Ping G425 irons vs Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal Irons

The Ping G425 irons and Mizuno JPX 921 irons are two great choices when it comes to irons that offer all-around performance. However, what is the difference between the two, and which one will give you the edge on the golf course?

In this article we look at the Ping G425 iron vs Mizuno JPX Hot Metal irons in key performance areas. Below is a quick screenshot of the Trackman testing, followed by a full analysis of distance, forgiveness, feel, control and value. Full TrackMan data tables are at the end of the article, just click here to jump to them.

Distance

As you might expect with modern-day equipment pushing up to the limits on performance, both the Ping G425 and Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons boast solid performance and are fairly evenly matched in terms of power. 

In terms of outright distance though, the Mizuno JPX 921 Hot metal irons have the edge – in testing offering an extra 3 yards in both carry and total distance, likely the result of an extra 1mph of ball speed. The question of course is where does this extra speed come from? 

The Mizuno does have slightly stronger standard lofts throughout the set (varying between 0.5 and 1 deg), however, the average launch angle was the exact same with both irons.

How come? The head construction in the JPX irons is designed to launch the ball higher, despite the stronger lofts. Otherwise, you may struggle to generate a steep enough landing angle to hold the green.

The trade-off in this situation is almost always the backspin generated, and that is indeed where the greatest difference lies between these two. The average backspin generated with the Mizuno was 5614 rpm as opposed to 5895 rpm with the Ping, and this is likely the most significant factor in terms of distance. 

Another area consideration is smash factor (ball speed divided by club speed) to determine the effective power, here the Mizuno has a slight edge due to the stronger lofts (1.40 to 1.39 smash factor).

Forgiveness

You might be surprised to learn that even the tour professionals don’t always hit the middle of the clubface, and so for most of us, a little forgiveness is not such a bad thing and helps to make a very difficult game slightly easier. 

In assessing these two options perhaps the best analysis is to look at the drop off between the good strikes and the somewhat more average ones.

In doing so the Mizuno comes out slightly better with only a 12.2 yard drop off between best and worst versus a 13.9-yard drop off for the Ping G425 iron. A caveat though, that particular shot with the Ping was bad enough for me to remember all too vividly as I sit here and subsequently write this review. 

Both of these numbers I would describe as fairly impressive. To put them into some sort of context, when you consider that the average green is around 25-30 yards from front to back, with the pin in the middle, even a poor strike is likely still to reach the green.

Both clubs have plenty of perimeter weighting built into the head, with the Ping utilising a  tungsten toe screw purely for the purpose of helping with off-centre strikes. Ultimately, it’s pretty difficult to separate them when it comes to forgiveness. 

Feel

Let’s make no bones about it, both of these irons feel powerful when struck, but perhaps in differing ways. The Ping G425 offers a really solid feel accompanied by matching acoustics, not uncommon for a company whose brand name was based on the sound its first clubs made. 

On the other hand, you have the Mizuno which again falls in line with the general brand ethos “nothing feels like a Mizuno”, giving a much softer feel at impact, reminiscent of the feedback you might expect from a more “workable” iron. It’s impressive how the feel almost belies the true nature and purpose of the iron.

Both irons offer exceptional feel, albeit, they differ in sound and softness.

Control

If you were just to put two heads side by side, you might look down at the Ping G425 with its thinner top line and think it’s going to be more workable than the Mizuno, and you wouldn’t be wrong. There seems to be a trend towards this from Ping who have gradually been reducing the head size and refining the top line throughout successive releases in the G-series models of recent years.

One of the things we noticed when testing the Ping G425 was the impressive backspin it generates. Ultimately this additional backspin will make it easier to stop the ball on landing and offers you greater workability in terms of shot shaping too. 

Equally though, the Mizuno didn’t perform badly in this area and fitting the correct shaft can help you to optimise your launch and spin rates – Mizuno also offers the widest range of aftermarket shafts at no upcharge! 

On a separate note, the Ping G425 has slightly more offset than the Mizuno JPX irons. This added offset may better benefit golfers who struggle with a fade/slice, whereas the Mizuno may suit players who struggle with a draw/hook tendency.

In testing, I found my average dispersion to be a little further left with the Ping. (with the exception of one pretty atrocious shot – most certainly user error!)

Value

In terms of the price point of each of these sets, they are again closely positioned, with the Mizuno perhaps being slightly more expensive depending on where you shop. Value though really depends on the needs of the golfer and the product meeting those needs.

As discussed above, they each have strengths and weaknesses and it’s for you to decide which set is going to offer more value and performance to your golf game. 

Compared to similar iron sets on the market both are reasonably priced and by taking advantage of the excellent fitting systems from both companies, you can be assured that you will receive quality products that represent good value for money. 

Ping G425 buy if…

I would recommend you to look towards the Ping G425 first if you are a golfer who tends to struggle with a fade/slice shot shape. Another important factor is the stopping power they offer on your approach shots.

