Mizuno Long Game - 2023 Forum Review

[Beakbryce]

6 hours ago, srooch2 said:

Well, I've been in the market now for a new 5 wood and this one checks all the boxes. When I get time I'll read through all of your guys content. I'm very interested how the fairways hit off the deck vs off the tee? I usually find fairways either lean one way or the other in terms of which one they excel at. I'm needing one to do both however. My old one was a hair too deep, while it was great off the tee I struggled off the deck. Let me know how you guys feel this does in that area. (I will read back through but thought someone could let me know and save little time) Thanks a lot guys 

FYI, I don't think anyone tested a 5 wood. I found the 3 wood easy to hit off the tee and the deck. Beautiful flight path. Just didn't go anywhere. Other testers got some real yardage so results vary. If you are going to get fit I would include it because it is very straight. Hope this helps.

[vandyland]

Final post is up. Really enjoyed the opportunity and will continue to update this thread. 

[Swood1994]

My final review is up! Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to talk about certain points of my review in more depth.

Thank you again MGS and Mizuno for the opportunity!

 

[Beakbryce]

Read the MGS newsletter this morning. Included was the marketing info about the new Mizuno driver, the ST-G model.

This was included as a comment by MGS:

"The State of Mizuno Drivers

Mizuno’s decision to go with a two-year driver lifecycle makes sense. Meaningful improvements take time and if MyGolfSpy’s 2023 Most Wanted Driver testing tells us anything, Mizuno could use some meaningful improvement.

The ST-Z and ST-X 230 drivers were, to put it kindly, meh performers. Both finished in the lower half overall with the ST-X finishing near the bottom. Neither rated well with our testers on sound and feel. Mizuno feels they’ve addressed that in the ST-G with reinforced internal ribs to mute the sound."

Here's a thought. Maybe Mizuno would send us the new one if they feel they have solved all the problems! 

[russtopherb]

My final review has been posted!

Big thanks to MGS and Mizuno for this opportunity. If there are any questions now that the final reviews are up, feel free to fire away!

 

[Swood1994]

2 hours ago, Beakbryce said:

Read the MGS newsletter this morning. Included was the marketing info about the new Mizuno driver, the ST-G model.

This was included as a comment by MGS:

"The State of Mizuno Drivers

Mizuno’s decision to go with a two-year driver lifecycle makes sense. Meaningful improvements take time and if MyGolfSpy’s 2023 Most Wanted Driver testing tells us anything, Mizuno could use some meaningful improvement.

The ST-Z and ST-X 230 drivers were, to put it kindly, meh performers. Both finished in the lower half overall with the ST-X finishing near the bottom. Neither rated well with our testers on sound and feel. Mizuno feels they’ve addressed that in the ST-G with reinforced internal ribs to mute the sound."

Here's a thought. Maybe Mizuno would send us the new one if they feel they have solved all the problems! 

Unfortunately I think the ST-G is ultra low spin geared for high swing speed players. I’m always curious when something new comes out but if I had to bet this wouldn’t be a good fit for the majority of amateurs

[Beakbryce]

5 minutes ago, Swood1994 said:

Unfortunately I think the ST-G is ultra low spin geared for high swing speed players. I’m always curious when something new comes out but if I had to bet this wouldn’t be a good fit for the majority of amateurs

I got that from the description as well. Probably wouldn't help me at all. Waiting for the Paradym 2 to show up on the Callaway pre-owned site. Another couple of years anyway. I expect it to come with a rocket pack that helps get my swing to the 180 ball speed all the youngsters seem to have...

[vandyland]

Right on time from TXG, very interesting video. Ian struggled initially with the ST-G but kind of fit himself into what he needed from it.

 

[Swood1994]

9 hours ago, vandyland said:

Right on time from TXG, very interesting video. Ian struggled initially with the ST-G but kind of fit himself into what he needed from it.

 

My biggest takeaway from that was something they touched on at the end. Off the rack doesn’t work. And you have to get fitted. Unfortunately that means up charge shafts for what works best for you. It took him a full fitting to find the results he expected from the Mizuno and based on the last few shots he was still losing out shots to the left. I think with enough time and ability to swap in any shaft, all of these drivers can be contenders. Unfortunately for most, that is not an option and they buy off the rack.

Edited September 27, 2023 by Swood1994

[russtopherb]

Played 18 today and it wasn't a great day for the driver with only 50% fairways hit. For some reason everything wanted to go left and low.

Fairway off the tee was fantastic both holes I used it on.

The 4h continues to impress - I had a lot of longer shots due to my tee issues today and it delivered. I still think it's the winner of the bunch.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

On 9/25/2023 at 3:30 PM, Beakbryce said:

I got that from the description as well. Probably wouldn't help me at all. Waiting for the Paradym 2 to show up on the Callaway pre-owned site. Another couple of years anyway. I expect it to come with a rocket pack that helps get my swing to the 180 ball speed all the youngsters seem to have...

I hear the US Navy has some out of use rockets that might help.  You can find them on Pentagon_mistakes.com

[Beakbryce]

21 hours ago, Donn lost in San Diego said:

I hear the US Navy has some out of use rockets that might help.  You can find them on Pentagon_mistakes.com

I'm on it!

[vandyland]

Well, just want to reiterate the headline of my Driver review: This is a driver that you can hit most anywhere on the face and it comes out relatively straight and retains ball speed. 

