It isn’t a stretch to say that the Mizuno Pro iron release has become a much anticipated event for not only the company, but golfers around the globe. Well, the time is once again upon us. Last time, much ado was made about the official shift of naming and placing the “Mizuno Pro” script squarely on each iron in the lineup, but it was the performance (specifically of the 225’s) which ended up blowing golfers minds.
Today marks the unveiling of the newest version of Mizuno Pro irons, this time referred to as the 24X lineup. These again consist of three different irons and the newest version of the FLI-HI as well. However, the key theme for this new iteration is refinement, in all the clubs, with the goal of creating a more complete and balanced line.

Mizuno Pro 24X Irons – “A New Age of Forging”
Before we dive into each iron within the Mizuno Pro 24X umbrella, it bears discussing this release as a whole and just what the company has sought to accomplish. While the 22X release was, and continues to be, a success for Mizuno, there was also a copious amount of feedback both external as well as internal that the company took to heart when designing the follow up.
Visually, the 22X clubs were stunning and attempted to provide something for everyone whether they be a die-hard blade user or a golfer who wanted a more sophisticated hollow body creation. The thing is, the sizing and shape got a bit muddled within certain parts of the lineup, specifically the 223’s, as for some they didn’t hit the middle ground they intended, and perhaps overlapped on what the 225’s offered.
So, what was Mizuno to do? Frankly, what they do best, they went to work refining and innovating with the goal of creating the most balanced lineup of irons (and utilities) that they have produced to date.
Mizuno Pro 241 Irons – The Classic MB
Don’t you fret golfers who live and die by muscleback irons, it wouldn’t be a Mizuno Pro release without an MB. While yes, there is only so much that you can do with a muscleback because of the minimal discretionary weight available, no one carves and massages an MB iron like Mizuno. Not to mention, historically, they continue to create some of the most playable blades on the market thanks to not being total butterknives.

This time, Mizuno started with what you will soon see to be a trend with the entire Pro 24X series, refining the shape. With the 241’s, the long irons are visually a bit smaller while the mid and longer clubs are noticeably smaller compared to the 221’s. At first you might be shocked at the concept of making an MB smaller, as we mentioned, Mizuno has always had some of the most playable blades in terms of size and will continue to be as such even with this new change.

Additionally, the rear muscle will look familiar, but different. That is due to the massaging and shifting of material on the rear of the Pro 241’s to get a slightly sharper cutout and more mass directly behind the ball. That mass in the rear pad combines with Mizuno’s attention to Harmonic Impact to get the sound of each club within certain hertz levels, and according to them, means a more solid and slightly muted impact feedback. Add in the Copper Underlay and Full Nickel Satin Chrome that may be the best in the business, and the Mizuno Pro 241 looks poised to turn heads and break hearts.

The Mizuno Pro 241 irons will be available in 3-PW (3i is RH only) with KBS Tour shafts and Golf Pride MCC Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 241’s play off a 46-degree PW and 34-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro 243 Irons – Tour Speed Cavity
You might want to buckle up, because there is no doubt that the 243’s are the iron which has undergone the most significant change within the Mizuno Pro lineup, and rightfully so. As mentioned, previously the 223’s were a bit of an iron without a true niche within the lineup. Design wise they were beautiful, but many found them a bit larger than expected. Not to mention, within the set there were at times some gapping issues for some golfers not only when blending but also within the 223’s as a whole. What all that lead to was them not differentiating themselves from their hollow body siblings as much as intended. That changes this time.

It all starts with the shaping and the sole. As part of that focus on differentiating the Pro 243’s from its siblings, Mizuno has made the entire set visibly more compact both in blade length as well as topline. One piece of feedback on the 223’s was that they seemed a bit thick compared to expectations, so that has been addressed. Additionally, the sole now has what Mizuno is calling a “Wrap Around” to it, which allows the sole to look visually thinner while still keeping the same effectiveness. That means a more consistent design through the set, specifically where the transition of Micro-Slot versus no slot occurs.

