Mizuno ST-X 230

Noticeably forgiving for an improver's head - despite a mid-pack Most Wanted finish, it offers noticeable forgiveness, with the unified sole composite and CORTECH Chamber providing increased stability and consistency on off-centre hits, forgiving across the face. Steady, if not a MOI standout.

Improved on the 220, via ball speed - ball speed excellent across the face, with the steel-insert CORTECH Chamber adding a little over half a mph on average, plus higher MOI and mid-to-low spin. The chamber locates mass near the face to cut spin and boost speed. Solid, though it finished bottom-half of the 2023 Most Wanted distance test.

More workable than the 220, with a milder draw - a balance of workability in both directions, with a deeper profile that some shape as a draw and others work faster off the face. The draw bias is modest, leaving room to shape.

Rewarding on centre, stark off it - a lively, almost bouncy sensation with the ball seeming to rebound off the face on quality strikes, but off-centre strikes feel dull in the hands. A feel that rewards the good strike but punishes the miss.

Good on centre, flat off it - a low-pitched pop with gentle metallic overtones on quality strikes, but the sound goes flat and dead on mishits. Pleasing when struck well, uninspiring when not.

A class leader - among the best-looking drivers of 2023, with a rich glossy-black finish and two-tone crown, and a sole called the best looking in all of golf that year. One of the best-looking heads of its year.