What do you guys think about Honma

My pops just got a set of Honma Beres Irons and he claims they are the best irons out. I don't much about them except their gear is hella expensive and I see old folks always playing them. I'd put my MP-68's against pretty much anything out there, but when the Honma price tag is double the price of my Mizuno's...

Overpriced clubs that are meant for old folks who can afford it. My dad was the same way, always bought Honma, S-Yard, Majesty, etc clubs but says it's not worth it anymore. He hits just as well with his G15 irons and D2 driver. It's more for status, esp with the Koreans.

Nice set of irons btw, got the same setup.

Thanks. I get the status thing, kind of. It just sounds stupid to buy these incredibly expensive, and ugly clubs. And what is about Honma that they can charge that much and people will buy it up if they're not any good.

[quote name='KPH808' timestamp='1315097845' post='3540122']
Overpriced clubs that are meant for old folks who can afford it. My dad was the same way, always bought Honma, S-Yard, Majesty, etc clubs but says it's not worth it anymore. He hits just as well with his G15 irons and D2 driver. It's more for status, esp with the Koreans.

Nice set of irons btw, got the same setup.
[/quote]

Haha. nice set up! irons and wedges are what's up.

[quote name='seoulbrother' timestamp='1315098708' post='3540155']
Thanks. I get the status thing, kind of. It just sounds stupid to buy these incredibly expensive, and ugly clubs. And what is about Honma that they can charge that much and people will buy it up if they're not any good.
[/quote]


Some of the Honmas have gold looking medallions or accents , it's not always paint, some of their most expensive lines have real gold. Back in the persimmon days the face screws were solid gold. Also heard of shafts that had real gold threads in them.

[quote name='seoulbrother' timestamp='1315097426' post='3540108']
My pops just got a set of Honma Beres Irons and he claims they are the best irons out. I don't much about them except their gear is hella expensive and I see old folks always playing them. I'd put my MP-68's against pretty much anything out there, but when the Honma price tag is double the price of my Mizuno's...
[/quote]

My uncle has a set of Honma irons and I did try hitting them on the range. For me, I didn't feel anything special in terms of forgiveness and feel. The major difference is the price, the set costs about $2,500.

[quote name='seoulbrother' timestamp='1315097426' post='3540108']
My pops just got a set of Honma Beres Irons and he claims they are the best irons out. I don't much about them except their gear is hella expensive and I see old folks always playing them. I'd put my MP-68's against pretty much anything out there, but when the Honma price tag is double the price of my Mizuno's...
[/quote]

It is as much perception as it is reality.

They are made with better materials than many clubs - but how that actually translates into "better play" - I'm not sure....????? You can still hit a bad shot with them; and when you pure it angels and beautiful music do NOT start playing.


FYI - your awesome Mizunos (and I agree that they are) are seen as the equivalent as Wilson to a vast majority of the Japanese golfing world (plain)...but we Americans love them.

[quote name='seoulbrother' timestamp='1315097426' post='3540108']
My pops just got a set of Honma Beres Irons and he claims they are the best irons out. I don't much about them except their gear is hella expensive and I see old folks always playing them. I'd put my MP-68's against pretty much anything out there, but when the Honma price tag is double the price of my Mizuno's...
[/quote]

Honma clubs are made from the best materials available, but they are truly geared towards the 50 y.o.+ market. They are non-conforming and the ball really flies off the face. The exotic materials used in the shafts alone justifies the $3000+ price tag for Honma clubs.

Stick with your Mizunos, the Honmas will mess up your game because they are too soft, in every respect!

As others have said, they are mainly vanity clubs for corporate big wigs and retirees.

Put it this way, i use Epons and i think Honma are silly and overpriced.

[quote name='Emthree' timestamp='1316141487' post='3567469']

Put it this way, i use Epons and i think Honma are silly and overpriced.
[/quote]

What he said.

They are total game improvement irons, real players would hate them. Thick topline, massive offset, oversize. Everything I despise in a club.

Well don`t know much about current offerings but I have a set of well cared for CL 708 professional irons by Hiro Honma circa 1986 with boron shafts and they are absolutely fantastic

They match current offerngs for feel and playability with one exception


NO BOUNCE and sharp leading edge , Hit behind the ball on a tight lie and you dig a crater .
I use them for practice to sharpen up iron game . Hogan apex are my gaming clubs

Let your pops enjoy them! My father in law who happens to be Korean and sadly passed away recently was passionate about his honma irons and woods...very into 5 star vs 4 star and a driver that alone cost more than my entire bag. Loved his golf more than most and loved new honma gear.

