of my bag, playing anything else seemed “off”.
Overall
In my opinion, Mizuno took a huge risk with the MP-58 and it has paid off 100%. A company known for their forging from a single billet of steel has gone away from that to add multi-material technology in the way of a titanium insert. With the process Mizuno has used to bond the two together, we found very little if any loss in feel, however the forgiveness you will gain is a tremendous asset. Could this be the ultimate combination? Time will tell, but some of our testers felt like the MP-58s were the purest combination of looks, feel, performance, and forgiveness in a game enhancement iron that they have ever tried. The Mizuno MP-58 irons have a retail price of around $999 and if you are looking for “players’ irons” these should definitely be on your short list of sets to try. For more information on this set or any other Mizuno Golf product, check out their website at www.mizunousa.com.
Till Next Time
Josh B.
Great review. Very nice looking club.
Great review of a very beautiful set of irons. You said that you played 8 rounds with them and I was wondering if you could see yourself playing with these more in the future? I know from other threads that you are leaning more towards a GI iron but was wondering if you could see yourself putting these in the bag?
I know from personal experience that not much feels better than a well struck ball from a player’s iron but when not struck well, they can really cost you. Did you find any of this in your testing?
Thanks in advance
Beautiful clubs. One day when my handicap is low enough… I’ll be testing these out.
tcalloway,
I could definitely see myself playing these for years. They have some great forgiveness added in there. They are definitely not a GI club, and while my handicap has gone up in the last few months, I like more forgiveness, but these provide a level of feel and performance that few irons can offer in my opinion.
As an owner of a set of MP-57 I was eagerly waiting for this review. It sounds like the MP-58 really delivered! They are such a good looking golf club!
Thanks for the review!
Great looking club and great review. My guess is they are a bit much for my 13+ handicap, but time will tell this year.
Maybe down the road I could play these clubs. They look sharp.
Nice review on some sweet-looking irons. They’re out of my league, but a guy can dream right? Thanks JB.
I am on the verge of getting these irons but am not totaly sold on the dg s300 shafts that are in them. I have played several irons that have project x 6.0’s in them and they have felt great. My only issue is that you dont know how it will feel unless you try it and no where has the project x in the irons. I really want these irons but am worried about buying a club with a shaft in it that I have not tried in the store.
I`ve been iron shaft testing with this head using the new Mizuno fitting cart.Every major steel shaft is available in standard,1/2″and 1″longer than standard,in different flexes, with all models available including lighter heads for longer shafts,quite comprehensive really.The MP58 is superb,control and forgiveness in spades,beautiful to look at and Mizuno`s fitting cart is excellent.
I am not an equipment junkie, but there is something about the look of Mizuno irons that has always appealed to me.
excellent review, JB. Mizuno never misses. Ever.
Great review JB. Another beautiful looking Mizuno iron, not that I’d expect any less from them. Sounds like a great club for those after a player’s iron – which means I’m a ways off from realistically looking at them for myself. =)
Jon,
Go to any big dealer and ask them if they have the mizuno fitting cart. My local shop has one and it has a shaft optimizer, which makes finding the right shaft for you basically foolproof. It really does work, and you can try any and every shaft that Mizuno offers custom right there in the cart! Good luck.
I’ve got a set of MIZUNO MP60 irons, and I’m really looking forward to upgrading them soon. These irons look perfect in every way. Two things I would point out if your thinking of getting a set of forged irons, 1 make sure you dry them off after a round in the rain! or they will get small rust spots (I’m used to it living in the UK) you can resolve this quite easily with a good rub of WD40/OIL. 2 They do mark easily in your bag, being as soft as they are. Some players use iron head covers, I’m not a grate fan of them, besides if you’ve got a brand new shiny set of Mizuno’s in your bag, you’ll want to show them of right! Covering them up would be a crime. Don’t let this put you off, It’s a small price to pay. Two words for Mizuno iron PURE CLASS!!
yup 58s are great, and they are in my bag 😀
Just bought these babies and played with them the first time today. Awesome clubs.
I just bought a set today and was fitted with KBS tour stiff shafts. They will be in next Friday and I can’t wait. Great feel and a very tight shot dispersion with these shafts.
I put these clubs in my bag a month ago and I really do like them. I’ve been playing a split set of MP67’s and MP’57’s. The only draw back about these new clubs is they are clicky. They don’t have the same smooth feel of the 67’s or 57’s but it’s not that big of a deal. I’ve read some reviews about people freaking out about this. It’s not as bad as some say. As far as the rest goes they are the real deal. They do everything and more than the 67’s which in my mind could be the best club Mizuno has ever produced. I give Mizuno Credit. They came up with a club that has the forgiveness but almost (90%) has the feel of a pure blade like the 67. Awesome! I hope they just continue the pursuit of perfection.
