50 Words or Less
The Miura MC-501 irons are beautiful. Feel lives up the Miura hype. Forgiveness claims are a bit overstated – this is a club for better ball strikers.
Introduction
If the popularity of “Should You Play Blades?” (read it HERE) is any indication, everyone and their mother wants to play blades. So when Miura combines a beautiful looking club with claims of cavity-back forgiveness, it turns heads. I tested the Miura MC-501 irons to see if they really are the blade for the everyman.
Looks
The Miura MC-501 may be the coolest looking iron available right now. In the bag, there’s minimal branding: just the Miura logo and “MC-501” on the toe. This allows the eye to focus on the “T” shaped muscle near the sole and the X-shaped grooves along the back.
At address, my eye went immediately to the razor thin top line which led to the beautifully shaped toe. Miura states that the blade is longer and the sole is wider than any blade model they’ve made before, but both are still well within the bounds of a players iron. The only thing that struck me as slightly unusual was the amount of offset – a bit more than I was expecting.
Sound & Feel
The MC-501 irons lived up to all my expectations about how a Miura blade should feel. Pure shots melt into the face. There’s no “click” at all, just a soft “thud” as the ball takes off.
While there is ample, precise feedback, I was surprised by the way that the MC-501s refused to punish mishits. Many blades give your hands a stinging rebuke for missed shots. The MC-501 lets you know exactly how the shot was struck without jarring your bones.
Performance
For a company that’s very traditional, Miura’s claims about the MC-501 are bold, stating it, “combines the playability of a blade with the forgiveness of a cavity back.” These are the best-of-both-worlds claims that I love to test, so I ran to the launch monitor to gather some data.
When it comes to playability, the MC-501 certainly delivers. It’s easy to flight the ball down or hit towering shots. These irons are a bit lower spinning than I expected, but shaping shots is still easy for those that have the skill.
As I evaluated forgiveness, I found that the MC-501 performed much more like a blade than a cavity back. The wider sole and added offset do help to launch the ball higher, and the MC-501 is better than your average blade on thin shots. However, when it comes to shots toward the heel and the toe, you will be punished. It didn’t take much of a mishit to lose 10 yards of carry or more.
Ultimately, I think Miura’s claims about forgiveness need to be put into context. Are the MC-501s more forgiving than the Baby Blade? Sure. Are they anywhere near a cavity back like the Callaway Apex? Absolutely not.
Conclusion
The Miura MC-501 irons are some of the best looking irons on the market right now, and they feel great. However, if you’re looking for real forgiveness, you should look elsewhere. These are easier to hit than “pure” blades, but anything less than excellent ball striking won’t be rewarded.
Miura MC-501 Irons Price & Specs
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.
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17 Comments
Awesome Review! In terms of forgiveness how would you compare these to other similar irons? Specifically the Apex Pro or X Forged.
Adam,
The Apex Pro is substantially easier to hit. The X-Forged is a bit easier to hit.
Best,
Matt
Adam
Any other irons that are forgiving with a players profile worth considering? Obviously the Apex Pro is top of the list but maybe the CB-301? Or Honma TWX?
Adam,
I know it’s super old (sarcasm) but the PING iBlade is hard to beat for the forgiveness to size ratio. The 301 is fine (full review on that coming soon) but not a “Wow” for me. I haven’t hit the Honma.
Best,
Matt
How would you compare these to Mizuno MP20 MB, which IMO offers decent forgiveness for a true blade.
Kyle,
I have a full review of the MP-20 here: https://pluggedingolf.com/mizuno-mp-20-irons-review/
Best,
Matt
I purchased the MC-501 Irons, I have a 6 handicap they are very nice irons ball flight is awesome overall the MC -501 irons are great
I’ve had the Miura MC-501 irons for 16 months – purchased them from a specialist club fitter. Handicap gone from 10.9 down to 6.6 and my practice regime has been minimal – just twice a week hitting a small bucket of balls. Your review is spot on. Any mishits and you’ll lose 5-10 yards, but when you pure one the feeling is sensational. The irons deliver a feel like no other blades especially so when pitching and chipping.
Matt, I’ve heard these have too much offset for a blade. How do they compare to the mb001. Also , I keep seeing pictures of the new baby blade yet Miura is not selling it yet. Do you know anything about it?
Ben,
“Too much” is a matter of opinion, but they do have a surprisingly large amount, in my opinion.
I didn’t hit them head to head with the MB001, so I can’t offer much in terms of a comparison.
I have no advanced knowledge of the new Baby Blades.
-Matt
Those are sweet looking clubs and that solid feel that you describe I can can relate to. I haven’t hit these yet but I have a set of CB 501’s and a set of CB57’s. There’s nothing quite like the feel of Miura’s.
Jay, can you compare the CB501 and CB57? (Feel, Forgiveness, Workability, Distance, Overall Performance, etc)
Matt,
I’m looking at buying the TC-201s. What are your thoughts on a combo set with 501s in 7-P? How do the 501s compare to the 201s in terms of shot shaping?
Casey,
I have a full review of the TC-201 here: https://pluggedingolf.com/miura-tc-201-irons-review/
A combo set is a fine idea, but I don’t think there’s a huge gap in forgiveness between the two sets.
-Matt
Matt, I play Mizuno JPX 919 Tour irons. I’m a good iron player, better than my 9 handicap suggests.
The Mizuno irons are a great blend of playability and forgiveness. I find them easy to play and I work the ball in both directions. How would these irons compare? I love the look and simply can’t look at most of the “players irons” these days due to their thick top lines and longer blades. Apex Pro is massive to me, the only iron in that line up is consider is the Apex TCB. I’d welcome your thoughts!
Tony,
I think that these irons are going to be harder to play than your 919s.
-Matt