Thanks for reviewing Rick. We’re at the point where the top drivers are all very close in performance. The gap between solid and incredible will be the fitting. Keith Mitchell lead the PGA Tour driving stats in 2023 with the ST-Z and Grayson Murray lead shots gained from the tee when winning the Sony Open earlier this season with the ST-X. Add Marco Penge winning the Challenge Tour rankings and George Bloor the Clutch - and can see that these drivers are performing at the top level. Shaft aside, there’s both an X head which some players find quicker and the MAX which is the most forgiving. Come down and see us at the Tour Studio / Bearwood Lakes and we’ll find you a driver to make a more conclusive judgement.
These "reviews" are getting more ridiculous by the video. Choosing one head and one shaft and making a determination about the entire brand's catalog is just a ridiculous way to be doing things. Let alone to a channel of over a quarter million subs, and however many other of his primary channel viewers will see this. All it means is this combo didn't work for him on this particular day, and he does nothing to try and make it better.
Rick, Guy, and H.I.T. production team, please read @mitchschwartz71’s comments and address the shortfall in what you are putting out there or did with this Mizuno ‘one only’ driver from the series studio trial. You should be (and have to be) better and more diligent than that!!
By the looks of the comments, it seems like most people realized that this review was half-assed with the COMPLETELY wrong setup and shaft option. 80% of comments on the STZ is about how good it is. Rick definitely owes his subscribers a better review than this one.
@@mitchschwartz71 You're very much right. But also I would add that 99% people see this video are watching it just for entertaining purposes. And (I hope) anybody who is willing to spend 400+ in a golf club will know at this point that you need to try it, because there's a lot of personal feeling
club reviews are so interesting because you're using a different shaft with each club. i'd love to see driver reviews with you using the same or similar shaft profiles... would eliminate another variable in your reviews.
As a fitter, the drivers are great. Why not tweak the loft down since launch was too high and miss was left? That would open the face and bring launch/spin down.
Rick, I think the Green Smoke shaft is a heavy stiff shaft for a consistent 115 - 120 + swing speed. I play that head with Smoke counter balanced shaft and it's an amazing combo. Like you the Green Smoke shaft just made the club feel off a bit, and my club head speed was down over 3mph with that shaft. I think if you had a different shaft perhaps a little less tip stiff you would crush that driver head. Love the channel keep up the great content!
It never makes sense to me why they switch shafts and suddenly “have a hard time finding the face.” Like that’s not a driver head problem, it’s a shaft problem…
The smoke green is the stiffest of stiff in the smoke family. Black is firm tip for fast tempo, yellow is same but counterweighted, blue is softer for a smoother tempo swing, green is stiff everywhere, ultimate grip n rip shaft - that's why they call it Hulk.
If that shaft is the RDX Smoke Green, that's one of the more stout shafts on the market. Could get different results with a different shaft. I'd like to see this review again with different shaft options.
@@pltyes21 I'm so proud of the golf community calling out the horrible choice in shaft. People are getting smarter and it will become increasingly difficult to bamboozle them into something that's not the best for them. I just don't get why Rick could not realize what was obvious to so many subscribers.
I actually have the Mizuno ST-Z driver. For me, it's been really good. I've increased distance by about 10 yards off the tee. What you said about feedback is very true. It lets you know when you didn't quite middle it. Overall, I'm very pleased with the driver.
Been playing the mizuno drivers for a few years and they truly have always felt and sounded the best. Might be 5-10 yds short of the latest from the big 3-4, but they're as consistent and arguably easier to hit for me than anything but the Ping, and the Ping sound just doesn't do it for me. Excited to see how they continue to improve over the next few years
Thanks - the yardage thing is a bit of hangover from prior years. Go a little further back and the Mizuno 300S was the longest driver on tour by some distance……doesn’t mean we keep the title forever. Needs to be re-earned every season. The ST-G and ST-X are very very quick as you can see from Marco Penge’s current stats. The MAX more about stability (can still be the longest for the right player). The ST-Z in this test is more for players who want to avoid the left miss. Thanks again for seeing past the nonsense.
Hey Rick, I think you need to get fit for your next driver. You would probably benefit from an aftermarket shaft. And that would be a great video, seeing the difference on how this driver would perform with a properly fitted shaft for you.
I bought this ST-X 230 Driver and I'm getting great results with it! I had it fitted of course and the key was getting it lighter! I had the same feeling, about sound and feedback but it was a bit heavy feeling. Once I got fitted with another lighter proper shaft my numbers shot up instantly and I started hitting it even longer. I find the look outstanding. I'm coming from Ping driver and I haven't looked back.
I just did this with 12 Titleist Pro V1x and 12 Taylormade TP5x (24). The Pro v 1s were all very good floating at a different point every time. The TP5X all floated on the same spot every time and righted very rapidly. Have you seen Brysons caddy. He adds a tiny bit of lead tape to your green spot. If it makes the spot sink the ball is good. If it’s still the light spot the ball goes in the bin. Then the putting line is drawn through the light spot.