For many Asians, Honmas are right up there with Hermes, Prada, Chanel, MB and other status symbols. He also had a golf bag that I thought was silly and rather ugly that was made I think by a company some years ago called Woods and Irons (??) that was over $1000 and was all about status vs being a functional bag.

All that being said, the old man kicked my @ss on a regular basis with those clubs and very often outdrove my brother in law and I!

status is always elusive...we all crave it, whether we recognize it or not, it informs our decisions all the time...

so, a Mizuno guy might not be so keen for some Ping GI monstrosity, but when he hits a mx300, he's all "wow, this is awesome"...

lines in the sand...

when i think of honma, two things comes to mind:

- too much money
- korean

Honma Beres irons aren't that expensive. [url="http://www.easybuygolf.co.uk/19-Honma-Beres-MG803-Irons.html"]http://www.easybuygolf.co.uk/19-Honma-Beres-MG803-Irons.html[/url]
Honma does have a reputation for producing exclusive sets with precious metal adornments though - obviously only affordable to the well-heeled. This in turn gives the illusion of cost to quality to performance nonsense that the foolhardy bling golfer usually employs to impress the guys at his local club. I expect a few sets probably have Matrix Program shafts in them too in order to maintain the illusion.

I understand they are geared towards 50+ year olds but why is it that the Japanese don't really buy Honma? The last I checked it was a Japanese brand.

[quote name='jaskanski' timestamp='1316629810' post='3580344']
Honma Beres irons aren't that expensive. [url="http://www.easybuygolf.co.uk/19-Honma-Beres-MG803-Irons.html"]http://www.easybuygo...G803-Irons.html[/url]
Honma does have a reputation for producing exclusive sets with precious metal adornments though - obviously only affordable to the well-heeled. This in turn gives the illusion of cost to quality to performance nonsense that the foolhardy bling golfer usually employs to impress the guys at his local club. I expect a few sets probably have Matrix Program shafts in them too in order to maintain the illusion.
[/quote]


That website you linked sells fakes. If you don't believe me, check the Deal or no Deal forum, there is a consolidated list of well-know fakes - you will find many similarities.

The Honma brand made its mark during the economic "bubble" in Japan in the 1980s. They forged soft irons, made good quality persimmon woods and started using graphite shafts early on. They looked good and the brand cultivated the image of master craftsmen hand building these clubs. Demand soared and a round of golf was about $400 on weekends in Japan at the time as money flowed as it does in all bubbles, and Honma charged premium prices. They never spent much on developing new designs and continued to milk the old fashioned woods and muscle back irons as long as possible. They looked great, but Callaway and others were booming as cavity backs and metal woods exploded in the market.

The bubble collapsed and a TV show in Japan showed that the clubs weren't being built by craftsmen anymore - little old ladies and anyone off the street were throwing the clubs together at the factory as fast as they could could keep up with demand. They eventually went bankrupt.

The Honma-Beres brand today is not very popular anymore in Japan and struggles to stay afloat. The product and image just can't compare with the Srixon, Bridgestone and Mizuno brands of today. There is no model that stands out to exploit the brand. They show up at demo days at driving ranges, but very few people want to try out the clubs. I think they're stuck in a rut because better players don't play them and higher handicap players are influenced by that.

Aside from the status clubs Honma Beres produce they still produce quality conforming players clubs including forged cavity blades eg TW904,s . Last years number one golfer on the One Asian Tour used Honma as do quite a number of asian golfers . Understood they are very popular in Korea and China esp. but as the previous post said they cannot compete with the Major coys.


Mizuno also produce very expensive Gold inlay clubs and bags etc.for the asian market (grand monarchs) which to me are as ugly as hell ,but each to their own I guess

[quote name='Emthree' timestamp='1316642820' post='3580807']
[quote name='jaskanski' timestamp='1316629810' post='3580344']
Honma Beres irons aren't that expensive. [url="http://www.easybuygolf.co.uk/19-Honma-Beres-MG803-Irons.html"]http://www.easybuygo...G803-Irons.html[/url]
Honma does have a reputation for producing exclusive sets with precious metal adornments though - obviously only affordable to the well-heeled. This in turn gives the illusion of cost to quality to performance nonsense that the foolhardy bling golfer usually employs to impress the guys at his local club. I expect a few sets probably have Matrix Program shafts in them too in order to maintain the illusion.
[/quote]


