Mizuno ST180 Fairway Wood

Wood Options & Stock Shafts

Technology

Tour Fairway Wood

The ST180 marked Mizuno's real return to the driver conversation in 2018, and it did it by chasing one number: ball speed. Mizuno is a company built on forged irons, so it leaned on that same expertise here with a forged SP700 titanium face. The result was a driver that showed up near the top of independent robot ball-speed tests that year, which turned a lot of heads for a brand most golfers didn't associate with drivers.

This is a low-spin head aimed at faster swingers who deliver the ball with speed and want to keep the flight from ballooning. The adjustable hosel lets you tune loft and lie to dial in launch, but the underlying character stays the same. It wants to launch on the lower side and spin less, which is why it lands in the Tour bucket rather than the game-improvement one.

If you have the speed and the strike to take advantage of a low-spin face, the ST180 rewards you with a penetrating flight and plenty of ball speed off the middle. If your delivery is inconsistent or your speed is moderate, this is not the forgiving, spinny driver that flatters mishits. It's a player's head that asks you to bring something to it.

• Faster swingers who catch the ball cleanly and want to cut down spin for a flatter, more penetrating flight
• Players fighting a driver that spins and climbs too much, since the low-spin face keeps the ball from ballooning
• Anyone who wants to tune loft and lie through the adjustable hosel to fine-tune launch
• Golfers curious about Mizuno's forged-face ball speed who don't need heavy forgiveness or a draw bias

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mizuno ST180 a low-spin driver?

Yes. The ST180 is built around a low-spin profile, which is why it sits in the Tour category. The forged SP700 titanium face and carbon crown work together to keep spin down and produce a penetrating flight. That's great if you have the speed to carry a lower-spinning ball, but moderate swingers may lose carry distance because they need some spin to keep the ball in the air.

Is the ST180 adjustable?

Yes. It uses Mizuno's Quick Switch hosel, so you can adjust loft and lie to change your launch and shot shape. Keep in mind the head's underlying character stays low-launch and low-spin no matter how you set it, so the adjustments fine-tune the flight rather than transform it.

Why did the ST180 get attention for ball speed?

Mizuno leaned on its forging heritage with a forged SP700 titanium face, and the ST180 landed near the top of independent robot ball-speed testing in 2018. For a brand golfers mostly knew for irons, showing up at the front of those charts is what put the driver on people's radar.

Is the ST180 forgiving on mishits?

Not especially. This is a player's head that spends its mass on ball speed and low spin rather than stability. If your strike wanders, you'll feel it in both distance and dispersion. Golfers who want a driver to bail them out on off-center hits should look at a game-improvement model instead.

Who should skip the Mizuno ST180?

Slower and moderate swing speeds, and players who need help getting the ball airborne. Because it launches lower and spins less, it can cost carry distance for golfers who don't generate enough speed. It also has no draw bias, so anyone fighting a slice won't get correction help from the head.