The JPZ EZ 2016 fairway is a very different club to the 2014 EZ and more closely resembles the Mizuno JPX850 fairway.
This is because like the JPX850 it also features the Shockwave sole that enables the sole to flex a little at impact to increase the ball speed.
However on the 2016 JPX EZ fairway it is wider and deeper than on the JPX850 and that is because it is meant to launch a little higher to give those who need some help a little lift.
The deeper Shockwave sole also increases the relative weight of the sole of the club to lower the Centre of Gravity (CG), which also assists with increasing the launch angle.
This is all accommodated in a head that is larger than both the other models and a more rounded profile than the previous JPX EZ fairway, which almost seemed a little pointy.
This means the face has a shallower profile and the sleek looks and silver crown set up to create a fairway that is very pleasing on the eye.
At impact the solid sound is also very pleasing on the ears and the feel is also very good, but maybe missing a little feeling of zingy-ness if I can put it that way.
However the proof is in the launch stats and on Trackman the spin of the 2016 EZ was down around 500rpm despite the deeper profile. Even thought the carry was about the same, the total distance was just a little longer.
So whilst the performance was similar, the forgiveness and the looks were much better, so on balance I would be heading for the 2016 EZ model.
However if you are comparing to the JPX850 then it is a tougher call, as this has a slightly more compact head but not so much that it would put mid-handicappers off. As a result the JPX850 gives a similar level of performance whilst sounding and feeling a little better into the bargain.
The adjustable hosel that comes on the JPX850 is now on the JPX EZ too and that enables you to vary loft +/- 2° from the initial head lofts of 15°, 18° and 21°.
This means you can overlap on the lofts by, for instance, getting to 17° by going up 2° on the 3-wood or down 1° on the 5-wood and that will change the face angle a little and how it plays.
The changes to the flight are quite subtle, but they do work and it is a good feature, but if you prefer the fixed hosel of the previous EZ model, you can also get the 2016 EZ without the adjustable hosel and save yourself £40.
I got very excited about the JPX850 and probably that would still be my choice all things being equal. The 2016 EZ fairway has a lovely look to it and some will prefer the silver finish, higher launch and the larger profile that gives that little extra forgiveness and for these reasons it is still a good choice if that benefits your game more.