Rick Sheils you made a comment at 5:10 "In the 90's, it was all about Mizuno drivers." Actually, it wasn't. From 1991 - 1997 Callaway's Big Bertha and Great Big Bertha were all the rage. Then the two most popular brand drivers from 97-2000 were TaylorMade R7, R7's, R580 and Orlimar Hip-Ti and TriMetal. Both brands were painted all black so the tour players would use them and put the head covers of what ever brand they were endorsing.
Hi Rick, Ian Fraser from TXG/club champion struggle with that shaft it gave him less distance. Try it with a different shaft. Mizuno is also normally shorter than others
Agree, If the review isn’t done properly it’s not a review it’s an off the shelf opinion. I’ll stick with fitting videos from Precision Golf I think where people are handing over their hard earned cash after being dialled in.
Looking at the shoots hit , personally i wouod take a few yards shorter , for better accuracy, which is what appeared to be the case , even on the heel shoots .
Rick commented on the head cover being interesting. I like the throwback styles. I play a lot of fairway woods. My daughter knitted me some old school covers, even added big blocky 2" numbers for each. I love them.
Honestly Rick as a Master Fitter, that smoke green shaft is complete junk, it has no feel and does make the club feel heavy. I give it a go with the Kai'li white.
From golf clubs I rarely see any significant changes in performance, It's more aesthetics. Will there be future golf ball reviews as I feel they're the main performance changers rather than the boom stick
I’ve recently gone back to my taylormade m6 driver as my paradym wasn’t working and honestly I don’t see anything beating this driver I’m back in love with it, can we see another retro review of the m6 legend
My Main Man Rick, I read about 80% of the comments. Oh my brother. Simple fix for Driver reviews. Put the shaft that you regular use on.Just like you would do if you were getting fitted for a new driver you would change the shaft and the loft. It just makes sense. A lot of golfers like myself watch your fantastic videos and we also know a little bit about golf. Just a suggestion brother.
Here in the states, these drivers have already come down in price to $300 from $500 retail. A major reason to consider one. I have seen several reviews comparing the ST-MAX 230 to the QI10 MAX and the PING G430MAX 10K. The Mizuno put up very similar numbers to both, and overall produced less spin...
Nice review Rick, I personally think that is one of the best looking drivers out there right now. Appreciate the info and glad to see the H.I.T. channel in full swing.
Tottally Agee with your comments about Mizuno drivers, good but not as good as the other big brands. I was gaming the ST-G 220 for about 18 months was never really happy with it. I now have the TSR3, it’s longer and straighter. It was a big decision to switch because I’m not made of money but I’m very glad I did. I’m 58, play off a 3 and out drive all of my younger friends in their 40s. No problem getting the Titliest out 300 yards.
From the recent podcast saying you are entering open qualifying I'd love to see a video of like a master fitting somewhere to truly get best performing products for the quest !!!
Would be fun to see them tested at the same length of the bigger companies since mizuno always plays shorter! But can’t wait to see the new stg and max driver
I literally just got this exact club, down to the shaft and Lamkin grip. Just seeing this while I'm waiting for the weekend to put it into play for the first time.
You've, nailed it. I went from the st200, st220, stz. Since switching to a G400 I've increased carry distance and swing speed. I love my Mizzys but only the irons
I think the shaft has a lot to do with it. I feel like trying to have a control shaft that you use for every driver review might be more revealing, and help give an apples to apples comparison.
Overall the club seemed great in the review. I personally have not gotten to try a Mizuno driver, but the strikes in the center of the face seemed incredible. In my opinion, this is definitely closer to an AMAZING than it is to an AVOID.
I always wanted to get mizuno clubs just cause I grew up playing baseball. Plus I love the blue and head cover. In the market for a new driver but unsure of what to go with thanks Rick
I think mizunos comment tastefully summed it up. With how educational TH-cam is now the audience is clued up and know that was an off the shelf driver with no fitting, using a shaft you never normally play and probably a swing weight you may not like. It would be good to see a plan in place to see you produce the best possible reviews such as being fit by the brand or do as Peter finch does and use the same shaft across all reviews.
Appreciate the review Rick - and absolutely understand how optimising the set up for ones own swing will make a huge difference. I would certainly test a Mizuno based on the solid feel as for me that gives confidence and hence accuracy. Love the look of the Mizuno.
just picked up one of these last week for 200$ basically never hit and took it out today. I love the sound and feel. it is a little heavy but i just switch from A taylor made rbz driver and so im happy with the quality and feel im getting over the rbz
G'day rick all the way from Ulladulla Australia .love your reviews and golfing content .i love golf don't get to play it as much as i would like.Mate enjoy and hope to shake your hand one day down here in paridise👍👍👍
Hi Rick, do you do a fitting session first? Do you think it would make a difference. I know from my driver testing the combination of shaft and driver made a big difference, but there were certain heads that just never felt right for me. Once I found a combo I did find that the shaft was a decent fit for other heads though. Just curious as to how it might affect reviews.
