Mizuno Pro 225 Vs. Srixon ZX5 Irons Comparison Overview

Mizuno is a company known for their premium clubs that cater to the needs of pros. Srixon is a company whose irons are used by some of the game’s best players. So how do their clubs compare to one another?

To find out, we took to the range and the course to test the Srixon ZX5 irons side-by-side with the Mizuno Pro 225 irons. Take a look at what our testing unveiled…

Mizuno Pro 225 Irons Overview

The mid irons of the Mizuno Pro 225 set are slightly weaker-lofted than those of the Srixon ZX5 irons.

It didn’t make too much of a difference on the course though. From the tee however, the Srixon ZX5 irons produced better carry distance. The Mizuno Pro 225 irons feel amazing though. They are grain flow forged and the long irons are made from chromoly while the scoring irons are forged from soft carbon steel.

This is pretty much as premium as you can get. It became very evident from our testing though that the Mizuno Pro 225 irons are suitable nearly exclusively for low handicappers. They have more compact heads than the Srixon ZX5 irons and are significantly less forgiving.

Srixon ZX5 Irons Overview

The Srixon ZX5 irons are definitely better for mid handicappers.

For starters, these are cavity back irons; but you wouldn’t be able to tell if you were to swing them blindfolded – and hit the ball of course. That’s because they are forged from 1020 carbon steel so they have a feel similar to the Mizuno Pro 225 irons.

The faces are also made of a different kind of steel so you get a metal-wood type flex from these irons which helps with ball speed. Our higher handicap testers were able to top out at 162 yards with the 7-iron at the range.

The Srixon ZX5 irons are no slouches on the course either. The progressive face grooves that get sharper and narrower in the scoring irons provide plenty of stopping power. And the forged feel offers the softness that better players prefer. Plus, the moderate size and offset make these irons more forgiving.

While there are some design similarities between these two sets, it’s very clear that the Srixon ZX5 will benefit mid handicappers. The Mizuno Pro irons have a better feel but don’t play as long and aren’t as forgiving as the Srixon ZX5’s.

Srixon ZX5 Irons – First Impressions

The Srixon ZX5 irons are a major improvement over the Srixon Z585 irons which had a cheaper, more game improvement look about them.

The first thing we noticed about these irons is how nice they look. Srixon got rid of the back insert which made the previous Srixon irons look a bit cheap. The Srixon ZX5’s on the other hand have the look of a premium set of forged irons.

They have a sharp, sleek look even as the cavity back pokes out a little more noticeably in the long irons.

Another reason we think the Srixon ZX5 irons would be good for mid handicappers is the amount of offset you see at point of address. The Srixon ZX5’s have a moderate amount of offset that is enough to inspire confidence but not enough to make these look like a pure set of game improvement irons.

Srixon did a good job of making the Srixon ZX5’s occupy the middle ground between player’s performance and game improvement irons. When compared to the ZX7’s you will notice that the top line is a bit thicker.

The Srixon ZX5’s also have longer blades than the ZX7’s. However, this is to be expected. The ZX7’s are definitely more of a pure set of player’s performance irons and emphasize workability over forgiveness. Still, the Srixon ZX5’s aren’t much bigger than the ZX7’s.

Mizuno Pro 225 Irons – First Impressions

With all the hype about these irons, let’s chat about the technology Mizuno have pumped into them.

Like the rest of the Pro range, the Mizuno Pro 225 irons are Grain Flow forged, the face and neck are forged, what is unique about Mizuno is all of their clubs are made in the factory in Hiroshima – Japan, since 1968.

Since 2018 Mizuno have introduced a microlayer of copper underneath Nickel Chrome, this gives you the purest, softest feel we have all come to know and love from Mizuno.

This iron actually has a combination of two forging techniques, the 2-8 iron uses the Grain Flow Forged 4135 Chromoly Face & Neck technique, it also has a COR Forged Hollow Body 28.5g Tungsten weight this gives the iron its unique look as well as producing a higher launch, more consistent flight and incredible ball speed.

The 9-PW has a 1025E pure select mild carbon steel structure, this enhances precision and a more penetrating flight, this helps with the scoring irons, allowing you to attack even the tightest of flags.

Now after all this we were extremely excited to get these onto the range, and let’s be honest there it was love at first sight.