I swear I almost missed the clubhead with a driver swing this weekend (like hit the HEEL of the heel) and it still went 275 yds. Amazing stuff. Love love this driver and I would have NEVER tried it out if not for Mizuno's test. Should be in the rotation for anyone that wants consistency of distance and control over total ball speed. 

It makes me want to hit the new Mizuno ST-G just to see if it is any faster. Am I a Mizuno fan boy now? 

Also, I am starting to think that the shaft in my utility iron is the problem but that could be an expensive test. Might just try to find a Fli Hi with a different shaft to test out. 

[Shrek74]

1 hour ago, vandyland said:

Well, just want to reiterate the headline of my Driver review: This is a driver that you can hit most anywhere on the face and it comes out relatively straight and retains ball speed. 

I swear I almost missed the clubhead with a driver swing this weekend (like hit the HEEL of the heel) and it still went 275 yds. Amazing stuff. Love love this driver and I would have NEVER tried it out if not for Mizuno's test. Should be in the rotation for anyone that wants consistency of distance and control over total ball speed. 

It makes me want to hit the new Mizuno ST-G just to see if it is any faster. Am I a Mizuno fan boy now? 

Also, I am starting to think that the shaft in my utility iron is the problem but that could be an expensive test. Might just try to find a Fli Hi with a different shaft to test out. 

Interesting. I found through a Titleist Demo Day that I am a heel striker which was causing high spin on my drives. I will definitely need to test the Mizuno out now.

[vandyland]

Just now, Shrek74 said:

Interesting. I found through a Titleist Demo Day that I am a heel striker which was causing high spin on my drives. I will definitely need to test the Mizuno out now.

The shaft is also only 45" so all things being equal if you have a longer shafted driver a shorter driver *could* push your contact more toe side. 

[Shrek74]

3 minutes ago, vandyland said:

The shaft is also only 45" so all things being equal if you have a longer shafted driver a shorter driver *could* push your contact more toe side. 

The fitter tried me in a 45" since I played one with a bit more success in a Gen4 PXG. I was still heel side a lot, even at the shorter shaft. I prefer the shorter shafts and that will certainly be an emphasis at my next fitting.

[Swood1994]

It's been a while since I've posted on this thread (and the forum in general). i decided to take some time to myself to focus on family/work. none the less I played all 3 days this past weekend. Friday was a Ryder Cup style practice round leading up to My wife's family reunion golf tournament which has been going on for 29 years! Moving into Sunday my brother-in-law were able to play at his dad's private club, one of my favorites in our area.

The Mizuno's performed flawlessly all weekend and I had some pretty incredible shots I have to say. The Paradym is officially staying in the bag due to a few reasons but I am a lot more comfortable with it. I have been having my FIL hit the Mizuno ST-X when he is up at the club and got some notes from his perspective.

- Loves the look of the driver (similarly to me and the rest of the testers). He found good dispersion with the ST-X. As a natural drawer of the ball he mentioned the club still sat neutral at address even for a draw-biased club, which he was concerned about.

- He played 9 with it and hit 4/6 fairways with one missing just right in the first cut of rough.

- distance was tough to measure as the course was wet and soft and they just verticut the fairways cutting the roll out. He mentioned having a few spots the ball end up 2-5 yards from the landing spot.

 

Now onto the Hybrid & 3-Wood from this past weekend:

- We were playing into some pretty strong winds gusting to ~20 MPH at times. Both clubs were able to be flighted and shaped to help work shots into the wind.

- I had one top off the deck with the 3-wood but I have to take the good with the bad. This was also a buttery 260 yard cut to the corner on a par 5, still made birdie!

- Hybrid from 228 severe ball above my feet lie. Hit a slinging draw (thanks lie) up against the wind and ended up rolling just off the back of the green on a par 5 in 2.

Both clubs continue to impress me and I'm learning more and more how to play them better. They have a very solid position in my bag currently.

[Beakbryce]

Test follow up. One of the days each year I really look forward to is the day before overseed. Course is running fast and dry. Hit 12 of 14 fairways and the shortest drive was 246. Played the epic driver. Really at a loss as to what to do with the Mizuno clubs. Offered to send them to another tester but haven't received a reply.

[russtopherb]

Yesterday I played a cold and windy round with 3 guys I've been friends with for 30+ years. I only pulled the fairway wood a few times off the tee, but it was fantastic when I needed it on shorter par 4s and a dogleg par 5.

As for the driver... one of my buddies is a low single and multiple time fourball champ at his club, and he exclaimed more than once that I was putting on an absolute driving clinic, which included a 288 yard drive on 10 when all three of the other players were in the right rough. We've been playing together since I took the game up, and he said he's never seen me hit the ball off the tee as well as I did yesterday, especially with the cold and windy conditions.

4 hybrid was money all day, I pulled it on a long par 3 into the wind and I put the ball 8' from the pin. Of course I two putted, you know me. But it was great there, and I actually hit it too far on a par 5 that's bisected into 3 separate sections due to water. I plopped one in the hazard when I'm normally 20 yards short with my usual tee shot there, and the wind wasn't even a factor on that one. I did have one squibbler from 197 out that I duffed due to the ball being well below my feet... and it ran right up to the fringe. There's no pictures on the scorecard, thankfully.

