From high school baseball game in Osaka, Japan to the clubs that helped two of Europe's greatest players to win majors, the Mizuno story has been an amazing journey.
Fascinated by what he had seen at the ball game, Rihachi Mizuno created the Mizuno Brothers Company producing high quality, made to order, sportswear. Convinced that technology and high production values could improve performance Rihachi also began to produce baseball gloves and bats. The company soon built a reputation as Japan's foremost sports equipment manufacturer and diverted into other sports.
Golf was a growing sport in Japan and Mizuno saw a gap in the market. Although planning began for the production of Mizuno golf equipment in the early 1920's it wasn't until 1933 that the Mizuno Star Line golf clubs were launched. The first Japanese golf clubs to hit the market established Mizuno as a brand committed to excellence.
The history of Mizuno golf equipment is marked by a commitment to advancing sport throughout Asia and of generous philanthropy. This ethos led the company to sponsor Japanese golfers and organise and fund a number of Asian Tour events as Mizuno committed to spreading golf throughout their traditional markets and encouraging Japanese golfers to test themselves against the world's best.
In 1977 Mizuno golf clubs were inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and the same year marked the beginning of two of the most successful endorsements deal in golf as Mizuno clinched a deal with Seve Ballesteros. In the 1980's Ballesteros was joined by Nick Faldo in the Mizuno stable as the pair combined to dominate the golfing landscape, winning 11 majors between them.
Despite their success the company continued to drive forward with the next breakthrough coming with Mizuno drivers: 1982's Vanguard drivers were the first in the world to feature carbon club heads. In 1990 these advances continued when the Ti-110 and Ti-120 became the first clubs to feature pure titanium with Mizuno drivers and Mizuno fairway woods developing a reputation as some of the longest in golf.
By the late 1990's Mizuno irons had a reached a postion of dominance in American golf and were the number one choice of Tour professionals and, in 1998, won the most Tour events and the most prize money.
With over a century of heritage Mizuno, still run by the Mizuno family, continues to develop and adapt to the changing face of world golf today. New ranges of MP and MX Mizuno irons have garnered excellent reviews with Mizuno golf clubs well represented on every major tour and Mizuno utility clubs and Mizuno putters becoming ever more popular.