Mizuno was founded in 1906 in Osaka, Japan, and has a solid reputation for its irons, but you may wonder about its drivers and their history.
The heads of their drivers usually weigh the least in the market compared to other brands. Even better yet, the Mizuno drivers drop in price much further than other brands like Ping when over a year old, so you can buy used drivers and receive a better deal.
Let’s take a look at the Mizuno drivers by year and see the clubs the brand has made over the years.
Mizuno Drivers by Year
| Year Released | Model |
| 2023 | ST-X 230 Men’s |
| 2023 | ST-Z 230 Men’s |
| 2023 | ST-Z 230 Women’s |
| 2023 | ST-X 230 Women’s |
| 2023 | ST-X 230 PLTNM |
| 2022 | ST-G 220 |
| 2022 | ST-Z 220 |
| 2022 | ST-X 220 |
| 2021 | ST-Z |
| 2021 | ST-G |
| 2021 | ST-X |
| 2020 | ST200X |
| 2020 | ST200G |
| 2020 | ST200 |
| 2019 | ST190G |
| 2019 | ST190 |
| 2018 | GT180 |
| 2017 | ST180 |
| 2016 | JPX EZ |
| 2016 | JPX900 |
| 2015 | JPX850 |
| 2013 | JPX EZ |
| 2013 | JPX 825 |
| 2012 | JPX800 |
| 2012 | MP650 |
| 2010 | MP630 Fast Track |
| 2010 | MP630 |
| 2009 | MX700 |
| 2007 | MX560 |
| 2007 | MP600 |
| 2005 | MX500 |
| 2003 | MP001(400cc) |
| 2003 | MP001(370cc) |
| 2002 | 300S II |
| 2000 | T-Zoid Forged Titanium |
| 1998 | T-Zoid Titanium |
| 1994 | World Master TP |
| 1993 | TPW Hot Metal |
| 1992 | TPW 18 |
| 1992 | TPW Big |
| 1991 | TPAW |
| 1990 | Ti-120 |
| 1990 | Ti-110 |
| 1989 | TP15 Hit Metal |
| 1988 | TP11 |
| 1986 | TP Persimmon |
| 1982 | Vanguard |
| 1933 | Star Line |
Will They Release Mizuno Drivers in 2023?
Mizuno released 5 drivers in 2023 making it one of the most productive years for the brand for driver production. The drivers that they released in 2023 include:
Technically, Mizuno only released 3 drivers in 2023, but they included them as women’s drivers as well, making for 5 released this year. Whether you chose the ST-X driver or the ST-Z driver, they both help with accuracy, distance, and performance. The ST-Z has a smaller head, while the ST-X has a deeper head. In other words, you’d choose the ST-Z if you wanted greater ball control and the ST-X if you wanted a higher launch angle.
The ST-X driver gives you lower spin, and the ST-Z gives you more forgiveness, making it a better choice for high handicappers.
Related article: Ping Drivers by Year: 50+ Years of Golfing History
Mizuno Golf Driver History (Early Years)
You see a 49-year gap in production, especially in the early years, because Mizuno emphasized a greater focus on its irons. The brand built a solid reputation for its irons but made little effort to gain a reputation for its Mizuno drivers. Mizuno released its first driver in 1933 with the Star Line.
While Mizuno had existed since 1906, they only began to produce their first golf clubs and drivers in 1933. The Star Line marked out the first Japanese-made golf clubs ever. Before that point, Mizuno made sundries, which included baseballs and athletic wear. They entered the golf market in 1921 but didn’t produce clubs at that point.
When Mizuno released the Star Line, it established them as a brand committed to excellence.
When you hit 1936, Mizuno had four golf club models on the market, but they didn’t have a driver on the market. They struggled to succeed in the US markets because of an 80 percent import tariff on sporting goods.
Related article: Cobra Drivers by Year: 40+ Years of History
Mizuno Golf Driver History (The 1980s)
Looking at the Mizuno golf drivers by year, you didn’t see much activity for the drivers’ kick-off until the 1980s. In 1982, Mizuno released the Vanguard drivers. The Vanguard drivers became the first-ever carbon club heads. For those curious about the difference, carbon fiber has less density than other club materials, and combined with a longer shaft, it lets you swing the club faster to achieve greater distances.