These 3 clubs continue to impress and will be in my bag for a LONG time to come. 

[vandyland]

Well, as someone who loves to experiment, I am now of the mind that I need to reshaft my Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi. It is my hypothesis that I just don't like really any Project X shaft I have ever hit (this includes numerous iterations of the HZRDUS line, PX iron shafts, etc). I went with the Project X U Steel because it was the only shaft that was in the weight category (100+ grams) that I was looking for. However, Mizuno suggests that his utility iron plays well with a hybrid shaft and I just so happen to have a hybrid shaft (.370) laying around that I like, the Tensei Blue. 

I am a little concerned that the weight drop is going to be significant (I am guessing about 30g) but I feel like I have to try to change something with the driving iron. The face is good and responsive so it has to be something with the release and I have found that I am "profile sensitive". Wish my luck on my new adventure, I think this hybrid can be really good if I can dial in the right shaft. 

[Swood1994]

On 10/31/2023 at 11:22 AM, vandyland said:

Well, as someone who loves to experiment, I am now of the mind that I need to reshaft my Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi. It is my hypothesis that I just don't like really any Project X shaft I have ever hit (this includes numerous iterations of the HZRDUS line, PX iron shafts, etc). I went with the Project X U Steel because it was the only shaft that was in the weight category (100+ grams) that I was looking for. However, Mizuno suggests that his utility iron plays well with a hybrid shaft and I just so happen to have a hybrid shaft (.370) laying around that I like, the Tensei Blue. 

I am a little concerned that the weight drop is going to be significant (I am guessing about 30g) but I feel like I have to try to change something with the driving iron. The face is good and responsive so it has to be something with the release and I have found that I am "profile sensitive". Wish my luck on my new adventure, I think this hybrid can be really good if I can dial in the right shaft. 

I had the same thought on my driving iron. I went from a steel DG S400 shaft to a KBS tour prototype 85g hybrid shaft tipped at 1”

I found the flight and release off the club face was greatly improved and the feel almost gave me a sense of more forgiveness (weird but the only way I could describe it).

I think with the advancements in graphite shafts and pairing them with long irons it’s more beneficial to utilize those shafts. That being said it comes down to personal preference as I know a couple people who prefer steel shafts in their 2/3 irons.

 

[MuniGolfer]

On 6/27/2023 at 12:36 AM, vandyland said:

Introduction:
I am in my late 30s and I have been playing golf for about 9 years. I picked up the game in college and played for 4 years and was terrible. Then I stopped playing for about 12 years and then picked golf back up at 34 and started taking lessons and overall trying to actually get better. In the last year I have dropped down to a 3.5 index.

I am married with two children under 5. I am currently very into working on my swing (have been for the last 6 months) and I have a borderline psychotic thread about how I am practicing. Thankfully my wife supports me and this time-consuming hobby so I play every week and I hit balls into my net almost every night (and hit the range 1-2 times per week). I am also working with an instructor and going to his golf school this month in Chicago (shoutout Monte). On course, I play it fairly safe (a lot of pars) and I generally play tees between 6,000 yds - 6,400 yds. I play my golf in Middle TN and primarily at one club which has several trackmans as well as a range and several fairly challenging driving holes (all good varied options for testing). In terms of testing, I plan on mixing range, actual golf and trackman. I think numbers are important and relatively unbiased but not EVERYTHING and thus a good blend with on-course performance. For comparison's sake, I am going to test the Driver against my gamer and several other demos (we have Ping, Titleist, Taylormade and Callaway demos at the club) and same for the hybrid and utility. The top end of my bag is extremely important since I play shorter courses so a good drive/hybrid/utility iron off the tee can put me into wedge territory on a lot of holes. If I am not hitting my driver well, I am usually not playing well and not having fun. 

My expectations for this product are a balance of distance and forgiveness (not going to be an out and out ball speed monster but that's not what I need) with great acoustics and some feel across the three products. For the driver to earn a spot in the bag, it is going to need to stay under 2600 rpm spin, not give up any yardage to my current driver and hopefully be more forgiving on low toe strikes (that is where my current driver struggles). For the hybrid and the utility, I am looking more for specific, consistent yardages rather than absolute distance (Hybrid 220 yd carry and Utility 205 yd carry) as my current hybrid can go either 220 or 245 on seemingly the same strike. So consistent carry and dispersion will easily trump out and out distance

I am extremely excited about testing Mizuno woods and utility because I have never tried top-end of the bag mizuno products. I have hit numerous mizuno irons and the T series wedges but nothing in the 200+ yd territory. I will say that in the past I have put Mizuno in the bin of "makes good irons" because of their famous feel and forging process and never really thought much about their drivers (or any other products that aren't forged) until the ST190 driver. 

Initial impressions from the fitting are that this driver can (likely will) absolutely surpass my current driver. But that isn't really what the readers care about (my driver is 3 years old), I think they want to know where does it slot in with the current drivers. Is this a ballspeed monster? A safety blanket of forgiveness? A surgical, workable weapon? You'll have to read on to find out. I like a higher flight and smooth/active shaft (and I went with a lower lofted head to drop spin a tad) so I am in the UST LIN-Q Red stiff with a 9.5* head. The best thing I saw in my fitting was a low toe strike that flew like I centered it...might have been a fluke but I just started laughing when I saw it come out perfect. 

