Mizuno Pro 245 Vs Ping i530 Irons
Today we delve once more into the competitive world of hollow body players distance irons. We’ve got options today on the distance side (i530) and on the players side (Pro 245). Let’s take a look at what differentiates the irons.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons Overview
“The Mizuno Pro 245 is a players distance that doesn’t neglect the better players need for feel, spin and workability.”
The 245 doen’t go all out on distance like the Ping i530 and it is a progression set, focussed on distance in the long irons and focussed more on accuracy in scoring irons.
The irons are also more compact than the i530’s meaning they suit mid to low handicappers more than they will suit the mid – high handicappers looking for a distance boost.
The irons are grain flow forged, with a soft copper underlay and the face is made from a strong Chromoly steel resulting in excellent distance but also the buttery feel that Mizuno are known for.
Ping i530 Irons Overview
“The i530’s are the latest players distance irons from Ping with strong lofts and unbeatable distance in the category.”
They have bigger blades than the 245’s but they are not to be confused with game improvement irons, they still have a blade like look.
The offset the strong lofts, Ping have positioned the COG lower to produce a higher ball flight and 2 extra micro max grooves to increase the spin.
The result is a powerful set of irons for mid handicappers who want to hunt the pin from further out.
For players who value feel and accuracy with more than ample distance, the 245’s are the way to go.
If you are looking for explosive power with good accuracy, the i530s are about 10 to 15 yards longer.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons – First Impressions
“My first impression of the Mizuno Pro 245 irons was that they looked shockingly similar to the Mizuno Pro 225’s.”
In fact, I set both of them down beside each other and could barely tell the difference.
The scoring lines and hitting in the Mizuno Pro 245 irons are a little lighter in color than the 225’s; but other than that, the 245’s are as compact as the 225’s.
The good news about all that is that the Mizuno Pro 245 irons truly do look like blades even though they technically aren’t blades.
So you get that clean, blade-like look at address with the bonus of a true distance boost.
Irons 2-7 in this set have a suspended tungsten weight which allows for a lower CG without inhibiting face flex.
As a result I was getting great ball speed – 117.4 MPH with the 7-iron on average.
But in the scoring irons, you have a 1025E semi-hollow body with a 17-4 stainless steel back piece to help control the flight a bit more and get the CG a bit higher.
This provides a more solid feel, better feedback and better overall control over spin and launch.
The Mizuno Pro 245 irons also produced near-immediate distance for me. Within the first three swings I was averaging a carry distance of 170.5 yards with the 7-iron.
But what surprised me even more than the distance were the spin rates.
As a player’s distance iron, I was expecting some low spin numbers. But my average spin rate with the Mizuno Pro 245 7-iron was 5200 RPMs.
And keep in mind that these are relatively strong-lofted irons – the 7-iron checks in at 30°.
Ping i530 Irons Category
Category: Hollow Body Player’s Distance Irons
Ping i530 Irons – First Impressions
“They look similar to the i525’s but a little boxier and stronger looking. Then you get them on the trackman and they sound better and fly longer.”
The i520’s are a hollow body players distance iron aimed at mid handicap players who want to pin hunt from further out in the hopes of increasing the number of birdies they can get without sacrificing performance.
The back wall of the face has been thinned to increase smash factor, flex and forgiveness. The polymer inside the head ensures a powerful yet smooth sound and feel.
The lofts have been strengthened and the COG has been lowered and deepened to ensure more distance while keeping spin rates and stopping power at acceptable levels.
The heads do look nice and compact at address but there is enough club there to inspire confidence and produce impressive distances.
Extra grooves have been added to increase spin rates and overall they are a nice upgrade on the i525’s.
Mizuno Pro 245 Irons Selling Points
- Long irons are forged from chromoly
- Scoring irons are forged from 1025E carbon steel
- Hollow body design
- Suspended tungsten weighting in the long irons
- Increased bounce angle for better turf interaction
- 17-4 stainless steel back piece in the scoring irons
- 431 stainless steel back piece in the long irons
- Blade-like appearance
Ping i530 Irons Selling Points
- Forged Face Insert With Thinner Back Wall For Added Flex
- Strengthened Lofts in these hollow body players distance irons.
- Confidence inspiring blade style clubs
- More distance means pin hunting from further out.
- 2 Extra Milled Grooves To Increase Spin And Stopping Power.
- Bulkier more powerful looking design than the i525’s
- Improved Sound And Feel
Who Are the Mizuno Pro 245 Irons for?
“The Mizuno Pro 245 irons are for the player that really wants the look of blades with the performance of distance irons.”
I can imagine that 13-about 22 handicappers will really like these irons. Of course, as Mizuno irons, the short irons are very workable.
You can feel every nuance of your contact and get a keen sense of overall control.
But it’s the mid and long irons that really impressed me. They will be great for mid and high-ish handicappers who need help staying on the green.
They also don’t look like your typical player’s distance irons.
They aren’t as compact as blades; but everything else is blade-like. The top line is thin, the soles are compact and the offset is nearly non-existent.
The Mizuno Pro 245’s would be great for the player who isn’t quite ready to graduate to blades; but still wants blade-like feel, looks and performance.
The Mizuno Pro Family of Irons
The Mizuno Pro 225 irons have a nearly identical profile to the Mizuno Pro 245’s.
They also share the same grain-flow forging and hollow body design. But the Pro 225’s spin a bit lower than the Mizuno Pro 245’s and have a more penetrating flight.
Distance: 97/100
Accuracy: 97/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Feel & Control: 98/100
Overall Score: 96/100
Aidan Lehane here, I’m a Mid-low handicap golfer who has made tremendous progress in breaking 90 in just over 1 year of playing golf seriously.
I get out to the course or range as often as possible and review all the equipment I’ve come across on this blog.