What do you guys think about Honma

[joey3108]

USED to be good in the old days, now a days only cater to old people who are crazy enough to buy it for status IMO.

Joe

[matthewsiv]

They make good looking woods and irons.

Hybrids are terrible and far too much gold on the clubs.

I am done with them.

I cannot stand all the gold.

[Fonka]

Forget honma. Get majesty

[Jim_SoCal]

I play a set of Honma LB 280 irons with the 4 star titanium carbon shafts. They are older but I find them to be about 1/2 club longer than my R7s and other clubs. I bought them for the feel rather than status as I picked up a single 9 iron to add to my bag and decided it was better and more accurate than anything else I had played.. That turned out to be an expensive garage sale find since I bought a set used after trying the 4 iron with the same result.

[ali_g]

The LB280 is a great, great club. One of my top 5 designs..The older models are softer but ding up easily. The newer models are much harder and are poorer for it IMO. Thin topline, wide sole (hidden nicely), hits a mile (strong lofts!) and great feel...

They have always been a popular gift for bigwigs - as the perception of cost is pretty much well known. Their Star ratings for their shafts are a 'price tag' for the gift recipients...Basically it goes up US$300-500 per star until you get a 5-star driver at US$ 4000+ and per iron US$ 2500 (yes, per iron!)....BUT they will often discount a lot (up to 70%) when new models come out...you don't buy Honma, you get given Honmas here...

The amount of government officials with Honmas is still very high...*sigh*

[Ozsouthpaw]

Gamed my cl708 professionals last weekend . My satisfying round for a long time . Think I will leave them in bag.
What modern blade plays close to these?

[Fonka]

Anyone have info on mutsumi honma?

[Fang66]

[quote name='Ozsouthpaw' timestamp='1320139686' post='3745457']
Gamed my cl708 professionals last weekend . My satisfying round for a long time . Think I will leave them in bag.
What modern blade plays close to these?
[/quote]



I've got a 3 and 4 iron in the slightly newer CL-708 GD beautiful clubs and hoping to pick up a full set for cheap.

[kevina]

my dad's been playin with honma drivers for a while and he bought me the honma athport 10.5 for christmas
pretty nice in terms of feel and look, dunno if i would've chosen it over titleist or mizuno tho

[Honman]

I had a set of tour athlete blades which were great. My friend uses a twin marks three wood he knocks the snot out of. These are probably 7 year old modes now, but i like the look of the new beres pro irons.

[JapanOnly]

My uncle gave me a Homna persimmon 3 wood when I was a kid. Loved it. That said, Homna are known to be older guy's clubs.[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]

[myspinonit]

I was at the range today and the fellow beside me hit the loudest driver I've ever heard. His club was like a gunshot to my eardrum on the side closest to him.

And I hit the R11s which itself can be disquieting from sound as I've read in reviews.

I pleasantly (I hope) remarked on the sound. He showed me it was a Honma driver- (I didn't note what model) -he said it was from Japan. He hit it well but not crazy long if that makes much difference to the decibels. Also had a Taylormade driver in his bag I think.

Interesting to me- I offered to let him hit one of my Muira PP 9003 irons ( he did) but clearly the brand had no recognition to him.

[Rtallud]

I tried beres irons...They go sooo far, and feel forged for a cavity back? Kinda weird actually.

[Jack Pearsall]

The name in the iron bounce looks cool.

[just123123]

I've played so many iron sets over the year's. Started like most with the cheap sets and when I became hooked and decided to take the game more seriously I got fitted and have been fitted ever since. Do not waste money buying clubs....GET FITTED....it's truly and literally a game changer.

Most memorable:
1995 first fitted set: - Ping Zings
2006- Mizuno MP32
2008- KZG
2009- Callaway X-Forged
2010-Mizuno MP68

I just prchased a set of Honma CL-708's, SOFTEST, PUREST, SOLID, MOST CONSISTENT irons I've ever played. I fell in love with these irons after "first contact". There is something different about these irons. The ball just feels unbelievable coming off the club. Not just buttery but solid buttery. They're just different somehow, just amazing! Oh yeah, just an amazing look too. They really look like player's clubs.

[Ozsouthpaw]

[quote name='just123123' timestamp='1337432458' post='4941790']
I've played so many iron sets over the year's. Started like most with the cheap sets and when I became hooked and decided to take the game more seriously I got fitted and have been fitted ever since. Do not waste money buying clubs....GET FITTED....it's truly and literally a game changer.

Most memorable:
1995 first fitted set: - Ping Zings
2006- Mizuno MP32
2008- KZG
2009- Callaway X-Forged
2010-Mizuno MP68

I just prchased a set of Honma CL-708's, SOFTEST, PUREST, SOLID, MOST CONSISTENT irons I've ever played. I fell in love with these irons after "first contact". There is something different about these irons. The ball just feels unbelievable coming off the club. Not just buttery but solid buttery. They're just different somehow, just amazing! Oh yeah, just an amazing look too. They really look like player's clubs.
[/quote]
I totally agree on both counts . Getting fitted and the CL 708,s
I took the 708,s out of the bag in january and packed them away as I decided I should be playing modern clubs. Have lost 3 strokes in process and not enjoying .Even resorted to my hogans . Your comments come along and I get the brillient idea to put the 708,s back in the bag for tomorrows comp.
Hell if they give me back my mojo I might have to keep out of the pro shop and pack my other clubs away . Thanks for the reminder of what I have in the garage.

