2024 has been the year of forgiveness so far. Nearly all brands have released clubs that are easier to hit and perform better from off-centre strikes, and Mizuno, too, are one of the brands who have dropped some extremely good clubs this year. I got my hands on their new max forgiveness hybrid, so how did I find it? Find out in the Mizuno ST-Max 230 Hybrid review.
NCG SUMMARY
This hybrid does everything Mizuno advertises it does. Its large profile sits nicely behind the ball, providing confidence with a long iron wouldn’t.
The ST-Max 230 has a shallow face and a low centre of gravity which launches the ball so high and with a high enough backspin that will actually hold greens.
Mizuno have made this hybrid more forgiving by increasing the size of the Cortech Chamber and moving it closer to the face, contact feels and sounds sweet from any impact location and produces the results you want.
This hybrid should be in the mix if you are looking for a new long-iron replacement club.
PROS
- Looks inviting
- Strike feels really solid
- Very high launching
CONS
- Might not be the right choice for high-speed players who already have a high ball flight
Mizuno ST-Max 230 Hybrid Review: First Impressions
Slipping the head cover off, this hybrid reveals a beautifully shaped head. I like how the sole of the club looks techy, but Mizuno have kept the crown of the club simple and black. The Mizuno logo always looks like a great alignment aid to me behind the ball, and I like how shallow the face is. It has a slightly larger profile than other hybrids I have tested recently, and I actually feel like I might be able to hit this in the air, which is a good start.
NCG Verdict
As a non-hybrid user, I approach all hybrid reviews with trepidation as without having one in my bag to compare it to, my memory slips back to all the low hooks I have hit with these clubs, and to be honest, it makes me not want to hit them. I understand all the benefits of having one of these clubs in the bag, but I have just never found one that produces the shots I like, often seeing low spinning, low bullets heading left of whatever my intended target is.
But like most golfers, I believe that this new club might just be the answer to all my prayers, so I took it with me for a practice session and a few holes at my home club, Sand Moor, for a ride. I warmed up as normal, seeing my usual ‘barely getting above the treeline’ ball flight and worked up to the hybrid. The first shot I hit, I couldn’t believe what I saw.
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The ball launched in a window that I frankly have just never seen. Reaching a peak height of 34 yards with 5199 rpm of spin, I had one of those moments where I was so confused at what had happened that I thought maybe there was something wrong with the ball I hit. The next shot peaked at 34 yards again, with over 5000 rpm of backspin, and I became hooked.
Mizuno’s new super lightweight crown on the ST-Max 230 hybrid, combined with a larger, wider cortec chamber (a dense stainless steel weight with elastomeric TPU) that sits lower and closer to the face, makes this the easiest-to-launch club I have ever hit. As a low ball hitter, I am deeply interested in launch angle, spin rate, and peak height, and this hybrid produces numbers that I have just never seen before.
Don’t think that all this launch, spin and height make this club short; I hit the 18-degree head, which carried an average of 215 yards and ran out to 232 yards total, so this club is still pretty long. The 140 average ball speed is high for me, and it would gap perfectly for me in my current bag set-up.
I took the hybrid out onto the course to see how it performed off the tee and into greens from a variety of lies, and it continued to impress. I have historically struggled with a left shot with hybrids due to the upright lie angle, but I didn’t lose one ball in that direction with any of the shots I hit. I even hit some out of the rough, and despite not all of them being good strikes, the shots were all effective.
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The Mizuno ST-Max 230 hybrid has a high-energy MAS1C steel face, which is multi-thickness and produces speed from all strike locations. I hit one particularly necky shot that still travelled a good distance which was very pleasing.
I definitely didnt think at the start of the year I would be considering gaming a hybrid, but Mizuno have really thrown a cat among the pigeons with this hybrid. I will be taking it out onto the course in my next few games for further testing, and with Hannah Holden liking the driver, it must be worth testing the fairway wood too. Get out and give this club a try, especially if you struggle for flight with your longer clubs. You won’t be disappointed.
We always recommend getting a club fitting before purchasing new equipment. Did you know American Golf offers free fittings across its UK stores? Find your nearest store today!
Mizuno ST-MAX 230 Hybrid Review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £249
Lofts: 19, 22, 25,28
Shafts: 8 custom shafts available
More information: Mizuno Website
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