Speaking of the Micro-Slot, it is one of the components that has been revised in the Mizuno Pro 243 with the aim of creating more consistency through the set. The 8-GW have no slot, while the 6/7 and 4/5 each have unique Micro-Slot designs with the longer irons now having a wider and longer slot. Additionally, the 4-6 irons have a thinner face and the 4-8 have a lower sweet spot and deeper CG.

This has resulted in Mizuno’s internal testing showing a slower ball speed in the 7i and an increase in speed working to the 4i. This is combined with moving the lofts stronger in the 9-GW (PW now 44-degrees). Why are they slowing, speeding up, or strengthening lofts within different parts of the set? To create consistent gapping than what was seen in the 223’s. Add in Harmonic Impact calibration along with the Copper Underlay and Full Nickel Satin Chrome finish then you have a completely different animal than last time around.
The Mizuno Pro 243 irons will be available in 4-PW with GW available in RH only. They will be paired at standard with Nippon MODUS 120 (S) or 105 (R) and have Golf Pride MCC Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 243’s play off a 44-degree PW and 32-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons – Tour Speed & Launch
How do you follow up the most successful iron of the previous Mizuno Pro iron lineup, and one of the most popular hollow body iron designs in golf? For this company, it would appear that it is done with care while not fearing innovation and advancement. You see, the Mizuno Pro 245 irons are both similar, and new.

The first thing done by Mizuno was as they did with the rest of the MP offerings, they made them smaller everywhere. The Mizuno Pro 245 is more compact heel to toe and also has a thinner topline with the goal of expanding the audience for these irons into even the pickiest golfers out there. Interestingly, all of the irons in the 245 set got smaller except for the GW which is a bit longer in blade length as Mizuno believes it flows within the progressive nature more smoothly.

While it may sound cliché, it really is what’s inside that counts with the Mizuno Pro 245 irons. There is now 47 grams of suspended tungsten within the 2-7 irons compared to 30g last time around. That weight is placed as low as possible without touching the sole to get the CG lower and deeper. Additionally, there is now a larger “thin sole area” which brings up the COR meaning more power is possible.
The 2-8 are laser welded and built from Grain Flow Forged 4135 Chromoly in the face and neck with a 431 Stainless Steel back. As mentioned, the 2-7 use Tungsten, but it is of note that the 8i does not to aid in the transition to the 9-GW. Those irons are also laser welded but built out of Grain Flow Forged HD 1025E bodies and a 17-4 Stainless Steel back piece with part hollow construction.

All of these things are in place to get the CG deeper throughout the whole set while also optimizing the sweet spot location, specifically in the 6-8 irons when comparing the 245’s to the 225’s. Equally important is the implementation of an all new multi-thickness CORTECH design withing the longer irons that has increased power and speed potential as well. Most interesting might be that Mizuno indicates that their testing has shown more speed in the PW and 4i while the 7i has stayed the same as in the 225’s. That is big if true because it addresses one of the only hiccups some golfers saw in the 225’s as it pertains to gapping.

The Mizuno Pro 245 irons also feature the same Harmonic Impact tuning and Copper Underlayer as the other irons in the lineup and are tied together with the matching Full Nickel Chrome Satin finish. They will be available in 4-PW with a GW and 2/3 (RH only) irons available as well. The irons are paired with True Temper DG Mid 115 (S) or 105 (R) as standard and come with Golf Pride MXX Black/Gray grips for $200.00 per club. The 245’s play off a 43-degree PW and 30-degree 7i.
Mizuno Pro FLI-HI – Tour Long Iron
Last but absolutely not least, the FLI-HI is coming back as well. The last version proved to be one of the fastest utility/long-irons out there, but that hasn’t stopped Mizuno from pushing things further. Foremost, the shaping and size is now more compact overall. This is done both physically by moving the weld line onto the face from the topline allowing a geometry change as well as removing the blasted topline, both making for a smaller look.