[nomore3putts]

A while back, I picked up an used Honma iron set 5-PW from Roger Dunn for about $35. It was fairly banged up old set of irons, KPM220P. They were reshafted with steel shafts. For a blade like looking clubs, they were surprisingly forgiving and soft feeling. I was able to make some profit on it and moved on to different iron sets. I also tried out my playing partner's Honma driver, I forget what model it was but I remember the feeling of the ball jumping off the face. It had very soft feel to it and seemed to work fine with my mediocre 90mph swing speed. I do think they're overpriced and mostly for show but older Honma clubs do work for seniors and people with slower swing speed.

[Norboo]

I hit them last year at demo day. They are some amazing clubs but couldn’t justify the cost. I play with Honma putter (my holy grail) I bought back in 1989. Never once I entertained the thought of changing my putter.

[customgolfer]

Not a fan so many better Japanese manufactures: Miura, EPON, Yonex, Royal Collection, Mizuno etc......

[rad888]

[quote name='customgolfer' timestamp='1338162588' post='4986688']
Not a fan so many better Japanese manufactures: Miura, EPON, Yonex, Royal Collection, Mizuno etc......
[/quote]

Agree, Honma suck and look terrible. My sister plays Honma blades (a gift) and they have a horrible gold medallion on the back of each head.

Maybe they should target the hip hop market? Busta Dogg can roll around in his Bentley arnage with a Honma bag hanging out the back!

[johnny888]

Homna for oldddieess

[johnny888]

Homna for oldddieess

[Swisstrader98]

Once more with feeling!

[Winetemplar]

While I can't verify the accuracy of the following information, I understand that Honma was sold by their former owners to a Chinese owner. It appears that the prior owner went on to found a new Japanese brand. It would be interesting to find out which.

I can't comment on Honma other than hear say (my wife plays 'em). I do own a set of clubs that came out of a factory that claims having manufactured key Honma components ie. heads etc. From what I understand, it's all in the shafts anyway and those have always been manufactured in Japan.

[Vegaman]

I recently picked up a Honma Athport driver, the athlete model with a deep face, Honma ARMQR stiff shaft, 65 grams. It's in my bag now, very straight with a flattish ball flight even at 10 degrees. I swing around 108-110 up to 114 if i really step on it. And this stiff shaft holds up well. Finish and craftsmanship is top class, and this is the more lower budget brand Honma has, Beres being the top line clubs. Anybody that says Honma is only for oldies is clueless, and have probably never hit a Honma club. Go get a Honma Beres TW914 driver and tell me it's a typical octogenarian club, that's just BS. Honma has different series for different player profiles. It's just that people get so caught up in the blingy stuff they offer, they don't even consider the more "pro" style high swing speed player stuff they also have. Also, Honma has offered custom colour club heads for many years now, something the OEMs are waking up to right now, as if something revolutionary is going on. A friend of mine picked up a used custom ordered baby blue metallic 914 driver a while ago, way cool. Also the "perfect switch" adjustable club tech poo poos on other adjustable clubs, it's the only club where you dont have to turn the shaft over when you adjust the club.

[Vegaman]

[quote name='Ozsouthpaw' timestamp='1337507285' post='4945118']
[quote name='just123123' timestamp='1337432458' post='4941790']
I've played so many iron sets over the year's. Started like most with the cheap sets and when I became hooked and decided to take the game more seriously I got fitted and have been fitted ever since. Do not waste money buying clubs....GET FITTED....it's truly and literally a game changer.

Most memorable:
1995 first fitted set: - Ping Zings
2006- Mizuno MP32
2008- KZG
2009- Callaway X-Forged
2010-Mizuno MP68

I just prchased a set of Honma CL-708's, SOFTEST, PUREST, SOLID, MOST CONSISTENT irons I've ever played. I fell in love with these irons after "first contact". There is something different about these irons. The ball just feels unbelievable coming off the club. Not just buttery but solid buttery. They're just different somehow, just amazing! Oh yeah, just an amazing look too. They really look like player's clubs.
[/quote]
I totally agree on both counts . Getting fitted and the CL 708,s
I took the 708,s out of the bag in january and packed them away as I decided I should be playing modern clubs. Have lost 3 strokes in process and not enjoying .Even resorted to my hogans . Your comments come along and I get the brillient idea to put the 708,s back in the bag for tomorrows comp.
Hell if they give me back my mojo I might have to keep out of the pro shop and pack my other clubs away . Thanks for the reminder of what I have in the garage.
[/quote]

This is interesting, I jsut saw a set of CL708s for almost no money in excellent condition with the S-2 shafts...Had a look at them, thought they looked amazing, but thought they were "yesterdays" tech...Might go back to pick that set up, it was only something like a 100 dollars for the whole set.

[Scuderia]

certainly not like they used to be. Post bankruptcy, they product started getting flashier and cheezy looking! Gone are the days of the lb series!

[Vegaman]

[quote name='Scuderia' timestamp='1358551458' post='6256165']
certainly not like they used to be. Post bankruptcy, they product started getting flashier and cheezy looking! Gone are the days of the lb series!
[/quote]

Is the TW series pre or post bankruptcy?

[Winetemplar]

Bankruptcy. This keyword reveals a lot of info...

[Andrew E. Barron]

Funny, my normal weekend warrior golf bud plays Honma/Berees. He's only about 30..so, so much for the over 50 crowd. His set isn't gold or anything although he did get a fitting for them and they are custom for him. He hits his drives pure and centered up so the sound is solid and he get a good draw, but I out drive him by 10 yards with my Ping 3W every tee. His irons looks nice but his ball flight is low trajectory if you ask me. I swing his driver today and it wasn't anything more than I've seen with anything else. The Japanese here definitely look at some things with status. Cars, clubs, and I'm sure so many other things. Doesn't mean everything though. When you got quid to burn, why not?