New Mizuno drivers are hitting stores soon and we got a chance to put them to the test in the THP Tech Studio. The latest iteration represents the culmination of the company’s 3-year, rapid-fire driver development project.
Before jumping into the video and testing, we want to mention one of the more fascinating aspects of the drivers, the new SAT2041 Beta Ti face. What does that mean? SAT2041 stands for Super / Alloy / Titanium / 20% Vanadium / 4% Aluminium / 1% tin and it offers 17% more tensile strength and 8% more flexibility than traditional 6-4Ti. In other words, stronger and faster than previous offerings.
“Most of our ST200 tour feedback was on the sensory side, a desire for a sound our players generally described as solid or dense,” said Chris Voshall from Mizuno. “We spent the next year working on improving feedback, hand in hand with releasing the additional ball speed we knew was left in our SAT2041 Beta Ti face.”
Unlike many videos which feature us testing the equipment, we figured we would do something a bit different today. We brought Chris Voshall into the Tech Studio and had him put both heads to the test and discuss not only the differences between the new ST-X and ST-Z drivers, but also the changes made from the last release…all while he hits balls in our hitting bay so you can see the ball flight and hear the impact sound. Watch the Mizuno ST-X and ST-Z Driver Review below.
Mizuno ST-X and ST-Z Driver Review
Shaft options are aplenty for those looking for choices. The ST-Z standard shafts are Project X EvenFlow Riptide or HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX as well as a Fujikura Motore X. Switching to the ST-X the options are the same EvenFlow RipTide from Project X or Motore X as well as a light weight Mizuno option called MFusion. All of which will be available in the fitting matrix software called the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer 3D you can find at retailers.
The Details
In Stores: February 2021
Cost: $400
Shafts: See above
Pretty consistent right there. How was that launch?
You are a machine.
Eh. Was a good day. -6 under on 27 ?
Like I said, machine. 27 holes is no joke. To hit 6/6 in the last 9 holes is some good tee work.
This makes me happy. Welcome to the high launch club haha
I’m at 255.5 rounds on the year now
Hell with the Rad at the MC @jdtox kept telling me to turn the driver down
That’s silly talk. Carry travels, and keeps you from running into hazards. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I see pitch marks next to my ball :/
THIS is what I’ve discovered. If it’s low it’s likely lost lol
That is a tough one for me to comment, because I am in the ST-X driver. I have never had the ST-Z in hand. The ST-X is one of the deeper faces you’ll find, but still launches with ease. It’s a beast.
Do you find you can easily work it both ways, as was stated in the video, or is it more of a draw club for you?
I find playability to be really good. My stock shot is a draw but I have been playing a fade more on course this year, and Driver was just as easy to shape as any other in the bag. I got more comfortable with a controlled fade on demand this year in general, and it carried through Driver. My strike tends to be high toe, and a bad swing often can be a big toe hook or overdraw, that is the shot I "guard" against and do not like seeing. The ST-X deals with that miss without drama. I can step up on the first tee cold and hit a fade if desired, which is pretty cool.
X is workable both ways. I’ve done it most of the year.
Hahaha!
I definitely think so!
I spent my work day thinking about the Victory Cup and endless WITB possibilities. For whatever that is worth. ?
You’re not alone I’m sure!
Compared to my G400 Max the ST-X shots are istraighter, don’t balloon, and look to have lower spin. I’ll know more when I get to use my ball on both in a sim.
The store was having a season-end clearance, so with coupon, a trade-in of an old hybrid, and some rewards credits, I got it for $230 including tax, which made it an easy call.
Congratulations! New Club Day! Sounds like a promising start, enjoy.
Stock shot was a baby fade. Miss was a wicked draw unfortunately.
Interesting. Were you getting those hooks off the off heel-side, inferring from stock fade shape?
Heel side shots will fade, not hook.
That’s fair. I live toe side but don’t miss on the heel as much. I have not had as much trouble with over-draw, and I mostly play a draw which often the toe-hook is something that can flare up. So I was curious as to what was happening.
The X is really well done MOI wise, which helps tame that toe-hook and heel-fade, they’re not non-existent, but they’re lesser than a lot of drivers I tested this year.
I’ve got an ST-x driver up in the BST…let’s make a deal!
More kinda cross up shut the face pull draws.
Couldn’t find a consistent draw path, fade was a bit better but not consistent enough and shaft change worsened it.
Would like to try the ST-z or g as I think they’d be a little more neutral.
I also think playing the speedzone prior forced me into a much more draw biased swing (for the opposite reason) and that wasnt favorable to the X.
That makes sense, I appreciate the detail ?
Give it a swing. The face sits at 1 degree open on mine. I’ve feared the snap hook for awhile so my swing has changed to protect against it. The Z will go straight or fade all day for me. I think I can start making my typical driver swing again, I’ve just been dealing with the mental block that comes from having a really bad case of the snap hooks.
i’ve heard it’s a fun driver.
Solid start
Seems short
I killed myself working on speed last year. I am not the fastest in the world but strike will over ride speed. I’ll find center more at 45 than My present 45.75
Heard a few comments from my playing partners about how straight and long my drives were. Free swings were met with beautiful drives with roll. Regular swings were met with nice drives with roll. Into a 15+ mph wind I didn’t see any ill effects. Add in the 33-42 degree temps and the distance I saw was that much more impressive. I saw between typical driver distance to 30+ yards in that weather.
I need to try one of these.
Nice, very solid driver. Has it all: Looks great, sounds great, performs great. Will be another happy THPer tomorrow.
Oh fun! Mizuno is still underrated in the woods category.
This is going to be a sweet prize!
I bought the ST-x with the Riptide shaft last month and have been having fun with it since. Went to a TopTracer range yesterday and confirmed, with a headwind and range balls on a 50 degree day, that the ST-x is 12 yards (6%) longer and more accurate than my Ping G400 Max, which has been the best driver I’ve owned. When I caught it right with almost no wind blowing, about 25% of the time, my drives were over 220, which I have not seem in a while.
Some THPer is going to be very happy.
I believe that ST-X head was fit for almost everyone that was in the Shaft Up experiences this past year.
Deeper face and draw biased with a nicer head shape that the Z (IMO) is such a great option.