Mizuno unveils new Tour workshop

First look inside state-of-the art facilities

Bob Warters's picture
Thu, 20 May 2010
Mizuno unveils new Tour workshop

Mizuno has revealed its state-of-the-art European Tour workshop which services the clubs of the Europe’s leading professionals.

Driving through the Wentworth gates to the PGA European Tour’s flagship event, the third version of Mizuno’s workshop - first unveiled in1986 - made a striking entrance.  At 16 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 4 metres high, its white and blue livery, made  a clear statement of Mizuno’s intention to remain a conspicuous factor on the Tour.

With Increased storage for up to 2,500 shafts, 8,000 grips and 100 sets of iron heads, the new vehicle provides the perfect base to carry out every possible equipment tweak and new club request from the brand's loyal staff players, which include Luke donald, Chris Wood and Daniel Vanczik.

Increased office space and enhanced wireless communications are designed to allow faster feedback from Mizuno’s R&D facilities, while swing DNA data of Mizuno’s contracted players can be studied in comfort on LCD TV screens. Players can also watch the tournament live in HD on the workshop’s satellite connection while their clubs are being adjusted or built.

Andy Kikidas, Tour Operations Manager for Mizuno, “There’s been an explosion in the number of new shafts and grips we need to stock to give our players an edge, so the storage requirements on us are far greater than in the past.

"Our players work their way through at least two sets of iron heads per season – just through increased wear and tear.  The European Tour is now a 12 month affair and these guys are hitting thousands more balls each season in search of perfection.

“On top of that," he says, "the workshop now has to act as a mobile office for Mizuno, our players and their agents.  The old workshop was designed for an analogue age – this new model is all digital and ready to take us through until 2024."

Our players work their way through at least two sets of iron heads per season – just through increased wear and tear.  The European Tour is now a 12 month affair and these guys are hitting thousands more balls each season in search of perfection.

Andy Kikidas - Mizuno workshop manager