Is the Mizuno MP-20 HMB 2 Iron as good as Mizuno claim?
The iconic MP-29 blades are the clubs which Tiger Woods used early in his playing career. Using the Mizuno MP range which stands for Mizuno Pro. Tiger secured the 1997 Masters victory by 12 shots. Tiger was a real pioneer as he used the MP-29 long irons and the MP-14 for his short irons. Nowadays having a split set or combo setup is quite standard, and actually preferred by a lot of golfers on the PGA, European tour, LPGA and now available in the mass amateur golfing market.
The MP -20 HMB looks like a standard muscle back blade from behind the club at address. The top line is a little thicker than say the MP-20 MMC or the MB, Chris Voshal from Mizuno states that the club is more playable, and from testing I would tend to agree with Chris.
When you cut the head open it is packed with technology.
What are the Key Features of the MP-20 HMB?
– The Forging process of the HMB is by Grain Flow and the material is Chromoly. This is Mizuno’s strongest forged material, which produces a soft feel.
– Feedback, the team at Mizuno have incorporated Harmonic Impact Technology, which is designed to deliver “ideal impact and feedback”
– Beneath the chrome exterior they have bonded a layer of thin copper, to add to the feel of the club.
– The rear of the HMB or the ‘Hybrid Muscle Back’ has two separate Tungsten weights placed at the heal and the toe of the Muscle back, which is designed to increase the moment of inertia and to provide a deeper centre of gravity
– The 2 iron is 16-degree standard loft with a 59-degree lie angle
Chromoly helps the forgers make the material very thin so the club can maximise ball speed from a really hot club face.
Another feature of the HMB is in the muscle back portion of the iron. Mizuno have inserted Tungsten weights which are designed to increase the stability of the golf club and aid in delivering a very consistent and stable club head direction.
The HMB type Iron would in the past, normally only be seen in the longer irons of golfers sets like the 2, 3 or 4 iron.
But the feel and the look of the golf club, and the added copper sheeting which is used below the chrome exterior to add a ton of ‘feel’ to the golf shot, that some players are actually having a full set in the Mizuno MP-20 HMB.
Even the head professional at my golf club has decided that the HMB is what he wants to play with, and has decided on the full set which he loves.
Mizuno HMB v’s Hybrid
Well this is where I review the Mizuno HMB. I have had one for a few months now, and have hit hundreds of golf shots with the MP-20 HMB 2 iron.
If I take you back to why I bought the Mizuno HMB 2 iron, well it was because for years I have been sucked into the Hybrid dilemma, the fact that these clubs are meant to be so much easier to hit than a long iron, and so much more forgiving.
Then a hybrid was supposed to be a lot easier to get a ball out of the rough, and to help chip the ball around the green with it, and help with a higher golf ball trajectory and a multitude of other features. Well, like many I already hit a high golf shot so I am not trying to get more loft.
So, all of the features above I was hooked, and over the years I have had a fair few hybrids, but as you can see, I chopped and changed a lot and just could not find one to suit my game, the below list.
1. Ping G5 Hybrid
2. TaylorMade RBZ Hybrid
3. Ping G10 Hybrid
4. Titleist 915 HD
5. Titleist 915 H
6. Ping G400
All I can say is “I hate Hybrids”. I just cannot get on with them, all my golfing mates use them, and most love them, but I just cannot get to grips with them. I decided I would rather power a six iron out of the rough than use an awful hybrid, if they work for you then great, but if you have issues like me, and lose all confidence then please try a utility iron, and especially give the Mizuno MP-20 HMB a try.
As a junior golfer I always liked using a 3 iron, it never bothered me or gave me the shivers, that those horrible hybrids do to my game now. So, around 16 months ago I threw the hybrid in the garage and bought a Mizuno MP18 Fli-Hi, in a 3-iron loft.
The Fli-Hi was a good solid club when I hit the ball out of the middle, it felt a nice and solid golf shot, the ball was very penetrating in its flight, and was a great club to use, but I found it not very forgiving, if I hit a ball out of the toe or the heal, it was quite punishing to my golf game.
On the days I wasn’t swinging the club that well, I had a pretty bad miss with it, and I started losing my confidence with the Fli-Hi, so would start looking for other clubs to use, it got that bad that I thought about getting a 7 wood!
One evening I was at our local driving range and a friend had bought a MP-20 HMB 2 iron, and he let me have a go with it. Well it was lovely, very forgiving and so much easier to hit than the MP18 Fli-Hi 3 iron I had, it really was love at first sight.
So, I placed an order for the Mizuno MP-20 HMB 2 Iron, and then panicked for about a week. What was I thinking buying a 2 iron?
In my head I was concerned, I thought that anyone could hit a decent shot off the mats at the driving range, but it would be a different story on a golf course, and especially not off the grass.
When it arrived, I put it straight in the bag, first tee shot is a dogleg left, and bang over the trees with a baby draw.
The feedback and feel from the club was amazing, the ball flight from the HMB is so penetrating, and the ball is hot off the face, and runs quite a distance.
Over the past few months of using the HMB 2 iron, my miss with the 2 iron is so much better than with the Fli-Hi.
It is so unbelievably forgiving, and when I do hit the ball out of the toe or heal, the miss is so much more controlled than with the Fli-Hi.
The result of the bad shot is it may lose a little distance, but I am getting a a straighter ball flight and improved end result.
When addressing the ball with the 2 Iron, it looks amazing and creates confidence when standing at address over the next shot, the club really suits my eye.
When I ordered the HMB 2 iron and just had the standard S300 shaft incorporated and aTour Velvet Grip.
When I am playing golf with my buddies, I have been calling my MP-20 HMB “my cheating stick”, it really has helped my game, especially on those tight Par 4 holes.
If you have similar issues to what I have described then please go and try it out, it could do wonders for your game.
In conclusion, if you could not already tell, I love it and If I had to rate the club out of five, this one would be getting a six!
