“Grain Flow Forged S-series with a hydro-flow face and premium finishes (Denim Copper, Kurokage). Steel-dominant players' wedge; a soft-feel identity club.”
The S23 (2023) was Mizuno's value-tier forged wedge, the S18's descendant, and it punched well above its price in testing. Grain Flow Forged from boron-infused carbon steel with loft-specific Quad Cut grooves, it was offered at every degree of loft from 44 to 62 and in four grinds -- S (minimal, full shots, the widest loft coverage at 44-58), D (moderate relief, 54-58), C (heavy relief, 56-60) and X (extreme heel/toe/trailing-edge relief for 58-62, aimed at short-game artists). It came in a white-satin brushed chrome and a striking Copper Cobalt finish. In independent 2024 wedge testing it was the fourth-highest spinning of 20 wedges and tied for the smallest carry-distance drop-off with the tightest shot dispersion in the field.
A strong, well-reviewed value wedge -- MyGolfSpy, Plugged In Golf and Today's Golfer all rated it highly and its 2024 test spin/dispersion numbers were genuinely impressive -- but it is a current-era volume product, not scarce or collectible. It was superseded in the S-line on Mizuno's normal cadence. 'Notable' captures a very good club that nobody hunts down.
A wide net: mid-handicaps and better who want forged feel and dependable spin without tour-wedge pricing, and who value the every-degree loft options for gapping (e.g. 44/48/52/56/60). The Copper Cobalt finish appeals to feel-and-looks buyers. Its tight dispersion makes it a sensible pick even for improving players; only those wanting a single, no-decisions wedge are over-served by the grind matrix.
Went up against Titleist Vokey SM9, Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore and TaylorMade MG3/MG4 in 2023-24. In Mizuno's own stack it was the value forged option beneath the tour T22/T24 wedges, and it sold alongside them rather than replacing them. It descends directly from the S18 and continues Mizuno's boron-steel, Quad Cut groove story at an accessible price.
Mid for a wedge, and slightly friendlier than the tour T-series. Its standout in testing was the tightest shot area and smallest carry drop-off of 20 wedges, meaning mis-hit distance and dispersion are unusually consistent -- a real, measured forgiveness benefit around full-swing wedge shots. The per-degree loft and four-grind matrix lets a fitter dial turf interaction precisely. It is still a players-shaped forged wedge, so poor strikes and wrong-bounce choices are not erased.
Calibrated across the whole catalog — a tour blade scores low here on purpose; it means control, not ease.
As a recent club it holds value well in 2026: expect roughly $70-115 per wedge private-party, closer to retail for clean Copper Cobalt examples and lower for worn grooves or common lofts. Reconditioned-retail listings sit near new pricing and include warranty, so they overstate private-sale value. No appreciation; the tight-dispersion reputation keeps demand steady.
Reading is one thing — hitting is another. Book a bay and see the numbers for yourself before you buy anywhere.
