Equipment

Spotted: Mizuno GT-180 Driver

Published

7 years ago

Aug 18, 2017

Is this Mizuno’s new driver?

Fresh off the heels of Mizuno’s launch of its new MP-18 irons, S18 wedges, and CLK hybrids in the U.S., a photo of a new GT-180 driver leaked on Instagram. The user, MSTGolf, is a retailer based in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam. That raises the question, “Will this driver be released in the U.S., or is it a club for the Asian market?

New Mizuno GT180 driver

A post shared by MST GOLF (@mstgolf) on Aug 17, 2017 at 6:03pm PDT

Mizuno hasn’t offered any details about the driver to this point, but there’s some chatter about potential launch dates and another new driver from the company in our forums. See what GolfWRX Members are saying.

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13 Comments

Mat

Aug 26, 2017 at 8:50 am

There’s more to it… the hole in that “draw” slot would make it non-conforming.

Reply Report comment
Dan in Nam

Aug 22, 2017 at 7:41 am

I’ll be in Nam next week will try to find it…looks a little overboard looks like something you would see at Bushwood C.C.

Reply Report comment
Heich

Aug 20, 2017 at 3:02 am

It’s got SP700 on the face, so I am assuming this would be like the Titleist C16 type price? Unless it gives me 18 yards extra I’m not buying it :-p

Reply Report comment
Jimbo

Aug 19, 2017 at 1:21 pm

I would like to see more weight adjustment from heel to toe for fade and draw adjustments.

Reply Report comment
- Sid
  
  Aug 20, 2017 at 6:25 pm
  
  So what you really want is weight adjustment in all three axes — X-Y-Z.
  A driver with all those weights would mean there are 3^2 or 9 possible combinations.
  How would you do that, trial and error and error and error?
  
  Reply Report comment
The dude

Aug 19, 2017 at 1:55 am

Stick with irons Miz

Reply Report comment
Tom Duckworth

Aug 18, 2017 at 4:01 pm

I look forward to the day when we don’t feel the need for gizmos all over the bottom of a driver. Ping has the right idea make different drivers that fit what you want to do and keep it clean and simple. I don’t really think sliding weights will save a bad swing anyway.
If this driver was made to fit in with the MP-18 irons it misses the mark for me it looks out of place with the classic looking irons.

Reply Report comment
- Scott
  
  Aug 18, 2017 at 5:53 pm
  
  Ping dont have it right…..3 different drivers = 3 times the development costs and production moulds. Adjustability still the way to go. Its not designed to be a MP driver…..
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Christopher
    
    Aug 19, 2017 at 4:53 pm
    
    There’s only so much you can do with sliding weights, I’d imagine you’d be equally happy with a well fit Ping driver that are specifically designed to do what they do.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Teaj
      
      Aug 21, 2017 at 9:35 pm
      
      im assuming his point was that the cost for ping to R&D, list and manufacture 3 different drivers is greater than a single driver that can do most if not all functions the 3 ping drivers do.
      
      Reply Report comment
Al Humphrey

Aug 18, 2017 at 10:49 am

Have seen the head at Mizuno’s Braselton, GA assembly operation. Larger visual footprint; relocated CG; more forgiving….really a diamond in the rough…..with MRC stock shafts. Expecting longer, straighter.

Reply Report comment
- Bester
  
  Aug 19, 2017 at 5:07 pm
  
  The driver head hits the ball but that’s about it. It’s the swing that creates the speed to send the head into the ball. No swing speed, no length no matter what kind or brand of driver head. Jeez it’s simple golf science.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Teaj
    
    Aug 21, 2017 at 9:43 pm
    
    so you should learn to swing that individual driver rather than adjust your driver to adapt to your specific swing mechanics? you do realize that Pro’s have had their clubs adjusted for years prior to all the weight and loft adjustments by way of hotmelt, loft and lie hosel bending, this is the manufactures way of bringing these adjustments to the masses so they can swing a club that better suits their swing mechanics. really the only argument is that most people using these drivers are not set up to maximize performance but at least they have the opportunity to do so.
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

3 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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