Mizuno to launch higher-flying driver

Mizuno MP001 - sleek lines.

Since the boffins who dictate the Rules of Golf stipulated severe restrictions on the 'trampoline' faces of drivers and fairway woods Mizuno, like its competitors, has been working on other ways to snatch an advantage.

It has come up with what it describes as the new generation of Mizuno MP-001 Titanium drivers and fairway metals. The clubs with the sleek, aerodynamic grooves on the back of the clubhead, will be launched in Europe and Japan next month.

Mizuno claims that the MP-001s, which conform to R&A regulations, will allow amateur golfers to hit the ball consistently further than ever before.

Engineers discovered that we can generate more yards by increasing the club’s launch angle and reducing the rate of backspin - characteristics which can be manipulated by using a lightweight graphite crown.

The Mizuno driver's high launch face.

Less than one third the weight of titanium, the graphite crown allowed engineers to create a low, deep centre of gravity delivering higher launch angle and reducing spin. This apparently converts ball speed more efficiently into distance and Mizuno claims even drivers hit ‘off the deck’ and fairway metal shots from tight lies will become easier.

Head of Mizuno research and development Masao Nagai says the R&A’s restrictions provided the catalyst for the new technology.

"Once we could no longer increase the elasticity of the driver face, we needed to look at other ways of improving our metalwoods’ performance. Creating a more forgiving wood that converted ball speed more efficiently into distance became our objective."

The MP-001 driver will sell at around £299, while the metalswoods will be available at £179 for a graphite shaft and £129 for steel.