Mizuno Pro T-1 and T-3 Wedges

What’s in a name? If it’s Mizuno Pro then quite a lot, really.

Mizuno are extremely protective of their premium forged range. They go to great lengths to ensure any club bearing the Mizuno Pro designation is worthy of such a prestigious title. Case in point: the new Mizuno Pro T-1 and T-3 wedges.

Mizuno say they’re the best feeling and performing wedges they’ve ever made. When you think about Mizuno’s history and heritage, that seems like a serious flex. But it underlines how seriously Mizuno take their Mizuno Pro range.

How do the new Mizuno Pro wedges stack up? Time to find out…

THE T-1 AND T-3 TAKE OVER

The Mizuno Pro T-1 and T-3 take over the reins from Mizuno’s T24 and S23 wedges, respectively, and offer a similar performance profile to their predecessors.

The T-1 is a classic player’s wedge designed for playability. The T-3 is a shallow cavity-back wedge which is a little bigger and more stable. You could label the T-3 game improvement adjacent, even though it doesn’t look like it.

Both wedges are brought to life through Mizuno’s renowned Grain Flow Forging HD process. The HD stands for high density, which means there’s plenty of forged metal sitting behind the hitting area in both wedges. Grain Flow forging preserves the natural grain of the 1025E Mild Carbon Steel, which is reasonably ductile and offers a soft feel off the face.

But that’s not all. Mizuno’s copper underlay is applied to both the T-1 and T-3 wedge. The soft copper is like adding a pillow to the face of the wedge; it offers a deft touch of softness at impact while also absorbing some of the more problematic frequencies of vibration to enhance feedback.

Mizuno Pro T-1 wedges in black, blue ion and satin chrome

THE MIZUNO GROOVE STORY

If there was such thing as the Complete Guide to Releasing a New Wedge Line, thefirst chapter would probably recommend that any new wedge release must have an adequate groove story.

Spin sells, you know. Anyway…

The Mizuno Pro T-1 and T-3 narrative would describe how Mizuno’s Quad Cut+ and Hydroflow Micro Groove technologies improve spin in wet and dry conditions.

The Quad Cut+ groove design is loft specific on both the T-1 and T-3 wedge face. The higher lofted wedges feature wider and shallower grooves that maximise spin on restricted shots. In the lower lofts, the grooves are narrower and deeper. On full shots this’ll create more consistent spin rates.

Meanwhile, Mizuno’s Hydroflow Micro Grooves are etched into the face between the main grooves. Hydroflow works like a tyre tread on your car by channelling water and moisture away the contact area. It allows the ball to remain in contact with the face and grooves longer in wet conditions, boosting spin when it’s damp and soggy.

MIZUNO PRO T-1 WEDGE

If you were to close your eyes and imagine what a tour-inspired Mizuno Pro wedge might look and feel like, you’ll probably conjure up something fairly close to Mizuno’s new T-1 wedge. A classic and compact player’s wedge, the T-1 has a tear-drop shape featuring slimmed down curves, clean lines and a narrow topline. It replaces the T-24 wedge and features a straighter leading edge. It’s available in six grinds and three finishes: satin chrome, black ion and Mizuno’s signature blue ion.

MIZUNO PRO T-3 WEDGE

The new Mizuno Pro T-3 wedge features a shallow cavity back design and is bigger and more forgiving than the T-1. It takes over from Mizuno’s S23 wedge and is geared more towards stability and forgiveness for off-centre strikes — in contrast to the T-1’s focus on workability, precision and control. The Mizuno Pro T-3 wedge is available in three grinds and a satin chrome finish.

MIZUNO PRO WEDGE GRINDS

The T-1 wedge is available in six grinds (S, M, P, C, V, X) while the T-3 comes in three grinds (S, M, C).

The S grind is available in 46° to 52° lofts and features heel relief and a bevelled trail edge that makes it well suited to full shots.

The M grind is a new mid-bounce grind with moderate heel and toe relief. It takes over from the D-grind seen in the T-24 wedge and offers excellent versatility in 54°-58° lofts.

Similarly, the new P grind mimics the profile of the previous D grind but offers extra bounce (the P stands for Plus Bounce).

The C grind has more bounce than the M grind, and also additional relief taken out of the heel, toe and trailing edge. It makes it a more versatile option than the M and S grind.

The V grind features a V-shaped sole, with aggressive relief taken out of the trail edge. It features a higher bounce than the C grind and offers excellent greenside functionality.

The X grind is an extreme option in the T-1 range. It has the lowest bounce and the most relief taken out of the heel, toe and trailing edge.