Golf Monthly teamed up with Mizuno to offer 20 golfers the chance to be among the first in the UK to test the brand's new JPX850 driver
Golf Monthly teamed up with Mizuno to offer 20 golfers the chance to be among the first in the UK to test the brand's new JPX850 driver.
They were selected from the Golf Monthly forum, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus, and asked to submit reviews.
The Mizuno JPX850 driver utilises a Fast Track sliding weight system, allowing golfers to alter the drive/fade bias and customise spin rates and launch angles.
Most of the testers felt the aesthetics of the driver were one of its strongest points.
"It's quite simple, the JPX850 is one sexy looking club," said tester Kevin Marlow.
"My usual playing partners were all drooling over the club with its striking looks," added James Hope-Gill.
The club comes with a piercing blue crown and a white Fujikura shaft as standard.
Many of our testers preferred the compact 440cc head shape to the more conventional 460cc size.
The combination of smaller head, sliding weight system and the ability to adjust loft and lie produced impressive results.
"The forgiveness in this driver really comes to the fore when you site the weights in the fade and draw slots," said Alan Henderson.
Andrew Chapman, meanwhile, was a big fan of the driver's versatility.
"With loft ranging from 7.5-11.5 degrees, the ball can fly nice and low into the biting winds we've had down on the south coast this winter, or soar high up to trouble the seagulls if desired."
While the general consensus was that a proper fitting was beneficial to release the club's full potential, most felt that adjustably delivered real benefits.
Julian Fielden's stats
The JPX850 features 10 unique flight settings, along with two eight-gram weights.
"I hit all manner of shots and tried every setting I could see in the manual. The change in ball flight was immediately apparent. What we have here is a driver that really does what it says," was Gary Etherson's verdict.
Barry Kearney, first-time user of an adjustable drive, concurred with Gary's viewpoint.
"Never having owned an adjustable driver before I was a bit skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised by the different flights created by some adjustments," he said.
Watch Barry's video review:
After the conclusion of the testing period, most of the 20 were of the opinion that Mizuno's JPX850 driver gave them tangible improvement.
"It looks good, feels good and improves your golf - what more do you want from a driver?" was Rob Ainsworth's wonderfully succinct conclusion.
James Mason, who says the driver has shaved several shots off his game since he put it into play, added:
"I cannot find a single con with this club. I almost want to try and find something as I am not a believe in perfection, but this club is truly brilliant."
For more in-depth feedback and thoughts from the testers, check out the Golf Monthly forum and social media channels.
Check out Golf Monthly's JPX850 driver review:
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