Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Hannah Holden brings you the low down on Mizuno’s new ST-Z 230 hybrid.
The Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid was developed with Mizuno’s tour advisors with the aim to provide a compact club that is straight, stable and high-launching. So how does it perform? Find out in our Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid review.
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Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
I love the looks, feel and performance of this product. Mizuno have done a great job of creating a small, compact player-style hybrid that is long and forgiving.
This hybrid will suit lower-handicap golfers who want something that is workable, and that isn’t very left bias. But it also delivers a surprising level of forgiveness, meaning it will work for a wider range of handicaps.
PROS
- Smaller, more refined shaping
- Fast ball speeds across the face
- Very consistent distance
- Adjustable hosel means you can get the perfect bag filler
CONS
- Not forgiving for all handicap ranges
First Impressions
I love the looks of this hybrid; it is a really small and classic looking. It is also very rounded, which definitely suits my eye more than an iron-like hybrid. This is definitely more of a players club, though and would possibly be slightly intimidating to higher handicaps.
NCG Review
I really like the small, rounded, fairway wood style shaping Mizuno have used in this hybrid. As someone who is more of a sweeper of the golf ball, this suits my eye perfectly. I also love the clean crown and full black gloss finish.
I tested this hybrid in the 19°, 3-hybrid loft option. I really like the fact these hybrids are very adjustable, so you can tweak the loft and lie to get the club dialled in how you want. With the quick switch hosel, you can add or remove 2° of loft if you wish to add or remove some distance which is perfect for a hybrid which is definitely a gap filler.
I currently use a 5-wood instead of a 3-hybrid, but for both of these options, I would be looking for a club that goes around the 200-yard mark to fill a gap in my bag.
The Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid averaged out at 194.6 yards, which works nicely. I was really impressed with the consistency of distance here across a variety of strikes. I was really impressed that high right mis-strikes still kept their distance rather than coming up very short. There was only 9 yards difference in carry between my worst and best strike which would definitely make this very playable out on the golf course.
The left-to-right dispersion was also very consistent, and I liked the fact this didn’t have an excessive left bias shot shape which can be the case with lots of hybrids. If you wanted to change the ball flight more, you could also tweak the lie angle on the hosel to accommodate this.
Despite this being aimed at the better player market, I found this surprisingly easy to hit and was really impressed with just how good the shots were from a variety of strikes.
Sometimes I find hybrids can launch too high as they have lots of tech and weight low in the club head to help golfers launch the ball more. I already have a high ball flight, so this doesn’t necessarily suit me. I really liked the flight with the ST-Z 230, though, it was high enough to get enough hang time and carry distance but lower than most hybrids which made ball flight control much easier, especially in the wind.
The spin averaged out at 3804, which I thought was ideal. It meant I could control my flight well and didn’t feel the ball spun up too much in the wind. This is thanks to the new Cortech Chamber, which is a dense stainless steel weight with elastomeric TPU. This takes stress from the clubface and creates an additional energy source. Locating this weight closer to the clubface helps to reduce spin rates.
Overall, this was a great performing hybrid, and if I was looking to put a 3-hybrid in my bag at the moment, it would definitely be a contender.
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Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrid review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £249
Lofts: 16°, 19°, 22° & 25°
Shaft options: Aldila Ascent Ultralite, Fujikura Speeder EVO HB Graphite, Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black Graphite, Project X U Steel, UST HeLIUM NanoCore, UST Lin-Q Blue (multiple weight and flex options available as well as more custom fitting options)
More information: Mizuno Website
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Hannah Holden
Hannah Holden is the Equipment and Instruction Editor here at National Club Golfer. If you’re looking to improve your game, by changing your golf swing or upgrading your golf equipment she’ll have the answers.
As well as writing lots of features and reviews you can find her on our YouTube channel giving you insights on the latest rules, clubs and tips to improve your golf game.
Hannah is a member at Alwoodley golf club. You will either find her here or driving up and down the country playing in a variety of elite amateur events.
