With New Components, the Mizuno M.Craft X Putter Line Now has 20 Build Options

The latest Mizuno M.Craft X Z putter release caught me a bit by surprise. For some reason, I had it in my head that the 2025 M.Craft X line of modular putters was more of an annual than a perennial putter line.

(Shout out to all of the botanists out there …)

Not only will the Mizuno M.Craft X putter line continue through 2027 but Mizuno is growing the line by adding two new backs and a new neck option.

Since the four front sections and the five back sections are all interchangeable, this brings the total number of possible putter combinations to 20.

In terms of manufacturing efficiency, it’s a solid strategy. Mizuno can offer 20 different putters while only manufacturing nine components. Designing and manufacturing 20 individual putter heads would be way more expensive.

Perhaps this is why Mizuno is able to sell the M.Craft X putters at a MSRP of $400. That price is below the retail price for many other milled putters these days.

Let’s take another look at the modularity of the Mizuno M.Craft X putter line and then explore the new components.

Modular putters done right

I was impressed with the seamless modularity of the original release. Mizuno packed so much cleverness into the M.Craft X design. For example, the sole weights are used to attach the front and rear sections.

All you need is a $20 adapter and a standard golf club Torx wrench to unscrew the weights and you can swap backs with reckless abandon.

The fit between the front and rear components is spectacularly snug. Rubber bumpers on the rear section help with the tight fit while eliminating any unpleasant vibrations at impact.

The M.Craft X putter is made from multiple parts but it feels like a single-piece putter during play.

The secure fit aspect is as important as the modularity. No golfer is going to play a putter that sounds and feels like a can full of steel marbles.

Fit and favor

These putters are a tinkerer’s dream but many who purchase a Mizuno M.Craft X putter will never swap its components. For these golfers, the modularity of the M.Craft X line proves its worth at the putter fitting stage.

The three original faces each featured a different neck style. These necks facilitate different amounts of opening and closing of the putter face during the stroke. Ideally, a golfer can match the characteristics of the putter to their individual stroke needs.

If you have a swing path with minimal arc, go with the double-bend “B” face build. For a slight arc stroke, choose the “P” face with the plumber’s neck. If you need a lot of face movement, the slant-neck “S” face build is the call.

For the back section, golfers can pick the shape that best suits their eyes at address. If you like your mallet squared off, go with the Four back. The Five turns the M.Craft X into a round mallet. Fang mallet fanciers should select the Six back.

The new back options

Even with nine combinations of faces and rears in the original M.Craft X release, some golfers could not build their desired putter.

To rectify this, Mizuno has added two new backs and one new face/neck component to the line. The two new rear sections are interesting. The Two back is a wide-body blade design with the rear corners flared out a bit.

The Three is rounded off like the Five but the overall shape is more dome-like. Be forewarned, this convex shape does make it impossible to scoop balls.

However, the raised central region elevates the sight line to a position closer to the equator of the ball. This creates a unique alignment scheme.

As with the other three backs, your specific alignment needs, and what suits your eye, will influence your back selection.

Mizuno has positioned the overall center of gravity towards the front of the putter to make it feel like a blade. Most of the putter’s weight will be in the forged and milled carbon steel front section.

About the new “Z” in the name

The “Z” at the end of the Mizuno M.Craft X Z is there because the new front section is a zero-torque design. Mizuno reversed the shaft position on the plumber’s neck hosel creating onset rather than the usual offset.

This new hosel directs the shaft axis at the putter head’s center of gravity. By doing so, the putter now balances torque-free around the center of gravity.

Other companies have used similar hosels to eliminate torque but it seemed unlikely that this design could eliminate the torque for all five of the back options.

The zero-torque trick is the modular construction. Most of the weight, and the center of gravity, is located in the forward section of the putter. The shaft axis enters the head approximately between the sole weights.

Does swapping the rear section influence the CG location and the torque?

All five of the M.Craft X back sections have the same center of gravity location. This means that if you swap the rear sections, it will not influence the torque.

Although the shapes of the M.Craft X Z2 and the M.Craft X Z3 are dramatically different, both have the same toe hang profile. Because they are balanced at the CG, both will balance at any toe position when rotated.

Getting all five rear pieces to be truly interchangeable and maintaining the zero-torque profile is a nifty piece of engineering.

Are these more for the fitter or the tinkerer?

Initially, I thought Mizuno made the M.Craft X line for those of us who like to switch things up with our putters. By making the putters modular, changing things up because you’ve “figured it out” can be accomplished by removing just two weights.

I can see myself swapping through multiple permutations after a particularly poor round of putting.

As a bonus, the cost for the components is far less than the cost of twenty putters. You mean that I can save money and still tinker? Sign me up.

The more I think about it, the more I don’t think Mizuno had tinkerers like me in mind when they designed the M.Craft X line.

I hate to admit it but the true benefit may be for the “one and done” putter builders.

My guess is that Mizuno figured out that the modular nature of the M.Craft X line makes it an outstanding putter fitting system. Shops with a set of M.Craft X components can work with customers to figure out the best front and rear component configuration for that player.

The fitter can rapidly swap the putter elements in and out, allowing the customer to see what actually makes a difference. When they finish trying all the options, the customer knows the putter they are buying is the right one.

It’s a good plan and everybody in the process wins. Mizuno gets 20 putter models without making 20 putter models. The shop can fit the whole option range without having 20 putters in stock. Finally, the customer leaves with the best-fitting putter.

If they want to come to the dark side and swap in a new back section, those can be purchased a la carte from Mizuno for $150.

Find out more about the M.Craft X line and the new M.Craft XZ model at USA.Mizuno.com.