Curated Golf Expert Kyle Emery got his hands on the Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver to test this spring. Check out how it performed, but consider the fact that each and every golfer is different; if you have any questions about the Mizuno ST-X Driver or need recommendations on which club would be best for you, reach out to a Golf Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Mizuno claim about this club? Mizuno claims with the ST-X 230 Driver that they've got a refined shape to lower the center of gravity (CG) to offer players a higher launch. Mizuno claims that the ST-X 230 Driver is going to be a little bit more workable, with not as much draw bias from the weighting on the head, as well as not having quite as much offset as previous models. This is going to allow the lower lofts to be more workable and to be more attractive for lower handicap players and the better player who wants to shape shots.

Overall Impressions

What are the specs of the club you are testing? The specs on the Mizuno ST-X 230 driver that I tested is a 9.5-degree loft head with a Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 50 grams stiff flex shaft.

What is your overall impression of the club? My first impressions of the ST-X 230 Driver were that it had a lot of forgiveness, was really easy to launch, had a really nice soft feel, and allowed me to play a standard draw ball flight that I typically play with the driver.

Review

How is it for forgiveness? My first impression of the ST-X 230 Driver was that it had a lot of forgiveness. The refined shaping and weighting on the ST-X 230 will allow the lower lofts to play a little bit more workable for the better player who wants to shape shots in both directions. This is a definite deviation from previous ST-X models.

How is it for workability? Mizuno on the new ST-X 230 has refined the shape to have a bit more rounded and slim profile. This is going to appeal to better players, and it's also not quite as offset on the hosel as it has been in previous models. This is going to make it a little bit more workable and not induce quite as much draw bias. You could feel the ball spring off the face and that's something that I really enjoyed; I was able to tell exactly where on the face I was striking the ball.

How is its launch? Mizuno claims with the ST-X 230 Driver that they've got a refined shape to lower the CG to offer players a higher launch.

How is it in terms of ball speed? Most notable on the ST-X 230 is going to be a CORTECH Chamber. This is going to be a weight that's wrapped in a polymer to help increase ball speeds, lower spin, and give a bit better of a feel and sound coming off the face.

How is it for spin? The ST-X 230 is notable for its CORTECH Chamber. This is going to be a weight that's wrapped in a polymer to help lower spin.

What do you find unique about its appearance? What's really nice about the appearance of the ST-X 230 is you get that refined shape that isn't quite such a large footprint sitting behind the ball at impact and address. There's also a carbon weave pattern on top that gives a nice added aesthetic to the driver.

What may make a player shy away from it? If you're a better player that makes consistent contact with a driver that doesn't want quite as much forgiveness, you might want a slightly firmer overall feel.

How would you describe the sound of this club and feel at impact? I was really impressed with the overall feel and sound at impact. Mizuno is typically known for having a really soft feel with a lot of their clubs and I found the ST-X 230 Driver to have a really nice soft and responsive feel. Also, on the ST-X 230, you're going to find a 2041 beta titanium face that is going to be a bit more durable than your standard titanium faces, and it really has a great feel and impact.

Does this club swing light or heavy to you? I really enjoyed the overall weighting of the driver as well. The CORTECH Chamber that they've introduced with that added weight towards the front of the face wasn't noticeable in any way. I was able to easily swing the driver with no issues and not really noticing the weight.

How does weight affect different players? Implementing the CORTECH Chamber allows for weight to be pushed a bit more forward, allowing for lower spin coming off the face. The ST-X 230 also features a single carbon sole plate. This allows Mizuno to redistribute the weight in other areas to help with an ideal launch, ball speed, and feel.

Is the club adjustable? The ST-X 230 does allow for hosel adjustments to increase or decrease the loft for a higher or lower ball flight, as well as changing the lie angle to help out with a left or right miss.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this club to? I really believe that Mizuno has considered all skill levels for the ST-X model. I would recommend the Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver to any player from a low to high handicap that would like a higher level of forgiveness in their driver. That has a really nice soft feel but will get a higher launch with a low spin ball flight. Mizuno implemented a slightly more rounded, refined shape on the ST-X model. This is going to help appeal to a slightly better player and not have quite as much offset on the head.

Who should avoid this club, and what type of club would be a better option for that player? If you're a better player that makes consistent contact with your driver and wants a little bit more workability with a slightly firmer feel and a more penetrating ball flight, the ST-Z 230 is going to be a great option for those players. Keep in mind, golf clubs work differently for different players.

Golf clubs work differently for different types of golfers. If you are wondering whether the Mizuno ST-X Driver is the right club for you, chat with Kyle or any other Golf Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized club recommendations on the best driver for your needs.