Mizuno JPX 800 Driver Review

I went out and played 9 this morning and used the JPX 800 driver. I had no chance to hit it beforehand at all, no driving range no nothing, just went into the round armed with this and ready to see how it worked.

For starters I liked the way it sets up behind the ball at address, really seems to sit nice and square to the target line and I liked the blue color and little alignment graphic on the crown of the club.

First swing and immediately I was like dang, that's loud. The sound resembled an aluminum baseball bat the first time I hit it, I was like great....just what I wanted. The ball flight was good though, lower and straight. I knocked it down to a spot I often hit from on our 10th hole so right away I'm thinking the distance is right in line with what I'm used to.

After that first shot the sound didn't seem to be as loud anymore, still a higher pitch sound but not quite to the point of thinking I was at a little league game anymore. Each time I hit it I had the same mid launch ball flight that I had the first swing. I say lower because the other driver I'm using right now is the Burner SuperFast 2.0 and that thing is a high ball hitter for sure. There were a few swings that I felt like I nailed the ball but upon getting to the spot where my ball ended up I realized it was no where near as well hit as I thought it was...or simply that the ball just didn't go that far. I clearly need more work with this driver, but I liked it the 6 times I hit it today. I'll be getting out to the driving range later today, going to see if I can get familiar enough with the JPX 800 to bag it for a tournament on Sunday....stay tuned.

That's interresting P4B. Usually when I feel like I hit a good one, it is a good one. Strange you weren't seeing that. Hopefully it's just a kink you can overcome. Best of luck at the tournament this weekend!
 
Good start, but not happy to hear the sound issue. I'm just not into the loud "Ding" sound. Hope it works for you.

Tap,Tap,Tap
 
update :D
 
lookig forward to more of your thoughts on this buddy...particularly the sound aspect of it
 
lookig forward to more of your thoughts on this buddy...particularly the sound aspect of it
I'll do it, heck I have the flip camera with me today so I'll run a quick video to try to capture the sound.
 
Coming today, heading to the driving range with this in about 55 minutes so stay tuned!
cool man. I'm saving my pennies now. either way, I'll need a driver for the 2nd bag. hoping it'll be the JPX 800. I tried at GS and liked it but the course is where it matters.
 
I was just thinking about this thread. Just read your first update and it sounds like a mixed bag so far? Looking forward to some range thoughts, Jake.
 
I'll do it, heck I have the flip camera with me today so I'll run a quick video to try to capture the sound.

I can't wait to see and hear more on this one. I fell in love with the 800 irons, just guessing this driver is just as solid.
 
Ok I've won this club (10.5 stiff) at the THP outing and have been gaming it for a few weeks (thank you THP)...so here's the scoop:

I was very skeptical when I got it. Mizuno drivers? I had a finely tuned SuperTri w/Miyazaki black...how could this JPX possibly stand a chance?

LOOKS:
It sets up perfectly neutral guys. The crown has a metallic blue tint in the sun, which I liked. The alignment icon is fine, if a bit bigger than I like. You can feel a slight edge where the crown meets the face, almost like I could peel it off the top. I wasn't crazy about that, and I hit one high on the face once and I can see a tiny "dent" in that material.

SOUNDS:
Jake said it best, it has a range of sounds anywhere from a slightly ringy thud to an aluminum bat. It's not the dull thwack some might prefer, but I personally didn't mind it...and I laugh when people ask me if it's a baseball bat after I hit.

SHAFT:
I like it more than I thought I would. It's "lively", but I can really feel that clubhead during the swing. It definitely has a softer tip than my Miyazaki Black, but I can load it easily. For reference, I'm a slow tempo swinger that releases a bit early, swing speed 105.

WORKABILITY:
I can work this club easily. My natural shot is a medium-high draw and my bad miss is a hook, but less so with this driver. I can hit fades easily, and it naturally hits a draw that starts right edge and flies across the fairway for me.

I do need to watch the draw action here, since this weapon puts excessive roll once it hits the ground. I have full confidence I can work both ways off the tee and I try to "emphasize" my cut shot, but rarely go right off the tee. This makes me think there might be some natural draw weighting, but that's just my guess.

SPIN:
I don't have a launch monitor, but I can tell you this thing is very, very low spin, especially coming from a medium/high spin head like the SuperTri. I spun my SuperTri about 2800rpm for reference, so my raw guess would be somewhere around 2200rpm with this club?

DISTANCE:
Massive, even on mediocre swings. The launch is gorgeous, like a mid-high low-spin rocket that just flies. I'm averaging 272 yards the last 6 rounds, and I've put a few right at the 290mark (which is amazing for my swing speed, meaning I might actually be swinging faster).

Non-center clubface drives with this sucker are around 260 for me, which is amazing! I typically hit some toe-ish drives, and have little distance loss here.

CONCLUSION:
I got over myself quickly. Mizuno driver, that sounds like a bat (sometimes)...over my SuperTri? As long as it keeps hitting workable, high bombs its staying put in the bag. Keep in mind, off-center hits will be felt (in a bad way), but the actual drive itself tends to surprise you. Club masks some of my poor swings.

People...give this club a swing. I'd summarize this by saying, "easy distance"...because that's how I feel when I hit it. I can really take a long swing and go after it, or choke up and hit a fairway. I had to work a bit harder to hit my SuperTri the same distance, and like being able to unload and not worry.
 
thanks cmoors. I'll def have a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th look on this one before I choose a driver for the 2nd bag. I also have a SuperTri atm. so you're getting a lower trajectory on the JPX 800?
 