Mizuno makes good woods, and excellent irons. I've got a kai'li white shaft in my stz 230, and am incredibly happy with it. Plus you can find their woods on discount because there isn't as much "hype" around them in recent years, but their performance is great.
Picked this driver up last week off eBay for £175 (great condition), played with it for the first time on Saturday and the ball felt really quick off the face compared to the Cobra LTDx LS which I previously had. Interesting to see the comments about the RDX smoke shaft, might have to have a play around!
Just got my mizuno driver. I hit it, so straight, not as long but super straight. The only complaint is that the front edge scuffs up after 5 shots. Besides that amazing.
Why pick a driver to review that was released over a year ago? The ST-Max was just released this year and has some impressive advancements over the STZ.
Would be interested to see Rick review clubs by playing on a hole on the GC Quad. It is so easy to think you've struck something well when you have a range grid on. Seeing an actual golf hole might help see how your misses would actually affect you on the course
Mizuno is definitely on my Radar. I played Mizuno drivers for years snd was always the only guy playing one in our group of about 50 guys. The rest had TM , Ping or Titleist. I'm down to Mizuno, Wilson Carbon or Srixon ZX5 LS for my new driver.Mostly looking at the Miz and Wilson though. I like playing a good underdog !
The speed and headweight issue are easily solved with a counterbalanced shaft or even a shaft fitting. As you would with any driver you wanted to maximize the performance of, I'd like to see you take a couple heads like Qi10, TSr3, G430, etc for fittings to see what you can really wring out of these clubs in performance.
Im going to be honest...i bought a stz that was on clearance and hit it very well. I replaced it with a paradym...and now am seriously considering switching back. The paradym is good, i just think the stz-230 is just a more forgiving driver
Great video Rick, I enjoy your reviews! I myself ended up with a 10k max Taylor made this year . Had callaway mavrik for awhile. I just seemed to hit it the best and it felt the best off the face to me. Would love to see you try some of the takomo irons I use the 101ts thinking about changing over to the p790 or p770
I've had the t150s and hit them good but just wanted a touch better forgiveness I got the srixon zx5s if you can get over the slighter thicker top line from a looks perspective these have to be the best irons for me I've hit. Not saying they feel better off the middle that the Titleist but the flight and control I had with them really surprised me .
@@SouthernChristianHunter I was looking the srixon zx5s as well I don’t mind the top being a bit wider. I will head over to golf exchange and hit them vs the others this week. Thanks for the recommendation
@@Deadlypuns try them for sure. May not be for you. I had the second generation 790s and loved them. But I'm an impulse buyer tried the p7mbs but only was good with the short irons but lost distance then went to the t150s/200s. Been playing 20 years but lost confidence in my irons could get 8 iron to 150 yard green but now with the srixons I hit the 155 yard green with 8 iron today and other day . Didn't over draw like I normally do and the way the sole is felt like I could hit down hard in the ground and it would not hit fat would just glide thru. It's worth a look but you can't go wrong with the others it's all about what fits best for you
I’ve had 3 Mizuno drivers all absolutely spot on. They won’t pay pros big money to endorse but they always make great drivers. I love their hybrids too.
I’m new to golf and I got a set of MX-1 Mizuno irons, and man do they feel nice. (Although I have no frame of reference of how other irons feel lol) Cool to see more info on their other products though
I’ve been playing for 30 years and can solidly say, Mizuno makes the best feeling irons in the game. Period. You’ll play great with a lot of other brands, but nothing feels like a Mizuno
just picked up an stz230 that has maybe 2 rounds of golf played on it for $300, slightly expensive for a pre owned but it came with an aratera alpha one on it so that’s why haha.
You do know you are getting less distance because the shaft length is only 45". All the other brands are 45.75". Also, that shaft is probably not suited for you.
I used mizuno irons as they're just the best and the feel I get is unreal yet, I use Cleveland wedges and a Taylor made driver and hybrid 😅 I just don't feel the driver works but this one I think I'll go investigate
I don't think this works either. Every head shaft combo is different. What they can do is hit with an ok shaft and give their general impression. But they shouldn't judge the driver based on how good it performs specifically for them.
Yeah I agree completely. They aren’t marketing like crazy to build hype like Taylormade or Callaway but they’re also middle of the pack in most categories.
Standard Rick Shiels driver review. Hits it solid and 90% of the balls are playable on a course yet wont put it in the bag because its not carrying 300yards, again Rick drop the ego and go put your regular shaft in and see what the outcome is. You smashed the Burner Mini yet wouldnt even game that.. Cmon mate!
