Mizuno GT180 Driver Review - We test the new Mizuno GT180 driver up against its predecessor to see if the performance has improved
Mizuno GT180 Driver
Mizuno GT180 Driver Review
Aimed At
This driver is aimed at golfers who want the piece of mind that comes with the longevity of a highly adjustable driver.
Key Technology
The GT180’s high-speed performance platform is built around a Forged SP700 Ti Face, a precise multi-thickness face that promotes accelerated ball speeds. Expanded adjustability comes from more draw, neutral and fade settings in low, mid and high spin flights thanks to twin movable 7g weights that can be positioned in a wider span of locations for greater impact on spin rates and fade or draw bias.
The Quick Switch Adjustable Hosel allows 4˚ of loft adjustment and 3˚ of lie adjustment. You can read more about the technology here.
Looks
The GT180 is fairly long from front-to-back, inspiring confidence, with a black strip along the section where the crown meets the face, which boosts alignment but is a tad over reflective in bright sunlight. The signature Mizuno blue catches your eye from a distance and is instantly recognisable.
The GT180 driver (left) has a similar look at address to the ST180
Feel/Sound
The GT180 has more of a duller, thud sound to it compared with the previous JPX900 model and the non-adjustable ST180 driver, which we preferred. It feels fast from a wide area and stable across the face too, like bad strikes were less punishing.
Performance
Golfers can really max out on distance with the GT180 through straightening out their ball flight while also reducing spin and tweaking launch via the adjustable weights and hosel.
You’ll struggle to find a more adjustable driver on the market than the Mizuno GT180. With that comes a more premium price tag but also the ability to fine-tune the settings to achieve the performance you need to either negate your big miss or simply optimise launch conditions.
More moveable weight and a greater array of shaft offerings makes it a more appealing prospect than the previous JPX900 – we got a few more yards in total with the GT180 compared to its predecessor – and we think it feels and sounds a bit better too.
The face is quite shallow, so you may find yourself wanting to tee the ball a touch lower, but out of the middle it feels very solid and stable and we like how the face angle can be set open, closed or neutral independently of the other settings.
Verdict
This is an impressive looking, sounding and performing driver from Mizuno - the brand is catching up with the big boys and fast. Getting the weights of the GT180 in the right position will take a lot of trial and error, but once you find your ideal combination you should see your miss reduced and distance increase.