The TP Persimmon was the next driver that they released in 1986. The TP Persimmon saw a lukewarm success but worthy of notice. In 1988, they would release the TP11, and in 1989, they would release the TP15 Hit Metal. The TP Original like this had conventional blades to them. During the 1980s was when we started to see Mizuno take off in the United States.
Mizuno Driver History (The 1990s)
Mizuno didn’t focus as much on its drivers because when the late 1990s rolled around, they dominated the market with their irons. Many PGA Tour professionals chose them as the number one choice. In 1998, their irons won the most prize money, which I explain as a reason for why they might focus less on their drivers.
Throughout the 1990s, Mizuno would release a total of 8 drivers. One of the biggest things that they did during this era was the release of the Ti-110 and the Ti-120. These were the first clubs to ever feature pure titanium in a Mizuno driver. Pure titanium used in a golf driver would let them hit the golf ball easier due to greater forgiveness.
In fact, beginners may even want to seek out a golf club with pure titanium because it offers so much forgiveness out on the course.
Related article: Titleist Drivers by Year: Almost 40 Years of History
Mizuno Driver History (The 2000s)
It’s important to understand what was happening during this time. Mizuno would become the number 1 brand for irons for the eighth consecutive year in a row in 2001. PGA golfers were swinging irons out on the course, not because of sponsorship but because they were the best of the best.
With that in mind, they also shifted more focus onto their drivers. Gradually, Mizuno increased its production of drivers because in the 2000s, we saw them produce 10 drivers total. First, Mizuno would release the T-Zoid Forged Titanium. This was the second driver of that line because their first release of the T-Zoid was in 1998.
The next big one that they would release was the Mizuno MX-500 driver. This built upon the previous success of the Mizuno MP001 driver. The head of the MX-500 was even larger than the MP001. This driver stood out because it combined forgiveness with ball flight. It used an oversized driver.
Related article: TaylorMade Drivers by Year: How They Revolutionized Golf
Mizuno Driver History (The 2010s)
During the 2010s, Mizuno would go on to release 11 drivers, excluding the 2 that they released in 2010. One of those releases was the MP630 Fast Track driver. This driver would have a 445cc head. This was smaller than the original MP630. The MP630 Fast Track would have a beautiful classic appearance and sit perfectly at address.
Another one that they would release was the Mizuno JPX-850. This driver was a great choice for golfers of every skill level and a golf improvement driver. What stood out about the JPX-850 was the level of customization. You could set it up with a diverse variety of settings.
Mizuno Driver History (Present)
We’ve only come 3 years into the 2020s, so it may be hard to say exactly what that might bring. Mizuno has released 11 drivers in the last three years, so it speaks well as to the trend of what may happen with them in the future. We’ve seen a gradual increase every decade in the production of their drivers.
Mizuno drops a new driver nearly every year with the exception of where it skipped a couple of years. Sometimes, they innovated to where they had incredible success, but they’ve had other years where their innovation fell flat.
While they never competed much in the driver market, we see Mizuno taking an increasingly active role that may heat up in the next decade. Mizuno is not perfect—they have made mistakes. For example, the ST-230 drivers were made at 45 inches as the standard, which is a definite misstep. The reason being that these drivers were made for beginners. Beginners struggle the most with accuracy, so a shorter shaft would prove an advantage.
With all of that said, Mizuno lets you customize your drivers before you buy, so you can make changes in advance.
Related article: Callaway Drivers by Year (List Provided)
Final Thoughts
When you look at the Mizuno drivers by year, Mizuno still has a greater reputation for its irons, but if you like to swing their irons, you may want to check out their drivers. Their drivers keep getting better every year, and the brand has started to produce more drivers. Whether they’re worth swinging depends on who you ask. In golf, everyone tends to have a favorite brand for what to swing out on the course. Mizuno has a selection worthy of looking at.
- Favorite club: Cobra Fly XL Set
- Favorite ball: Callaway Warbird Ball
- Favorite food at the turn: Nachos
