FIRST LOOK: Mizuno ST-Z 220 and ST-X 220 drivers and metal woods

The new Mizuno ST-X and ST-Z 220 drivers and fairway wood.

Mizuno reveal ‘the next generation of stability’ with new ST-Z 220 and ST-X 220 drivers designed for exceptional consistency.

This time last year Mizuno revealed the ST-Z and ST-X drivers, the result of a three-year project to put the brand back at the top of the golf driver speed, distance and forgiveness tree.

It was a project that proved hugely successful, with both drivers performing superbly on test. 12 months on, the Japanese brand has taken the ST series to the next level with the ST-Z 220 and ST-X 220, designed to produce the most efficient drives and highest ball speeds more often.

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Both drivers offer exceptional stability and consistency from off-centre strikes thanks to a 40% larger carbon-sole area and thinning of the titanium, along with a doubling of the stabilising back weight to 20g.

“Any twisting or deflecting at impact due to an off-centre hit is an energy loss and varies launch conditions,” David Llewellyn, Mizuno’s Director of R&D, said.

“By working with the prior ST driver platform and familiar materials, we were able to find several adaptations to impact the internal weighting. Creating far more stable tendencies in both the ST-Z and ST-X.”

Finding greater consistency and distance from off-centre strikes delivers improved performance.

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“By early 2021, with the vast majority of tour players we tested, the ST Series drivers were able to improve on their current driver for ball speed, looks and feel,” Chris Voshall, Mizuno’s Director of Product, said.

“The occasional barrier to getting a driver in play was the distance drop off from off-centre strikes. Our engineers isolated and tackled that last dimension with the new ST-Z and ST-X.

“We’re now seeing the results – ball speed drop-offs are negligible, and we’ve massively tightened the overall ranges of launch and spin.”

Alongside the drivers, Mizuno have revealed the ST-X 220 fairway wood and hybrid, both designed to boost confidence in amateur golfers.

Let’s take a closer look at all the models in the 2022 ST family.

Mizuno ST-Z 220 Driver

RRP £399 | Available Late March 2022
Lofts 9.5º, 10.5º | Left Hand? Yes (9.5º only) | Adjustable? Yes (+/- 2º)
Stock Shaft 23 options for custom-fit only | Stock Grip 27 options for custom-fit only

With a balanced toe/heel carbon construction and central back weight, Mizuno’s ST-Z driver is designed to encourage a low spinning, efficient, straight ball flight.

The modern, ground-hugging 460cc profile is both confidence-inspiring and appealing to elite players. A heavier, 20g back weight creates a deeper centre of gravity for more efficient performance, more often.

“The ST-Z is the most played of all our drivers. It’s a modern driver for players who have grown up hitting long straight bombs rather than shaping the ball. The addition of a 20g back weight also makes it an exceptionally forgiving option,” Voshall said.

The ST-Z driver features Mizuno’s Z-Axis design with weight evenly distributed across toe and heel, encouraging a low spinning stable straight flight. A highly resilient forged SAT2041 Beta Ti face and multi-thickness CORTECH design help to increase ball speeds.

Mizuno’s ‘Harmonic Impact Research’ ensures sound has played a key part in the design and the ST-Z 220 delivers vibration patterns elite players associate with a ‘solid’ feel.

The optimised Wave Sole further aids ball speeds, particularly from low on the clubface while four degrees of loft adjustability allows for fine-tuning of launch and trajectory.

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Mizuno ST-X 220 Driver

RRP £399 | Available Late March 2022
Lofts 10.5º, 12º | Left Hand? No | Adjustable? Yes (+/- 2º)
Stock Shaft 23 options for custom-fit only | Stock Grip 27 options for custom-fit only

A confidence-inspiring, draw-biased driver with heel focused weight location, the ST-X 220 will appeal to players seeking a higher, right to left ball flight.

With higher spin rates than its ST-Z counterpart, the ST-X will suit those with moderate swing speeds, needing help producing a more extended ball flight.

A new 20-gram heel biased back weight is designed to create a deeper centre of gravity for more efficient, longer drives. The ST-X is also available as a J-Spec option with ultra-lightweight HeLIUM NanoCore shaft for seniors and those with slower swing speeds.

“For a lot of golfers, the modern low spinning driver design preferred by tour players is a serious distance killer,” Voshall said. “The ST-X’s extra spin, slight draw bias and a higher flight will add driving distance for a surprising number of players.”

