Vegaman

Looked like too much spin was The most common problem here? Also when the image follows the ball like that it looks like every shot goes sky high!

I bought the Athport on a whim, because it looked great, was more or less in new condition and for not much coin. A good catch!

When you think about it, Honma is about the only real golf equipment manufacturer there is, making more or less everything in-house and in Japan. casting process, shaft manufacturing..Of course the forged stuff must be outsourced to Endo I guess. But otherwise, for their signature stuff (proprietary casting, shaft rolling) they do it all themselves? What other brand can really claim that? Are there any? I sometimes feel Honma does not get the respect they deserve. By the way, just for fun I recently picked up a Athport Athlete model driver with the original stiff shaft and it holds up very well to my swing. I'm actually bagging it at the moment, was very pleasantly surprised by it, hitting some really good carry bombs with it. And this is the widely ridiculed Athport stuff, that people sort of think is low budget crap. It's still made right there in Sakata, has a deep face, a really good shaft, and truly excellent finish..Finish-wise it's totally flawless to my eyes, I was half expecting masking mistakes etc etc after reading some stuff on the web.

Why not get a softer flex rather than softstepping?

No no, thats the RBZ...ha ha

These are pretty rare too

I'll take the head if you want the Shaft!

I played the LY-02 in X flex (8.2) it cpm's out to 280...I'm for sure a hitter more than a swinger but I thought this shaft felt very stout while just waggling it. Strangely though, it felt much less stiff during the swing, kinda like it comes "alive" during the swing. Had no problem loading it at all. I think it's the light weight that plays a large part in this. With these super light shafts, even very stiff feels managable and "loadable". The light weight also makes the head a larger part of the clubs total weight, meaning (I thnk) a flexier feel. With your SS I'd say stiff is pretty much spot on? Especially if you are looking for a not so high ball flight. The softer shafts will add spin, maybe too much of it. If the Crazy is going in the Yamaha, I'd say it's perfect, since the Yamaha is 10 degrees. A softer shaft at your SS would probably mean a 9 degree head to keep the spin down.

From what I have seen their most premium iron heads, and the more simple classic designs are forged in Japan, and the others are made in China. Especially the cast stuff.

The price increase probably comes from those weight ports? costly to make I would guess..

Didnt even know people were supposed to be able to adjust the Kamui pro heads themselves? Thought it was factory only work? Or maybe that goes for the tp-07 and the kp-x is adjustable?

Seems they get most of their business from doing clubs for other brands, their marketing seems non-existent. Maybe they are content with making some really high quality stuff and then sell however much they sell?

Yeah, I noticed the price wnt up to the "expected" level now

Around 1000 dollars MSRP.

So, these two drivers are obviously the same but with different branding. The GT-450 looks like it has a darker face than the Crazy version though? The GT is nicely priced in the pro shop compared to ones I've seen here in Thailand, would the Crazy version be similarly priced if it hit the TSG pro shop?

What i mean is that you are going for a driver that is 44.75 and sets up square and the whole thing with the Premia is that it comes standard fitted with a longer (46.5) shaft and a hook face. So, the V-spec or maybe the standard D-1 with higher loft then.

The Premia is basically just fitted with a longer shaft than the other Ryomas, plus it has a hooked face. It sounds like you should go for the V-spec and not the Premia

Yeah,, good looking stuff. Maybe a bit too shiny?

I can check how much shipping to the UK would run for the head if you are interested. Head only.

I have the 210, but im in Thailand so shipping might be a bit pricey..

They have released some pretty special stuff too recently of course, the non conforming 470 driver for example, and the Personals of course, as well as the AF103. Maybe they are throwing this stuff out there while regrouping and getting a new designer? And since prices are still high I can't see how these will translate into higher sales internationally?

Not exactly in line with Epons "cutting edge" reputation.

The TW 904 irons are Japan forged, the latest models might all be cast though. But the 904s are still current.

Yeah, pretty sure. Tario can fill in maybe? I'm also pretty sure the Beres Pro II and ip are cast..

Honma is known for their casting process, the models they offer that are forged are done at Endo if I remember correctly.