I have a set of the MP58, and they really are terrific clubs. I put them into play at bandon dunes, where wind speeds were in the 40-50 mph ranges, and I was struck by how the ball flight really cut into the opposing wind. The feel is terrrific. My question is, the 3-4 irons are a little difficult to hit for me, and I was thinking of replacing these with MX-300 3 and 4 irons. Any thoughts on this?
Ron,
You would have to check out lofts and distances and make sure they match up well.
Time will tell. I was seduced by the MP 58’s and while I am not a single digit “player” I had to dip my toe into the water. I ordered up the PW,9i,8i to put in my bag while retaining the MX25’s for the longer irons until i see how it goes. I have been carrying around a MP57 6 iron in my bag and OK maybe I am not pure 10% of the time but the feel off the MP57 over the MX25’s makes 90% acceptable. Pure heaven and my shots don’t balloon but launch instead.
Put the MP 58 irons in my bag two weeks ago. First round was at TPC Sawgrass but I was transitioning from the MP 57 irons so there was no learning curve. Mixed thoughts so far. I love the look of the clubs and I do launch the ball higher wth them, which for me is big since I have a low ball flight. My only real hesitation is that I actually miss my MP 57’s. The feel is not quite the same with the MP 58’s, althought it is still good, just not the same. If you are on the bubble and cost is an issue, I say keep the MP 57’s or similar. If price doesn’t matter, you will not be disappointed. By the way, I pured a PW to about 8 feet on # 17 at TPC and nailed the birdie putt!
Ok…disregard my last post about keeping the MP 57’s. I just wasn’t patient enough. The MP 58’s may be the perfect club. I am hitting it more pure and longer than I ever did with the 57’s. I no longer miss them. I even bought little “covers” for my irons for when I am traveling. I just can’t say anything bad about them. They are perfect.
Hello Josh, I always enjoy reading your reviews and need some serious quick help. I was pretty set to purchase the Srixon z-tx irons having only hit the srixon i506s but after your review I think I may want to spend more time exploring the mizuno mp 58s. Which do you prefer? I know its just an opinion but yours would truly help! Please respond asap if at all possible. I plan on purchasing later this week. Any distance differences, etc.? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks all
I would say that both are incredible sets and you cannot go wrong with either one. If I had to choose, it would be the Srixons, just because of the extra forgiveness I found out on the toe, but both are great sets.
I simply cannot thank you enough for such a quick response! Thanks for all of your hard work in our behalf. I know its fun but you do provide us with useful info we wouldn’t get any other way.
Shot a great game with my old, old ,, did I say old? Mx-23s, nothing about them though is standard. lie adjusted 2 up, dif shafts +1/2 and grips. Sitting here the day before I have to make a choice between the 58s and the 53s
Can someone PLEASE reply and offer up an opin which way to go between these 2 Iron sets or send a direct to [email protected]
Dear JB, I had an opportuntiy to try these irons too at our local golf store. I was really impressed on how they felt! I am not a low capper, but I could still hit these just as good as gi irons that I have tried. I am thinking very seriously about making these my next purchase. My question to you is do you believe even a high handicapper can learn to really bring his score down with these beautiful irons? I am not a tradionalists either, I would be going with a graphite shaft. Thanks for your input, looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe,
I think people fall in love with the idea of certain things. These are great irons, but in my opinion a high handicapper would be doing more harm then good. Again, strictly my opinion.
Dear JB,
Thanks for your input. I appreciate it very much. I would definitely try all the irons before making a decision on the purchase. I don’t know if it makes any difference or not, but when I say hi capper, my cap is 15.
I’ve been a 7 handicap, here in San Francisco Bay Area, for 5 years, and have been playing Callaways for three years X18 pro series. Been longing to find the feel and accuracy of forged, with the thin top line, but always had found various sets a little twisty at impact and not penetratingly powerful like the Callaways. Finally after many many experiments (thanks beloved Golfmart) these MP 58’s arrived and I am surprised and thrilled! I now no longer shoot fot the green (and am usually assured of that by Callaways), now I actually fire at the pin and succeed enough to have gone down to a 5 handicap since getting them last month! Dispersal is much closer than cast, and they teach me how to strike correctly! Like, compress it, baby! They also prefer a full follow through. I tried the DG S 300 but they felt too heavy on left forearm, so have changed to Dynalite XP S 300. I am finding the standard shaft an inch short, so will change that next, and …..SCRATCH here I come!