The ST-X delivers exceptional stability from off-centre strikes via an expansion of the carbon sole area by 40% and thinning out the Titanium portion, alongside a near doubling of the stabilizing heel/back weight.

Featuring Mizuno’s X-Axis design, weight is focused deep in the heel, encouraging a higher draw bias flight. With a rounded 460cc profile, the driver offers a higher launch and mid spin performance. A highly resilient forged SAT2041 Beta Ti face and multi-thickness CORTECH design produce increased ball speeds.

As with the ST-Z, the ‘ST-X 220 delivers vibration patterns elite players associate with a ‘solid’ feel following feedback from Mizuno’s ‘Harmonic Impact Research’.

An optimised Wave Sole boosts ball speeds, particularly from low on the clubface (where most amateurs hit the ball), while four degrees of loft adjustability allows you to tune the club to your needs.

RELATED: Rogue returns – Callaway’s ‘Speed Tuned’ ST drivers

Mizuno ST-X 220 Fairway Woods

RRP £279 | Available Late March 2022
Lofts 3-wood (16º), 5-wood (18.5º), 7-wood (21.5º) | Left Hand? No | Adjustable? No
Stock Shaft 23 options for custom-fit only | Stock Grip 27 options for custom-fit only

A confidence-inspiring sequence of fairway woods featuring Mizuno’s X-Axis design, the ST-X 220 fairway woods have been engineered to produce a higher, draw biased flight.

With deep internal weighting, the woods are suitable for those with moderate swing speeds who need elevated launch to achieve their optimal distance and controlled landing angles. 

The generously sized 3-wood boasts a full Ti construction with high ball speed SAT2041 Beta face – as featured in Mizuno’s new drivers. Combined with a Ti811 body, it produces the highest ever ball speeds from a Mizuno fairway wood.

With Maraging MAS1C steel face, the 5- and 7-wood are significantly more compact than the 3-wood, for use from the fairways.

As with the drivers, Mizuno have used their ‘Harmonic Impact Research’ to ensure the clubs’ vibration patterns produces the sort of sound elite players associate with a ‘solid’ feel.

The Optimized Wave Sole is a fairway-specific design to help create higher ball speeds from low on the face – suited to strikes directly from the turf.

READ NEXT: Tested – Best Fairway Woods

“There are a lot of forgiving looking fairways woods that don’t launch high enough for the average amateur,” Voshall said. “Size and footprint is only one part of the equation – most of us need a little more spin and elevation to carry the ball to our full capability. The ST-X is designed to solve that issue.”

Mizuno ST-X 220 Hybrids

RRP £249 | Available Late March 2022
Lofts 4H (20º), 5H (23º) and 6H (26º) | Left Hand? No | Adjustable? No
Stock Shaft Eight options for custom-fit only | Stock Grip 27 options for custom-fit only

A confidence inspiring hybrid engineered to produce a higher, draw biased flight, the ST-X hybrids are suitable for moderate swing speed players who need elevated launch to achieve both their optimal distance and controlled landing angles. 

Mizuno’s X-Axis design features an ultra-light waffle crown, with deep internal weighting to encourage a high draw biased flight.

At 1.8mm, the high-speed MAS1C face is Mizuno’s thinnest hybrid face to date, and it produces the highest recorded ball speeds from centre strikes (compared to previous ST-X and CLK).

Thanks to Mizuno’s ‘Harmonic Impact Research’, sound has again played a big role in the design with the vibration patterns ensuring the sort of noise that better players would associate with ‘solid’ feel.

The Optimized Wave Sole is a hybrid-specific design that helps create higher ball speeds from low on the face – suited to strikes directly from the turf.

“The ST-X is a great hybrid option for players with moderate ball speeds,” Voshall said. “With the new thinner face and internal weighting, it’s a nice alternative that will suit a lot of amateur golfers.”

READ NEXT: Tested – Best Hybrids

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Jerram is the Digital Editor of todaysgolfer.co.uk
He has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starting his career with Johnston Press where he covered local and regional news and sport in a variety of editorial roles across ten years.
Rob joined Bauer Media in 2010 and worked as the Senior Production Editor of Today’s Golfer and Golf World magazines for ten years before moving into the Digital Editor’s role in July 2020.
He has been playing golf for almost three decades and has been a member at Greetham Valley Golf Club in Rutland for eight years, playing off 12.