Consider the course conditions where you usually play, if the greens are small or sometimes get a little firm, the added spin of the Ping G425 will come in handy to ensure your sweetly struck iron shots find their target. 

Mizuno JPX 921 irons buy if…

If distance is your utmost priority, then I’d probably usher you towards the Mizuno JPX 921 irons. Equally, if you play at a course that tends to be quite windy, the slightly reduced spin may actually be an advantage in terms of controlling the ball flight. 

Secondly, if feel is one of your priorities, I’d have to say you’ll be hard-pressed to find a similarly forgiving club that provides such enjoyable feedback when striking the ball.

Alternative irons to consider

Outside of these excellent options above, I’d certainly recommend looking at the new Titleist T300 irons which offer superb ball speed in a forgiving and generously sized clubhead.

The Titleist T300 irons sit at a slightly higher price point than both the Ping and Mizuno but are worth testing if extra distance is a priority for you. You may also want to check out the Mizuno 223 in Mizuno’s new Pro irons.

Summary

In summary, the Ping G425 and Mizuno JPX irons are two great choices for golfers wanting the latest tech packed into their irons. The Ping’s offer a little more backspin and may edge it if you struggle with a fade. Whereas, the Mizuno irons give a little extra ball speed, a softer feel and a more neutral ball flight if you struggle with a hook.

For more review check out our roundup guides:

• Most forgiving irons
• Best game improvement irons
• Best cavity back irons
• Best irons for high handicappers
• Best irons for mid-handicappers

Ping G425 irons vs Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal – Full testing data

Below is full testing data from the Ping G425 and Mizuno JPX 921 irons.

	Ball Speed	Club Speed	Carry	Total	Attack Ang.	Club Path	Face To Path	Face Ang.	Launch Ang.	Spin Axis
	Mph	Mph	Yds	Yds	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg
1	118.5	84.8	162.5	170.5	-5.5	-0.5	1.1	0.6	13.6	-2.5
2	117.6	84.1	164.5	173.5	-5.3	0.1	-0.5	-0.4	14.7	-0.1
3	120.4	85.1	168.5	177.4	-5.7	0.1	0.1	0.2	13.9	-2
4	117.9	84.2	166.5	176.1	-6.5	0.3	-1.1	-0.8	15	0.7
5	115.8	85	161.7	172.1	-4.7	-0.3	0.4	0.1	13.9	1
6	118.4	84.7	168.5	178.7	-5.5	0.5	-2.1	-1.6	15	-1.4
7	118.4	84.7	171.8	182.6	-5.5	0.9	-1	-0.1	16.2	0.7
8	118.7	84.4	171.4	181.8	-5.5	-0.3	-0.9	-1.2	15.9	-1.1
9	118.4	85	163.3	173.2	-6.5	-0.5	0.2	-0.3	12.2	0.1
10	119.9	84.5	166.3	174.6	-5.5	0.5	-1.5	-1	13.9	-3.4
11	114.8	86.1	157.7	165.6	-5.3	-0.1	0.7	0.6	15.8	8.8
Average	118.1	84.8	165.7	175.1	-5.6	0.1	-0.4	-0.4	14.6	0.1
Consistency	1.5	0.5	4.1	4.7	0.5	0.4	0.9	0.7	1.1	3.1

	Ball Speed	Club Speed	Carry	Total	Attack Ang.	Club Path	Face To Path	Face Ang.	Launch Ang.	Spin Axis
	Mph	Mph	Yds	Yds	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg	Deg
1	120.3	86.8	169.6	179	-4.7	-1.5	0.1	-1.4	14.2	1.2
2	122	85.9	170.4	178.4	-5.7	0.5	-0.8	-0.3	14	-0.1
3	122.8	86.9	173	180	-4.3	-0.3	0.3	0	16.7	-0.3
4	120.3	85.8	174	184.4	-3.7	0.5	-2.5	-2	15.7	1.7
5	116	85.2	161.8	172.8	-5.1	-0.7	0.1	-0.6	13.7	5.7
6	116.4	85.4	164.4	175.7	-5.1	-0.5	0.1	-0.4	14.2	3.7
7	119.5	84.6	171.6	184.9	-5.7	-0.3	-4.1	-4.4	12.9	0.5
8	117.2	85	169	181.3	-5.3	-1.1	0.6	-0.5	15.1	7.3
9	119.2	85.1	167	174.5	-5.1	-1.7	2.1	0.4	16.5	4.7
10	118.8	85.4	165.3	175	-6.3	-0.5	0.4	-0.1	13.2	3.2
11	117.9	83.9	167.4	178.1	-5.7	0.1	-0.6	-0.5	14.7	3.8
12	120	85.3	171.7	181.9	-5.3	0.7	-0.1	0.6	14.9	-2.5
Average	119.2	85.4	168.8	178.8	-5.2	-0.4	-0.4	-0.8	14.6	2.4
Consistency	2	0.8	3.5	3.7	0.7	0.7	1.5	1.3	1.1	2.7