Took almost two minutes (appx. 20% of the video) for the head cover to even come off. It’s not necessary criticism, but I do wonder how many people actually use the head cover that comes with the club vs buying something different. Also, how many balls in total were hit for the review? Obviously we don’t see every swing as that would likely be a long, boring video. However it would be useful to know as it provides context to the data. I’d also love to see the map so we can see the dispersion as that will provide some information related to mishits.
Big issue (and I hate to use it as an excuse), but I think a shaft change would’ve been the play. Maybe worth a shot? Also, try the stg440. Absolute BOMBER
Pretty sure the reason why the driver popularity dropped was that other companies paid for more tour pros to use them, win with them, ect. But that's almost always down to the skill of the pro, not the equipment, but consumers fail to realize that. I'll be trying Mizuno next time I'm ready for a switch for sure!
Tried the STx220, worthless. Thought maybe they fixed things with the 230, and because I love my Mizuno irons, plus the fact that I love the ST 220 fairways, gave it a try. Needless to say the irons and fairways are staying in the bag. But the driver did not improve at all.
Kinda feel like this is a slightly unfair comparison if you're not going to test the club head on an appropriate shaft for your golf swing for consistency sake. Understand this may be more relatable to the "off the rack" experience, but I appreciate what Peter Finch did with testing driver heads all on the same shaft. I hated the old Taylormade M2 until I paired it with a more optimal shaft. Just something to consider!!
Weight in the back tells me it is a more forgiving design. It looked like your miss hits were straighter than usual. Overall head and swing weight could be a factor but that is adjustable. You’re probably not going to find a bomber that hits it as straight. That’s the tradeoff.
I heard that st-z is not forgiving especially hitting at the heel. A new model from Mizuno "ST-Max" will be the most forgiving one. I hope that you can try them!
Rick (or anyone in comments), if you see this. Question on why the 6.5? I am in the 112-115 club speed and I still hit a 6.0, would there be a benefit in increasing stiffness?
Thanks for reviewing Rick. We’re at the point where the top drivers are all very close in performance. The gap between solid and incredible will be the fitting. Keith Mitchell lead the PGA Tour driving stats in 2023 with the ST-Z and Grayson Murray lead shots gained from the tee when winning the Sony Open earlier this season with the ST-X. Add Marco Penge winning the Challenge Tour rankings and George Bloor the Clutch - and can see that these drivers are performing at the top level. Shaft aside, there’s both an X head which some players find quicker and the MAX which is the most forgiving. Come down and see us at the Tour Studio / Bearwood Lakes and we’ll find you a driver to make a more conclusive judgement.
These "reviews" are getting more ridiculous by the video. Choosing one head and one shaft and making a determination about the entire brand's catalog is just a ridiculous way to be doing things. Let alone to a channel of over a quarter million subs, and however many other of his primary channel viewers will see this. All it means is this combo didn't work for him on this particular day, and he does nothing to try and make it better.
Rick, Guy, and H.I.T. production team, please read @mitchschwartz71’s comments and address the shortfall in what you are putting out there or did with this Mizuno ‘one only’ driver from the series studio trial. You should be (and have to be) better and more diligent than that!!
By the looks of the comments, it seems like most people realized that this review was half-assed with the COMPLETELY wrong setup and shaft option. 80% of comments on the STZ is about how good it is. Rick definitely owes his subscribers a better review than this one.
@@mitchschwartz71 You're very much right. But also I would add that 99% people see this video are watching it just for entertaining purposes. And (I hope) anybody who is willing to spend 400+ in a golf club will know at this point that you need to try it, because there's a lot of personal feeling
@@Venter0911yes, the only thing I would suggest that he might take more seriously is using “half-arsed!”
Watching reviews of things I’m never going to buy is such a feature of TH-cam.
club reviews are so interesting because you're using a different shaft with each club. i'd love to see driver reviews with you using the same or similar shaft profiles... would eliminate another variable in your reviews.
As a fitter, the drivers are great. Why not tweak the loft down since launch was too high and miss was left? That would open the face and bring launch/spin down.
Rick, I think the Green Smoke shaft is a heavy stiff shaft for a consistent 115 - 120 + swing speed. I play that head with Smoke counter balanced shaft and it's an amazing combo. Like you the Green Smoke shaft just made the club feel off a bit, and my club head speed was down over 3mph with that shaft. I think if you had a different shaft perhaps a little less tip stiff you would crush that driver head. Love the channel keep up the great content!
It never makes sense to me why they switch shafts and suddenly “have a hard time finding the face.” Like that’s not a driver head problem, it’s a shaft problem…
The smoke green is the stiffest of stiff in the smoke family. Black is firm tip for fast tempo, yellow is same but counterweighted, blue is softer for a smoother tempo swing, green is stiff everywhere, ultimate grip n rip shaft - that's why they call it Hulk.