The Pro FLI-HI now utilizes Mizuno’s first L-Face design which wraps the face plate around to the bottom of the sole. That face is made of heat treated 4335+ Nickel Chromoly which Mizuno more affectionately refers to as Hot Metal. The body and neck of the club are also built from 4335+ Nickel Chromoly, but it is not heat treated which makes the clubhead more bendable for fitting.
You might recall that the previous version used a uniform thickness on the face, well, with the move to 4335+ and the L-Face Mizuno has also implemented a multi-thickness design on the FLI-HI to increase spin consistency and overall retention on the club. If that wasn’t enough, CORTECH is here too which was key in allowing the thinner topline and more flex lower on the face. Mizuno has also applied 23-grams of Tungsten (21-grams in the predecessor) to get the CG even lower this year.

Their testing has shown 1.3 MPH more ball speed on average with more spin and an ever so slightly lower launch angle than last time. While that is exciting news, so too is the focus on Harmonic Impact tuning in which using internal sound ribs as well as the increase in Tungsten the company sought to make the FLI-HI more muted at lower frequencies while creating a higher sound pressure to make the club at the same time feel hotter off the face.
The Mizuno Pro FLI-HI long irons are finished in a Satin Black Ion brushed look and will be available in 2 (16.5), 3 (19.0), and 4 (21.5) in both RH and LH. They will be matched with SteelFiber HLS 880 shafts in F4 or F5 as standard. The FLI-HI will come with Golf Pride MXX Black/Gray grips and be priced at $250.00 per club. The 241’s play off a 46-degree PW and 34-degree 7i.
The Details
As you can see, Mizuno has certainly not rested on their laurels with the upcoming Mizuno Pro 24X release and feel poised to create even more momentum for this flagship lineup. Though the irons will not be hitting retail until 1/25/24, however you can expect to begin seeing them on Tour’s worldwide starting now. Not to mention, be sure to stay tuned to THP for much more on the full Mizuno Pro release.
For more information, check out their website at www.mizunogolf.com.
And here are some side-by-side photos with my JPX 919 Forged, both 7-irons, the 245 has the black shaft. The 245 looks just a bit smaller, but they are pretty close. The 919 Forged has a bit more offset, and an ever so slightly thicker top line, although it doesn’t look like it in the photo. The differences looking down at them are so minor I think I’ll be pretty comfortable with the 245s at address right away.
Excuse the weird goldish tint in the photos, the result of poor lighting and cell phone camera.
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Okay, so I got the new 245s out for the first time yesterday, hit the course without having hit them at all, first swing with them was an 8-iron approach on the first hole. So here’s a little review from the first outing, I’ll use a format that I’ve used a bit in the past:
About Me:
Background – I’m 66 years old, I started golfing in my mid-30s, the first 15 years was very off and on, with long layoffs, the last 15+ years has been pretty steady.
My Game – 16 – 18 handicap, has trended around 17 or just under this year. My 7-iron swing speed is mid 70s, normal iron ball flight is a bit on the low side, either straight or a slight draw, and my main miss is a straight pull.
Previous Irons – I’ve been playing Mizuno JPX 919 Forged for the last 4+ years, with Steelfiber i95 R shafts. These have worked really well for me, I really didn’t need new irons, but the opportunity to get something new came up and I couldn’t resist.
First Impressions:
Looks – What can I say that hasn’t been said before? These have to be the best looking hollow-bodied irons ever! They look incredible in the bag, and so good behind the ball. The top-line is what I consider slim, not razor thin, but nowhere near what I’d consider chunky. Blade length is somewhat compact, and the sole is what I’d call a bit on the narrow side of medium width.
Sound and Feel – Another win here, as these do not sound or feel like what I’d expect from hollow-body irons. Most of Mizuno’s competitors fill their hollow-body irons with some kind of magic goo to enhance sound and feel, but Mizuno has done a great job without any of that. I guess the combination of Mizuno’s grain flow forged face and neck, and the soft copper underlay, make enough of a difference that they don’t need to fill the heads with anything. Center strikes feel as good as my 919 Forged, and I could feel where my misses were without any harshness. Some of this might be due to the Recoil DART 90 shafts, which also feel really good, and I think dampen mishits a bit more than the Steelfibers in my previous irons.
