While it won’t move the market like whatever the next hot game-improvement happens to be, the launch of the S-3, the first iron in Mizuno’s new MP Signature Series, is perhaps one of the more intriguing releases of the new year, especially for old-school fans of Mizuno irons.
In isolation, the S-3 may look like just another iron but, foundationally, it represents a split in the Mizuno MP lineup which, if things go as planned, will help reestablish Mizuno as the iron of choice for the better player as well as the purists and traditionalists among you.
Mizuno Pro S-Series background
The MP/Mizuno Pro lineup has been a lot of things over the years. At one point, I suppose MP could be described as Mizuno’s classic lineup. For sure, many of you have fond memories of classic Mizuno MP irons like the MP-33, 37, 60, and my personal all-time Mizuno favorite, the MP-32.
Over time, and with the emergence of the JPX lineup, technology began to spill over into the lineup with materials like titanium, boron and Chromoly becoming part of the MP story. Single-piece forgings remained in the MP lineup but specs evolved, multi-material and hollow-body construction bled into the lineup and the lines separating JPX and MP became anything but clear.
Along the way, as more tech-rich designs took over, Mizuno’s priorities shifted from the better player. Less emphasis was placed on timeless designs and there’s a case to be made that Mizuno lost ground with the better player.
Drawing lines
Fundamentally, the goal of Mizuno’s new MP S (Signature Series) is to provide more options for better players and Tour staff of whom Mizuno maybe hasn’t done the best job taking care in recent years.
The S-Series doesn’t so much represent a different side of MP as it does a return to what MP was.
What Signature Series designs will have in common is that each will be a single-piece forged iron designed to appeal to better players and purists. Think about the classic Mizuno irons we love. Those models may have disappeared from the market but the designs themselves are timeless.
Timeless versus timely
Moving forward, what is today’s MP lineup will offer what Mizuno calls timely designs. Timeliness speaks to the reality that golf club technology is often fleeting and dated. It evolves and moves on. What was considered a hot iron back then (let’s call it the days of yore or even 2021) is slow by today’s standards. Aesthetic preferences change and while it’s not fair to call these modern designs forgettable, few are iconic or even memorable.
Said another way, timely designs have an expiration date.
With the timeless Signature series, Mizuno seeks to reestablish the prestige, perhaps even elegance, of those classic MP designs albeit with new, though perhaps not distinctively modern, offerings.
As it grows, the S series will bring a mix of cavity-back and blade designs. Common in the designs will be compact shapes, thin toplines and little offset.
Part of the Mizuno S-Series story is that while timeless designs have near-universal appeal, there isn’t a single iron model that’s right for every golfer. Perhaps that’s why there are so many one-off (often older models) variations of blades and cavity-backs in play on Tour.
Everybody wants their own thing because almost nobody wants to play a company’s stock MB or CB.
For its part, Mizuno doesn’t want to join a growing list of companies that makes one-offs for everyone on staff. Instead, it hopes to design a collection of irons that the pros will want to play and a segment of amateur golfers will want to buy.
S-3: The beginning
The first Mizuno’s Signature Series iron is the S-3. While it is a new model, elements of the design should prove pleasantly familiar. A single-piece, split-cavity design, the Mizuno S-3 is built on the popular (perhaps even beloved) JPX Tour chassis.
So, while there is no JPX Tour this year, there’s kind of a JPX Tour this year. It’s back in the MP lineup where, arguably, it has always belonged.
Compared to current MP24x offerings, the S-3 features a boxier shape and straighter lines. It’s one of the first Mizuno irons to feature a triple-cut sole which blends a high-bounce leading edge with trailing-edge relief. Functionally, it’s a bit like wedge grind on an iron and should work well for the modern player with a steeper attack angle.
As you would expect, the S-3 is constructed using Mizuno’s patented Grain Flow Forged HD process. A copper underlay works to further improve feel and, while it can be difficult to quantify, Mizuno believes the triple-cut sole will also improve golfer’s perceptions of feel.
Extended lifecycles
What’s perhaps most interesting about the Signature Series is Mizuno’s explicit acknowledgement that the category in which it fits evolves slowly. With that in mind, any iron that should find its way into the Mizuno MP Signature series is expected to have a four-year lifecycle. In addition to providing the longevity many golfers say they want, the extended lifespan provides Mizuno plenty of opportunity to recoup manufacturing costs.
While it’s not a particularly glamorous part of the story, relying on longevity instead of volume gives Mizuno more freedom to make “golfer” decisions instead of business decisions. The real-world manifestation of that principle is that full sets of Mizuno Signature Series irons will be available in right-and left-handed versions.
Finally.
Old-school specs
Refreshing, perhaps, for the purists among you, the Mizuno Signature Series S-3 irons offer what I suppose quality as old-school loft specs. The 3-iron (yes, there’s a 3-iron) is 21 degrees, the 7-iron is 34 degrees (I think that’s a 9-iron in some sets),and the PW is a relatively high-lofted 46 degrees.
Pricing and availability
Available in both right and left-handed, the Mizuno Pro S-3 irons retail for $200 per iron. The stock shaft is a Project X and the stock grip is a Golf Pride MCC Teams Gray/White.
Pre-sale of the Mizuno S-3 irons begins Jan. 23. Full retail availability starts Feb. 7.
For more information, visit Mizunogolf.com.
Save some money
The Mizuno Pro S-3 represents an exciting new chapter for Mizuno, but $200/club might be more than you want to pay. For those looking to save a little bit of money, you can save $300 on a set of JPX 923 Tour irons.
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