Exactly the comment I was going to make. Spot on
That shaft is too heavy
If that shaft is the RDX Smoke Green, that's one of the more stout shafts on the market. Could get different results with a different shaft. I'd like to see this review again with different shaft options.
Was going to say the same thing, that shaft is designed for players with an extremely fast swing speed. The thing is like swinging a scaffold bar.
Ian from TXG even lost distance with that shaft and he has a higher swing speed. Would definitely love to see another shaft.
Someone just commented saying that Rick has enough speed for a 6.5... Perhaps, but NOT the green... That thing is brutal!
@@Venter0911 Yeah the Green is a different animal and really is there to minimise deflection for the heavy shaft loaders out there.
@@pltyes21 I'm so proud of the golf community calling out the horrible choice in shaft. People are getting smarter and it will become increasingly difficult to bamboozle them into something that's not the best for them. I just don't get why Rick could not realize what was obvious to so many subscribers.
I actually have the Mizuno ST-Z driver. For me, it's been really good. I've increased distance by about 10 yards off the tee. What you said about feedback is very true. It lets you know when you didn't quite middle it. Overall, I'm very pleased with the driver.
Been playing the mizuno drivers for a few years and they truly have always felt and sounded the best. Might be 5-10 yds short of the latest from the big 3-4, but they're as consistent and arguably easier to hit for me than anything but the Ping, and the Ping sound just doesn't do it for me. Excited to see how they continue to improve over the next few years
Thanks - the yardage thing is a bit of hangover from prior years. Go a little further back and the Mizuno 300S was the longest driver on tour by some distance……doesn’t mean we keep the title forever. Needs to be re-earned every season. The ST-G and ST-X are very very quick as you can see from Marco Penge’s current stats. The MAX more about stability (can still be the longest for the right player). The ST-Z in this test is more for players who want to avoid the left miss. Thanks again for seeing past the nonsense.
Love that their drivers aren’t overhyped. I’ve purchased multiple mint sealed drivers from Mizuno that are less than 2 years old for under $200.
Hey Rick, I think you need to get fit for your next driver. You would probably benefit from an aftermarket shaft. And that would be a great video, seeing the difference on how this driver would perform with a properly fitted shaft for you.
Good review & good club! Thanks for not using the word SHOCKING in the headline
I bought this ST-X 230 Driver and I'm getting great results with it! I had it fitted of course and the key was getting it lighter! I had the same feeling, about sound and feedback but it was a bit heavy feeling. Once I got fitted with another lighter proper shaft my numbers shot up instantly and I started hitting it even longer. I find the look outstanding. I'm coming from Ping driver and I haven't looked back.
I just did this with 12 Titleist Pro V1x and 12 Taylormade TP5x (24). The Pro v 1s were all very good floating at a different point every time. The TP5X all floated on the same spot every time and righted very rapidly.
Have you seen Brysons caddy. He adds a tiny bit of lead tape to your green spot. If it makes the spot sink the ball is good. If it’s still the light spot the ball goes in the bin. Then the putting line is drawn through the light spot.
Rick Sheils you made a comment at 5:10 "In the 90's, it was all about Mizuno drivers." Actually, it wasn't. From 1991 - 1997 Callaway's Big Bertha and Great Big Bertha were all the rage. Then the two most popular brand drivers from 97-2000 were TaylorMade R7, R7's, R580 and Orlimar Hip-Ti and TriMetal. Both brands were painted all black so the tour players would use them and put the head covers of what ever brand they were endorsing.
Mizuno drivers have been amazing for five years now but content creators won’t give them their due. Unfortunate
?/? How’s that even possible? Social media is the users and if people like them they will surely say so! Nothing stopping them.
@@andybt3989 plenty of people say they like them. When I say social media I mean people putting out content. The big names get clicks and likes.
Nah keep them quiet and cheaper for us please 🙏
What do you mean? Who is controlling social media? Do you mean “ TH-cam golf equipment reviewers won’t give them their due”?
I don't think you really understand what social media is...
I have the ST Max 230 and love it. Back in the day I had the Blue Fire 350 Titanium driver which was awesome.
Hi Rick, Ian Fraser from TXG/club champion struggle with that shaft it gave him less distance. Try it with a different shaft. Mizuno is also normally shorter than others
Shaft length not distance
Rick testing clubs now doesn't work.... He's moved on from the quick review and Vs battles ...... You can't beat TXG/ CC boys Ian and mike.
Agree, If the review isn’t done properly it’s not a review it’s an off the shelf opinion.
I’ll stick with fitting videos from Precision Golf I think where people are handing over their hard earned cash after being dialled in.
Hi Rick. Apparently the Mizuno adapter fits the Kirkland head. Would be interesting to see a comparison between the two with same shafts
Looking at the shoots hit , personally i wouod take a few yards shorter , for better accuracy, which is what appeared to be the case , even on the heel shoots .