On the hybrid, I sits a little differently than my current hybrid so I will have to see how I can adjust to that. It definitely does not gear effect left like my current one does (at least in the fitting), didn't hit and quick left knuckleballs like I have with my current hybrid. I jumped into a LIN-Q Blue in the Hybrid (again it is #smooth). Best thing I saw with this was the aforementioned elimination (so far) of the low left dive bomb and overall less gear effect. 

On the utility, some of the ball speeds and carries were a little concerning, haha (like a few mega hot shots which is weird to complain about but we'll see what it does in the real world). Especially with the graphite shafts so I stepped back into the steel shaft and that tamed it a little. Dispersion was good but will have to see how it works off real grass. I ended up going with the project X U steel. [Side note: I LOVE the blacked out look. It looks awesome]. Best thing I saw was this thing does not hit low stingers like some driving irons, it can get up there....which I like. 

Driver carry: 265-270 yds (108 mph swing speed)
Hybrid carry: 220-240 yds
21* Utility Iron carry: 210-225 yds
Handicap: 3-5
Products: ST-Z 230 9.5* Driver, ST-Z 230 18* Hybrid, FliHi 21.5* (4 iron)

Unboxing/Delivery
I have to be critical of Mizuno USA on lead times, 6+ weeks from order to delivery is too long for a "stock" order. I have never waited more than 4 weeks for delivery or a club or clubs and it, to me, is indicative of a problem Mizuno is going to wrestle with for a bit. A few other testers had to wait 6+ weeks for their orders to arrive and, ancedotally, many others have seen 6-7-8 week wait times this summer for Mizuno products. I should stress that my shafts were stock as were length/lie and grip. Nothing custom at all. I think is a significant shortcoming for Mizuno at the moment. I will say everything was correct, the shaft selections and lofts were as ordered so no issues there. 

We did get the blue box, which was exciting and elicits all the positive vibes I have about Mizuno...

The clubs were all separated by a 4 way cardboard divided and well protected and packed with care. Bonus points for including Mizuno wrenches with both the driver and hybrid! Love the headcovers. They look great and feel high quality. Beyond the purposes of the test I will probably keep them on even though I am a big fan of custom (non-branded) headcovers. 

First Impressions (18 out of 20):
Mizuno has always been a classic company to me and I typically don't think of them as being super tech-y but more focused on well-made products with careful technological steps forward. The STZ and STX series are hoping to convince people that Mizuno has made large strides in their Drivers, Fairway woods and hybrids. This is primarily achieved through their Cortech chamber which sits weight low and forward. In the STZ 230 (my model), they are touting "straight, stable and low spinning." Mizuno also has a carbon crown and updated Beta TI face for better ball speeds. Overall, I think Mizuno is seeking to get more ball speed and performance out of their face BUT still maintaining an accuracy build with the standard length being 45" which is almost short by today's standards. 

So here is the lineup as soon as I got them, along with some other shots of the driver both indoors and outdoors so one can see how the carbon crown looks in the sunlight as some of it is quite subtle and doesn't really "pop" under indoor lighting:

The main downside and reason I am docking points in the "First Impressions" is due to the delivery time. I think my impression on that front is that Mizuno was/is struggling with fulfilment on their side. 

Aesthetics (9 out of 10)
I think the line looks really good. I will judge each club separately and describe them below:

STZ 230 Driver (8.5 out of 10) - LOVE the profile and shaping to it. It has a much more rounded and compact front to back profile than my Cobra (current gamer) and I am finding that fits my eye better. The blue is sharp without being overpowering though I won't quite say the sole is "classic" looking. It will be interesting to see how the blue ages over time but for now it is brilliantly blue. See below for address photo of the mizuno vs the cobra. I don't love the carbon top as I think I prefer a more matte finish for glare reduction. In my first outdoor round, I didn't have many issues with glare but it can catch the sun at times. I like the alignment aid being a little of a subtle gray and overall it is an attractive driver. On the sound front, the Driver is noticeably quieter than my Cobra and my playing partner's Taylormade SIM 2. My cobra driver, in comparison, almost sounds like glass when it is striking that ball. I like the more muted and understated sound from Mizuno. The driver is most notable sound difference from peer comparisons in the fact that is quieter and subdued which I love, more of "THWACK" than a "PING" or a "TING" and sounds less metallic for sure. Feedback front, I can feel when I miss way toe-side or heel side or even high on the face on this driver. There is feedback there for sure. I wouldn't say it is overly pronounced in the feedback department vs other drivers I have hit. A centered shot feels SOLID and explosive, not soft. 

STZ 230 Hybrid (9 out of 10) - Looks smaller than it actually is, which I like and just looks classic at address. Square face, no carbon top and sits well on the ground. Again, maybe I would like a matte finish but overall it is players-looking without being intimidating and I felt comfortable with it right away. The sole has the same blue cortech chamber visible and present but slightly less pronounced than the driver. Hybrid sound is also fairly muted but still sounds like a fairway wood for the most part. For the hybrid the feel is a bit on the explosive side vs the controlled side. The hybrid feels "hot" which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you are trying to accomplish.A flushed shot feels very fast and hot coming off the face. 

Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (9.5 out of 10) - Some people may dislike that it is black but I love it. This looks like what I would design if I was building a utility iron for myself. A little bit of offset and a wider sole for ease of launch but hidden by the slimming black. It just looks very cool but has some classic mizuno touches to it. Great blend of old and new. Looks about perfect. The fli hi doesn't quite sound like an iron but is certainly much closer to an iron sound than a hybrid or fairway wood. A flushed shot is soft and springy, if that makes sense. Ball seems to stick a fraction longer as it compresses. It is a pleasurable feeling. The driving iron is very high on feedback for being such a large club. You know IMMEDIATELY when you hit it toe-side as it is rather punishing on toe misses. 

The Numbers (9.5 out of 10) 

Initial Trackman Averages - Mizuno STZ 230 Driver vs Gamer at regular speeds (Driver wins on accuracy and distance and feel)
My first Trackman session was on 8/18/2023 this was before I was able to hit it outside so it was truly my first experience with it. My testing protocol was to hit 4 drivers with the Mizuno and then my Cobra Radspeed back and forth until I got about 10 good strikes with each. Here are the averages for my "on-course" swing, which is controlled aggression:

NOTE: The Cobra is an inch longer shaft so that is likely the clubhead speed difference. But the Mizuno's most notable difference is the drop in spin (about 500rpm less) and the resulting impact on total distance which is 8.5 yds greater. Everything else is quite close so it *seems* like I am not giving up any distance and getting a better spin profile. I also took 3 "higher speed" swings to see what the top end of the Mizuno could do and this was interesting:

Initial Trackman Averages - Mizuno STZ 230 Driver vs Gamer at "max speed"

The Cobra actually did quite well here. They are neck and neck in a lot of areas and somehow the spin came down on the Cobra at a higher speed (I am not a robot so it is possible I was just hitting it better). And, what was really compelling was how good the Cobra's dispersion was at this really high speed (I apologize for the quality of this photo, the Trackman reporting function was not working so I couldn't email this report to myself so I had to manually type out all the numbers from this photo along with just accepting the low quality photo below):

So it may be hard to see but the overall dispersion of the Mizuno, to me, seems better. Mizuno is orange for the on-course speed swings and red for the high speed swings. Cobra is purple for the on-course speed and blue for the max speeds. However, at very high speeds the Cobra was extremely consistent. Granted, this is a small sample size and the overall data seems to suggest the Mizuno is at least as accurate and probably more accurate overall. They both have the same shape, a small draw, so that is good. See below the general shape of each, the green is the Cobra and the Red is the mizuno for some reason:

Both are what I wanted to see. The shots that went right generally were just slight blocks or started too far right and didn't draw much. Overall this is what I like to see with driver and what I would expect. 

See link below for all Trackman and on-course numbers for Driver:

Initial Trackman Averages - Mizuno STZ Hybrid vs Gamer off small tee

My current gamer is 1* stronger loft and .5 inches longer. The current averages for my gamer vs the Mizuno are:

And for me, I saw this out on the course. Even though the Mizuno is higher lofted, it launches lower due to it having less rear ward CG and just a smaller profile. Balls comes out slightly lower, flies flatter, has less spin. For me, these are all positives. I want my hybrid to be a bomber since it is serving as my 3W in this instance so more distance without a bunch of dispersion issues (which I have not had) is ideal. Both fly right to left for me which is my natural shot shape. 

Initial Trackman Averages - Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi vs Gamer off small tee (Kind of a tie between the two)

So there are some important differences to start off with, my gamer is .5* stronger and 1 inch longer (Callaway Apex Forged UT 21*) so I would expect it to be a tad longer but, so far, that is not the case. They are pretty much, shockingly, close in many ways. The Mizuno is much more efficient since I am swinging it 5 mph slower but getting almost the same carry and totals with it. The Mizuno spins less with the same level of launch and has similar dispersion. It feels a little less "surgical" than my gamer given it has a more explosive face but it isn't firing off crazy low spin bombs as far as I can tell. 

The dispersion chart is shockingly similar. See below:

Mizuno Lie/Loft Test with Hybrid (see link below)

On Course (18 out of 20) Note above that I have had several trackman sessions with each club type, have played 8+ rounds with the clubs and had about 6 outdoor range sessions with them so I am quite well acquainted at this point. I will say this club seems to perform even better out on course than it does on Trackman, at least for me. I track all shots (except during competitions) using the TaylorMade GPS app where you can mark all shots and assign clubs, etc. It also spits out strokes gained and other metrics. 

Driver (19.5 out of 20) - The main quality I have noted in this driver is that there is not much loss of ballspeed or efficiency when you miss the center of the clubface. This is what I think of when I hear about a driver being "forgiving". In addition, the ST-Z has given me a significant drop in spin and is quite accurate. I will say there are faster drivers out there and the Mizuno wasn't a huge step up in ballspeed over my gamer on dead center hits. This driver hits the ball on a fairly mid flight, flat trajectory and is quite straight. This driver mostly wants to go straight so I won't say it is highly "workable" but that is not what I am looking for. I have had both good and bad days with my swing and the driver for the part has always performed. I have consistently gained strokes with the driver. My last 8 rounds have been +3.70, +1.10, +1.00, +3.30, +2.10, +1.20, +1.50, +1.40. Loving this club and the LIN-Q shaft has been quite good as well. This driver does well under pressure and was the bright spot during the club championship this past month. I have truly found myself in places on the golf course I am not used to being in. I played with my regular group the first round I ever brought the ST-Z out and I didn't tell them I had a new driver. By about the 4th tee shot one of my friends said "what has gotten into you today???" That is when they noticed the driver (I didn't take the Mizuno headcover out because I didn't want to tip my hand). My friend went and tested out the Z last week and it is "in the finals" against another driver right now so I guess I am an "influencer" now. 

