2008 - Year of the Legal Long Driver

A Mizuno survey of 400 amateur golfers has shown that despite the new R&A driver restrictions, tee shots will be flying further than ever in 2008.

Following concerns from amateurs that the new driver regulations would steal them of vital yards, Mizuno took its Trackman radar system and 2008 conforming drivers (MP-600 and MX-560) to 40 UK driving ranges to prove the opposite.

Analysis of the driving data from all 400 testers demonstrated that Mizuno engineers have overcome the R&A’s limitations on C.O.R ‘spring like’ effect, with players averaging a 16 yard increase against their current drivers.

Testing was conducted over a 20 minute period, with the longest drive (carry and roll) from each driver used for comparison.  Results showed that the new drivers increased driving distances for 396 of the 400 testers.  The MP-600 was the driver of choice for 60% of testers with an average improvement of 17.6 yards, while the MX-560 helped the remaining 40% to a 15.8 yard increase. 
 
Mizuno UK Marketing Manager Rob Jackson commented, “The R&A announced the regulations in 2004, so there’s been plenty of time to research other methods of improving driving distances.  Our research shows the new conforming drivers are ‘playing’ extremely hot with testers increasing their ball speeds by an average of 4.0 mph.”

“Mizuno’s new precision milled faces ensure that all of our production drivers are very tight to the upper limit of the R&A’s ‘trampoline’ like limit.  We’ve also managed to extend the hottest part of the face to a wider area, so that players don’t need to middle the shot to generate long drives.”

“The new drivers also have more efficient ball flights than their illegal predecessors.  For amateur golfers in particular this is the key to big jumps in yardage.  One tester managed an extra 37 yards carry from just an extra 5mph in ball speed.”