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Mizuno Drivers by Year Table:
| Year Released | Mizuno Driver Model | Price / Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | JPX ONE | |
| JPX ONE Select | ||
| 2024 | ST-Max 230 | |
| ST-G | ||
| 2023 | ST-X 230 | |
| ST-X 230 PLTNM | ||
| ST-Z 230 | ||
| ST-X 230 Women’s | ||
| ST-Z 230 Women’s | ||
| 2022 | ST-Z 220 | |
| ST-X 220 | ||
| ST-G 220 | ||
| 2021 | ST-Z | |
| ST-X | ||
| ST-G | ||
| 2020 | ST200 | |
| ST200G | ||
| ST200X | ||
| 2019 | ST190 | |
| ST190G | ||
| 2018 | GT180 | |
| 2017 | ST180 | |
| 2016 | JPX900 | |
| JPX EZ | ||
| 2015 | JPX850 | |
| 2013 | JPX825 | |
| JPX EZ | ||
| 2012 | JPX800 MP650 | |
| 2010 | MP630 MP630 Fast Track | |
| 2009 | MX700 | |
| 2007 | MP600 MX560 | |
| 2005 | MX500 | |
| 2003 | MP001 (370cc) MP001 (400cc) | |
| 2002 | 300S II | |
| 2000 | T-Zoid Forged Titanium | |
| 1998 | T-Zoid Titanium | |
| 1994 | World Master TP | |
| 1993 | TPW 19 Hot Metal | |
| 1992 | TPW Big TPW 18 | |
| 1991 | TPAW | |
| 1990 | Ti-110 Ti-120 | |
| 1989 | TP15 Hit Metal | |
| 1988 | TP11 | |
| 1986 | TP5 Persimmon | |
| 1982 | Vanguard | |
| 1933 | Star Line |
From Persimmon to Nanoalloy: The Mizuno Driver Story
Mizuno has been making golf clubs since 1933, but for most of that time, drivers were honestly an afterthought. If you know the brand, you know why — their irons are legendary. But that also means the driver lineup has a really interesting catch-up story, and once they started taking it seriously, they started making some genuinely great sticks. Here’s the full breakdown of how we got to where we are today.
Why Did Mizuno Focus on Irons Instead of Drivers?
This is one of the most common questions we get about the brand. Between 2000 and 2010, Mizuno released 26 irons but only 10 drivers. That tells you everything. Their reputation was built on forged iron craftsmanship and they leaned into it hard. They even won an award in 2001 for the eighth consecutive year as the number one producer of irons. Drivers were almost a secondary product for a long time, which is exactly why the recent generations feel like such a breakthrough.
The Early Driver Years: 1982 to 2002
Mizuno released its first driver back in 1933 with the Star Line, which was the first Japanese-made golf club ever produced. Fast forward to 1982 and things got interesting. The Vanguard became the first-ever carbon club head in golf, which was a major breakthrough. Then in 2000 the T-Zoid Forged Titanium Driver arrived, with Mizuno applying the same forged manufacturing process from their irons to the driver face for improved feel and control. A year later, the 300S Driver was used by Vijay Singh before it was released to the public. Tour validation right there.
The MP and MX Series: 2003 to 2012
The 2003 MP 001 was all about size, with a jumbo head built for maximum confidence at address, and solid value compared to the big-name brands at the time. Through this decade models like the MX 500, MX 560 and MP 600 introduced more aerodynamic designs with customization options, and the MP 630 in 2010 was followed by the MP 650 in 2012, which focused on adjustable weights to fine-tune ball flight. These were the years Mizuno started building a driver identity rather than just filling a gap in their lineup.
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The JPX Era: 2013 to 2016
JPX stands for “Japan Experience” and these drivers marked a real shift in ambition for Mizuno. Between 2013 and 2016 the JPX series blended power with playability through models like the JPX EZ, JPX 825, JPX 850 and JPX 900, with each generation improving on aerodynamics and face technology. The JPX 900 in 2016 was the standout of the bunch and started getting Mizuno drivers into serious consideration at fitting sessions. Then came the ST180, ST190 and ST200, which were loosely named after the years they launched in 2017-2018, 2019 and 2020.