Hybrid (19 out of 20) - First of all, the adjustability of a hybrid is a feature I never knew I was missing but it is pretty amazing how much you can change the flight conditions with the hosel sleeve. It is almost like having multiple clubs in one. I settled on the turned down version to 18* and have found that this hybrid is more a weapon than a surgical instrument. I don't play any fairway woods so I need distance from this club and that is what it provides. The club is pretty hot off the face and fairly low spinning but flies fairly neutral and has been a great 220-240 club the last several rounds. I haven't hit any waaay left with this club and overall I don't find it to be tremendously workable. Similar to the driver it goes straight and stable most all the time. Turf interaction is GREAT and this club does not dig or skip but just glides into the ball. Really didn't expect much from this hybrid but I feel like it almost has a driver like explosion of the clubface. I have started trusting this club out of all sort of lies and I can't say it has let me down yet. The craziest thing I have seen out of this club was a tee shot I hit a few weeks ago where I hit a drive (with this hybrid) through the fairway on a dogleg that rolled out to 270 yds on GPS. This thing has major juice. 

Pro Fli-Hi (17 out of 20) - Utilities can be a tricky beast to tame. The Pro Fli-Hi has been interesting to me. First off, it provides a TON of feedback. You know...immediately....if you hit the ball in the center or not. I have been missing this club out on the toe a bit and, to its credit, the ball still gets out there a good ways. On the top end, off a tee, I can fly this 21* utility 225 yds and if I hit it out on the toe it still carries about 205. Ball flight is higher than I expected and you can work the ball IF you hit it out of the center. Anything off the toe or heel generally just comes out straight and slightly dead. I love the look of it and the feel out of the center is good but I just haven't gotten along as well with it. This is the only club where I think my gamer is comparable and, in some ways, more enjoyable to hit. I am sticking with the Fli Hi for now because, on paper, it is doing the job. I wonder if the lighter shaft has been throwing me off but I really just need to make better contact with this club. 

Rounds Tracked:
8/20/2023 18 hole Round link to comment: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59890-mizuno-long-game-2023-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=961209
8/27/2023 18 Hole Round link to comment: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59890-mizuno-long-game-2023-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=963316
9/8/2023 9 Hole Round link to comment: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59890-mizuno-long-game-2023-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=966997
9/17/2023 18 Hole Round link to comment: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59890-mizuno-long-game-2023-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=969696
9/20/2023 18 Hole Round link to comment: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59890-mizuno-long-game-2023-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=970533

The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween (18 out of 20) 
Starting with the good, the build quality and appearance of the clubs is excellent. The blue is a bit of a departure from truly "classic" but the shaping and finish of all 3 clubs is high end. The acoustics and feel are also great through all three clubs. I was a bit skeptical of the "cortech" chamber but it seems to do what it claims to do, which is to reduce spin rates and make the impact more solid across the face. I found that was true in both the hybrid and the driver where I could hit it all over the face and the ball speed doesn't suffer greatly. A decent number of shaft options in all the torque ranges was also a plus. The adjustable hosel on the hybrid is a mega plus and I will be hard pressed to ever consider a hybrid that doesn't have that option. I also LOVE that they built their driver at 45". It makes it easier to control and I didn't feel like I was giving up a ton of speed with it. Big support to Mizuno for their support of a reasonable length driver and not getting sucked into this 46 inches business. 

The bad, for me, was the delivery time. I mentioned it above but the wait from the order to receipt was approximately 6 weeks for a "standard" build. I think that signals some fulfillment problems that may not be unique to Mizuno but were certainly noted. 

The inbetween for me is the carbon fiber top and the blue of the cortech chamber. Both of these are aesthetic so they aren't a huge concern but I think the blue is a little cheap looking in my opinion. It does catch your eye though and maybe that is the point. 

Play it or Trade it (19 out of 20)
Driver: PLAY IT. Extremely easy decision. It boosted my ball speed slightly but really it shines on mishits, feedback, sound, reasonable spin reduction and overall consistency shot after shot. 20 out of 20 for me. If I lost it tomorrow I would buy another one on the same day. Love love love.

Hybrid: PLAY IT. This is a missile launcher and goes fairly straight and on a bullet, lowish spinning trajectory which is what I want out of my fairway wood replacement AND it is adjustable. 19.5 out of 20 as I have a few minor quibbles with the look of it but that is very minor and it is a *little* one dimensional given its lower spin/hotter face setup. Performance is excellent for what I need it to do.  

Pro Fli-Hi: ....play it. Not as cut and dried of a decision but this mostly comes down to my inability to hit the center of this club for some reason. It is also fairly hot and forgiving so the ball still goes but you FEEL it when you miss and I have been missing it a lot. Could be the lighter weight shaft. This is easier to hit off the fairway so that is appreciated. I will continue forward with this club in the bag but it was very close. 17 out of 20.

