Mizuno Pro T-1 Wedge Review: Pro by name, pro by nature

GolfMagic may receive a small advertising or affiliate commission if you buy via our links. Pricing may vary.

Key features:

• Grain Flow Forged for unrivalled feel
• 1025 mild carbon steel with a copper underlaid face for a great blend of feel and feedback
• Quad cut+ grooves and hydroflow micro grooves for strong, consistent spin in all conditions

Mizuno's wedge range has undergone multiple different iterations in recent years, which often left the everyday consumer a little confused as to what each model offered in relation to the best wedges on the market.

Recognising both this and the need for the brand's wedges to earn their place in the spotlight alongside wedges like Titleist's Vokey and Callaway's Opus SP, the Japanese manufacturer has consolidated its wedge offering into a more streamlined, elevated offering. The range is now made up of two models, both under the illustrious Mizuno Pro banner: the cavity-back T-3 wedges, and the wedge you see before you, the T-1.

Available in a range of grinds and colours, including this sleek Ion Black unveiled earlier this month, the T-1 is Mizuno's most confident entry into the tour-level wedge segment yet, boasting eye-catching good looks, six different sole profiles, and the same Grain Flow Forged HD process that renders the classic, buttery soft feel Mizuno's irons are so famous for.

But how do they perform out in the heat of testing on the course? Here's what we found.

Looks

Mizuno is a brand that largely lives and dies on the premium look and feel of its products, and the T-1 delivers all the luxury and elegance its irons are so well renowned for. The T-1 doesn't stand out vastly from other bladed Mizuno wedges of years past, the key difference maker being the updated Mizuno Pro branding. 

The wedge also comes in a choice of three colours: a classic satin chrome, Mizuno's signature metallic blue, and the new Black Ion finish you see here. The black finish is glossier than we expected after seeing the press shots (although the face painted in a matte gunmetal silver to reduce glare in the sun), and while it certainly looks sleek and is well-finished, has a tendency to show fingerprints and smudges quite easily.

The T-1 presents every bit like a bladed tour wedge both in the bag and behind the ball. It's noticeably more compact at address compared to the T-3, which will likely suit better wedge players but might put 

This approach carries through to the feel: something largely down to the fact that both Mizuno Pro wedge models are forged using the same Grain Flow HD process as the company's irons. They share materials—the T-1 using the same 1025 Carbon Steel—paired with a softer copper underlay beneath the face to refine the club's feedback even further—as the Pro S-1 and Pro S-3 irons. 

As a result, fans of that classic Mizuno feel will find plenty of consistency in the T-1. The sensation on impact is buttery soft on both long pitches and shorter chips, with wonderfully crisp feedback rewarding a well-struck shot. Wedge feel tends to be a little subjective, with some golfers preferring a slightly firmer feel, but for us T-1 instantly ranks up there among the refined wedges on the market.

Performance

The natural hesitation most average players will have in approaching a wedge like the Mizuno Pro T-1 is the level of forgiveness on offer. And while higher-handicappers might find more love in the extra stability offered by the T-3, the T-1 still presents a fairly well-balanced option for players used to a more bladed profile in their wedges.

Even as a mid-handicapper, we found the stopping power and spin control on the T-1 to be top class. Better players will likely find even greater workability with this wedge. Naturally, with all the tech that's gone into the feel of these wedges, they also feel and perform absolutely beautifully on fuller shots when struck well. Shots from around the 100-yard range stop beautifully, and there's plenty of check on offer when you're making good contact around the greens. 

While this particularly dry English summer rendered us unable to properly test the Hydroflow microgrooves in the wet, the combination of grooves and microgrooves produced lots of spin in the dry.

The natural downside of the T-1's, more compact, player-oriented profile is that fuller shots are naturally going to come with less margin for error. Those prone to catching their pitch shots on the heel or toe are going to see a more pronounced drop off in distance and spin with the T-1 compared to other models, however Mizuno does offset this somewhat by offering six different grinds to suit a range of swing profiles and needs.

Should you buy the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedges?

The Mizuno Pro T-1s clock in at an RRP of £189 (although they're readily available for around £169 in stores) putting them in direct competition with prestige wedge ranges like the Titleist Vokey and TaylorMade MG5. We feel the T-1 stands up to its competitors at this price point admirably in terms of looks and performance—however given the T-1 is more clearly engineered for better players, the wedges from the bigger brands might cast a slightly wider net in who can play them effectively. 

Those who want a little more forgiveness in their wedges while remaining committed to gaming Mizuno throughout the bag might be well served building a combo set with the T-3. All this being said, if you're a better ball striker with bags of confidence around the greens, the Mizuno Pro T-1 wedges are among the best-looking, best-performing wedges around.

Find out more at Mizuno's website