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USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Mizuno Pro S-1 irons: A modern muscleback forged for precision and solid feel
The Mizuno Pro S-1 irons offer a pure muscleback design with refined feel, stability, and tour-inspired shaping. Gear: Mizuno Pro S-1 irons Price: $1,400 (7-piece set) with KBS Tour 120 stiff shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips Specs: Grain Flow Forged HD 1025E mild carbon steel, Channel Back design, copper underlay, Harmonic Impact Technology Available: Pre-sale begins August 28; retail release September 11 Who it's for: Elite golfers who prioritize feel, precision, and control above all else and prefer a compact, pure muscleback iron with modern sole geometry. What you should know: The Mizuno Pro S-1 brings classic forged feel and shaping to a modern muscleback with refined sole geometry, enhanced vertical stability, and a satisfyingly solid feel preferred by discerning ballstrikers. It blends seamlessly with the S-3's Signature Series while having sharper shaping and tour-validated sole refinements. The Deep Dive: The Mizuno Pro S-1 irons continue a tradition of precision-forged, tour-inspired blades with subtle yet meaningful updates that make them more playable and more refined — without losing the DNA that's earned Mizuno its reputation among ball-strikers. Where the Mizuno Pro S-3 irons that were released in 2024 provided a tiny bit of forgiveness through a subtle cavity-back and multi-material construction, the S-1 is a pure muscleback for elite players who want control, workability, and a direct connection to the golf ball. But this is more than a nostalgic blade—it's a modern, optimized evolution. The S-1 is forged from a single billet of 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel using Mizuno's Grain Flow Forged HD process in Hiroshima, Japan, creating a tight grain structure for that buttery-soft feel Mizuno fans expect. A thin copper underlay sits beneath the chrome plating to subtly soften vibrations, enhancing feedback without sacrificing a crisp, solid sensation through impact. What distinguishes the S-1 is the Channel Back design, which strategically repositions mass behind the face to promote greater vertical stability and a more consistent center of gravity. This tweak yields more consistent launch and control, especially on slightly mishit shots, without compromising the look of a traditional muscleback. Harmonic Impact Technology (H.I.T.) returns with fine-tuned vibration frequencies that produce a slightly firmer, yet satisfyingly-solid feel at impact. It's designed for players who want auditory and tactile feedback that breeds confidence with each strike. Visually, the S-1 stands out with a square toe shape, a look that has gained popularity on tour and resonates with players like staffers Keith Mitchell and Ben Griffin. Compared to the more rounded S-3, the S-1 has a more compact, squared-off profile, especially in the scoring clubs, to create a sharper, more defined look at address. The sole geometry — refined with input from tour players — features a flatter camber, sharpened leading edge, and an extra degree of bounce compared to the S-3. This combination smooths out turf interaction, particularly for players with a shallower angle of attack, and helps avoid digging while maintaining the ability to play aggressively off tight lies. Available in 4-PW for both right- and left-handed players, the S-1 comes standard with KBS Tour 120 stiff shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. The loft progression starts at 24 degrees in the 4-iron and ends at 46 degrees in the pitching wedge, keeping pace with modern gapping expectations while maintaining classic feel and control. In the end, the S-1 isn't about chasing distance—it's about delivering precision, consistent launch, and the kind of refined feedback that players at the top of their game demand. Where the S-3 catered to elite ball-strikers who wanted a bit of help, the S-1 is for those who want nothing to come between them and the golf ball.
USA Today
03-07-2025
- USA Today
Callaway CB12 wedges bring forgiveness and spin to short game for higher-handicap golfers
Callaway's CB12 wedges offer a forgiving cavity-back shape, wide sole and spin-friendly grooves for golfers who want more confidence around the green. Gear: Callaway CB12 wedges Price: $179.99 with KBS Hi-Rev 3.0 steel shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet or Lamkin ST Soft grips. $189.99 with Project X Denali Green or Mitsubishi MMT graphite shaft. Specs: Deep cavity back with 12g perimeter weighting, chamfered leading edge, wide tri-sole design, Opus grooves Available: July 18 Who it's for: Golfers seeking a more forgiving wedge with added spin control and confidence at address. What you should know: Designed for mid-to-high handicap players, the CB12 wedges bring forgiveness and playability to short-game shots, especially for those who struggle with precision using more compact blade-style wedges like the Opus. The Deep Dive: When Callaway introduced the Opus wedges last summer, they were aimed squarely at better players — golfers who want to manipulate trajectory, control spin and flight, and lean into versatility from tight turf. But what if you're the kind of player who finds all that a bit overwhelming? Enter the new CB12 wedges. The CB12 offers a forgiving, game-improvement design to an area of the game where confidence is often lacking. With a deep cavity-back design, thicker topline, and a larger profile, these wedges are built to inspire trust — especially for players who tend to get nervous over pitch shots or who struggle to escape the rough cleanly. The chamfered leading edge reduces the risk of digging, while 12 grams of strategically placed perimeter weighting helps to improve stability on off-center hits. Callaway also added its wide tri-sole design to these wedges, which blends bounce and sole width to make the CB12 wedges easier to use from a variety of lies — tight fairways, fluffy rough, or bunkers with inconsistent sand. It's the kind of sole you can benefit from, whether you're still learning to open the face or just trying to get consistent results around the green. While the CB12 wedges are designed for less accomplished golfers, Callaway didn't skimp on groove technology. The CB12 uses the same Opus groove platform found in the clubs used by Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns and Rose Zhang, which means golfers who might struggle with the compact Opus wedge can still get access to the same spin consistency and short-game control. It's a way to extend the benefits of a premium groove design to players who don't necessarily want a blade-style head. With multiple lofts ranging from 50 to 60 degrees for both right- and left-handed golfers, the CB12 wedges are versatile enough to fill out the bottom of the bag for players who prefer game-improvement irons or simply want a more user-friendly short game experience.
