Ryan Barath/GOLF
Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.
In this edition, we are putting Mizuno’s newest T24 forged wedges to the test, to help you best understand their design, function, and performance.
Tools: To best replicate what most golfers experience when buying and testing new wedges, I used a set of off-the-rack Mizuno T24s with the stock True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts. Unlike some other OEMs, Mizuno has continued to offer the Tour Issue S400 at no upcharge along with Golf Prides NDMC, which offers great value to consumers and helps to showcase their position as a premium wedge offering.
The only adjustments made to the wedges from their stock configuration is I bent them 3 degrees flat from their standard lie angle. This is one of those types of adjustments that can easily be made by a club fitter after the fact when working with most off-the-rack wedges.
The Test: To put the Mizuno T24 wedges through their paces on the course in a variety of situations and find out how they perform.
Results: With a full combination of sole grind options, along with 3 finish options (for right-handed golfers), the Mizuno T24 is one of the few forged wedge options available in the market. Thanks to these choices I found it easy to not only find the best options to fit my game but also work with my course conditions.
One of the biggest things that I appreciate about these wedges is the compact shape that makes them feel very easy to maneuver in various situations around the green. Thanks to the variable groove design through the lofts, I found the wedges had very little drop-off in spin, and spin rates along the highest level I’ve seen with the highest lofted options.
I felt with the grind options, I had no issues hitting any short shots I wanted to around the green, and they performed equally well on full-swing approach shots. The standout for me was X-grind which offers a wider sole but less bounce which makes it easy to open up, while still preventing the club from digging too much.
A quick note on the T24 wedge design
Rather than try and be something they’re not, the engineers behind Mizuno’s new T24 wedges decided to fully lean into the design characteristics that make Mizuno wedges stand out by refining their shapes and making them more compact.
The more compact wedge profile was created by reducing the width of the top line and shortening the blade length. This shorter blade length freed up more mass to be positioned higher in the head to help control spin and trajectory — all great things to have in a player’s focused wedge.
The refined shaping of the T24s doesn’t just stop at the topline and blade length. With the trend of more players replacing their pitching wedges with specialty wedges that flow into their gap, sand and lob wedges, the T24s offer a progressive leading edge and hosel transition to help frame the ball.
That means clubs intended for more full swings (pitching and gap wedges) have straighter lines and a lower heel, and from there the heads transition to a progressively more rounded profile into the sand and lob wedges. One more thing: Mizuno replaced their loft and bounce badges with stamped lofts to offer a cleaner and more modern look.
Mizuno T24 Custom Wedge
$179.99
The new Mizuno T24 Wedge is a re-work of the prolific T-Series wedge, with subtle top-line refinements visible from the playing position. Grain Flow Forged in Hiroshima Japan, to ensure precise shaping and an unrivalled touch around the green. Now with a higher spinning QUADCUT+ Grooves and five unique sole profiles.
Grain Flow Forged HD: One-piece Grain Flow Forged HD from 1025E Pure Select mile carbon steel at Mizuno’s iconic facility in Hiroshima, Japan. Where Mizuno irons have been produced since 1968.
1025 Boron : A carbon steel that featurs 30% greater strength.
Refined Topline: Mass taken from the toe portion and a lower hosel blend creates a smaller profile without loss of effective hitting area.
Quad Cut + Grooves: An adjustment of the groove shoulder camber and the taper of the groove profile allows a tighter groove pattern for increased spin rates on all shots.
Wrap-Around Sole Relief: Increased sole relief from heel to toe across all 5 grind options.
Spin-weighted Blade Design: A flared upper portion of the blade creates higher spin and penetrating trajectory, particularly from strikes high on the club face.
Hydroflow Micro Grooves: Laser etched microscopic grooves help channel away moisture for maximum spin in wet conditions
Face Milling Lines : Increased surface roughness to increase spin nearer the green.
Loft/COG Flow Design : The COG of these wedges flows throughout the set to give more control and versatility.
Bounce Specific Sole Grinds: Matched bounce and sole grind for an ideal level of versatility.S-Type: high bounce with limited relief for full shots.D-Type: mid bounce with moderate relief for gentle manipulation.C-Type: mid/high bounce with generous relief for a wide range of players and conditions.V-Type: high bounce with aggressive relief for versatility on square and open faced shots.X-Type: low bounce with aggressive relief for advanced players for the most versatility.
Loft Specific Head Shapes : Graduated head shapes from pitching wedge to lob wedge ideally suited for how each wedge is used.
Copper Underlay: Thin copper layer beneath a nickel chrome to provide a further enhanced impact feel
Harmonic Impact Technology: Fine tuned head geometry delivers ideal impact feel and feedback
View Product
Conclusion: If you are a golfer looking for a traditional compact forged wedge in a variety of finish options and don’t want to sacrifice feel, performance, and most importantly technology — the T24 wedges from Mizuno should be one of your top choices.
Want to overhaul your bag for 2023? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.