Mizuno JPX 825

Brand: Mizuno
Hybrid: JPX-825
Category: Game improvement
RRP: £129
Best price: £99
Loft: 19-degree
Lie: 59.5-degree
Length: 40.25"
Shaft: Fujikura Orochi 70

Summary: Internal sole weighting pushes more mass low and deep to promote a higher launch and softer-landing approach shots. An ‘L’ shaped maraging steel face extends to the sole. More sole flex helps to boost ball speeds on shots hit low on the face.

Appearance: It seems a little strange to look down on a hybrid today and see a black head and shaft still lying behind the ball. Smaller, compact head but there’s plenty of face down there to build confidence. Slightly onset face presents loft well. Alignment was decent enough but the sole design will not be winning anything in the beauty stakes – we just haven’t been taken by the design of the 825 woods family. Sun shining down on the face was a slight problem, too. 4

Feel: Feedback was decent with a high-pitching ‘ting’ at impact but the much lighter clubhead in comparison to the JPX 825 fairway promoted an aggressive swing. Perhaps too aggressive at times and it felt difficult to control. 7.5

Performance: Distance was about average but balls were launching solidly off the face on a lovely high launch angle. Decent forgiveness on a couple of squiffy swings, but not the most consistent to hit pure shots with. 8.5

Verdict: Although we didn’t like the design, we were taken by its performance. Easy to launch, forgiving and effortlessly workable in both directions. Weight is fairly light-to-average for a hybrid and that could cause an issue for fast swingers of the ball. 20

Pro Verdict: Sleek looking club that’s versatile enough to hit all of the shots I want but the weight of the club felt a little too light. That’s nothing custom fitting couldn’t sort. There’s a little too much glare on the crown in the sun but ball striking felt good.

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