Mizuno's marvellous MP-33 irons are rightly considered something of a design classic. Those beautiful, sleek blades are the model of simplicity – nothing flash, just pure performance in a body to die for. Imagine, then, the problem facing Mizuno's design department when the time came for an update. Just how do you improve on near-perfection?

Their first move was to get rid of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred CB Irons and design a new club called the Mizuno MP-68. Engineers first took the very best elements of the club's predecessors, identified any flaws, ironed them out, added new technology and finally made it look gorgeous. Then it was time to sit back and watch the irons fly off the shelf.

The new MP-68 Blade moves away from the cut muscle design that the Callaway RAZR X Irons had and resembles the MP-37 with the muscle back developing from the toe area. The muscle back lines and edges however are smoother on the MP-68 than the MP-37 and some in Japan have said it reminds them of the classic MP-14 with its curved muscle back and sharp toe. Mizuno has also followed suit with its 2009 design guidlines by placing the running bird logo on the sole and the model MP-68 with new MP logo in the toe corner. The 0verall head and face is very compact and coupled with the thick muscle provide the purest feel of any Mizuno grain flow forged blade.

There has been talk on the web about about Mizuno's next muscle back iron in its MP lineup. Pictures of prototypes have surfaced on numerous sites but the reality is that the all new Ping K15 Driver will indeed be released in Japan. The new MP-68 Blade moves away from the cut muscle design that the MP-67 had and resembles the MP-37 with the muscle back developing from the toe area. The muscle back lines and edges however are smoother on the MP-68 than the MP-37 and some in Japan have said it reminds them of the classic MP-14 with its curved muscle back and sharp toe.