Mizuno unveils major upgrade to Shaft Optimizer fitting tool

Mizuno has unveiled a major upgrade to the long-established Shaft Optimizer custom-fitting tool that uses a built-in gyroscope and transmission via Bluetooth to improve lie accuracy of Swing DNA software.

Since its introduction in 2010, Mizuno’s Shaft Optimizer has become the favoured iron shaft fitting tool of golf professionals worldwide. Measuring five critical dynamics within a golfer’s swing, the Shaft Optimizer is able to recommend a shaft best matched to any golfer’s movement based on Mizuno EI curves calculated for every shaft available in-house to match against the swing profiles. The new Bluetooth-enabled Shaft Optimizer then enables Mizuno’s club fitters to capture swing data directly to the software, run from an iPad or iPhone.

The latest Shaft Optimizer upgrade sees a Gyro added to the existing strain gauges to allow Mizuno’s experienced fitters to digitally recommend a far more accurate lie angle than the traditional method of lie tape and strike board. The Gyro enables the club’s swing plane to now be measured in 3D space along with shaft dynamics, ignoring face rotation through impact for a more accurate lie angle reading. Using a combination of the Gyro and strain gauges which run throughout the shaft, Mizuno is now able to capture 40 data points from every swing.

“Establishing the correct lie angle is one of the hardest elements of iron fitting because of false strike board readings,” said Bill Price, Director of Fitting at Mizuno USA. “Most golfers find it uncomfortable to make their normal swing and strike through the board, while players who swing across the line get false readings caused by too much face rotation as the clubface is not square to swing path. By embedding a Gyro within our Shaft Optimizer, we’re able to overcome both issues.”