Performance – I ordered these 1* weak, so they are very close to the same lofts as my 919s, the 4-iron is 1/2* weaker, the 9-iron and PW are 1* stronger, the rest are the same. Launch looks to be a bit higher than my previous irons, most shots had a nice subtle draw to them, and I didn’t seem to hit my dreaded pull with them, which I hope continues as an effect of the clubs, not just a better swing day. My distances were thankfully close to what I would expect, if anything a bit longer, but not enough to create a club choice issue. I’m pretty sure I hit every one of them at least once, and was very happy with my iron play, which I wasn’t sure about before the round, going out with never before hit brand new irons like that. All in all I couldn’t be happier so far, I’ll have them out again Sunday morning, and I’m looking forward to another good day.
Look great in the bag:
9-iron behind the ball:
So I had to add a little "Character" to my 245 irons.
Couple of weeks ago, I went out of town and brought my 923 HL Irons out, not wanting to breakdown my current bag to play around of golf.
The have the same DG 105R Shaft in them with Lamkin ST+2 Calibrate Hybrid Midsize grips.
As I played the round, I was just flushing my irons and I noticed that they felt great but different.
So when I got home, I weight the 923HL and 245 7i and they were with in a couple of grams of one another.
I did a Pencil balance test and they did not balance in the same place. Hmmm, I thought.
Took them in to a golf shop had the swingweights checked
Sure enough, the 923HL were D3 and the 245’s were D1.
One just felt like a 12oz hammer and the other a 16oz.
So my only options were to add lead tape or have them rebuilt with tip weights.
I dug around my "Golf Stuff" and wouldn’t you know it, I had a package of lead tape designed to add 1 swing weight every 3" and enough tape to add 2 strips to every iron I had.
I went to the range with 1 piece of tape on it and a second piece in my bag. I hit a couple of shots at D2 and just wasn’t liking the feel.
Put the 2nd piece on and it felt like an old pair boots, just right.
I’ve been playing them now for a week and I can tell you that I notice a difference. My swing seems smoother, more fluid.
And while it hurt me to "Bling" up my 245’s, I kinda like it now.
The "Running Bird" has filled in nicely I think.
.
A couple of more rounds in with the 245s, and the honeymoon is definitely not over, I am liking everything about these clubs! I’ve been striking my irons really well, I’m still me, with my inconsistent swing, but take away the gross mishits I can’t avoid having throughout a round and the performance is really eye opening. My launch is a bit higher than with previous irons, something I was definitely looking for, and my distance seems to be ever so slightly longer with them. Mishits aren’t severely punished, and the Recoil DART 90 shafts dampen those mishits better than my previous Steelfibers, and are all around a great fit. The Mizuno/Recoil DART combo is a big winner in the feel department, I was very impressed with the feel of the 245s when I demoed them with steel shafts, and the Recoil DARTs just take that to another level.
A couple of highlights from the last couple of rounds for examples:
157 yard par-3, hit 7-iron to just a couple of yards short of pin high and about 20 feet right, the ball was 2 inches left of the ball mark. That 155 carry is really good for me with a 7-iron, and I never have a 7-iron stop like that, which shows that spin and descent angle are better than what I’m used to.
185 yard par-3, pin in the back of a pretty deep green, and since I can’t really stop the longer clubs from rolling out a good bit, short is better than long. I hit 5-iron, nice tight draw that just missed the green right, which is the preferred miss on this hole as it will usually kick onto the green, carried it a a bit over 170, it kicked onto the green and rolled out to just past pin high and about 20 feet left of the pin.
Lots of other examples, but those two stood out. From the fairways turf interaction is really good, and I’m starting to use my long irons a bit more for second shots on par-5 layups. All in all I couldn’t be happier, I have a feeling the 245s might stay in the bag longer than my JPX 919 Forged irons did, and I played them for going on 5 years.
