Mizuno Forges Ahead: “The Foundry” Sets New Standard For Golf Fitting And Performance

Mizuno’s new cutting-edge facility, “The Foundry,” has officially opened its doors.

What golfers need to know is that this isn’t just another fitting center with some fancy tech and a few launch monitors. This is Mizuno’s attempt to elevate itself to the same level as TaylorMade, PING, Callaway and Titleist – the big four brands – all of which have showcase fitting and R&D facilities that differentiate them from smaller brands.

The Holy Trinity of golf R&D

If we consider the three pillars of any serious golf equipment facility —fitting, testing, building—Mizuno appears to have gone all-in on each. The Foundry, located at the Standard Club in Johns Creek, GA, on paper, anyway, checks all the boxes.

Tour-level full-set fitting

Like most premium fitting experiences, The Foundry takes a more holistic approach. “Tour-level fitting” for an entire set means you’re not just getting dialed in with your driver and irons but optimizing the entire bag as a complete performance system.

This makes sense in a way that should seem obvious. What good is gaining 15 yards with your driver if you’re still three-putting every other green?

SAM PuttLab and PuttView: The putter gets its due

Speaking of putting, The Foundry has positioned itself to address what remains for many golfers the most mystical part of the game.

The inclusion of SAM PuttLab and PuttView technologies signals Mizuno’s commitment to the short game. For the uninitiated, SAM PuttLab analyzes just about every metric of your putting stroke—face angle, path, tempo, impact position—with the kind of precision that would make a NASA engineer blush.

PuttView then adds real-time visual feedback, allowing you to visualize the putting experience in ways that even the most perceptive coach couldn’t spot with the naked eye.

The result? A putter that’s not just chosen because it “felt good” in the store but one that’s precisely matched to your stroke.

The R&D Room: Where the magic happens

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of The Foundry is its dedicated R&D Room, equipped with a robot capable of testing not just golf clubs but also baseball/softball bats and, in a nod to America’s fastest-growing sport, pickleball paddles.

For a company that has historically been known for its conservative approach to marketing claims, having this level of in-house testing suggests we might see more performance-oriented messaging from Mizuno in the future.

The Build Shop: Where craftsmanship meets science

The Foundry also features a full-service Build Shop, described as an exact replica of the prestigious Mizuno Tour Workshop in Japan.

Experienced technicians assemble and fine-tune custom clubs in this state-of-the-art facility, ensuring that the theoretical benefits identified in the fitting and testing stages are actually realized in the final product.

Joining the Big 4

With facilities like The Kingdom (TaylorMade), TPI & Manchester Lane (Titleist), the PING Proving Grounds and the Ely Callaway Performance Center (ECPC) already well established in the industry, it makes sense that Mizuno would join the party.

By focusing on comprehensive full-set fitting, advanced putting analysis and cutting-edge robotic testing under one roof, they appear to have done just that.

The Foundry represents a significant investment by Mizuno in both their brand and their commitment to performance. In an era where some manufacturers seem to be chasing distance at all costs or limited-edition aesthetics with four-figure price tags, Mizuno’s focus on comprehensive performance is refreshing.

What remains to be seen is how accessible The Foundry will be to everyday golfers. Will it be primarily a showcase for Mizuno’s capabilities and a testing ground for product development or will Average Joes and Janes be able to book time to experience this next-level fitting?

Given Mizuno’s track record of democratizing premium performance (their fitting network has long been one of the most accessible in the industry), I’m cautiously optimistic that The Foundry’s benefits will extend beyond Tour pros and VIPs.

In an industry where innovation often feels incremental at best and illusory at worst, facilities like The Foundry remind us that manufacturers believe there’s still genuine progress to be made in how golf equipment is conceived, tested and built.

For Mizuno, a brand with deep roots in craftsmanship and precision, The Foundry appears to be the perfect fusion of tradition and technology, a modern workshop where old-world craftsmanship meets cutting-edge science.

As for when you can experience it for yourself, The Foundry is open now. Whether you’re in the market for new equipment or just curious to see what a truly state-of-the-art golf facility looks like in 2025, it should be worth the trip.

For more information, visit MizunoFoundry.com.