I was informed by Epon about this driver a while back. Not only it's adjustable, it will play true to its shaft length. Meaning if you have a 46 inch shaft installed it will play like a 46 inch shaft even when measured to be 45 inch. That's thru-bore tech. I should get a hands on next month.

Definitely not recycling the old mold. This P3 is spectacular. This is made for better player seeking for distance and control with signature Epon feel. 7 iron can go easy 190 yards. It's AF 703 in Tour CB form factors.

I'm not in golf biz but I'm so into it that I have my own golf fitting studio. Also I happen to know lots of guys in golf business, distributors and touring pros. That's how I have some insights on some of the topic we are discussing here. 

Mizuno doesn't own a forging factory. It has a forging house in Hiroshima do the forging for them exclusively for Mizuno. The casting version are made in China. That forging factory also do parts of high speed train and cars. Same as Endo forged manufacture medical products (not exclusive to just golf). 

If I recall correctly Honma has its own factory in Sakata, Japan. Mizuno doesn't have its own forged factory but uses a company that manufacture bullet trains exclusively for Mizuno in Hiroshima. 

 

Back in the day, most main stream JDM brands were forged by Endo and advertised as such. When new releases came out back in the day, the first thing you see in advertisement was "forged of S20C by Endo". Now those words are gone. My best guess is all are forged in China same as those USDM Taylormade.

 

endo is not made in Japan. It's made in Endo factory in Thailand, then ship to finish and QC in Japan. 

Most main stream JDM are made in China. 

Tourstage 703 is Endo forged. JDM in the days that were forged by Endo were superior than today's. JDM as a whole (non boutique ones) starting to become like USDM. Feel and finished is quite indistinguishable between two. 

I'm getting pushed away from JDM cuz they are starting to have their products forged in China, not Endo. Qualities wise just not the same anymore. Tourstage VS Bridgestone. Brands that still retain true JDM qualities just to name a few are Mizuno, Miura and Epon. 

Take the Onoff Kuro for instance, it's still considered one of the best JDM. 

Money and cost most of the time affect quality. JDM brand in the past that uses Endo forged were so distinguished from others. 

Epon has a new adjustable driver in the works. Coming out Q4 this year. This will be the game changer for Epon.  

Not sure if stamping more than 1000 times would deteriorate forging quality. It happens to vinyl in which a premium limited vinyl is limited to only 500. More than that sound starts to distort. If so then kudos to Epon for making such a high quality product.

Endo forged is in Thailand. The factory itself is very near to where I live. I believe most JDM brands are now forged in China to cut cost. You can tell how the club feels then and how it is now. Endo's feel can never be replicate. 

It can never be personal. I have nothing to do with Epon. This may very well be that the sources regarding Endo leaving golf biz is false. What I have been told by those that still working with Epon, it's still strong. Their future lineups are very promising as well.

 

I'm not making anything up. It's all speculations and opinion. From how and what Epon is doing right now, it seems they are doing just fine. So to say they are ditching golf biz and closing down their golf forged factory is highly doubtful. 

I'm not saying Epon is the only company that do well. I don't know and don't really care. What I'm saying is they did have some ups and downs, like the departure of Niimi. Second, Kobayashi-design or not I don't know. All I know is their latest offerings is much much better than Kobayashi was head of Epon. AF 105 proves this well. Without Kobayashi as a lead designer, that in itself makes Epon has a new lead team. So Personal produced at 1000 (500 Japan domestic and 500 worldwide) really make this limited line up more valuable. They sell at a lost just to keep the quality supreme.

Of course there's Kobayashi's DNA in Epon line up. It wouldn't be Epon if there isn't. He built Epon. AF 101 is a good driver but AF 105 is far superior. They may look aesthetically similar but perform way way better. The P1 and P2 have nothing in common at all. Personal 3 I can tell when I get to hit it. The new Epon design team is doing a fantastic job here. Nothing wrong tweaking the good old design and make it even better. TM does it too so did Titleist, Scotty putters, Also 1000 produced and breaks even, I don't see anything wrong there either. They did not go cheap by re-naming the old model. Others adopt that scheme as well. Epon is heading toward the better way so let's see how it will do. Time will tell.

