# Mizuno D201 Golf Ball



## GreiginFife (Jul 19, 2013)

Got some of these today and decided to take them out for a try. 

So for those that don't know, the D201 is Mizuno's "mid-range" ball to the MP-S being the premium offering. 
Priced around the Â£20 a dozen mark these are to compete with the Bridgestone E series and the Srixon mid range balls. 
I think the biggest departure from the MP-S is the branding, it's bright and bold. Red and silver sweep across the box with D210 in bold white, very attractive in comparison the the MP-S's bland, non-shouty white. There is also a clever cut away circle that lets you see and feel the ball without having to remove it from the box. The sleeves also have this branding and the same cut away. Interestingly they are arranged in the box with two sleeves "front" facing and two "side" facing making it a bit different. Here they are.





The balls themselves are surprising. Very white and for the purists that complained that the "model" of the ball was to the fore and the manufacturer to the "side" then the good news is that the D201 follows a more conventional route and has Mizuno branding with the number and the model around the "side". 
They are also very sticky and soft to the touch, much like the MP-S, maybe not quite as soft but definitely tacky to the touch which surprised me considering the range and market. 
The cover is a soft Ionomer, the core is polybutadiene and it has 366 seamless dimples - all in all it looks like a good ball should, bright white with clear branding. 





The important part, how do they play?
Well, I have to say that I am very, very impressed. I have to admit that having been using the MP-S ball for a while now that I had low expectation of their attempt at a mid range. But I was wrong, so, so wrong. 
Firstly the ball feels soft of the face of every club that I used. I also found that it came with a mid trajectory so didn't balloon while not being a daisy cutter. 
Distance wise, I found that it was going as far as the MP-S with only a shade worse dispersion.
Off the driver, if I closed my eyes I would not know which was which (this is to say that it feels every bit as soft rather than I'm a Handicap golfer so don't know the difference)
Off long and mid irons they felt very soft and responsive, I found that long approaches in to greens, that were a bit baked, were stopping up very well - again, not as quickly as the MP-S but faster than I would expect a mid range ball to. 
Off the wedges though, these balls excelled in my opinion. I found that the soft cover gave every bit as much feel and response as any premium ball I have used. The greens were very difficult but I still found that I was getting them close and confidence grew as the round progressed. Absolutely blown away by how good a ball in this price bracket could be from 60yds and in. 
Putting was a pleasure with the D201, no click or hard noises. Soft but easy to control length. I found that there was no difference between this and it's Â£40 superior.

There is something that stands this ball ahead of the MP-S and it's one that I think people were very against the MP-S on, it is durable and it doesn't discolour. 
I used the same ball for 18 holes and at the end, once the grass marks were cleaned off, it was hard to tell it apart from new. 
Overall, this is a fantastic offering from Mizuno, the price point is great for most people's pocket and the performance should worry the balls that sit in "premium" but not quite at the Prp-V level. 
I would certainly recommend this ball to anyone that want's soft, responsive performance but at a price that doesn't hurt the pocket.


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## Fish (Jul 20, 2013)

Excellent review, I love my Hex Blacks & Z Stars but if they perform as well or better at half the price, well.....there well worth a punt.

http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/balls/d201.php


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## Deke (Jul 20, 2013)

Great review Greig, I rather fancy these bad boys! :thup:


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## One Planer (Jul 20, 2013)

Cracking review Greig.


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## Alex1975 (Jul 22, 2013)

Great review, I shall give them a look when I have smashed through my Bridgestone e6 ...  wont take long...


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## jimbob.someroo (Jul 22, 2013)

Loved the MP-S balls but really can't justify the price at the moment. Have just bought a dozen of these for Â£17.50 of th'ebay based on your review  If they're even half as good as the MP-S I'll be more than happy.


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## Fish (Jul 22, 2013)

jimbob.someroo said:



			Loved the MP-S balls but really can't justify the price at the moment. Have just bought a dozen of these for Â£17.50 of th'ebay based on your review  If they're even half as good as the MP-S I'll be more than happy.
		
Click to expand...

Keep us informed James :thup:


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## jimbob.someroo (Jul 22, 2013)

Fish said:



			Keep us informed James :thup:
		
Click to expand...

Shall do. To be honest, there were 3 reasons why I bought them;

1) Price
2) I loved the soft 'tacky' feel of the MP-S and these are supposed to have a similar feel
3) Much easier to identify a Mizuno ball when I inevitably hit it in the long stuff than a Pro V which it seems the rest of our club plays with!


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## Fish (Jul 22, 2013)

jimbob.someroo said:



			Shall do. To be honest, there were 3 reasons why I bought them;

1) Price
2) I loved the soft 'tacky' feel of the MP-S and these are supposed to have a similar feel
3) Much easier to identify a Mizuno ball when I inevitably hit it in the long stuff than a Pro V which it seems the rest of our club plays with!
		
Click to expand...

I played with a MP-S around the PGA and I got it all the way around  As has been said by many peoples reviews, I couldn't use it again, it was seriously cut up and quite scuffed and rough to the touch. It felt very nice around the greens but I did have to spank it a bit more on the putts, but I soon adjusted to that. 

I've seen a few deals of Â£48.00 for 3 dozen so, if they are anything like my Hex Blacks or better, I'll be switching very quickly, especially being the Mizuno convert I have become


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## jimbob.someroo (Jul 29, 2013)

So, have managed to play a couple of rounds now with the Mizuno D201. 

Overall it's a decent ball, feels solid off the face and flies well. I actually quite like the big Mizuno logo as it stands out and gives me something to aim at on the ball itself.

It's not quite as soft as the Mp-S and the tacky-ness of the feel is lost after a couple of holes. It's also not as spinny as the Mp-S but that was expected before the off so no real complaints there.

I actually bought some of the Hex Chrome + 's that Phil Mickelson's been using and have to say that so far I have preferred them. However, for Â£17.50 a box, the D201's are a really solid ball and would have no problem's playing them in a mach with friends or a monthly medal or something. IMHO a much better ball than the Titleist NXT, Taylormade Rocketballz or Srixon AD333 which I guess they're priced to compete with.

For me though, not quite enough grip on our quick greens. I'm used to having something that I know will stop if I hit one in hard and I just didn't have 100% confidence the Mizuno would do that.

Like I say though, for less than Â£20 a dozen, tremendous value and if your greens don't require ridiculous amounts of spin to stop them running through, would highly recommend trying them out.


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## Alex1975 (Jul 29, 2013)

My Pro chucked me a box of these on my way out on Saturday and I gave them a bash, well gave one a bash that lunchtime. I played it all round and could not work out what I thought of the ball. After 8 holes I was thinking the ball was short but solid. On 9 I let it ride and it really went out there.

I think to save a lot chat the way I would sum this ball up is that it does not spin much off the tee. That was my overriding impressions and when I got home and tried to find what Mizuno were marketing it as, and it was not easy as they really have nothing to say about it for the most part... It is meant to have low spin off the tee, so it does what it says on the tin, even though you have to search the tin.

A pretty safe ball I would have to say but it does like a good smash off the tee for best effect in my opinion.


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## Blundell (Oct 28, 2013)

Was thinking of giving these a try and after reading your review, I definitely will.

Cheers

Blundell


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## StrangelyBrown (Oct 29, 2013)

Will definitely give these a go next year, great write up Greig


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