Review: Mizuno JPX-850 Driver

Mizuno Makes A Great Driver Too
Everyone knows that Mizuno makes great irons, #NothingFeelsLikeAMizuno.  While they’ve actually had some good drivers over the years, their drivers have never really had much love on tour or in amateur player’s bags.  Things will be changing with the new JPX-850 driver.  This new Mizuno is a great driver, just as good as their irons.  It’s not only impressive because it’s a Miuzno, but really competes with the best drivers of 2015.

The Mizuno JPX-850 driver has the most variety of settings of any new driver.  It has a wide range of hosel adjustment from 7.5* to 11.5*.  I stuck with a middle of the road 9.5 setting. The moveable weight system has 5 slots for 2 weights.  There are 2 slots that are wide, one at the toe and one at the heel.  The other 3 slots are in the center, one forward, one middle and one back.  While some people think the whole weighting thing is gimmicky, I was surprised at how much impact a change of weights had on feel and results.  I started with them in the lowest spin and launch setting = both weights in the wide slots.  For me it was kind of disappointing because I just couldn’t hit it well.  It had a dead feel and just didn’t perform.  I was worried that this driver just wasn’t going to work for me.  With all the other options I had to try something else.  I moved the weights into the middle slots, one forward, one back and booooom!!  This club came alive.  Everything changed; feel, sound, and performance. The beginner set of irons to match this driver would be the Mizuno JPX EZ Irons.

Once I got the weights dialed in at the range, I was ready for the course.  I was shocked actually how good the results were.  I had one of my best driving rounds of the year.  I hit almost every fairway, the only ones I missed were actually from hitting a better drive than I expected I would.  The ball comes off hot, goes on a mid/high trajectory and hangs in air for a long time.  It also hits the ground with low spin running out rather nicely.

The Mizuno JPX-850 driver is impressive from top to bottom.  The stock shaft is one of the best on the market too.  The Fujikura Speeder 6.3 Tour Spec is an impressive shaft.  The smooth feel and tight launch parameters are great for low spin, mid launch results.

At 440cc it is actually more forgiving than I would have thought.  Off-center hits weren’t as penal as one might think.   The face is still fairly wide and tall.  Even though it is slightly smaller in cc, it plays like a full 460cc driver.  I had one bout of bad swings with it, but once I got my swing fixed, this thing really works well.

Flightscope X2 Launch Monitor

Mizuno JPX-850 Driver

    • Spin: 1920 rpms
    • Launch Angle: 16.3*
    • Dispersion: 8.8 yds
    • Club Head Speed: 103.9 mph
    • Ball Speed: 155.2 mph
    • Total Distance:  279.1 yds
    • Carry Distance:  263.5 yds

Mizuno went with their blue color scheme with the crown of this driver, black on the bottom and a bunch of blue and white accents in the paintfills and the shaft.  It’s bold branding some maybe won’t like, but I think it actually looks really good.

There has always been a lot of love for Mizuno irons, but now is the time to try a Mizuno driver.  The JPX-850 is really impressive.  It offers low spin, great feel, excellent distance and good forgiveness.  Mizuno makes a great driver too.

For more information: www.mizunousa.com/golf

Quick Hits:
+So many adjustments
+Adjustments alter flight and feel
+Amazing stock shaft
+440cc head, yet forgiving
+Low spin