Rick commented on the head cover being interesting. I like the throwback styles. I play a lot of fairway woods. My daughter knitted me some old school covers, even added big blocky 2" numbers for each. I love them.
Like several have said, you have an RDX green shaft in there, counterbalanced and extraordinarily Stout, it'll make a difference
Honestly Rick as a Master Fitter, that smoke green shaft is complete junk, it has no feel and does make the club feel heavy. I give it a go with the Kai'li white.
As a Master Bator you always want the stiffest shaft possible
Both these comments couldn't be more on the head hehehe
What shafts do you lean toward. Puns aside lol.
@Blingem14 Kaili blue/white, Denali blue. Depends on what you're trying to do.
@ appreciate it!
Heavy shaft explains some of those comments
From golf clubs I rarely see any significant changes in performance, It's more aesthetics. Will there be future golf ball reviews as I feel they're the main performance changers rather than the boom stick
Would like to see you review the 230 Max head. It’s lower spin and way more forgiving then the X and Z
I’ve recently gone back to my taylormade m6 driver as my paradym wasn’t working and honestly I don’t see anything beating this driver I’m back in love with it, can we see another retro review of the m6 legend
You should have reviewed the new ST Max. These are last years model. Essentially its a 10k driver that's more forgiving than a Qi10 and G430 max 10k.
My Main Man Rick, I read about 80% of the comments. Oh my brother. Simple fix for Driver reviews. Put the shaft that you regular use on.Just like you would do if you were getting fitted for a new driver you would change the shaft and the loft. It just makes sense. A lot of golfers like myself watch your fantastic videos and we also know a little bit about golf. Just a suggestion brother.
Just bought Mizuno ST Max Driver & 5 Wood. Love them both 👍🏻
Here in the states, these drivers have already come down in price to $300 from $500 retail. A major reason to consider one. I have seen several reviews comparing the ST-MAX 230 to the QI10 MAX and the PING G430MAX 10K. The Mizuno put up very similar numbers to both, and overall produced less spin...
Nice review Rick, I personally think that is one of the best looking drivers out there right now. Appreciate the info and glad to see the H.I.T. channel in full swing.
Tottally Agee with your comments about Mizuno drivers, good but not as good as the other big brands.
I was gaming the ST-G 220 for about 18 months was never really happy with it. I now have the TSR3, it’s longer and straighter. It was a big decision to switch because I’m not made of money but I’m very glad I did. I’m 58, play off a 3 and out drive all of my younger friends in their 40s. No problem getting the Titliest out 300 yards.
From the recent podcast saying you are entering open qualifying I'd love to see a video of like a master fitting somewhere to truly get best performing products for the quest !!!
Would be fun to see them tested at the same length of the bigger companies since mizuno always plays shorter! But can’t wait to see the new stg and max driver
Truth !
I literally just got this exact club, down to the shaft and Lamkin grip. Just seeing this while I'm waiting for the weekend to put it into play for the first time.
You need to try the Srixon zx5 Mark ii LS.. it is an absolute bomber.. love it, the smaller head, the feel. It’s a must try
You've, nailed it.
I went from the st200, st220, stz. Since switching to a G400 I've increased carry distance and swing speed. I love my Mizzys but only the irons
I think the shaft has a lot to do with it. I feel like trying to have a control shaft that you use for every driver review might be more revealing, and help give an apples to apples comparison.
These are pretty nice actually. DOD King is sponsored by Mizuno now
they have always been good just people are brand snobs they pick mizuno for irons but go with drivers from taylormade or callaway etc
@@20ATS im not talking about pros chill out alex
Overall the club seemed great in the review. I personally have not gotten to try a Mizuno driver, but the strikes in the center of the face seemed incredible. In my opinion, this is definitely closer to an AMAZING than it is to an AVOID.
I have the STZ 230 regular flex. Love the driver! Just need to get the 3 wood and hybrid next.
I always wanted to get mizuno clubs just cause I grew up playing baseball. Plus I love the blue and head cover. In the market for a new driver but unsure of what to go with thanks Rick
I think mizunos comment tastefully summed it up. With how educational TH-cam is now the audience is clued up and know that was an off the shelf driver with no fitting, using a shaft you never normally play and probably a swing weight you may not like. It would be good to see a plan in place to see you produce the best possible reviews such as being fit by the brand or do as Peter finch does and use the same shaft across all reviews.
Appreciate the review Rick - and absolutely understand how optimising the set up for ones own swing will make a huge difference. I would certainly test a Mizuno based on the solid feel as for me that gives confidence and hence accuracy. Love the look of the Mizuno.
