BEL AIR "Tour Selection" irons...Who makes them ??

[hokietiger]

Hello gang, I need help with the item pictured. I just bought a set of BEL AIR brand "Tour Selection" forged muscle back blade irons..Have not received them yet but wondering WHO manufactures them and the QUALITY opinions??... Appear to be a very nice set of irons...All help is appreciated !!!

Edited January 3, 2021 by hokietiger

[Tzoid]

What makes you suspect these are JDM ?  My 1st impression is that they are older than 15 year and have Non-Conforming grooves so I hope you intend these to 

be for collecting or Non- Tournament irons.   I'll see if I can find the conforming list to validate my statement but Google search get's nothing as you probably know. 

[hokietiger]

Well, it was a simple inquiry from the beginning asking for ANY info possible. And, I'm sure if my game ever gets to the Tournament level, these irons may or may not be used. But, if I were you, it's nothing to lose sleep over.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Do they say "Bel Air" or "BelAir" on the soles? Just curious, because I found a few "BelAir" clubs, but none like the ones you showed. The shaft label might hold a bit of information. I can see it says "BelAir Golf" and "Made in USA", but that *might* just be the shaft itself. What makes you think they are not American (and possibly JDM)?

I found a Japanese company called BelAir Golf that started out in 1980 making bespoke clubs and stuff, but it appears to be defunct as the company website link no longer works, and looking up the address of their plant on Google Maps shows an shuttered shed with no "BelAir" sign. Incidentally, they appear to have put in a patent application in 1997.

The R&A also lists some BelAir clubs on their conforming/Non-conforming clubs website:

https://www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/Equipment/Equipment-Explorer

 

They look to be very nice irons, but I agree with Tzoid's opinion that they're over 15 years old. Not that that matters too much, especially when we're talking about blades. 

[hokietiger]

Thanks for the reply. I've included a photo of a magazine article from years ago that was sent to me by a friend describing the old old "BelAir" company...Nothing on the club soles except numbers... It appears these irons were probably made by this company just prior to 1995 when no further history is available - and no longer in business. 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

16 hours ago, hokietiger said:

Thanks for the reply. I've included a photo of a magazine article from years ago that was sent to me by a friend describing the old old "BelAir" company...Nothing on the club soles except numbers... It appears these irons were probably made by this company just prior to 1995 when no further history is available - and no longer in business. 

 

Interesting read, thanks for posting that. So they made metalwoods that looked like persimmons? I guess they never made it to the UK, because I never heard of any clubs like that at the time.

Asahi Golf are still around (assuming it's the same company), and I think they are behind the MetalFactory brand.

Now, the BelAir company in your advert seemed to have been into investment casting, but your irons are forged, which is interesting. 

[Tzoid]

On 1/3/2021 at 6:37 PM, hokietiger said:

Well, it was a simple inquiry from the beginning asking for ANY info possible. And, I'm sure if my game ever gets to the Tournament level, these irons may or may not be used. But, if I were you, it's nothing to lose sleep over.

I really don't know how to take this response but I'll move on and not spend another second attempting to help get information about your" Simple Inquiry" .  

Edited January 6, 2021 by Tzoid

[hokietiger]

GFY