When we put the club down behind the ball we expected a tiny looking head, but we were wrong. Not overly big, but perfect. It was the right amount of thickness to give you confidence.

When we started hitting balls we could instantly see some increase in ball speed, as well as forgiveness. These were for sure not a blade.

We were surprised how workable these are, usually when a club is as forgiving as this, you lose workability, but we were able to hit fades and draws, as well as high and low on demand.

Another issue with the hollow body construction club is you get what they call a ‘hot shot’, this is when the ball flies 10/15 yards further when struck well, now this may sound great, but if you fly the ball into a bunker unexpectedly, then it is not at all. We did not get any of these so called ‘hot shots’, a few flew around 5 yards further, but that can be expected with any iron.

This Mizuno Pro 225 is high launching and forgiving while looking exactly like a blade at address and in your bag.

Srixon ZX5 Irons Selling Points

Multi-material construction
Tungsten toe weights in the long irons
“V” shaped sole
Narrower, deeper face grooves in the scoring irons
Milled back side

Mizuno Pro 225 Irons Selling Points

Multi forged construction, giving you precise performance in every iron
Microlayer of copper enhances feel and sound
Blade like look, but with game improvement performance
9-PW are more compact allowing you to be more precise
Looks and feels like your traditional Mizuno iron

Who Are the Srixon ZX5 Irons for?

Srixon isn’t wrong when they say that the Srixon ZX5’s will have something to offer players of all skill levels. But after testing these irons, it’s clear that the players that stand to gain the most from these irons are mid handicappers.

They offer a moderate degree of workability which will suit the needs of players who are just starting to learn how to work the ball to their advantage on the fairway. Both the long and short irons have enough stopping power for the mid handicapper as well.

While the longer irons sacrifice a bit of spin control in favor of forgiveness and distance, we think most mid handicappers will be able to overlook this minor flaw. And since most mid handicappers will still want a moderate degree of forgiveness, the longer blades and thicker soles of the Srixon ZX5’s will suit them better than the ZX7 irons.

The Srixon ZX Family of Irons

The Srixon like of ZX irons also includes the popular Srixon ZX7 irons. The ZX7 irons have less offset, thinner top lines and thinner soles across the board so at point of address, they may scare some mid and high handicappers away.

However, you do get acute spin control from the scoring irons and excellent workability. Like the Srixon ZX5 irons, the ZX7’s are also fully forged. They also feature tungsten weights in the toes of the longer irons to help keep the blade from turning over.

As you might expect from a set of player’s performance irons, the ZX7’s also have stronger loft characteristics than the ZX5’s. Everything is the same up until the five iron: the Srixon ZX5 5-iron is 24 degrees while the 5-iron of the ZX7 set is 25 degrees.

So you do get slightly higher launch and sharper descent angles from the Srixon ZX7 irons starting with the 5-iron. Again though, this is pretty much to be expected from a set that is geared towards lower handicap players.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 93/100

Forgiveness: 93/100

Feel & Control: 95/100

Overall Score: 93/100

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Who Are the Mizuno 225 Irons For?

They are aimed at your mid to low handicap player, however it is such a versatile iron, as it has premium looks, workability and forgiveness. We can see a beginner with some talent or a low handicap player looking for some distance play this iron too.

For those low handicap players that want a little more workability in their lower irons, and forgiveness in their longer irons, going with a combo set could really be a great option. We suggest getting fitted by your local pro or nearest Mizuno qualified fitter, to see what works best for you.

The Mizuno Pro Family of Irons

Mizuno has two other models in the Pro range, the 221 and 223. The 221 is your complete blade irons, while the 223 falls somewhere in between them.

The Mizuno Pro 223 is an unbelievable iron, it is a compact players’ iron, while still boasting some speed enhancing technologies. They have introduced a brand new technology system from 4-7 iron, it uses Mizuno’s tested Chromoly Forging and Flow Micro-Slot Grain Flow Forged with a soft copper underlay, the Pro 223 iron has an unbelievable feel and sound, and is very forgiving.

The Mizuno Pro 221 is designed on years and years of incredible Mizuno blade irons, through the years they have made the irons more playable by small improvements in shape and weight placement. It has a shorter blade profile and smaller top line. This year the Pro 221 has tighter scoring lies than the previous years, giving it more control. Like the other models in the range it is Grain Flow Forged, with a soft copper underlay, giving the Pro 221 your traditional Mizuno sound and feel.