Excellent write up cmoors, thanks for chiming in. Sometimes it can be hard to describe the results you're seeing in testing, like wait, did I really just hear that? It's nice to know you're hearing and seeing a lot of the same things I am with this club.

I'll be heading to the range very shortly, I'll get a video to capture that sound.
 
Excellent write up cmoors, thanks for chiming in. Sometimes it can be hard to describe the results you're seeing in testing, like wait, did I really just hear that? It's nice to know you're hearing and seeing a lot of the same things I am with this club.

I'll be heading to the range very shortly, I'll get a video to capture that sound.
Thanks P4B. I'm looking forward to hearing the sound as well.

cmoors, is the sound the high pitch sound you hear when you hit the SuperTri on the sweet spot? I kinda like that sound. :D
 
Thanks, Im interested to hear this sound.. Hopefully its not as bad as the old Nike Sumo

Excellent write up cmoors, thanks for chiming in. Sometimes it can be hard to describe the results you're seeing in testing, like wait, did I really just hear that? It's nice to know you're hearing and seeing a lot of the same things I am with this club.

I'll be heading to the range very shortly, I'll get a video to capture that sound.
 
Great job cmoors, pretty much covered this inside and out. Thanks for the write-up.
 
I'd say the initial launch angle is a degree or two higher for me with the JPX-800, but the trajectory is a bit different from my SuperTri in the following ways:
- SuperTri 10.5 on the NU setting, weight in the heel launched about 14degrees and continued to climb, then would hit it's apex and fall...not much roll.
- JPX (again, no monitor here) launched a tad higher but climbed at a gentler rate...ultimately apexing at a similar height. Big difference on how it fell, and how it rolled out. It REALLY rolls out for me, which I'm guessing is because its a low-spin draw

I've never ballooned the JPX, and I could balloon the SuperTri a tad if I really hit down on it (I try not to, I try hit up on driver).

As for sound, I'm with you MD177...I love the SuperTri. It's a thwack, but a solid sounding hit.

JPX pales in comparison...its just not a great sounding driver in my opinion. Now, I'm a results guy, so I get over that real fast once I hit a fairway.

The truth is, there are so many great drivers out there...its tough to say, "this is better". Add to that, some clubs feel great in the store but terrible on the course.

This JPX is great on the course. I shot a 78 with it, which is my second best round ever...and got second place in my last tournament.
 
I'd say the initial launch angle is a degree or two higher for me with the JPX-800, but the trajectory is a bit different from my SuperTri in the following ways:
- SuperTri 10.5 on the NU setting, weight in the heel launched about 14degrees and continued to climb, then would hit it's apex and fall...not much roll.
- JPX (again, no monitor here) launched a tad higher but climbed at a gentler rate...ultimately apexing at a similar height. Big difference on how it fell, and how it rolled out. It REALLY rolls out for me, which I'm guessing is because its a low-spin draw

I've never ballooned the JPX, and I could balloon the SuperTri a tad if I really hit down on it (I try not to, I try hit up on driver).

As for sound, I'm with you MD177...I love the SuperTri. It's a thwack, but a solid sounding hit.

JPX pales in comparison...its just not a great sounding driver in my opinion. Now, I'm a results guy, so I get over that real fast once I hit a fairway.

The truth is, there are so many great drivers out there...its tough to say, "this is better". Add to that, some clubs feel great in the store but terrible on the course.

This JPX is great on the course. I shot a 78 with it, which is my second best round ever...and got second place in my last tournament.
man, it's looking more and more promising. I would like to get results too. I tend to balloon the SuperTri as well therefore losing massive distance esp when it's windy. my normal drive is 230-240 but when it's windy, I might as well not use the driver. LoL. the thing I'm not fond of with the SuperTri is the roll also. tends to just hop and that's it. while my bro and dad's FTiZ just keeps rolling. I outdrive them from the air but with their roll, they get me by a few yards.
 
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Excellent write ups so far P4B and cmoors! Still would love to hear the sound you guys are talking about, so any video footage would be awesome.
 
Let me see what I can do after work today, since I'm playing 9. I don't have my Flip camera but I can use my Iphone.
 
Hey guys, here is a quick video to try to demonstrate the sound the JPX 800 makes. You can get a good sense, but it's a little louder yet in person.

 
OK, I get it now. The first one you hit, I did not hear it, but on the second one, I thought I was at the LLWS! Thank you very much for posting that Jake, I can't believe that you say it is actually even a little louder in person. That would take some getting used too.
 
i honestly didnt think it was loud at all, first shot i didnt even hear it and second sounded like a solid whack, hmmm maybe im just deaf lol
 
Nice information cmoors, I know you told me you are really liking this driver and I am happy for you. Puttin4bird, great video, that sound was not too horrible for me. Keep up the great work Jake!!
 
Tonight will be a big night of testing for the JPX 800, I need to decide if I'm going to put it in the bag for the upcoming Pro Am that I'm playing in this weekend. I'll get back in here and post what I decide, either way that will be pretty big indicator of just what I think of this driver so far. I'd like to give a little hint as to what I'll decide, but I honestly don't know yet. Stay tuned.
 
Good stuff Jake....hard to imagine that the J38 is in trouble....must be quite a driver for ya
 
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