If you’re hoping for an in-depth essay explaining how Mizuno put Nanoalloy technology into the JPX ONE woods and hybrids, I have some bad news. They didn’t. But not because they didn’t want to.
The simple explanation is that face materials other than titanium (eg carbon, nanoalloy, and possibly others) need too much surface area to create a clear benefit. So, because woods and freeway hybrids have smaller faces than drivers, the proverbial juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
That aside, it makes the story of the JPX ONE technology much simpler and more straightforward. Mark one for brevity.
And as much as I don’t like it when my beloved fairway woods get the “suitable luggage” treatment, the reality is that, in most cases, brands lead with the driver, realizing that the rest of the metalwood sales tend to describe how the driver performs in the log.
So while this wooden and hybrid story is based on subtle improvements, the small details reveal an intriguing array of features and benefits at a fairly refreshing price, all things considered.
JPX ONE freeway and hybrid construction
The technology story regarding JPX One roads and hybrids is not, as mentioned, a significant departure from what you’ve heard before. Mizuno’s flagship fairway technology remains its Cortech Chamber. This “through the slot” construction combines a dense stainless steel weight with an elastomeric TPU, which takes some stress off the clubface while providing increased deflection.
Compared to the previous Cortech chamber, the updated version widens the gap between the inner metal and the body, mainly in the heel and toe. And while this slightly improves bottom end ball speed, the main benefit is improved ball speed and forgiveness on off-center shots without any negative impact on on-center face performance.
The rest of the parts and pieces
An ultra-light composite crown with nine grams of coils removes weight from where you don’t want it (above the center of mass) and allows Mizuno’s engineers to reposition it in more favorable locations. Most noticeable to consumers is the standard eight gram weight attached to the back of the club head, although a significant portion of the weight savings is reallocated to the structure of the Cortech Chamber.
The body material is SUS630 steel and Mizuno again uses a forged MAS1C face insert. Where the fairway wood and hybrid differ is in the face topology with the JPX ONE hybrid having a uniform face thickness of eight millimeters and the JPX ONE fairway woods using variable face thicknesses.
An additional note: Mizuno softened the leading edge a bit more on the JPX ONE fairway woods to reduce interaction with the terrain and give players a better chance for clean contact from the various lies. It’s not a huge visual change, but it should provide some benefits.
Loft and JPX ONE options
At least in the metalwood space, it’s fair to consider Mizuno a challenger brand. As such, the name JPX ONE is entirely appropriate, given that Mizuno has a single model in each category. What it leaves out are defined low-spin, draw-biased, or otherwise special setups which can limit players looking for something other than a “basic” model.
The JPX ONE freeway is available in 3/15°, 5/18°, 7/21° and 9/24° models. Mizuno doesn’t have a designated mini driver (yet) although there is a 15°/3T option if you’re looking for a slightly lower and more penetrating trajectory.
The JPX ONE Hybrid is available in 3/19°, 4/22°, 5/25° and 6/28° models. As with the JPX ONE fairway woods, each model includes a quick-disconnect adapter with multiple alignment settings and +/- 2° of loft adjustment.
My $0.05
Mizuno wants to become a more serious player in the metal wood game, and the best way to do that is by giving golfers a reason to try out (and hopefully buy) its driver. Nanoalloy’s technology history is solid and should create enough intrigue to move its market share in a positive direction. How much? It’s always hard to sled when Callaway and TaylorMade will make up the majority of sales. Then you have to consider that PING, Titleist and COBRA will eat a good portion of what’s left.
So if Mizuno gains any measurable market share in this category, it will be based on performance and probably because they are priced $50 to $100 less than most competitors.
What does any of this have to do with JPX ONE roads and hybrids? Not a hell of a lot, other than a tacit acknowledgment that Nanoalloy will be useful in guiding the eyeball to the JPX ONE driver and hopefully a percentage of those eyes are in the market for a suitable (and hybrid!) wood.
Price and availability
The JPX ONE fairway woods are $349.99 and the JPX ONE hybrids are $279.
Pre-sales begin on January 12th with full retail availability on January 22nd.
For more information, product specifications and various details, visit mizunogolf.com.
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