Do you want to play Mizuno irons but you're worried that you're not going to be able to hit them? The Pro 245 could be the model for you.
This is the longest, and most forgiving model in Mizuno's new Pro Series range, with a hollow body construction and a couple of extra tricks inside the head to maximise ball speed.
Who Is It Aimed At?
This is for golfers who still want to play an iron which looks like a blade in the bag, but don't quite have the speed or the consistent ball striking to be able to do so.
I'd say that any golfer from single figures up to the mid-teens could use these irons and benefit from the forgiveness and ball speeds that they offer, without feeling like they are sacrificing too much in terms of workability and feel.
The Tech
The Mizuno Pro 245 irons are Grain Flow Forged in Hiroshima, Japan, the same facility that Mizuno have used for their irons since 1968.
In the 2-8 irons, there's a multi-thickness face configuration with laser welded 431 stainless steel back piece, which is said to raise ball speeds and launch.
A 46 gram tungsten weight is placed low in the head of the 2-7 irons, improving the launch again, but it is suspended which allows the sole to flex which generates faster ball speeds.
The short scoring irons, from 9-GW, are more compact and have a 'partial hollow' construction to promote a penetrating ball flight.
Mizuno include a microlayer of copper beneath the Nickel Chrome head, which is said to enhance the feel of the irons, whilst their Harmonic Impact Technology provides vibration patterns which are more similar to a soft muscle-back iron.
They're said to be shaped and proportioned like a blade, but sized for performance with an extra degree of bounce angle in the long irons and 2 degrees in the scoring irons for turf interaction.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons Review
Looks
The Pro 245 looks like the bigger brother of the Pro 241 iron, with a very similar overall design but in a larger profile than the bladed model.
It has a very similar brushed chrome finish to the previous Pro 225, something which has spread to the rest of the range this time around, and the same placement of the Mizuno Pro script and the running bird logo that you will see on the Pro 241.
Down by the ball the Pro 245 has the longest blade length of the range as well as the thickest topline, as you would imagine.
Having said that it's not chunky by any means, even as you move into the longer irons, and I think this will help to broaden it's appeal as I don't think better players will be put-off as they move their way up the bag. The sole widths remain relatively moderate too, which might satisfy the better players who crave that extra workability.
The look both at address and in the bag means that this goes right to the top of the list for me when it comes to irons of this type.
Feel
As soon as I started hitting these irons I could tell that they felt faster, louder and firmer than the Pro 243 or Pro 241 models - there's definitely a 'bolder' feedback when you strike the ball.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially in the longer irons as I think it can help to feel like the ball is coming off the face a little bit faster, but you do lose some of that buttery feel that Mizuno has become synonymous with.
Performance
As expected, these irons were comfortably the longest in the Pro 24 range. The technology in the head is designed to produce faster ball speeds and easier launch, and this combined with the stronger lofts to give me greater ball speeds, peak heights and carry distances than with the Pro 241 or Pro 243 irons.
I was gaining around 15 yards extra carry distance with the Pro 245 7 iron compared to the Pro 241, although the iron comes in at 30 degrees (compared to 34 degrees with the Pro 241) which definitely helps with this.
I did see quite a reduction in spin with the longer irons compared to with both the Pro 241 and Pro 243 irons, and I actually found that this was affecting performance during my distance.
For example I found that the 5 iron was only carrying 183 yards, which made it the longest of the range, but shorter than I was expecting considering the 7 iron was carrying 166 yards. The spin rate with the 5 iron was down below 3700 rpm and I think that this meant that the ball was struggling to stay in the air and causing this bunching at the top end.
The main thing that I found from my testing though, was just how easy these clubs felt to hit. The forgiveness levels were fantastic, it felt like no matter where I struck the ball on the face, it still flew straight and travelled a good distance, which is exactly the kind of confidence boost you want.
The irons don't quite have the same soft feel as the Pro 241 or Pro 243 models but it makes up for that with playability and a friendly look down by the ball. I've never used really sleek players irons so I'm used to that slightly bigger look at address and I'm pretty comfortable with it, as long as there's no offset - which these clubs don't have.
The ball seemed to spring off the face with ease, giving you that kind of effortless distance that we all desire without feeling like we're swinging out of our boots.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons Verdict
If you're looking for an iron that looks like a blade, yet performs more like a game-improvement iron, then the Mizuno Pro 245 has to be in the conversation.
In this category, I think they're the best looking on the market, beating the likes of the TaylorMade P790, Titleist T200 and Ping i525 irons.
Whilst the Pro 241 and Pro 243 models were fantastic in terms of looks, feel and workability, in some ways the Pro 245 model was more fun because it took away any of the fear-factor and allowed you to swing with confidence, and you could trust that the club was going to help you out even if you didn't strike it perfectly.
They'd be a great option for lots of golfers, right down in to the single figures, who want irons with blade-like looks that pack more of a punch, and it could also be worth experimenting with a combo set where you used these in the longer irons if they give you the extra firepower you need.
All of this goodness is going to cost you though, and at nearly £200 per iron they certainly aren't cheap for a hollow bodied iron, but if they really do help your game then it may be worth the investment.
Would I Use Them?
I was a bit disappointed that the long irons weren't quite giving me the performance that I had hoped and expected - I'd have to do some more on-course testing before I was certain about them. I did love the looks and the forgiveness levels though.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons Pros and Cons
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