Mizuno MX-500 Driver

[Gozz]

Winner in Golf Illustrated's "460cc Driver Test"

Is this driver that good & has anyone played it?

Mizuno MX-500 Is the Clear "Overall" Winner in Golf Illustrated's "460cc Driver Test"

The March/April Issue of Golf Illustrated's "460cc Driver Test" has just been released and the MX-500 is the clear-cut, "Overall" winner!

Sixty golfers from 0 to 25 in handicap participated in the testing and evaluation of each driver. Afterwards, the 50 tests with the fairest and most consistent evaluations were selected. Those tests created the compilation of the final results. The results were based on 10 categories, each of which was scored on a one to 10 system, with 10 being the best possible score.

The 10 categories were: Distance, Control, Accuracy, Forgiveness, Sound, Appearance, Feel, Ball Flight (Trajectory), Recommendation to Others, and Overall.

The Mizuno MX-500 was ranked #1 in 7 out of the 10 categories, including Overall! And in the other three categories, the MX-500 finished a close second.

Here is a breakdown of how the MX-500 scored by category:

Distance: 8.08 (1st Place)
Control: 7.82 (1st Place)
Accuracy: 7.78 (1st Place)
Forgiveness: 7.56 (1st Place)
Sound: 7.74 (2nd Place)
Appearance: 8.48 (2nd Place)
Feel: 8.04 (2nd Place)
Ball Flight (Trajectory): 8 (1st Place)
Recommended: 7.72 (1st Place)
Overall: 7.84 (1st Place)


That is some Serious Performance!


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[Ryun]

You know, I tried it and wasnt that impressed. Mostly because the mp001 is that good. I think the mx500 is good but the lack of upgraded shafts hurt it off the rack. Isnt better than the mp001 imo and the mp001 is easily found off ebay in the $100 with a nice shaft.

 

Just to reiterate, Mizuno drivers are long and very nice but if I were shopping for one, I would pick up an mp001 off ebay for less money, moere square face, nicer shaft and no alignment aid for the same money.

 

They play pretty true to loft BTW, I play a 9* with a V2 as my back up driver and it is very nice. The MX500 IIRC is a bit more closed with the crappy exsar shaft

 

Very underrated driver line IMO (could I use more acronyms in one post?)

[Toby]

Nice, but I really really like Mizuno and will not comment on this driver as I have no more than looked at it, but I do feel that tests based on performance at various swing speeds is more helpful than subjective values.

 

Anyway, what are the major differences between Control and Ball flight, Accuracy and Forgiveness? And is there a difference between Feel and Sound? If you perform well in one you're bound to perform well in the other and consequently come 1st overall.

 

/Toby

[Vagabond]

To tell the truth, sometimes you REALLY have to wonder if it's marketing that drives these tests or if it's actual imperical data... Recently I was scouring the net for driver reviews for a new set that I was bulding and ran across this article. Sometimes you HAVE TO wonder if these tests are driven by marketing or by actual imperical data. Proof and point:

 

The article from Golf Illustrated's web site who credits Golf Test USA for the test:

http://www.golfillustrated.com/images/golftestusaMA06.pdf

 

The same article from the source supposedly:

http://www.golftestusa.com/golfillustrated_460.pdf

 

Now just by looking @ the overall #'s one would assume they'd be the same for both links right? Wrong.

 

The Nike SQ got bumped from a 7.46 to a 7.62. Why? You can look at the numbers youself but needless to say you can probably surmise that Nike stepped in before publication and helped some of the editors or testers "see the light."

 

Suprisingly enough I purchased a Nike SQ myself out of these (demoed almost all of them). But then again I have issues getting my hands to roll over and the Nike SQ was the most forgiving with me with the Ping G5 a very close second. Probably should of bought the Ping in afterthought, then I could buy the Mizuno blue bag instead of the black one. :) Either way I dislike the practice and wish that I just bought the ping. I'll just wait til the new Mizuno driver comes out to replace the SQ I guess.

[dream_team]

I've read a bunch of reviews that have raved about the MX-500. So when I got fitted for a new driver... and I went to one of the "so-called best" fitters in the area, I mentioned the MX-500 was one of my choices.

 

He gave me a quick "NO!" He was fairly open to other drivers I mentioned. But no matter what, he told me not to waste my money on the MX-500. He said it was a dead driver that was technologically inferior.

 

I even asked how did it manage to make Golf Digest's Hot List? He said, "I have no idea who Mizuno paid over there? (sarcastically) Even my Mizuno rep agrees its not a good driver."

 

Now I know what you're saying... but he wasn't money driven. He sold Mizuno's and had MX-500s on stock. I ended up buying the Mac NVG2, which was the same price.

 

Now I didn't get a chance to demo the driver, and I probably should have. But just letting you guys know what an "expert" told me about this driver.