Nothing feels like a Mizuno, amiright?
Well, almost nothing, anyway.
Mizuno’s sizable cult following for its irons is built on two pillars: overall performance and feel that tingles and aligns your Manipura and Anahata chakras. While we are willing to concede that almost nothing feels like a Mizuno, we have stumbled across several iron sets that can give Mizuno a run for its money.
Speaking of money, these alternatives might wind up saving you a few Benjamins, too.
Before we dive into the alternatives, I’ll need to get a few things on the table.
First, the Mizuno Pro S3 is one dandy iron set. For the elite ball striker, you’ll get the performance better players crave and your chakras tingled and aligned. Not many irons can do that.
If, however, you’re looking for something a little (or in some cases, a lot) less expensive, you might find these options more than viable.
Additionally, these aren’t ranked in terms of preference and they don’t cover all the possible alternatives. Simply stated, if I haven’t hit them, they’re not on the list. I’d say that’s fair, wouldn’t you?
And, just for fun, I’ve included some old-school options for you bargain-hunting eBay hounds out there.
Hey, I’m here for you. That’s just the kind of guy I am.
Our benchmark: Mizuno Pro S3
The Mizuno Pro S3 came out last January as the flagship iron for Mizuno’s effort to reestablish itself as the iron for the better player. And make no mistake, this iron is for the better player. The S3 is a single-piece forging. It’s a straightforward cavity-back with a thin topline, a thin sole and compact shaping.
It’s pure forged goodness for the better player who wants no frills, no AI-infused technology and no nonsense.
The Mizuno Pro S3 irons will cost you $215 per club in the stock configuration (there are a lot of no up-charge shaft and grip options). A seven-piece set starts at $1,505.
Your money, your decision, but we figure we’d give you some alternatives anyway.
The obvious alternative: Srixon ZXi7
When we said almost nothing feels like a Mizuno, we were talking about the Srixon ZXi7.
The ZXi7 cleaned house in this year’s MyGolfSpy testing, finishing first overall with stellar scores for accuracy, forgiveness and distance (lofts are two degrees stronger across the board than the S3).
It’s made with Srixon’s new i-Forging technology and features the company’s signature Tour V.T. Sole to improve turf interaction. I’ve hit shots with Srixon irons that I’d swear were on the fat side but the club still cut through the turf like a hot knife through butter. It’s that good.
On top of that, you’ll save about $100 on a seven-piece set compared to Mizuno.
Old-school option: Cleveland 588 CB
A classic cavity-back, this beauty from 2012 is forged from a single piece of 1025 carbon steel. I damn near bought a set when they first came out but I did manage to borrow a set a few years ago. The feel is still spectacular.
You can find them on eBay in decent shape for $250 to as much as $500.
A DTC sleeper: Ben Hogan FT Worth CB
The Ben Hogan FT Worth CB may be a sleeper, but don’t sleep on it. Another 1025 forged player’s cavity-back, it combines classic Hogan blade-on-blade styling with great feel and a slightly exaggerated bottom shelf. Hogan has moved a considerable amount of mass low and towards the perimeter without making the iron look silly.
That low weighting makes the FT Worth CB ridiculously playable for such a compact iron. It finished fifth overall for forgiveness in this year’s MyGolfSpy testing.
It also features Hogan’s signature V-Sole. The Terry Koehler-designed sole features a high-bounce leading edge and low-bounce trailing edge, giving Hogan irons exceptional turf interaction akin to the Srixon ZXi7 and the Mizuno Pro S3.
As a direct-to-consumer brand, they’re also a value buy at $999.99 for a seven-piece set.
Old-school option: Ben Hogan Apex Plus
If you want a buttery-soft player’s cavity-back, the conversation begins with the 1999 Ben Hogan Apex Plus. Designed by Jeff Sheets and forged by Endo, the Apex Plus irons were the more forgiving half of Spalding’s epic relaunch of Hogan. The Apex Plus is compact and features a gentle cavity and unobtrusive perimeter weighting.
They remain the standard against which modern forged cavity-backs are measured. You can find a decent set on eBay for as little as $125.
