Mizuno reveal new ST200 Drivers and woods
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Mizuno reveal new ST200 series, featuring three drivers and two fairways
Mizuno’s new ST200 Series offers a choice of three different head designs, each with a Beta rich Titanium face and each offering a different ball flight.
◆ RRP: £349 – £399
◆ Lofts: 9° – 10.5°
Mizuno drivers had a breakthrough year in 2019. The ST190 drivers were fast, powerful and low spin, and when Keith Mitchell won the Honda Classic with one in March, it gave Mizuno its first driver tour win in 19 years (the last was Vijay Singh’s at the 2000 Masters). That’s big news, especially for a brand that traditionally focuses on forged irons.
Naturally, Mizuno are looking to build on that success for 2020, so their US and Japanese design teams have collaborated on an updated ST200 family.
There are three drivers in the line-up and early signs are very positive that tour players will adopt them. Uncontracted pros have already been testing the new models, which would have been unheard of a few years ago.
All three have 17% stronger SAT Beta titanium faces which Mizuno say prevents CT creep (where the face becomes more flexible – and potentially illegal – over time).
Mizuno ST200
◆ RRP: £349
◆ Lofts: 9.5° / 10.5°
◆ stock shaft: Choose from 11 premium options
◆ Adjustable hosel: Yes (+/- 2°)
The ST200 combines low spin with considerable forgiveness. According to Mizuno, this model is for golfers who are after a high stability driver, but also seeking to target spin to increase distance.
Weight savings from a compacted WAVE Sole and a variable-thickness graphite crown, used low and deep in the head, help deliver both low spin and increased stability from off-centre strikes. A 11.6g backweight gives a balance between spin control and forgiveness,
The driver, which is sound engineered for enhanced feedback and control, also has a resilient forged SAT Beta 2041 Ti face which is 17% stronger and maintaining performance for longer, compared to traditional 6-4 Titanium.
The head shape of the ST200 has been refined by Yoro craftsmen in response to special tour requests, meaning a flatter crown and slightly flatter lie angle that will appeal to better players.
Mizuno ST200G
◆ RRP: £399
◆ Lofts: 9°
◆ stock shaft Choose from 11 premium options
◆Adjustable hosel: Yes(+/-2°)
Mizuno say the ST200G has been built for high swing speed efficiency, which means it performs well in the hands of hard hitters. 14g of sliding sole weight can dial in spin rates from mid to ultra-low, which isn’t a claim found in many drivers.
The ST200G shares many of the same features and benefits as the ST200 in terms of a 17% stronger SAT Beta 2041 Ti face, a TOUR READY shape and pure sound at impact, but has also been engineered for ultimate adjustability via the intuitive FAST TRACK system. Thanks to twin 7g weights on longer external tracks, the ST200G offers even more effective weight movement, allowing mid/low to ultra-low spin positions.
Mizuno ST200X
◆ RRP: £349
◆ Lofts: 9.5° / 10.5°
◆ stock shaft Choose from 11premiumoptions
◆Adjustablehosel:Yes(+/-2°)
Traditionally, Mizuno haven’t had a specific driver to cater for mid to lower swing speeds, so the X is that model for 2020. It comes with built-in high launch and a good degree of draw bias. The X has its own wider head shape (adding forgiveness), with additional heel weight and an upright lie angle to encourage a high draw ball flight.
Like the ST200 and ST200G drivers, the ST200X is loft adjustable by 4 degrees with additional upright and flatter settings. Weight savings from a compacted Wave Sole and variable thickness graphite crown allow weight to be pushed low and deep for low spin, stability and forgiveness.
“The ST200X is a totally new metal wood option for the west – overall more of a traditional Japanese specification. It’s just as forgiving as the standard ST200 – but will suit players who lose distance through a consistent fade or a launch too low for their ball speed. To get the very most out of the head design, we’d recommend that the ST200X is matched with the Japan spec FUSION 39-gram graphite shaft,” said Voshall.
There’s two new ST200 Fairways now
◆ ST200 – RRP: £239
Very much a tour-ready fairway which sits beautifully alongside the ST200 and ST200G drivers.
◆ ST200X – RRP: £239
This, on the other hand, has a full-on titanium driver style construction in the 3-wood. Mizuno say it helps encourage a high draw ball flight in the very club moderate swing speed golfers need most help launching shots from the turf (5 and 7 woods revert to steel bodies).
