Honma Irons

[aussiefreddy]

Have any of you hit Honma irons? What do you think of them build quality wise?

A guy wants to sell me a set of Honma PP-737 they have Tour Model stamped on them how much do you think they are worth? They are the full blade model.

 

Thanks!

[MGB]

The older PP-737s were the company's tour head. Build quality used to be superb. They've repositioned themselves by creating more clubs for the 'executive' market. Honma is very highly regarded in Asia. The 737 used to come in R400, S200 or Honma's Hagane steel shafts.

[xxio]

Freddy,

I posted a reply to your post on this topic at BSG. I would just add to that that even though Honma's are not forged. They use a "soft steel" in a 12 step? process that makes them feel better and hold up a tad better than 1030CS clubs.

 

Honma stopped making this line of blades in the mid late 90s opting to focus on CBs. IIRC They went into receivership around 01 and there seemd to be no real innovation. The last two years have been different. They have become more aggressive trying to recapture market share. They even released a blade (Tour World Athlete model) 2 years back. Pretty nice again but retailed at $1,200.

 

Cost is dependent on shaft. They had such a wide range of offerings. The Hagane steel is a very good shaft. Sort of like DG but maybe 10 grams lighter and very good tolerances.

 

Also be careful about headweight. When I used to order my Honma's in the 90's they would be really detailed about SW and length. They would use really heavy heads to achieve the correct SWs in graphite or in shorter length irons. I still remember them calling me from overseas (email was non existent then) asking when I put the requested length was it with grip or without grip on. Such was the attention to detail back then.

[aussiefreddy]

Thanks for the reply guys really appreciate it!

[joey3108]

Let me add a few words here! :D

 

Honma use to be a family company and now is public company.

 

Since the day they turn to public, IMO their quality is way down. However their name in Asia is a status gold club. In Japan Honma is nothing now, basically outside Japan ( in Asia ) is still OK.

 

They use a cast soft steel now and I know their foundry in Taiwan, I wouldn't be surprise if they are now in China.

 

The more star on the shaft, gold plated cavity and platinum emblem will make this club a ridiculous price.

 

I can't hit them anymore, They are ridiculously so light...especially on the swing weight. I saw them at the local golf store here. it looks like they are trying to penetrate the US market w/ US edition honma.

 

Again, it's a STATUS club and IMO the old Honma is a much better club.

 

Just my 2 cents!

 

Joe :vava:

[Qualitydaydream]

Honma golf just recently filed for bankruptcy. :vava:

[xxio]

Honma golf just recently filed for bankruptcy.  :vava:

12270[/snapback]

 

Chris, I read that too..... any chance you can get the 904 Tour World CBs on closeout??? :D

 

Nice to see you here. This seems to be the place that BSG would've been without the squabbling teenagers and the greed. Tour equipment heaven as opposed to your place Import heaven. Too bad my swing is in purgatory right now and so is my wallet. Spending so much $$$ trying to find a replacement driver shaft for the Six. I keep braking them because I keep having to overtip them (usually go S flex tipped 1 1/2") but it is the only shaft I hit well. Light-high kick in a heavy head seems to be the only combo for me. I'm just too hard headed to admit I cannot swing 70 gram driver shafts anymore.

[Big-Wiesy]

My Dad has had 3 set of Honma's over the years that have all been the older models. When I visit him I always use them as my "gamers", the feel on them is superb!! Best feeling irons I have ever hit. The only problem I found was that because they are mainly sold in Asia they are very very light and sometimes short aswell. But if you re-shaft then you are set.

[eafiii]

Does anyone know if Honma's Tour Model blades from back in the 80's were forged or if they were cast like the their other cavity backs of the 90's?

In the 90's they seemed to focus production and marketing on their "Star" system for shafts and the fancy detailing of their cavity backs. That's great for a rich guy who just wants golf clubs to display, but performance minded golfers just want performance features. I guess they didn't want to focus on that niche.

I believe they say that their more recent Tour athlete 925 model is actually forged, so I wondered if perhaps their earlier "Tour model" blades were also forged.

I have heard they have exceptional feel, so I wonder if they were, in fact, cast heads, did they use more copper in the finishing process or some other special production method?

One thing I've noticed about Honma chromed clubs is that even in the 20 year old sets, you rarely see the copper spots worn out on the sweet spot. Is this simply because golfers with Honma blades didn't practice very much or because they had some special finishing process that created a more durable chrome job?

I am intrigued with some of their older blade designs. Very classic styles. The PP-737 blade, which I like looks like it has a cut muscle channel similar to the Mizunos that came out 10-15 years later.

I Wish there was more basic information about materials and production process in their earlier clubheads, not just the "Star" based marketing info on shafts.

Any insight or experiences?

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='aussiefreddy' date='22 June 2005 - 04:59 AM' timestamp='1119437969' post='11126']
Have any of you hit Honma irons? What do you think of them build quality wise?
A guy wants to sell me a set of Honma PP-737 they have Tour Model stamped on them how much do you think they are worth? They are the full blade model.

Thanks!
[/quote]

Back in the 90's I owned a set of Honma irons and woods for awhile; they were very expensive. At the time he was the #1 premiere Japanese OEM iron and wood maker. His line was limited then. Each graphite wood cost $700 and driver was $900 and irons sets were $1500 up. The graphite shafts I had were made in "white" rooms so they could hand lay titanium thread lines from butt to tip. Today, it's my guess his reputation is still at the top, least price wise. Difference is his product line has a greater price range, with his hand made sets costing as much as cars. His iron and wood quality is beyond most OEM's. IMO his irons are very forgiving, and most come with graphite shafts, also top quality. Flex profiles run weak compared to US shafts. He likes using gold an other exotic materials on irons and woods, or at least he did. One thing you can count on, Honma tolerances and quality control historically is far superior to US manufactures.

Make sure they are not copies... as his clubs have been all over the grey market for years.

[Ria Bintan]

I lived in Asia for 3 years. I used to get a kick out of visiting the Honma store in Singapore to see their sets. I remember for sure one model went for $24,000 SGD, which was about $15K US then! There might even have been a set going for $40K Sing. Crazy stuff.

[ilong4u]

Never really understood the price point on these irons... For the same price or lower, I think the Miuras look wayyyy better... Also, I hit a few times with some Honma Beres, but these felt way too clicky for me...

[doof_dizzler]

Top quality. My brother lived in Japan for years and he said his trip to the Honma store was amazing. Their 5-Star sets cost as much as a small car. I had an older one of their drivers, a navy blue Big-LB that was probably ~300CC. For such a small head, it was by far the most forgiving driver of that size that I ever hit. Still regret giving it away!

[Airmick]

Jack Nicholson just paid 75k for a full set. Danny DeVito, and Donald Trump also own the 75k sets. 14k gold and platinum.

[lumberman2462]

[quote name='Airmick' timestamp='1370450823' post='7174864']
Jack Nicholson just paid 75k for a full set. Danny DeVito, and Donald Trump also own the 75k sets. 14k gold and platinum.
[/quote]

Devito & Trump using them does little for me.....but if Nicholson is using them - I think everyone should buy a set.

[Sushiyoshi]

Wow! What a bump! I didnt even realize the OP was started in 2005.

[Puddin]

At that price, they should include a swing coach and caddy!