[QUOTE=”MtlJeff, post: 12464871, member: 68350″]
I’m gonna review the MP241 irons , i know they are not super highly used given that they are blades—but still. I’m gonna. So here goes…..I have been using these for about 3 months now and am currently a +1.5 index who plays in a lot of AM events, for what it is worth
[B]Initial thoughts[/B]
Well…..These are the GOATs aren’t they? Mizuno blades. They look beautiful, they have style, panache, cache…and any other synonym you can find on google’s thesaurus. I posted in another thread , but my club has multiple demo days every year with every OEM. Fitters don’t even [I]TRY [/I]to sell me on other things. They look at these clubs and just salute you like you are a military hero LOL, then ask if you want to try drivers or hybrids. These clubs are like dating a supermodel, they really are.
[B]Looks[/B]
They are tiny. They have no offset. Even Mizuno’s Chris Voshall when describing them in a pod here was like “they are small”…..to paraphrase one of my favorite ever scenes in a movie (The Justin Long Cameo in “Zack and Miri make a P*rno”) here is how i would describe them
“You aren’t really my demographic”
“What’s your demographic?”
“Do you get intimidated hitting a 5 iron”
“Yes?”
“Then not you”
[B]Playability[/B]
These are lofted in what i would call “modern classic” lofts. Meaning basically, a 46 degree PW. They spin the ball more than other styles of clubs if you hit them pure. They aren’t impossible to hit….i mean if you are a relatively consistent ballstriker, you CAN play them. But forgiving is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about a mid-launch type club that spins the ball and allows you to hit all sorts of shots. In my last round i hit a 190yd 4-iron that never went more than 20 feet off the ground, and a towering 8 iron over a tree. Like the old Honda S2000…..These irons are begging you to push them to their limits. BUT—they aren’t impossible to hit. I made a birdie on a 180 yard par 3 in my last round that was a clear semi toe-hit. I still got moderate distance and some run. Slight misses aren’t as bad as you think
[B]Feel[/B]
“Do you enjoy 25 year old scotch?”
“Yes”
“It’s like that”
[B]Overall thoughts[/B]
I feel like this is what you kinda work for. They are NOT impossible to hit. Even the 4-iron while it looks like a butterknife—If you strike it relatively pure the ball will go up and onward in the direction you want and not lose all that much. But you have to hit it [I]reasonably [/I]well….WAY out towards the toe? Not great. Slightly out towards the toe? It’s honestly not that bad. This is what i’m trying to tell you…..MOST of this is mental. [I]Slight [/I]mishits are really not [I]that [/I]bad. You can be a bit off……I have made poor swings, i am still an AM at the end of the day. It’s not like if you hit a bit off center the ball just craters and calls it a day. It still goes a bit, and it’s just a matter of percentages….you lose a little more than maybe a T150 or a P770. But a lot of it is mental—you have to get past the fact that these things LOOK hard to hit. You have to put a good swing, and you have to trust it. But these aren’t impossible to play.
But i mean, they are small, and they challenge you.
[B]Verdict[/B]
Dating a supermodel isn’t easy. You gotta look up restaurants, you gotta figure out what is in, you might have to go to a dinner that requires you to wear a jacket. But for these 1-2 fleeting moments—-you’ll think “i’m the &*&%$$# man”…..And isn’t this what we sometimes want?
I hit balls for 15 years 2-3 times a week to play MP241s….And i’m loving every minute of it…..Because one day i won’t be able to. But they aren’t for everyone. You can get by with them (you really can!) but they aren’t for everyone.
Jeff
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I haven’t hit the 241 but this post is also an accurate summary of my one year so far of playing 221. I swallowed my pride and recently swapped the 221 4/5i for JPX 923 forged (bent weak to blend) but the 6-pw are not that intimidating and even the 5i was not that bad, but the JPX gives me hella confidence on every lie and real life course condition.
[QUOTE=”That post, post: 12464527, member: 65950”]
Someone talk to me about the 2024 Fli Hi.
Who’s using one? What are your likes/dislikes about it. How are you finding forgiveness?