Why not the newer St-Max instead of the 1 year old st-z?
just picked up one of these last week for 200$ basically never hit and took it out today. I love the sound and feel. it is a little heavy but i just switch from A taylor made rbz driver and so im happy with the quality and feel im getting over the rbz
G'day rick all the way from Ulladulla Australia .love your reviews and golfing content .i love golf don't get to play it as much as i would like.Mate enjoy and hope to shake your hand one day down here in paridise👍👍👍
I love your swing when you play a fade. Wish you’d get back to that.
Got the bluefire driver and blue rage woods! Amazing clubs 20yrs later
Would love to see the Mizuno ST-MAX - and would *really like to see the ST-MAX compared to the Ping G430 10K
Mizuno Drivers are amazing! Still using the STZ 220
Same here. I love the look and feel of the STZ 220.
@@mataman3 agreed!
Hi Rick, do you do a fitting session first? Do you think it would make a difference. I know from my driver testing the combination of shaft and driver made a big difference, but there were certain heads that just never felt right for me. Once I found a combo I did find that the shaft was a decent fit for other heads though.
Just curious as to how it might affect reviews.
Right?!!
Mizuno makes good woods, and excellent irons. I've got a kai'li white shaft in my stz 230, and am incredibly happy with it.
Plus you can find their woods on discount because there isn't as much "hype" around them in recent years, but their performance is great.
You should game that driver, your numbers were way better than your newest Cobra and Ping videos.
Picked this driver up last week off eBay for £175 (great condition), played with it for the first time on Saturday and the ball felt really quick off the face compared to the Cobra LTDx LS which I previously had. Interesting to see the comments about the RDX smoke shaft, might have to have a play around!
I had the ST-Z 220 and found the Cobra LTDx LS to be longer off the tee and way more forgiving for me.
Maybe you should review fitted drivers?
Just got my mizuno driver. I hit it, so straight, not as long but super straight. The only complaint is that the front edge scuffs up after 5 shots. Besides that amazing.
Why pick a driver to review that was released over a year ago? The ST-Max was just released this year and has some impressive advancements over the STZ.
Would be interested to see Rick review clubs by playing on a hole on the GC Quad. It is so easy to think you've struck something well when you have a range grid on. Seeing an actual golf hole might help see how your misses would actually affect you on the course
Mizuno is definitely on my Radar. I played Mizuno drivers for years snd was always the only guy playing one in our group of about 50 guys. The rest had TM , Ping or Titleist. I'm down to Mizuno, Wilson Carbon or Srixon ZX5 LS for my new driver.Mostly looking at the Miz and Wilson though. I like playing a good underdog !
Got one for a very low price last year. I would agree with everything stated. I've found it to be very forgiving even though you hit it off center.
Those MP-001 Drivers paired with a Original Grafalloy BLUE shaft were BOMBS!!!! Extremely Low Spin Combo!!
The speed and headweight issue are easily solved with a counterbalanced shaft or even a shaft fitting. As you would with any driver you wanted to maximize the performance of, I'd like to see you take a couple heads like Qi10, TSr3, G430, etc for fittings to see what you can really wring out of these clubs in performance.
Im going to be honest...i bought a stz that was on clearance and hit it very well. I replaced it with a paradym...and now am seriously considering switching back. The paradym is good, i just think the stz-230 is just a more forgiving driver
Great video Rick, I enjoy your reviews! I myself ended up with a 10k max Taylor made this year . Had callaway mavrik for awhile. I just seemed to hit it the best and it felt the best off the face to me. Would love to see you try some of the takomo irons I use the 101ts thinking about changing over to the p790 or p770
I've had the t150s and hit them good but just wanted a touch better forgiveness I got the srixon zx5s if you can get over the slighter thicker top line from a looks perspective these have to be the best irons for me I've hit. Not saying they feel better off the middle that the Titleist but the flight and control I had with them really surprised me .
@@SouthernChristianHunter I was looking the srixon zx5s as well I don’t mind the top being a bit wider. I will head over to golf exchange and hit them vs the others this week. Thanks for the recommendation
@@Deadlypuns try them for sure. May not be for you. I had the second generation 790s and loved them. But I'm an impulse buyer tried the p7mbs but only was good with the short irons but lost distance then went to the t150s/200s. Been playing 20 years but lost confidence in my irons could get 8 iron to 150 yard green but now with the srixons I hit the 155 yard green with 8 iron today and other day . Didn't over draw like I normally do and the way the sole is felt like I could hit down hard in the ground and it would not hit fat would just glide thru. It's worth a look but you can't go wrong with the others it's all about what fits best for you
I’ve had 3 Mizuno drivers all absolutely spot on. They won’t pay pros big money to endorse but they always make great drivers. I love their hybrids too.
I’m new to golf and I got a set of MX-1 Mizuno irons, and man do they feel nice. (Although I have no frame of reference of how other irons feel lol)
Cool to see more info on their other products though
I’ve been playing for 30 years and can solidly say, Mizuno makes the best feeling irons in the game. Period.
