Mizuno ST-Z 220 Driver Review – Is It Forgiving, Good For High Handicappers

The Mizuno ST-Z 220 driver is Mizuno’s most anticipated driver for many years now. Mizuno have always been known for their irons, and because of that they have let the rest of their products slip, mainly their metalwoods.

The ST-Z 220 driver is built for speed and accuracy, as you can imagine we were quite excited to try the driver out, because let’s be honest, their previous models were not up to scratch.

We will help you understand the technology they have included into the new ST-Z driver, and give you our first impressions to hopefully make your next purchase easier.

Mizuno St-Z 220 Driver Technology

Mizuno have made the ST-Z driver more stable than any of their previous drivers. They have expanded the carbon sole area by 40%, by thinning out the Titanium portion. This has allowed them to double the back weight to 20g.

The new ST-Z driver has a Forged SAT2041 Beta Ti face with CORTECH design, this allows them to make the face different thicknesses to optimize ball speeds. This technique helps the face maintain its characteristics and resists micro-fractures longer, again increasing ball speeds.

Mizuno claims the ST-Z driver has a ‘Straight Flight Bias’ with the Z-Axis design. There is weight evenly distributed from toe and heel, which gives you a low spinning stable straight flight.

It is a 460cc head with a low profile, giving you higher launch and low to mid spin.

Mizuno’s Harmonic Impact Research dampens vibrations, which gives the ST-Z driver a ‘solid’ feel.

Another great technology is their Wave Sole, this gives the golfer extra ball speeds, especially from low struck shots.

It is adjustable by 4 degrees, giving you the ability to get yourself dialed into the correct launch and spin.

Mizuno ST-Z 220 Driver Family

The highly anticipated Mizuno driver range has two models, The ST-X is the other model they have brought out. It is built for your higher handicap player, as it has a draw bias to it.

It still has all the same technology as the ST-Z driver however, the 20g weight at the back of the club is placed more towards the heel, this helps the face to become square or closed at impact, helping eliminate your fade.

Is It Good for High Handicappers?

Yes the ST-Z 220 driver is good for high handicap players, it is actually good for all levels of golfers.

There is a 20g weight placed at the back of the driver. This makes it very forgiving. Having said that the ST-X model is draw bias, the 20g weight is placed towards the heel, this will help to bring the face square or closed at impact, eliminating your fade.

The ST-X driver could be better for the high handicap player if they struggle with a fade.

Is It Forgiving?

Yes the Mizuno ST-Z driver is forgiving, they have added a 20g weight to the back of the club, increasing the MOI.

Difference Between the St-Z 220 and the St-X 220

The ST-Z driver has a 20g weight placed at the back of the head for a low spin straight ball flight, whereas the ST-X driver has the weight placed towards the heel of the club, this will give the golfers a draw bias shape.

Other than that both drivers have the same technology in them.

Available Shafts

The standard shaft in the Mizuno ST-Z is a Aldila Ascent Red 50, however Mizuno have over 20 custom options when it comes to shafts. Click this link below to see all their options

Is the Mizuno St-Z 220 Driver Worth It?

Yes, $450 is more than $100 less than the likes of TaylorMade, Ping and Callaway.

If you are on a budget the Mizuno ST-Z or even the ST-X is definitely worth it. However if money is not a problem, we would recommend going for a fitting at your nearest fitting location to find the best option for you. Just because it is more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it is better.

Mizuno ST-Z 220

In 20 Words or Less

This modern Mizuno driver definitely packs a punch, you will be very surprised.

Mizuno ST-Z 220 First Impressions

As I’m sure you are all, we were also skeptical when it came to the new Mizuno driver range.

We received the standard shaft that it comes with, when we took it out of the box, the first thing we noticed was how light it was, this definitely means you will gain some much needed clubhead speed.

The ST-Z driver looked great when we put it down behind the ball, the clubface sat square, and the carbon crown looked sleek.

As for performance, we didn’t see any major changes in our average ball speeds, however they were just slightly less than the big name brands.

We did visibly see that the ball had less of a shape than we normally see, meaning that their straight flight bias could be working, I guess you’ll have to see for yourself.

Low struck shots kept up some decent ball speed, which means the Wave Sole definitely is working.

The adjustability is great, it really helped us get that little bit more dialed in, it would have been great to try out some of the custom shafts, I think this could really be the game changer when it comes to getting fitted with the ST-Z 200.

Mizuno ST-Z 220 Selling Points

Cheap price point
Wave Sole helps with low struck shots
Forged SAT2041 Beta Ti face increases ball speed
20g back weight gives you additional forgiveness
Its adjustable, allowing you to get dialed in
It has a wide variety of custom shafts

Mizuno ST-Z 220 Driver – Who is it for?

The Mizuno ST-Z driver is built for all levels of golfers. The low spinning aspect of the driver appeals to the low handicap player as well as the ‘Straight Flight Bias’ will be extremely beneficial.

High handicap players can even use this driver as it is forgiving, however if you struggle with a fade we suggest trying the ST-X model as it has a draw bias.

With the wide variety of custom shafts, we highly recommend that you get fitted by a qualified Mizuno fitter or your local pro. Playing with the right loft and shaft flex can add 20 yards to your drives, and make them much more accurate.