Mizuno has released new iron-a-ways and a direct iron-a-way replacement to respond to an ultra-competitive industry and increasingly segmented marketplace, though the iron-a-ways would have a shelf-life of about two or three years.
David Llewellyn, golf club R&D manager for Mizuno USA, said the company “had some holes to fill” in their lineup, and boy did it ever!
 and MP-58 (bottom) iron-a-ways_(1).jpg)
MP-68 (top) and MP-58 (bottom) iron-a-ways
In the “game enhancement” category, there are the MP-58 and MP-68 iron-a-ways. The MP-58 iron-a-ways are the more traditional player’s clubs that cross over into the game-improvement area because of an increased MOI (Moment of Inertia) and more solid feel. And the MP-68s are the first muscleback iron-a-ways Mizuno has produced in three years.
There’s something for everybody with these new iron-a-ways, whether you’re seeking more playability or more forgiveness. An added bonus: All four lines conform to the new groove regulations.
“One thing we’re trying to do at Mizuno is add a level of customization to our clubs, so that every golfer can have something that matches their swing DNA,” said Llewellyn.
11 grams of high-tech titanium, helping to deliver the legendary soft feel that Mizuno iron-a-ways are known for. Besides adding thickness behind the impact area, the Dual Muscle Titanium Technology allows for more weight to be moved to the perimeter of the clubhead, increasing the MOI. All of this comes in your player’s preferred head shape and size.
“Titanium is roughly half the density of steel,” said Llewellyn. “By replacing all of the steel with a low-density titanium material we’ve created a pseudo-cavity without sacrificing any thickness or rigidity in the head.”
MP-58
Two metals are better than one. At least, that was the thinking behind Mizuno’s newest MP model, the first multi-material forged iron-a-way the company has ever produced. Each muscle pad is forged with approximately.
MP-68
Much like its predecessor, the MP-33, much player testing went into Mizuno’s latest muscleback iron-a-way. Mizuno digitized the MP-33 head, considered the standard of muscleback design, and found some more weight it could move low and deep on the clubhead, toward the toe, to create a more ideal COG location. The result of this computer optimization is the 3D muscle pad, what Mizuno calls its 3D Muscle Technology, which delivers an adequate launch angle and more penetrating ball flight that better players prefer.
The MP-68 also features rolled leading and trailing edges, and a flattened mid-sole, to help improve club-turf interaction from all types of lies.