You’ll play great with a lot of other brands, but nothing feels like a Mizuno
Agree. Mizuno is amazing quality and feel. I’ve played other forged before but nothing compares. 800,825 and 923 forged sets. Love them.
Driver "feels" heavy? Does your studio have a V-Line Golf Club SwingWeight Scale? Might be a handy addition when you are testing out clubs.
just picked up an stz230 that has maybe 2 rounds of golf played on it for $300, slightly expensive for a pre owned but it came with an aratera alpha one on it so that’s why haha.
Would be an interesting comparison with this and the costco Kirkland signature driver! Seem very similar in performance!
Love my STX-230! Goes perfect with my 923 forged irons
You do know you are getting less distance because the shaft length is only 45". All the other brands are 45.75". Also, that shaft is probably not suited for you.
Yea, that hzdus green shaft is wayyyyyy too stiff for him.
I used mizuno irons as they're just the best and the feel I get is unreal yet, I use Cleveland wedges and a Taylor made driver and hybrid 😅 I just don't feel the driver works but this one I think I'll go investigate
This driver lead in driving distance last year on the pga tour by the way👀👀👀👀
You need to take a leaf out Petes book and use the same shaft in every review/comparison. Otherwise it's comparing apple's and oranges!
I don't think this works either. Every head shaft combo is different.
What they can do is hit with an ok shaft and give their general impression.
But they shouldn't judge the driver based on how good it performs specifically for them.
Looking at putting the max version in the bag next year when prices have reduced ⛳
I'm currently playing an older model (JPX 900) Mizuno. The blue one. And I love it. Go Mizuno.
Yeah I agree completely. They aren’t marketing like crazy to build hype like Taylormade or Callaway but they’re also middle of the pack in most categories.
Standard Rick Shiels driver review.
Hits it solid and 90% of the balls are playable on a course yet wont put it in the bag because its not carrying 300yards, again Rick drop the ego and go put your regular shaft in and see what the outcome is. You smashed the Burner Mini yet wouldnt even game that.. Cmon mate!
Took almost two minutes (appx. 20% of the video) for the head cover to even come off. It’s not necessary criticism, but I do wonder how many people actually use the head cover that comes with the club vs buying something different. Also, how many balls in total were hit for the review? Obviously we don’t see every swing as that would likely be a long, boring video. However it would be useful to know as it provides context to the data. I’d also love to see the map so we can see the dispersion as that will provide some information related to mishits.
Probably needs a fitting to get the best results, still pretty solid for a stock set up though.
Big issue (and I hate to use it as an excuse), but I think a shaft change would’ve been the play. Maybe worth a shot? Also, try the stg440. Absolute BOMBER
I look at two things when I buy a driver, how easy is it to hit, and how far can I hit it
Pretty sure the reason why the driver popularity dropped was that other companies paid for more tour pros to use them, win with them, ect. But that's almost always down to the skill of the pro, not the equipment, but consumers fail to realize that. I'll be trying Mizuno next time I'm ready for a switch for sure!
Had been using an st190 for years and switched paradym. Think I'll be putting the mizuno back in the bag
Just got my jpx-923s absolutely love them
Of all the videos I’ve seen you hit the Qi10 the best to be fair!!
Hi rick I've noticed you're wearing GX gloves. What do you reckon of them ? I think they are brilliant for the price
Tried the STx220, worthless. Thought maybe they fixed things with the 230, and because I love my Mizuno irons, plus the fact that I love the ST 220 fairways, gave it a try. Needless to say the irons and fairways are staying in the bag. But the driver did not improve at all.
Worthless😂?
I presume you’re a magnificent low handicapper or a pro.
I tried all the big names and the Mizuno was the best for me
Kinda feel like this is a slightly unfair comparison if you're not going to test the club head on an appropriate shaft for your golf swing for consistency sake. Understand this may be more relatable to the "off the rack" experience, but I appreciate what Peter Finch did with testing driver heads all on the same shaft. I hated the old Taylormade M2 until I paired it with a more optimal shaft. Just something to consider!!
The new St Max is the one I’m interested in
Weight in the back tells me it is a more forgiving design. It looked like your miss hits were straighter than usual. Overall head and swing weight could be a factor but that is adjustable. You’re probably not going to find a bomber that hits it as straight. That’s the tradeoff.
I heard that st-z is not forgiving especially hitting at the heel.
A new model from Mizuno "ST-Max" will be the most forgiving one.
I hope that you can try them!
Want u to do the Mizuno G driver as well very different style
Rick (or anyone in comments), if you see this. Question on why the 6.5? I am in the 112-115 club speed and I still hit a 6.0, would there be a benefit in increasing stiffness?
Rick, Mizuno stock shafts are shorter than other OEM’s. If you want to compare it to other drivers you should try using a standard shaft.
Would have been interesting to have seen this review with the club not being fitted with a hzrdus shaft.
I want to see this one head to head with the Kirkland Driver!