Justin Rose leaving Honma ???

[PT1911]

Correct, I don’t believe so either. But why stay with the bag and hat? Unless that truly is the only requirement on the contract?

[gsrjc]

No idea. Perhaps he has something in his contract that says if he isn’t playing well than he can use any clubs he wants. He didn’t that much better with his old TM irons today either.

[Natural1]

This has to be the strangest equipment contract "story" I can remember. It's just nuts.

[MCoz]

Actually the TM clubs weren't exactly his old irons. Similar heads for many of them but different shafts. The metal woods were all different.

[gsrjc]

Good point on irons.

[madeintheshade]

With the tour shut down for at least a month, who knows when we will get an answer on what happened if ever...

[Skipperation]

If it's a Honma issue, why has he swapped his TM 5 wood out for a Cobra one?

[Titletown]

uhh what?

[Skipperation]

Check out post #207 on page 7 of the thread.

[GoGoErky]

He’s only under contract for 10 clubs with honma. Maybe he like what the cobra offered at the players setup

[Titletown]

What does swapping a TM club for a Cobra club have to do with Honma? It's pretty clear he's done with Honma.

[Skipperation]

It signals that it isn't just the Honma clubs that he is unhappy with (if that's why he's dropped them), he is clearly just generally unhappy with his game and blaming his clubs/searching for something. He has used TM M6 fairway woods for a long time and it seems like more than just a coincidence that he has swapped one at the same time as all the Honma kit. If it was only a Honma issue I would have thought he wouldn't be wasting his time testing new fairway woods which he's been able to do for ages since his Honma deal was only 10 clubs. Is the M6 fairway wood to blame for his poor form too?

 

I'm not suggesting he isn't splitting with Honma, but suggesting it's a case of Rose generally blaming all of his clubs, not only the Honma ones.

[GoGoErky]

The thing is nobody knows if it’s the clubs or some other situation that’s led to the possible spilt. He’s won and played well with the honma clubs so if he’s not happy with the current models he could go back to the irons he won his first tournament with when they went in the bag.

 

[Skipperation]

I agree, I'm just responding to the many posts suggesting he's blaming the Honma clubs for his drop in form. If that's his reason for leaving, it's clearly just an excuse as he's messing around with the other clubs he already had flexibility on too.

I'm guessing that if there is a full split it's either coming from both sides following Mark King leaving OR lack of support for Rose week to week out on tour OR the new CEO doesn't think the deal is a good investment for Honma and is pulling it.

 

 

[KevinKegman]

With the tour shut down I wonder what everyone will be playing when they resume. Good time to switch things up.

[tcgolfer00]

Is he placing the blame of his recent slump on the equipment?

[Big Ben]

I’m just not buying the equipment arguments. Business issues or contract issues would sound far more likely.

[Holy Moses]

As another poster said, was Honma about to go under but a new investor was found before an announcement was made resulting in Rose staying with them in some capacity?

[MattM97]

Definitely a good time to test a lot of things without being seen by anyone.

[Thayneil]

Honma seems to have hundredds of sets available from Ali Express

Made in China but genuine i heard ,one model made in China that didnt sell well in Japan.

Maybe these are selling so well,folk just not buying the Japan version

[mizunoMP14]

Does Homna even have an equipment truck at events? Rose is the only one playing their stuff. Maybe he wanted irons with other shafts and just used what his old set or had taylomade make him s set since he was used to them.

[SUMM1T]

From what I have heard, no, they don't have a truck out on tour. I highly doubt that he waited until it was too late for Honma to build a set at headquarters and get it to him overnight. At the end of the day, all we are seeing right now is a pro searching. I'm fortunate enough to know a lot of people who have had a lot of experience with PGA Tour players. The one thing almost all of them have in common is their "ability" (put in quotations, because it can be seen as a flaw) to not allow themselves to be the reason for any issues or fall backs. They are a different breed, they fire coaches after winning, they change clubs after being #1 in the world. They have the mindset that they are never to blame for anything, it's always something else. I've heard stories of Jack Nicklaus telling people he never three putted, which he obviously did. He would say he hit the perfect putt, but a bump on the green or something caused the perfect putt to miss. Obviously some players are worse than others, but when a player struggles they are pointing the finger at things besides themselves. Rose is searching, and trying to get back to what he knows. I heard rumors Rose flew 5-7 coaches in at the same time and gave them each 2-3 hour slots to show him they were the right fit for him.

[bsuwara]

i seem to remember reading somewhere that Bernhardt Langer would punish his putter for misbehaving by leaving it to soak overnight in a barrel of water ...

[BigD]

I have to try this. It obviously listened. Lol.

[pga43]

While Honma doesn't have a truck out on tour, there are 2 independents repair trucks and Justin has all his work done on Scott E G's truck, so never any issue about getting whatever work he needs done to his clubs.

 

Greg

[GoIrish17]

Do they take online applications? Or just walk up and knock on the door?

[pga43]

Neither, players just walk in.

 

Greg

[GoIrish17]

I mean for me to apply for a job, haha

[JungleJimbo]

Greg: Thanks for info... For PGA players using these independent trucks = On a pay-per-use basis, or comp’d ie covered by sponsors? I note Scott EG mentioned sponsors eg KBS and Cool Clubs.

instagram (2020-02-26 with Justin Rose ?):

More info: http://www.golfwrx.com/506626/living-the-dream-meet-scott-e-g-owner-of-an-independent-tour-truck-on-the-pga-tour/

 

[pga43]

Players don't pay

 

Greg