FINAL SCORE:  91.5

Conclusion/Post Script/TLDR
I am extremely fortunate to have been able to participate in this test. I am quite thankful to MGS and I hope my effort on this review reflects that. I will say that I always thought of Mizuno as a "players brand" and was previously a bit intimidated by it. "Am I good enough to play Mizunos?" "Is it true that nothing feels like a Mizuno?" "Will these clubs get stolen the second I take my eyes off them?" You get the point. What I found was an incredibly forgiving, accurate and stable driver that gives me more confidence off the tee in the ST-Z 230. It was the most stark improvement over my current gamer. Also, a speedy weapon in the STZ 19* hybrid that offers a host of customizable settings that make it like 2-3 clubs in one. Finally, a utility iron that I am still working to get comfortable with but, on paper, enhances my game. Now that I have some Mizuno representation in my bag, I can work to dispell the rumors or stereotypes that Mizunos are only for elite players. They make great equipment and, at least the selections I made, have equipment that can appeal to a wide range of golfers. Please ask me any questions if you are even remotely interested in any of these clubs. 

 

 

Got to say, I am a little jealous of your combo of Hogan irons and wedges with Mizuno woods. It’s a pretty bag.

[vandyland]

2 hours ago, MuniGolfer said:

Got to say, I am a little jealous of your combo of Hogan irons and wedges with Mizuno woods. It’s a pretty bag.

Thank you! I have tried to kick them (the Hogans) out of the bag in the past year for no other reason than I like new irons every now and then. So far here is who they have defeated:

Maltby TE+ V4
Taylormade P770
Titleist T150
Mizuno Pro 223 and JPX

They are just the perfect mix of what I want to see in the looks of an iron (a little bit of offset, a middle of the road top line and fairly classic looking in the bag) and are still forgiving and playable. I am still testing out other Maltby heads (I have a TS-3 coming this week) just because I believe in the Maltby design philosophy but the Hogans have been great. There are some really good deals on eBay right now for gently used hogans as well (their resale stinks since they went into bankruptcy again). 

Also, as an update to the ongoing saga with the Mizuno driving iron, I am not going to re-shaft it just yet. I have a face to path issue that I think is causing a lot of the current discomfort with the driving iron. When I get a little closer to neutral path and face to path this thing comes back alive. 

The hybrid did an amazing thing last week, I had 251 yds into a par 5 and put it pin high for a 19 ft eagle putt that I made. That was fantastic. 

The driver also went nuclear and I hit a 345 yd drive on #17 which left me with 147 yds into a par 5 and I had an overall average distance of 312 yds. That is phenomenal. 

[MuniGolfer]

On 11/10/2023 at 9:01 AM, vandyland said:

Thank you! I have tried to kick them (the Hogans) out of the bag in the past year for no other reason than I like new irons every now and then. So far here is who they have defeated:

Maltby TE+ V4
Taylormade P770
Titleist T150
Mizuno Pro 223 and JPX

They are just the perfect mix of what I want to see in the looks of an iron (a little bit of offset, a middle of the road top line and fairly classic looking in the bag) and are still forgiving and playable. I am still testing out other Maltby heads (I have a TS-3 coming this week) just because I believe in the Maltby design philosophy but the Hogans have been great. There are some really good deals on eBay right now for gently used hogans as well (their resale stinks since they went into bankruptcy again). 

Also, as an update to the ongoing saga with the Mizuno driving iron, I am not going to re-shaft it just yet. I have a face to path issue that I think is causing a lot of the current discomfort with the driving iron. When I get a little closer to neutral path and face to path this thing comes back alive. 

The hybrid did an amazing thing last week, I had 251 yds into a par 5 and put it pin high for a 19 ft eagle putt that I made. That was fantastic. 

The driver also went nuclear and I hit a 345 yd drive on #17 which left me with 147 yds into a par 5 and I had an overall average distance of 312 yds. That is phenomenal. 

Yeah, I keep looking at sets on eBay. I am interested to see what they come back with once hogan relaunches here in the next little bit. Sounds like mostly the rest of the old stock while they get working on new stuff, but we’ll see.

 Those are some great numbers.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Unfortunately with how busy the forum was and is I really didn't follow this thread as much as I wanted to. 

I do recall most of the testers liking the no driver clubs, but how did everyone end up liking the driver one way or another? Did it have any true standout features that made it great in one area but maybe lack in another?

[russtopherb]

39 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Unfortunately with how busy the forum was and is I really didn't follow this thread as much as I wanted to. 

I do recall most of the testers liking the no driver clubs, but how did everyone end up liking the driver one way or another? Did it have any true standout features that made it great in one area but maybe lack in another?

I liked the driver, and found it quite forgiving once I dialed it in beyond what the fitter had recommended. I think my biggest issue with it was the feel and sound - to me, it doesn’t sound powerful, if that makes sense. When I hit it head to head with my Mavrik Max, I would have thought the Mavrik had gone further just due to the sound & feel at impact. But the Mizuno was just as long and was straighter. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by russtopherb

[Beakbryce]

8 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Unfortunately with how busy the forum was and is I really didn't follow this thread as much as I wanted to. 

I do recall most of the testers liking the no driver clubs, but how did everyone end up liking the driver one way or another? Did it have any true standout features that made it great in one area but maybe lack in another?

