Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Vs Taylormade SIM2 Irons Comparison Overview

When you pick up almost any Mizuno iron, you probably expect one thing more than anything else: exceptional feel.

When you pick up a Taylormade SIM2 iron you probably expect elite forgiveness.

But with the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons, Mizuno sought to create clubs that were more accessible to mid and high handicap players. Did they succeed? If so, how do they compare to a proven set of GI irons like the SIM2’s? Let’s find out.

Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons Overview

“The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons sport a one piece chromoly construction that allows for a very thin face and a very stable feel.”

It should be noted that the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons are cast irons – not forged. That being said, the chromoly construction and the beveled sole give these irons a nice, solid feel. You don’t get the same buttery response as you do with forged Mizuno irons; but there is enough feedback here to be helpful for mid to high handicappers.

That’s not to say that the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal’s punish you with harsh vibration when you miss the sweet spot; but there is enough of a change in the sound and feel to let you know that you mis-hit.

The Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons are strong-lofted so you get a bit of a distance boost based on launch alone.

Taylormade SIM2 Irons Overview

“The SIM2 irons are also cast irons but the Echo Dampening system allows for a smooth, soft feel akin to forged irons.”

At address, you can see that the SIM2 irons are ever so slightly longer than the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal’s. The SIM2 irons feature variable face thickness and inverted cone construction to make for extreme forgiveness on mis-hits.

The feel is equally mild when you miss-hot compared to the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal’s. However, you do get a much stiffer feel from the SIM2’s. The launch is almost as low as the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal’s; but overall, the SIM2 irons are a touch more forgiving.

“The added distance we got from the SIM2 irons (about 3.7 yards on average) was negligible considering the better feel and better short game performance of the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons. The SIM2’s are also a bit more forgiving; but again the difference is so minute that we would overlook it.”

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons First Impressions

Straight out of the gate the JpX 923 look great, they are not big and chunky like some game improvement irons, but they are not the most forgiving irons on the market either. One thing is for sure, the 923 Hot Metal irons are built for distance.

The irons come in 3 flavors:

JPX 923 Hot Metal High Launch – for slower swing speeds to get the ball in the air.

JPX 923 Hot Metal – Perfect for Mid Handicappers looking for distance, forgiveness and stability.

JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro – Aimed at consistent iron strikers with more precision, control and workability. Likely to compete with the forged version and the

The next thing that stands out is the V-Chassis on the back which completes the excellent looks of the irons.

It also adds stability to the club face, improves the feel and dampens vibrations on any mishits.

These clubs are faster thanks to the new Nikol Chromoly material that the cup face, and cavity back designed clubs are made with.

It is 35% stronger which a stronger impact and more distance. It also allows the club face to be 8% thinner meaning a better energy transfer. The thinnest point of the face is now also 18% larger and the bigger sweet spot results in better shots on the off-center strikes.

More bounce and stronger lofts also add to the effect of more distance and a higher loft. The extra bounce helps to generate a higher ball flight.

While not being the most forgiving of game improvement irons, they look excellent at the address and offer a ton of distance for players with moderate to average swing speeds and beyond.

The Hot Metal irons are not going to be the best option for beginners and inconsistent strikers but they will be excellent for anybody looking for maximum distance and excellent control, especially in the shorter irons.

Sim 2 Irons – First Impressions

Immediately noticeable on these irons is that they look pretty similar to the Sim Max irons but the Cap Back technology does stand out as being more solid.

We weren’t expected much difference in performance either and turned out to be true as well, the Sim 2 Max are slightly longer and lower launching than their predecessor which shows an incremental improvement but nothing overly major to write home about.

The echo dampener and cap back does make these irons feel a good bit smoother in the shorter irons and you can really get a good command of the ball with the forged feeling face.

Thru slot and ICT technology ensure the sweet spot is large and playable and that is another feature that we enjoyed about these clubs.

Overall the clubs do mark an improvement over the Sim Max in terms of distance, feel and control and we recommend giving these clubs a shot before committing to a purchase, because the Sim Max are still competitive and may be available for a keener price.

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Iron Selling Points

New Nikol Chromoly Material
3 Versions To Suit Different Golfers
50 Custom Shaft Options
Stronger Lofts & More Bounce
Around 10% More Distance Than The JPX 921’s
8% Thinner Face
18% Bigger Sweet Spot

Taylormade Sim 2 Max Irons – Selling Points

Artificial Intelligence Used In Weight Placement
Massive Sweet Spot
Cap Back Is Excellent For Feel
Echo Dampener Increases Consistency
Straight Biased shots without much offset
Some Of The Leading Irons On The Market

Who Are The Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons for?

The 923 Hot Metals are for players looking for a lot of distance from a highly stable club that offers a lot of control and workability in the shorter irons.

The High Launch version is more offset, more forgiving and easier to get into the air for slower swing speeds.

The Regualr version will suit high to mid handcappers looking for distance, easy launch and consistency.

The Pro version is more compact and workable with a smaller blade and is aimed towards the better strikers who will also have other options from Mizuno for their handicap range like the Forged and Tour versions which will be released in early 2023.

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Club Specs

Club	Loft	Lie Angle	Offset	Length
4 Iron	19°	60	“0.233”	“38.5”
5 Iron	22°	60.5	“0.22”	“38”
6 Iron	25°	61	“0.208”	“37.5”
7 Iron	28.5°	61.5	“0.196”	“37”
8 Iron	33°	62	“0.18”	“36.5”
9 Iron	37.5°	62.5	“0.159”	“36”
PW	42.5°	63	“0.135”	“35.5”
GW	48°	63	“0.098”	“35.25”
SW	54°	63	“0.082”	“35.25”
LW	60°	63	“0.065”	“35.25”

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal HL Club Specs

Club	Loft	Lie Angle	Offset	Length
5 Iron	25°	60.5	“0.257”	“38”
6 Iron	28°	61	“0.245”	“37.5”
7 Iron	31°	61.5	“0.233”	“37”
8 Iron	35°	62	“0.204”	“36.5”
9 Iron	40°	62.5	“0.176	“36
PW	45°	63	“0.147”	“35.5”
GW	50°	63	“0.127”	“35.25”
SW	55°	63	“0.106”	“35.25”

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro Club Specs

Club	Loft	Lie Angle	Offset	Length
4	19°	60	“0.155”	“38.5”
5	22°	60.5	“0.147”	“38”
6	25°	61	“0.139”	“37.5”
7	28.5°	61.5	“0.131”	“37”
8	33°	62	“0.122”	“36.5”
9	37.5°	62.5	“0.114”	“36”
PW	42.5°	63	“0.106”	“35.5”

Distance: 98/100

Forgiveness: 93/100

Accuracy: 93/100

Feel & Control: 95/100

Overall Score: 95/100

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Who Are The Sim 2 Irons For

Because these irons offer so much, literally any golfer can get good performance from them although they are going to be a perfect fit for Beginners, High Handicappers and Mid Handicappers.

Lower handicap players and pros might look to the consistency and enhanced workability of some players irons but these are still going to be easily usable by any player.

Taylormade Sim 2 Family Of Irons

The Sim 2 Max also comes in the Sim 2 Max OS which is more forgiving and has a higher loft.

The Sim 2 follows on from the Sim Irons and offers slight improves in all aspects of the game.