A modern classic: Wilson Staff Model CB
Wilson turned back the clock with its 2024 Staff Model CB irons. The look, feel and performance are classic Wilson Staff but the chef’s kiss is the return of the Fluid Feel
hosel. First used in Wilson’s Dyna-Powered Staff Model irons in 1956, Fluid Feel moves wasted material out of the hosel area and into the sole and toe where it helps with forgiveness and stability.
Wilson knows what it’s doing with forged players’ cavity-backs (as you’ll see shortly) and the Staff Model CB is no exception. There’s more good news, too. Both the Staff Model blades and CB irons are due for replacement in 2026 so right now they’re discounted a couple of hundred bucks, down to $999.99 for a seven-piece set.
Old-school option: Wilson FG Tour V2
In 2012, Wilson Staff wasn’t just flirting with irrelevance; it danced the night away with irrelevance and was making it breakfast the next morning. The FG Tour V2 put an end to that nonsense, announcing to the world that Wilson still knew how to make a great player’s iron.
It remains one of the highest-rated irons MyGolfSpy has ever tested.
Ebay has sets ranging from $120 to $225 and they’re worth every penny. If you prefer something newer, you can’t go wrong with the V4 or the V6 models. The V6, in fact, was MyGolfSpy’s top-rated player’s iron in 2017.
Best deal going, Part 1: MacGregor MT Milled
1020 forged, more forgiving than you’d expect and some extra pop make the MacGregor MT Milled a compelling alternative. Seriously, the day I first tried these, they couldn’t get me off the range. The irons are that addictive to hit. The lofts are strong for the category (hence the extra pop) but they have the look better players want and you can hit all the shots with them.
Best of all, we’re talking $629.99 for a seven-piece set.
Old-school option: MacGregor VIP Tourney V-Foil CB
I will admit to no small amount of bias here. I friggin’ love these clubs. If the Hogan Apex Plus is the Alpha of vintage player’s cavity-backs, then the 2001 MacGregor VIP Tourney V-Foil CBs are the Omega. The forged feel is a different kind of soft, almost a squishy soft. While it’s true that nothing feels like a Mizuno, these MacGregors feel like nothing else I’ve ever hit.
Talk about tingling your chakras.
You can find a set online in pretty good shape for under $150.
If you want to really get off the wall, the 2010 VIP irons are worthy, as well. These were the first MacGregor irons released after Golfsmith bought the brand. Sneaky good irons.
Best deal going, Part 2: Ram Axial Forged
Another direct-to-consumer offering, the Ram Axial Forged was a Cinderella story, outta nowhere performer in MyGolfSpy’s 2024 player’s iron testing. The Axial Forged finished a shocking third overall with stellar distance (thank you, lofts) and forgiveness. Only an average score for accuracy kept it from claiming the top spot.
If you’re looking for a deal, you won’t find one better than the Ram Axial Forged. They’re $599.99 for a seven-piece set.
Old-school option: Ram Laser FX
The original Ram may have been small but it was fierce. The Hansberger brothers built Ram from modest beginnings into a mini-powerhouse (check out the full story here; it’s a doozy). The early ’90s vintage Ram Laser FX forged cavity-backs capitalized on the popularity and styling of the Hogan Edge. The cavity back was shallow, giving it just a touch more playability than a pure blade.
You should be able to find a set in decent condition on eBay for around $100.
Final thoughts
As mentioned, this is by no means a definitive list so I’m sure there are a few out there that I’ve missed. The new Exotics CB irons from Tour Edge have promise (seen ‘em, haven’t hit ‘em). I also haven’t hit the Takomo 301 CB but it also looks intriguing.
If price is your passion, you won’t go wrong with the DTC options. Most have a workable demo policy and they will custom build irons to your specs. The good news is that if you’ve been fitted for a player’s cavity-back iron already, those specs will travel and can be applied to a different brand.
As always, Srixon isn’t just an alternative. Many would consider it the first choice in this category. The Wilson Staff Model CB, however, may be the mainstream sleeper on this list.
Then again, nothing feels like a Mizuno, amiright?
The post These Forged Cavity-Back Irons Play Great But Won’t Break The Bank appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