I was not a fan. Both clubs are not as long as my Epic gamers. I believe my swing speed prevented the best use of the driver and 3 wood. One of the problems from my point of view was a standard 45" shaft which lost a nominal amount of yardage I could not afford. I think Mizuno is all in on a certain market, high swing speed hitters, and built the clubs for that market. I felt the clubs produced very low spin balls that just would not stay in the air for me and didn't run when they landed. Both clubs were very straight. Straighter then my Epics, but I don't miss a lot of fairways anyway so no reason to switch. I was fit for the clubs with 125 ball speed and 2400 RPM with nominal distance of 225 but in real life I never hit them that far. I am with @russtopherb in that they do not have a memorable sound or feel.

The 4 hybrid was a nice club, but not an improvement over my current 4 hybrid. The flight was marginally higher with a softer landing.

Please let me know if you have any specific questions.

[vandyland]

On 11/26/2023 at 6:27 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

Unfortunately with how busy the forum was and is I really didn't follow this thread as much as I wanted to. 

I do recall most of the testers liking the no driver clubs, but how did everyone end up liking the driver one way or another? Did it have any true standout features that made it great in one area but maybe lack in another?

I thought I responded to this! I did not. 

(1) For me, the Driver was a standout improvement over my two year old Cobra Radspeed XB in this order:

Forgiveness: The difference in a toe strike AND heel strike with the Mizuno was night and day vs the Radspeed. This was truly the standout "skill" for the Mizuno ST-Z in my opinion. Ball speed retention, relatively good spin (didn't kick up like crazy on a heel strike and didn't drop insanely low on a toe strike) retention, etc.

Adjustability: The Mizuno loft sleeve is pretty solid and definitely provides more options than Cobra's loft sleeve. You have flat/upright options as well as loft options which can make this driver perform fairly differently depending on your setup. That was a huge leap forward on both the driver and the hybrid.

Spin: Not quite LOW SPIN with all caps but I saw a good reduction in spin given this driver is not as heavily back weighted as the XB. Ball comes out stable and doesn't curve a whole lot but also isn't hitting knuckleballs either. 

(2) Where does this driver NOT really separate itself

Ball Speed: Did not see a huge jump (or really any jump) in ball speed off a center strike vs a 2 year old driver. Again, referring to the above, the ball speed gains are on off-center strikes so my average drive was going farther but FLUSHED drives ended up in about the same place or slightly farther due to spin reduction. 

(3) Who is this driver for?

Profile: To me, this driver suits a golfer that wants a jack of all trades driver rather than an all out ballspeed monster (like the Cobra AeroJet) or a slice fixing driver. This driver is reliable across the face, doesn't curve much (all this is relative) and launches mid flight and spins low-mid. 

I don't think this driver would help a slower swinger because the spin reduction would hurt them and so, potentially, might the shorter shaft (plays standard at 45" which is shorter than most other OEMs). Also, they didn't prioritize ball speed so if a slower swinger is trying to squeeze out a few extra yards it won't be in this driver, I don't believe. 

Final Word: I am really happy with this driver and over the moon that I got to test it. I have since hit the Titleist TSR3 (which was faster but less reliable) and the Ping G425 Max (which launched so easily but just spun quite a bit more) and I really don't even think about other drivers at the moment. I have also figured out my issues I was having with the Utility iron (I believe it was down to club delivery) and that thing is now a MONSTER. Probably deserves its own post. 

 

[russtopherb]

3 hours ago, vandyland said:

Final Word: I am really happy with this driver and over the moon that I got to test it. I have since hit the Titleist TSR3 (which was faster but less reliable) and the Ping G425 Max (which launched so easily but just spun quite a bit more) and I really don't even think about other drivers at the moment. I have also figured out my issues I was having with the Utility iron (I believe it was down to club delivery) and that thing is now a MONSTER. Probably deserves its own post. 

 

That's how I feel about the 4h. It went from a "well it's nice to have it to test but not sure how much I'll use it" to a "let's see how many times I can pull this thing out of the bag this round" club. Definitely the sleeper of this testing for me. I hit a couple of amazing shots with it the other day after not having played in over a month, and I'm STILL not used to how straight that club is. Longer clubs off the turf for me always have a slight fade, but not that one.

[srooch2]

On 11/26/2023 at 2:48 PM, Beakbryce said:

I was not a fan. Both clubs are not as long as my Epic gamers. I believe my swing speed prevented the best use of the driver and 3 wood. One of the problems from my point of view was a standard 45" shaft which lost a nominal amount of yardage I could not afford. I think Mizuno is all in on a certain market, high swing speed hitters, and built the clubs for that market. I felt the clubs produced very low spin balls that just would not stay in the air for me and didn't run when they landed. Both clubs were very straight. Straighter then my Epics, but I don't miss a lot of fairways anyway so no reason to switch. I was fit for the clubs with 125 ball speed and 2400 RPM with nominal distance of 225 but in real life I never hit them that far. I am with @russtopherb in that they do not have a memorable sound or feel.

The 4 hybrid was a nice club, but not an improvement over my current 4 hybrid. The flight was marginally higher with a softer landing.

Please let me know if you have any specific questions.

I’m glad you paid it forward! Speaks volumes about you friend. Cheers