ST-X vs ST-Z: What’s the Difference? : 2017-2024
Mizuno started it’s ST line in 2017 but then they fully revamped their driver lineup in 2021 with the ST-Z and ST-X, building a range that served both low and high handicap players depending on the model. The ST-Z is wider from front to back with a more modern elongated shape, a wide and low footprint, built for forgiveness and stability. The ST-X has a more compact head shape that tour players tend to prefer for workability. In short: ST-Z is for golfers who want forgiveness and straight ball flight. ST-X is for the player who wants to shape shots and has the game to do it.
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The JPX ONE: Is This Mizuno’s Best Driver Ever? : 2026
Genuinely, yes. The JPX ONE is the world’s first driver with a Nanoalloy face, developed with material specialists at Toray, which stores and releases more energy at impact than titanium or composite constructions. The face is up to 0.35mm thinner than previous generations, expanding the high-rebound zone by over 15% versus the ST-Max 230. There are two models: the standard JPX ONE with a larger footprint for higher MOI and a straighter ball flight, and the JPX ONE Select, a compact workable shape built for better players who want to control launch and shape shots. In testing, the JPX ONE was one of the most forgiving and best-feeling drivers of 2026, inspiring confidence at address. If you’ve ever been on the fence about a Mizuno driver, 2026 is the year to get fit for one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Absolutely. Mizuno drivers don’t get the same marketing spotlight as TaylorMade or Callaway, but they consistently perform at a high level. The JPX ONE was rated one of the most forgiving and best-feeling drivers in 2026 testing. The brand’s reputation for feel and craftsmanship carries directly into their driver lineup once you actually get fit for one.
It comes down to history. Between 2000 and 2010, Mizuno released 26 irons but only 10 drivers. They built their entire brand identity around forged iron craftsmanship and the driver lineup was secondary for a long time. That’s changed significantly with the ST series and now the JPX ONE, but the iron reputation is so strong it still overshadows everything else.
Less frequently than most brands, which is actually a good thing. Mizuno confirmed they had no plans to release a new driver in 2025, making the 2026 JPX ONE a three-year development project. Longer cycles mean more meaningful upgrades between generations rather than minor tweaks dressed up as a new model.
Mizuno drivers tend to drop significantly in price after their first year, often selling at nearly half the price of competitors. It’s not a quality issue. It’s a smaller marketing footprint in the driver space, which means less hype and genuinely better value for smart shoppers.
The ST-Z has a wider, more modern elongated shape with a low footprint built for stability and forgiveness. The ST-X is more compact, built for workability and shot shaping. ST-Z if you want help keeping it in play. ST-X if you want control and typically geared towards better players.
The ST-MAX 230 is Mizuno’s highest MOI driver, built for maximum stability on off-center strikes while avoiding the usual downsides of high MOI designs like poor looks and a hollow sound. The 2026 JPX ONE Standard pushes that further with Nanoalloy face technology that maintains ball speed across a larger area of the face.
The ST-Max 230 or the standard JPX ONE. The ST-Max 230 was built around forgiveness, MOI and stability, which are exactly the traits that help higher handicappers find more fairways. The JPX ONE adds the Nanoalloy face on top of that for even more consistency off-center.
JPX stands for “Japan Experience,” reflecting Mizuno’s Japanese engineering heritage. It was the name they chose when relaunching their driver ambitions in the 2010s and it’s now back front and center with the 2026 JPX ONE replacing the ST series entirely.
Nanoalloy is the world’s first driver face of its kind, developed with Toray, using microscopic polymer technology to store and release more energy at impact than titanium or carbon composite. Reportedly, in testing, it was a night-and-day improvement in feel over previous Mizuno drivers.
Yes, and more than most people realize. Because Mizuno develops drivers directly from tour player feedback, pros like Keith Mitchell have naturally put them in play. Their tour presence in drivers has grown steadily alongside each new generation, and the JPX ONE is their most tour-ready driver yet.
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