That website you linked sells fakes. If you don't believe me, check the Deal or no Deal forum, there is a consolidated list of well-know fakes - you will find many similarities.
[/quote]

*sigh* tongue-in-cheek fail. Sarcasm sure doesn't travel.

thread is about Honma, but going to have to disagree with Mizuno statement, unless you are comparing Mizuno to Wilson's good ole days decades back

[quote name='ChipDriver' timestamp='1315132741' post='3540729']
[quote name='seoulbrother' timestamp='1315097426' post='3540108']
My pops just got a set of Honma Beres Irons and he claims they are the best irons out. I don't much about them except their gear is hella expensive and I see old folks always playing them. I'd put my MP-68's against pretty much anything out there, but when the Honma price tag is double the price of my Mizuno's...
[/quote]

It is as much perception as it is reality.

They are made with better materials than many clubs - but how that actually translates into "better play" - I'm not sure....????? You can still hit a bad shot with them; and when you pure it angels and beautiful music do NOT start playing.


FYI - your awesome Mizunos (and I agree that they are) are seen as the equivalent as Wilson to a vast majority of the Japanese golfing world (plain)...but we Americans love them.
[/quote]

Well, Honma had a demo day at a range near me and I decided to hit some clubs after seeing this thread. I hit [url="http://www.honmagolf.co.jp/item/shaft_armrq6_e.php?lang=en#lineup"] this shaft (ARMRQ6 62 - Stiff - 45.5")[/url] in [url="http://www.honmagolf.co.jp/item/beres.php?lang=jp&id=202&kind=1&brand=10&l_menu=30"] this [/url] head (9°) and was shocked.

[attachment=865541:honma9_24.jpg]

I knocked every ball on a string 30-40 yards past my TalyorMade and Srixon drivers. Shocking club. No wonder it costs so much...

[quote name='umaynome' timestamp='1317100651' post='3593764']
Well, Honma had a demo day at a range near me and I decided to hit some clubs after seeing this thread. I hit [url="http://www.honmagolf.co.jp/item/shaft_armrq6_e.php?lang=en#lineup"] this shaft (ARMRQ6 62 - Stiff - 45.5")[/url] in [url="http://www.honmagolf.co.jp/item/beres.php?lang=jp&id=202&kind=1&brand=10&l_menu=30"] this [/url] head (9°) and was shocked.

[attachment=865541:honma9_24.jpg]

I knocked every ball on a string 30-40 yards past my TalyorMade and Srixon drivers. Shocking club. No wonder it costs so much...
[/quote]

How much? What I would pay for an extra 30-40 yards

I had the Beres 801s and I thought that was a great iron. The later 800 series to me are awful. Just too much game improvement for a "Pro" model and the finish tears up in the bag from the clubs touching.

[quote name='golfsmygame' timestamp='1316484150' post='3575865']
They are total game improvement irons, real players would hate them. Thick topline, massive offset, oversize. Everything I despise in a club.
[/quote]

I have a set of CL708 Professionals which knocked my beloved MP33's out of my bag. And I bought a second set. They look great at address, thin topline, less offset than the Mizunos, and same sized head. So I don't despise them at all. I used them to win best gross at this year's club championship. So I don't despise them at all. Guess I'm not a real player.

[quote name='kona' timestamp='1317483479' post='3611553']
[quote name='golfsmygame' timestamp='1316484150' post='3575865']
They are total game improvement irons, real players would hate them. Thick topline, massive offset, oversize. Everything I despise in a club.
[/quote]

I have a set of CL708 Professionals which knocked my beloved MP33's out of my bag. And I bought a second set. They look great at address, thin topline, less offset than the Mizunos, and same sized head. So I don't despise them at all. I used them to win best gross at this year's club championship. So I don't despise them at all. Guess I'm not a real player.
[/quote]


Yeah, those look nice. I have only seen the bulky expensive series and that is what I was referring to, I would hit those blades.

CL 708's?? Wow, those are almost antiques. What are they re-shafted with? That's like playing with a set of old Tourneys or Wilson Staff FG-17s.

The older honmas were very nice. LB280 days. Now everything is overpriced and quality wise, not the same as it once used to be.

Bought these yesterday 980 yen for the both of them. Took them to the range today and I have to say they are a couple of the nicest clubs I've ever hit best buy I've made in years.

Sorry about the cellphone pics.