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If someone was to ask what your dream set of irons would be, I’m sure a lot of you would opt for a set of Mizuno’s fantastic works of art. Their impressive metal woods, however, have often been overlooked. Thanks to the new GT180 and the ST180 though, I think this trend looks set to change.
I recently tried out both to see which one offers the best performance benefits for my game. Here are my thoughts…
Mizuno GT180
The new GT180 is the ultimate fine tuneable driver. The extreme levels of adjustability on offer mean that the GT180 can help all golfers optimise performance from their existing swings. The club’s high-speed performance platform is built around a Forged SP700 Ti Face, a precise multi-thickness face that promotes accelerated ball speeds. It is this speed, coupled with ultimate adjustability, that will allow you to get the most out of your game.
The GT180’s expanded range of draw, neutral and fade settings in low, mid and high spin flights come courtesy of twin movable 7g weights that have a wider span of locations for greater impact on spin rates and fade / draw bias.
Thanks to these adjustable weights, and the Quick Switch hosel, the GT180 is a tinkerer’s dream. You’ll definitely be able to dial in your perfect ball flight and launch conditions just as I did.
The slightly more compact of the GT180 is more to my liking and something that will appeal to eyes of the better player.
RELATED – Looking for a new stand bag? The new Mizuno range should be right up your street!
Mizuno ST180
Something a bit new, the ST180 is the first Mizuno driver to feature Wave sole technology, something we first saw in the brand’s JPX 850 fairway woods. The ST180’s Wave sole commits every available gram of weight low and towards the face, dropping spin rates for even the fastest, downward ball-strikers (I’m one of them).
The Amplified Wave sole contracts and expands to increase the energy imparted to the ball for elevated ball speeds, while also pushing weight forward to vastly reduce spin rates.
The ST180 uses the same SP700 Ti multi-thickness face to promote accelerated ball speeds, while the striking blue head’s Internal Waffle Crown is a weight-saving design that allows more weight to be relocated low and forward to promote efficient low-spin performance.
The first thing to say is that the Mizuno ST180 delivers on its low
spin promise. Knocking spin off is something I am always looking to do,
so it was fantastic to see that the technologies in the ST180 are
incredibly effective at doing exactly what they say on the tin. It is
also fast off the face. The new forged face works with the spin-killing
technologies and that gave me some serious distance.
Where the Mizuno ST180 takes the performance to a whole new level in
my opinion is the combination of low spin distance with serious levels
of forgiveness.
REVIEW – An in-depth guide to the Mizuno ST180 driver
The back weight on the sole helps drag the CG lower and towards the rear to help boost the MOI of this low spinning monster.
The feel off the forged face is solid and gives a relatively pleasing
dullish thud at impact, even on some major mishits. It retains great
ball speed as well on these mishits and noticeably tightened my
dispersion.
Which one would I choose?
It was a close toss up between these two drivers. Both are long, forgiving and feel awesome. The GT180 is the perfect option for those looking to dial in their perfect ball flight and launch conditions but, in the end, it was the low spinning, high launching, distance boosting combo of the ST180 that won my heart.
If you are looking to put a new driver in the bag, these are two options you should seriously consider.
MORE – Why you should consider playing the Mizuno JPX golf ball
SPECS:
Lofts: 7.5˚-11.5˚ (GT180); 7.5˚-11.5˚ (ST180 standard) & 10.5˚-14.5˚ (ST180 high launch)
Shafts: A wide range of premium no-upcharge aftermarket shafts are available
RRP: £449 (GT180), £399 (ST180)
Available: Now
Like that? Watch this!
Now check out our review of the stunning Mizuno MP18 irons.
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