I’ve got a Taylormade Qi 4 iron but I HATE HATE with a capital H the feel and sound. The problem is I hit it very well. I assume that the Qi 4 iron has more forgiveness built into it that might be helping me hit it like a god idk.
I gamed a Fli-Hi for a bit in 2022-23 but back then I just didn’t have the swing speed to do anything useful with it besides thinning the worm population here in Cincinnati.
If you have and game a Fli-Hi tell me about it.
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I’ve been messing around with a 24 FliHi 2 iron that I’m gonna buy from my buddy.
It’s night and day different from my daily driver Ping 3i iCrossover. The ping flight is high and soft and will hold a green if you land it in the front 1/3. The Mizuno is a laser pointer – when I hit it well it’s maybe 50’ apex and flys a mile and runs another mile.
My total distance with the Ping is usually 225ish. I think I can get 245 out of the Mizuno but with a very different ball flight profile.
Now it’s admittedly an apples to oranges comparison since the Ping is 20* and the Mizzy is 16.5*, and the Ping has a mid-high launch shaft in it while the Mizuno has a low launch. The Mizuno is a pure driving iron tee club. The Ping is more versatile. The Mizuno will be a nice club to have in the backup lineup for windy days or when the driver is fully off the rails.
For the first time in 10+ years ive managed to keep 1 set of irons in the bag for the year. I thoroughly enjoy the 243’s and think they’re incredible. Love the look at address and they have enough forgiveness for me. I have mishits just like everyone else but the majority of my mishits are fat that no iron is going to help with. I havent really seen a big drop off in toe or heel strikes
My goal this year was to get custom fit, get custom colored shafts, and commit to them to build some consistency. I love trying out new clubs but my game never really improved bc of it. This year I can say with certainty that iron play was the strongest part of my game
I still want to try new things but the 243’s will be in my bag for next year
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12484934, member: 3″]
The 245s have continued to be such an interesting iron for me. I have them all bent strong by a degree, to fit a window I like for my game. But the distance is strong, the feel is impeccable and the look might be my favorite currently.
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Surprised to read this as they are already quite strong lofted, or am I mistaken?
I’m going from a 34° 7i to a 30° 7i, that’s crazy when you come to think of it.
I’m starting to wind down and come to the end of my time with MP243. I’ve got to say that I’ve enjoyed them so much, most of the time. It’s those other times when I’m not swinging it as well as I’d like miss some forgiveness and that’s which helped to my decision to move on.
I hit a bunch of irons today at a fitting. All of them in that slightly more forgiving category. Irons like king tec, i230, 925 forged, p770, and TiF.
It was a good swing day 243 was performing very well and honestly nothing beat it flat out. Sure, I got more yardage with the lower lofted options. Saw a little bit more forgiveness. But on a good swing day 243 is a dream but not every day can be sweet dreams I know that all too well. I’m going to miss the look at address and feel of a squarely hit shot. 243 has been the best feeling iron I’ve ever hit. So soft so buttery.
I’m going to miss you 243. But it’s time. I’m sorry ?
[QUOTE=”That post, post: 12921710, member: 65950″]
I’m starting to wind down and come to the end of my time with MP243. I’ve got to say that I’ve enjoyed them so much, most of the time. It’s those other times when I’m not swinging it as well as I’d like miss some forgiveness and that’s which helped to my decision to move on.
I hit a bunch of irons today at a fitting. All of them in that slightly more forgiving category. Irons like king tec, i230, 925 forged, p770, and TiF.
It was a good swing day 243 was performing very well and honestly nothing beat it flat out. Sure, I got more yardage with the lower lofted options. Saw a little bit more forgiveness. But on a good swing day 243 is a dream but not every day can be sweet dreams I know that all too well. I’m going to miss the look at address and feel of a squarely hit shot. 243 has been the best feeling iron I’ve ever hit. So soft so buttery.
I’m going to miss you 243. But it’s time. I’m sorry ?
[/QUOTE]
I say keep swinging em for the 2025 season