Tell me what you know about Honma

[profsmitty]

On a whim, I just bought this today

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220562743610

 

What have I bought? Does anybody have any experience with Honma?

[persimmonpal]

I dont know too much about Honma clubs, but I do know that the are a high end maker from Japan, and back in the late 80s and early 90s their persimmons were ver well made and sought after.
In the mid 90s I worked doing club repair for Eddie Kirby, who spent some time playing on the Asian tour, South African, and PGA Tour.. he had several Honma drivers that he had used on tour laying around.. as a fan of Persimmons I always liked them..
He was a great storyteller.. it was awesome to hear his stories from the tour..
He used to say Jay Don Blake was a riot...
Getting off subject here... sorr.. Anway, I shed NO light on our purchase, but it is a nice wood! Hope you hit it well!

[johnalex444]

IMHO - a great way for someone to experience a persimmon club for a low price. You can even use your favorite modern ball with no worries. I also purchased a few Honmas (driver, 3, & 4) this last fall. Loved em. Explodes off the face. Can't wait to continue them in my rotation on various vintage Thursdays this year.

P.S. - search around for the best price. Last fall, a seller had dozens starting at 0.01 with no reserve and free shipping. I think they also had a straw buyer setting the bid around $13.00. Still cheap, cheap, cheap.

[profsmitty]

Actually wanted a 4 wood. Trying to keep my Sunday bag at 12 clubs so I am just carrying 2 woods. I'm carrying the Texan and wanted something between a 3 & 5 which I have. Four seemed perfect and the Honma seemed to be the best I could find. Guess for $40, I can't miss it much.'

[johnalex444]

I suspect you might like it. The softer feel of persimmon with the light weight titanium carbon graphite shaft.

Enjoy.

[belmullet]

Funny you should mention Honma. A few years ago, some general liquidator up in the northeast somewhere started putting Honma persimmons up on Ebay. I bought a whole bunch of them and tried to sell them slowly one at a time. This was one of my only experiences on Ebay where I actually made a few $$. I didn't play with them at that point. I tried to do some research on the company because they had a USA importer who asked me to make sure in my Ebay listing that I didn't imply that these clubs had a warranty. In any case, I think these clubs were made in the early to mid nineties and sat in warehouses in japan while the market for persimmons disappeared. At some point, they were shipped out and apparently sent to liquidators. When they started appearing a second time in large numbers through a different seller on Ebay I bought some more, but there are so many around now I doubt I will be able to sell them them for a profit. I gave some away to my friends for Christmas presents because I am trying to encourage them to join me part of the time for persimmon/blade matches.

Right now, these Honmas are the woods I play regularly. I play the te "Super Big LB" driver and a 4 wood that is just like yours. I love both of them. The driver is beautifully shaped and finished with a nice graphite shaft that makes it easy to swing. The 4 wood works exceptionally well- really as good as the Cleveland launchers that I used to use. It might be a tad shorter, but it makes up for it with being a tad straighter. I am about to bring these woods to a spring break golf outing in the Pinehurst area. I'll send a report when I get back. I am also bringing a re-chromed and re-shafted set of MacGregor Colokrom irons from the 1950s. It should be fun and the first real test of my vintage bag in a "competitive" setting. I doubt I'll play that well, but not because of the clubs- just because I am so rusty after this god-awful winter we have had here in southwestern Virginia.

I think you'll like the Honmas a lot if you try them. I occasionally try steel shafted persimmons from other makers because I feel like I am "cheating" a little using graphite shafts, but I keep going back to these. I may take one and have it re-shafted with a Dynamic Gold SL and see if that reduces my guilt! Enjoy your purchase.
Craig