Mizuno S5 Wedge Review

Introduction

In an industry where virtually every product is at least good, hype often rules the day. While Mizuno has done a good job creating buzz around their irons, particularly with their recent Boron-infused models, the S5 has slipped under the radar. The question we sought to answer is, should it be on yours?

Looks

Available in either a blue ion or white steel finish, the Mizuno S5 wedge features what Mizuno calls a “silhouette” shape. Essentially this is a less dramatic teardrop shape, something of a hybrid between a teardrop and the round look that Mizuno has used in the past. The S5 is average sized with a slightly rounded leader edge. The most interesting aesthetic detail is actually on the back of the wedge where the thickness of the club varies dramatically.

Sound & Feel

I’ve been critical of the feel of some of Mizuno’s recent offerings, but the S5 is classic Mizuno. The wedge is made with Mizuno’s Grain Flow Forging process from a single billet of 1025 carbon steel, and it produces a very soft feel, regardless of the type of ball that you use. In addition to the soft feel, the S5 wedge also provides excellent feedback.

Performance

When I took the Mizuno S5 to the course, I found it to be a solid wedge without any bells or whistles. The S5 has Mizuno’s Quad Cut grooves, a feature that’s been around for some time, and they produce very reliable spin. The sole of the wedge is pretty standard with just a little trailing edge relief to help the leading edge sit lower.

Though the S5 doesn’t offer much to talk about, Mizuno does provide golfers with a lot of options – there are 25 different loft and bounce combinations. In addition to the amount of bounce, Mizuno also varies the sole grinds. Higher bounce wedges have less relief, lower bounce wedges have more, so that the bounce is exaggerated or minimized, respectively. The only problem with all these choices is that they may overwhelm the weekend golfer.

Conclusion

While it’s not a technical marvel or hype beast, the Mizuno S5 wedge will likely make the Mizuno faithful very happy. This wedge packages classic, soft Mizuno feel with a middle-of-the-road look and solid performance. It’s unlikely anyone will regret putting the S5 in the bag, but it won’t change the game either.

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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.