Mizuno M.Craft Omoi Putters

• Mizuno refreshes their popular M.Craft line with the new Mizuno Omoi putters.
• The putters feature three color options and a new head-heavy design.
• Presale begins Feb. 17, in shops March 17.
• Suggested retail price is $349.99.

Mizuno has put a lot of thought into their new putter line. In fact, the word omoi means “thought” in Japanese. Not casual thought, though. The thoughts represented by omoi are deep thoughts or, one might even say, heavy thoughts. You’ll quickly see that Mizuno is thinking heavy thoughts when it comes to this new putter.

The Omoi line is an update of Mizuno’s well-received M.Craft putter line. The Omoi putters retain some of the cooler traits from the M.Craft line, like a blue ion finish option and multiple head shapes. At first glance, you might assume the head shapes are the same as the previous models but there is one main design difference. The name gives it away. Again, think “heavy thoughts.”

The key new design feature for the Mizuno Omoi putters is that some serious weight shifting has occurred since the last M.Craft incarnation.

Omoi? Oh, MOI

The great thing about the Omoi name is that you don’t need to know any Japanese to correctly guess the name’s meaning in terms of putters. Just a bit of putter knowledge is all you need. OK, so maybe putter knowledge will not give you the “heavy thoughts” definition but anyone schooled in putter design knows MOI (“moment of inertia,” a measure of the club’s resistance to twisting at impact) frequently involves weight distribution. I didn’t even know omoi was a word initially. I just thought it was a cool way to reference the MOI of the putter.

The Omoi putters are head-heavy putters. The two blades have head weights of 370 grams and the mallet weighs 383 grams. Weight kits are included with these putters so it is possible to go 10 grams lighter or add 10 more to each of the totals. A 380-gram head is a heavy head in a blade or a mallet.

If you look at the profile of the putters, especially from the rear, you can see the increase in weight comes from an increase in metal at the base of the putter. The extra mass effectively drops the center of gravity as well as helping boost the MOI, especially when combined with the adjustable weights.

Why Go Heavier?

So why did Mizuno decide to go heavier with the Omoi line? Part of that story is stability. If you can increase the MOI of a putter, you can increase the stability. Why is this a good thing? A putter that twists less during the stroke should promote more consistent strokes. This is one of the “big deal” things in putter design. It’s no wonder we hear the same tagline from the majority of putter makers.

One thing that separates the Mizuno story is the inclusion of customer feedback in the design decision. The previous M.Craft versions of putters all came with the extra weight kit. Mizuno asked people playing the M.Craft putters which weights they were using. Did they keep the standard weights or did they swap out for the lighter or heavier sets? As it turned out, players were more often swapping in the heavier weights.

For a putter maker, this gives you the perfect setup for making heavier putters. Repositioning the mass in the head helps boost the stability and MOI numbers for the putter. This should make the putter perform better. Your customers are telling you they use the heavier weights in their putters. Therefore, if you offer a heavier-feeling putter, this should help your product move from putter corral to cash register. It’s a marriage of manufacturing and marketing.

Building the Mizuno Omoi

The Omoi putters feature design elements we expect from Mizuno. The heads are constructed from forged, then milled, 1025 carbon steel. We see the same aggressive deep-face milling present in previous M.Craft generations. We also get three color options, with the blue ion color once again being amazing.

What is not as obvious is that Mizuno has altered the build components in the putters. Both the grip and putter shaft are lighter than the ones previously used. In total, it was a savings of about 20 grams. Weight savings from the grip and shaft can then be repositioned to the putter head without increasing the overall weight of the putter. Even though these putters weigh the same as the previous versions, the position of the weight in the putter is not the same. The center of gravity of the putter moved towards the head, promoting a heavier feel, with the extra weight in the head boosting MOI.

As I mentioned, the design changes are subtle. If you weren’t looking for the extra mass on the bottom of the putter, you probably wouldn’t notice it. If you didn’t know the grip and shafts were lighter, you wouldn’t immediately feel it. It’s a weight shift, not a complete repositioning of weight. The weight has moved but not to the extreme extent of some other designs such as with Sacks Parente’s putters. These still feel pretty standard. Perhaps just a bit head heavy.

Mizuno Omoi 01

The Omoi 01 is the flow-neck blade in the cohort. Of the three heads, it is the one that looks a little heavy/chunky. Though the bumpers flow, the ends are blunt. Looking from the back, you can see the extra thickness at the base of the putter. That little flow neck gives this one the deepest toe hang of the group, plunging the toe about 60 degrees below horizontal.

Also looking from the back, you’ll notice the high toe. I love high-toe putters. Does the high-toe design change the nature of the putter? It probably makes the putter look a little more upright at address and may help MOI by placing more weight by the toe. I don’t really care what it does. I just love the look of the high toe.

Mizuno Omoi 02

The Omoi 02 is the most traditional of the head designs. It’s classic Anser but, like the 01, you can see the extra mass toward the base. The plumber’s neck will give this model 40 degrees of toe hang.

Though all finishes are available on all heads, the putter in the photos features the black ion finish. Combine this finish with the black paint, black grip, black shaft and black headcover and you have a near-PXG level of darkness.

Those of you who rely heavily on the flange sight line for targeting may need to get in there with a bit of white paint. Overall, the blacked-out look is a good one for this head shape. Lefties, I hope you like this shape as it will be the only one offered left-handed at this time.

Mizuno Omoi 03

The Omoi 03 has bulked up quite a bit this time around. Sure, all of the putters are bigger but the 03 is larger than the others. The 03 now looks like a classic rounded mallet. The topline is thick and the back flange extends with a more circular profile. I see the previous 03 as being more egg-shaped than round.

This putter is face balanced, fitting the slightest of arcing strokes. More importantly, it features the blue ion finish. I love this finish. It could be that I like it because it is unique. I’ll give you that. Regardless, it looks amazing and boldly states I’m a Mizuno putter. This version of the blue ion, especially on the 03 head, features a great deal of tone variability as the light hits it from different angles. Blue ion is a dazzler.

Now we just need Mizuno to release blue ion irons. I’d order some blue ion Hot Metals immediately!

Are the Mizuno Omoi Putters on Your “Must Try” List?

Hopefully, we’ve moved past the place where we think of Mizuno as just an iron company. Mizuno has made quite a few outstanding putters in recent years. Ideally, this means you should be able to find the Mizuno Omoi putters in a nearby golf shop.

If seeing these putters gives you some heavy thoughts, maybe you should think about pre-ordering one. Suggested retail is $349.99. Pre-order sales start Feb. 17 with the putters arriving in shops a month later. Unfortunately, the St. Patrick’s Day release will not feature a green ion limited-edition version.

Find out more at mizunogolf.com