Set-up for distance
Why the wrong settings on your adjustable driver will cost yards.
Modern drivers are laden with adjustability. Whether it’s a hosel to change loft and lie, or sliding sole weights to change everything from the centre of gravity to spin, launch angle, forgiveness and shot bias, you must find the set-up dialled in to suit your swing – or you will lose distance and accuracy.
How much distance exactly? We wanted to find out. Mizuno’s new JPX900 was intentionally created to be the most adjustable driver on the market, and that’s why we picked it for this test.
To give us a level playing field we got TG’S test pro Chris Ryan at The Belfry to give us a consistent strike and accurate data, using a standard stiff shaft, to allow precise analysis of different set-ups.
Chris usually uses a 9.5° driver, so all set-ups not involving loft were taken from a 9.5° setting. Our data gives a great indication of how much difference all the tech makes as well as highlighting the best “fit” for Chris’ swing. It goes without saying that to find your perfect set-up you really must get properly custom fitted, too.
The Mizuno JPX900 has four sliding tracks in the sole, which is more than we’ve seen with any other driver before. There’s 16g of moveable weight (split into two 8g pods) which can be positioned to lower spin and shot trajectory or increase forgiveness. And if your game dictates it you can dial in either a draw or fade bias, too. There’s also a face angle prop which allows you to alter where the face aims (without changing loft) by up to four degrees and an adjustable hosel with five loft options (from 7.5°-11.5°) as well as three upright draw settings.
That’s a bewildering amount of adjustability, even for a hardened gear nut, so let’s see how much difference it makes in the real world.