The Personal 3 line up is indeed limited to 1000 worldwide. Other series are not, the 703,503,303,tour CB and AF tour. Will they make the first gen Personal again!? Never. Their new line ups the AF 105 is one of the best driver out there. 

I was skeptic about Epon at first. Never like their AF tour or the first gen Zero. Until I have demo the P2. Kobayashi designed was never my thing. His Zero is too unforgiving and short, the P1 was too short and unforgiving. It's a good thing for Epon to have him out. I'm not a die-hard Epon fan. I have many many JDM products but Epon is just unique. To say that Epon uses the "limited" or "prototype" propaganda is very wrong. Their limited line up is truly limited. Again the P3 is indeed sold out from Epon Japan. 

Epon will make more of their limited stuff if they can get 500 order or more, that's not gonna happen though. 

 

 

 

 

They do know. 

I know cuz they have established a new management team. I buy anything I like and that's not exclusively Epon. Their latest offerings are better than Kobayashi was the CEO. Most of their limited products are sold out even before launch, the Personal 3. 

Vegaman, if you live in BKK go to GolfCraft and ask about this issue. They deal directly with Epon Japan not as an authorized dealer.  It should enlighten you. 

It's very interesting. 

Epon is doing very well right now with the new management team. Its product lines are better than ever without Kobayashi. The new P3 is promised to be the next big thing like the SUS316 AND the new adjustable driver with through bore tech is coming out soon (probably the next Zero). Epon is here to stay. 

We do see golf moving to China is affecting JDM in a bad way. Tourstage was better than current Bridgestone. Endo Onoff KURO forged was legend and still sought after. Callaway Legacy line was great too and now we no longer have premium line up for Callaway. List goes on and on.

Golf is kinda a dying or in a recession state right now. Endo forged will and always will be the best. China's made golf are at best mediocre but cheaper to produce. I'm not quite worried about boutique brands as they produce in small batch and sell for more, no advertising and endorsing either. 

With the new management team, I'm pretty certain that Epon/Endo will continue to thrive in golf biz in years to come. Post-Kobayashi team made some of the best Epon golf products. Take new Personal 3 for example, the reservation slot is already full. Probably the fastest sold out limited Epon ever. 

Epon/Endo is a giant in Japan golf industry. If they are struggling, I'd be more worried for the other JDM boutique brand. 

I have asked the guy that deal directly with Epon Japan and Endo factory in Thailand. No one got clue about this exit of golf deal and selling of Epon. 

Epon still has plan for new releases next year and forged at Endo. 

Disclamier advised. This is what I've been told.

I'm not quite surprise at all if big names in golf starting to pull out. That's as long as the company has other sector to attend too. Nike, for example, no longer do golf equipments. Adidas also put TM on sale. Driving ranges in cities are closing down for real estate development. Courses are closing down as well, as most modern gen couldn't find 6 hours to spare for a full round of golf. It's interesting how golf industries will adapt to these changes. 

Like P2 when it debut, looks horrible in pics but gorgeous in the fresh. This so called P3 could be the same case. 

For sale?!? One of the best Gold's mod.

6 hours ago, MahanFan said:

Tour Pros absolute Do Not have their Drivers shaved. In fact, most Tour Issued drivers stay within the 240 - 248 CT range to not even sniff the 257 max and run even a remote risk of their equipment being nonconforming. 

Yes they do. TM drivers are shaved. I know cuz I play with the tour pros and have hit their heads. The shaving is not to make it thinner but to have the face flatten for workability. They are 10000% shaved for the TM driver. Tour custom fit can do it without making it non conform. Very few fitting studio can do this as the yield rates to have a successful shaving without breaking it is low. 

 

if face is not flatten then forgiveness should be fairly the same. The point in shaving for the Tour is to have it flatten. Flattening the face removes gear effect from that head, thus less forgiving.