ST180 GT180 testing thread

Bonobobananas

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#1
Thought I’d put on a new thread to save wading through pages. 

Had a fitting yesterday in the ST180 (didn’t like the feel of the GT) and I have to say the rumours of super low spin are true. It’s a good job I hit up on the ball +5 and launch quite high. My average spin rate with a swing speed around 98 was 1500. Got a couple up to 105 and they do fly. 

The highest spin I got was with a high heel strike and that made 3000 exactly. If you struggle to keep spin down or you are a bomber, you need to try this driver.

I found the tensei white suites me best, not quite as long as the blue but better feel for me. The kuro kage was a close second. 

I wasn’t expecting to want to buy this as I have a low spinning head from only last year in the ping G LST, which to be fair is almost at the optimum for my speed. But this was better. And consistent across the face on poor strikes.

I think I’ll have to dig into the piggy bank :)
 

Nurburgring151

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#2
i managed to get to hit both of them on wed.

tried both seamed to be more comfortable with gt180 with tensei blue 60 shaft dispersion and length were better.

also had a play with the rogue but have to go back and hit them again side by side.

my problem is how much improvement is worth 400 quid!!

would i get the same or more improvement out of lessons and range practice.

but then its a nice new shiny toy 
 

hursty

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#3
Tested them both on Thursday against a TM M3 & M4 along with my 900.

The ST is everything that the 850 should have been with the benefit of looking better.

The GT wasn't as good as my 900.

M3 & M4 were long but dispersion was awful, Twist face doesn't work for everyone.

Personal opinion is if you're wanting adjustability then save yourself some money and buy a 900. If you're wanting a low spinning long launching driver no matter where you strike it on the face go for the ST.

Avoid the M3&M4 unless you're mad!

I hit all drivers with the Tensei CK White 70 in stiff and the Mizunos with Tensei, Kuro Kage and my Speeder 757.

The Speeder 757 was better in my hands than any of the new shaft offerings, Why oh why did you drop the Speeder line Mizuno????
 

Bonobobananas

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#4
The deed is done. Shiny new ST180 9.5 head with Tensei White shaft on its way :D
 

dave_giz

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#5
hursty said:
The ST is everything that the 850 should have been with the benefit of looking better.

The GT wasn't as good as my 900.
The 850 is still the best driver I've ever owned or even tested, so these things will have to be revolutionary to dislodge it from my bag.
 

hursty

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#6
dave_giz said:
hursty said:
The ST is everything that the 850 should have been with the benefit of looking better.

The GT wasn't as good as my 900.
The 850 is still the best driver I've ever owned or even tested, so these things will have to be revolutionary to dislodge it from my bag.
Test it and see!!!! :)
 

hursty

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#7
dave_giz said:
hursty said:
The ST is everything that the 850 should have been with the benefit of looking better.

The GT wasn't as good as my 900.
The 850 is still the best driver I've ever owned or even tested, so these things will have to be revolutionary to dislodge it from my bag.
Test it and see!!!! :)
 

MPX

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#8
I had my first hit today.

Even though i know the story inside out - i still struggled to get my head around the GT180 rather than ST180 being my driver.  Hit the GT180 great - and needed the weights middle and back.  With weights front and side i was hitting it knee high.  Looks very easy to hit over the ball.  Felt very settled with it.  Can finally get rid of my EZ..........was i the only one who liked that driver?
 

Halebopp

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#9
I'm still suspicious either of the two could kick the 650 out of my bag. ;) I do hope I'll get a chance to try them some day, haven't had a chance to try the 900 yet.
 

Bonobobananas

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#10
Do you know what the turnaround is MPX? Ordered mine on Sunday...
 

Brattz

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#11
Better post on here then....

tested in unison:
  • Mizuno ST180
  • Mizuno GT180
  • Taylor Made M3
  • Taylor Made M4
  • Callaway Rogue Sub Zero
  • Cobra F8
I hit all of them in a 1.5 hour test/fitting but had to go back to test the ST180 again as I’d only tried lofting up the 9.5° and not delofting the 12.5°.

so, the GT180 and the M3 were the least appetising drivers I had hit in the last 4 years. Clunky and sounded poor, lacking the feel of power transfer and overall, not my liking.

The Rogue was a great driver. The only issue I had with it was the size.... I’m a 440cc man and the Rogue just looked BIG at address. Spin rate was good, great transfer and a pretty good dispersion with a very consistent distance.
The M4 was slightly better than the Rogue in terms of distance but dispersion was higher. I also had issues with the face looking massively open at address....

The ST180..... when I went on day one, I wasn’t impressed at all, everything low and left. The next day when I went back and tied delofting the higher loft driver.... wow. I was banging it, no other words for it. Still launched a little lower than my current driver and dispersion was pretty similar but I was getting upward of 10yd on average extra. I still had reservations about the low left issue if you don’t hammer it.... but worth an investment?

Cobra F8.... all round possibly the best one I hit of the lot in terms of all round performance, but it’s a Cobra :shock:

FYI, my 915 D3 held up very well against all this ‘new’ tech to say its 3+ years old. I will wait a year and then probably take on an ST180 if they make one with a 440cc head.... or shut my eyes at address and swing the big blue monster!
the 180 does everything it says and more, great driver :up:
 

PaulBoy

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#12
Nice set of reviews there brattz - As a matter of interest did you ever try the JPX850 driver? - The JPX900 was never as long as the JPX850 (nearly as long, but more forgiving in my experience) & the 850 has a 440cc head if I recall correctly?
Paul
 

Brattz

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#13
Tried the 850 yes Paul. None of the shaft options to my liking though, I just couldn’t find an optimal one. Also at that time I was gaming a Nike Vapor Flex 440cc with my Oban Kiyoshi Gold Shaft..... you don’t get better than that set up! That Nike was a bazooka and the shaft was fantastic. I’ve Titleist tipped it and use it as a spare on links courses now
 

Varry Hardon

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#14
Brattz said:
FYI, my 915 D3 held up very well against all this ‘new’ tech to say its 3+ years old. I will wait a year and then probably take on an ST180 if they make one with a 440cc head.... or shut my eyes at address and swing the big blue monster!
the 180 does everything it says and more, great driver :up:
What shaft did you use in the ST180?
 

Brattz

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#15
Kuro Kage S 60. Used to have one of these in a Nike Covert Tour... felt like old times. Lovely feel through the ball with that one. Tried the tensei blue ck 70 as well because that is also a shaft I’ve used and produced a bit too low flight with the lower spin.
 
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