BELA Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Hi there! I just love this site. I have just registered (I have been visiting the site for some weeks though) so first let me say hello to all you members and guests. I live in Madrid, Spain and here the only Japanese brand that is available (and only in a few stores) is Honma. I have noticed that is not one of the brands that you usually talk about in your posts so Iwas wondering what was your opinion about their products and what was the reason for not mentioning Honma in the forums. Isn´t it widely available in the US or is it just that you don´t like their products? Thanks Bela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zojo Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 just my personal opinion, but I think they are way overpriced. You can get many other "mainstream" brands with more shaft options and stuff for alot cheaper, and most of the time they're better. But thats my opinion, i've never really looked into Honma stuff, but the price tag immediately turned me away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpNrun24 Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Honma is a very reputable brand in Japan, but they cater more towards the older crowd of Japanese golfers. The price tag is quite steep, but the quality is very much on the high end of the spectrum. They make their own shafts, so that is why many of the component golfers out there do not mess with them. The shafts that they make are out of this world as far as technology goes, but like I said they are specifically made for the older, slower swinging golfer. If you ever happen to run across any of their 5 star stuff, give a close inspection and you will marvel at the craftsmanship that goes into those things. I do know that the irons have an ACTUAL gold medal in the back of the heads!!! Great brand IMO, but they make their money with the upper eschelon of people in Asia. S-yard is also one of the most expensive brands that I have seen out there and they focus on the same group that Honma does. Great marketing if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxio Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Google Honma Beres. Also their ARMRQ shafts are absolutely the best shafts techwise. There is a reason why Michelle Wie has it in her Nike 3 wood. They are still on the higher end of the price range. You have to be a real connosiuer to appreciate the quality and craftsmanship. It just that that sort of quality and craftmanship in not usually neede and appreciated in golf clubs. Strange though their putters quality don't seem to match their woods and irons. Scotty has shown people are willing to spend major $$$ on putters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swing981 Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 honma is very very excpensive and not better then other japanese offerings....my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfgolfer Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 There's a set of new-in-the-box TA925s at my local store. They are steel shafted with TTDG. They can be yours for $2,500... The 3-10 iron concept is excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Honma Beres is very solid. I thought Honma was down for the count but after hitting what they have made in Japan for the Beres line I have to admit its better than most of the product in any market. I don't care for the name and hope it grows on me cause I am seriously tempted to try some of their new gear. Honma Beres! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe295 Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 (edited) Nice website! Those TW901 irons are really attractive. I've seen couple of old woods in Nevada Bob's in Madison and was talking to the sales guy about where he got them. Apparently one of their regular's plays a lot of Japanese stuff so every now and then they take a trade from him. At only $2500 for a set of irons how can anyone resist? :tsg_smilie_wink: What do the different grades mean? I couldn't find an explaination which means once again I can't seem to locate things well or it really isn't there. Edited April 2, 2006 by shoe295 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxio Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 Nice website! Those TW901 irons are really attractive. I've seen couple of old woods in Nevada Bob's in Madison and was talking to the sales guy about where he got them. Apparently one of their regular's plays a lot of Japanese stuff so every now and then they take a trade from him. At only $2500 for a set of irons how can anyone resist? :tsg_smilie_wink: What do the different grades mean? I couldn't find an explaination which means once again I can't seem to locate things well or it really isn't there. They used to be graded according to "stars" on the shafts. The more number of stars meant a better clubbuilder and better raw materials were used on that particular club. They have since gone away from that concept. I guess it was harder to train replacements for the older clubbuilders also from what I have heard they are now trying to limit the product range. IMHO that would be a great move since their market is limited as well. People seem to forget the high quality standard we see in most Japanese clubs comes from the bar set by Honma in the 70's. Everyone clubmaker and every manufacturer wanted to reach that level. Sad that bad investments made by the company eventually led to it's downfall from #1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Alexander Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 :tsg_smilie_confused: Maybe I'm missing something, and indeed I am happy to be corrected, however I think Gauge, Mizuno and Tourstage would all be ahead of Honma these days. I have a twin marks driver, and it was a beauty at the time, but I think the market has moved on. My current quandry, which has been ongoing for some time, is a new set of irons. My choices are the Gauge MB2s, G-Field NC1s or if I could get my hands on a set the old Mizuno S30s. Once again, personally, I much prefer these over any of Honmas latest offerings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxio Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 :tsg_smilie_confused: Maybe I'm missing something, and indeed I am happy to be corrected, however I think Gauge, Mizuno and Tourstage would all be ahead of Honma these days.I have a twin marks driver, and it was a beauty at the time, but I think the market has moved on. My current quandry, which has been ongoing for some time, is a new set of irons. My choices are the Gauge MB2s, G-Field NC1s or if I could get my hands on a set the old Mizuno S30s. Once again, personally, I much prefer these over any of Honmas latest offerings. Jack, Which of the latest stuff have you tried? What did you not like? I've tried a few of the latest offerings of the past 2 years or so (TW 400 and 460, 904, P, 925 irons, except the Beres). I find them quite impressive. They aren't that much more expensive when you compare them to the other Japan stuff. BTW the irons are not $2,500. Closer to $1,500 IIRC. I believe the ARMRQ is the best shaft tech out there. Unfortunately it can only be bought in a Honma head. Anyway, I don't have anything of Honma in the Bag because even at $800 a driver they are still too $$$ for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 Jack, Which of the latest stuff have you tried? What did you not like? I've tried a few of the latest offerings of the past 2 years or so (TW 400 and 460, 904, P, 925 irons, except the Beres). I find them quite impressive. They aren't that much more expensive when you compare them to the other Japan stuff. BTW the irons are not $2,500. Closer to $1,500 IIRC. I believe the ARMRQ is the best shaft tech out there. Unfortunately it can only be bought in a Honma head. Anyway, I don't have anything of Honma in the Bag because even at $800 a driver they are still too $$$ for me. I sell Armarq shafts alone, they are not only for honma heads. M.W had one in her driver remember. I agree with xxio they are like 1500 bucks, I dont think many from TSG will be needing their 1000.00 4 star graphite shaft option. The new stuff rocks for sure! uh-oh im getting the urge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BELA Posted April 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 I am happy to see that my first post has caused some interest and controversy... I live in Madrid, Spain, and here we have no access to any Janapese stuff (now that I know TSG I do...) but Honma. Talking about drivers and fairways, I can assure you I have tried everything that has come to the market for the last couple of years, EVERYTHING: Taylor Made, Mizuno, Cleveland, Cobra, Titleist, Callaway, Nike, Wilson, PING..., you name it. Honma fairway woods were nice. I demoed the 460 and 425 models. But they did not blow me away although they had the same ARMQ Shafts as the drivers have. But men, I also demoed the mg460rf and 425rf drivers and they are IT. Nothing to do with any of the dozens of drivers that I have tested, most of wich had very good upgraded shafts. The only thing i dislike is the sound. A little too loud and tinny but who cares when I am bombig it 300 yards, (and I am a 18 hcp...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Alexander Posted April 3, 2006 Report Share Posted April 3, 2006 As I said initially I am happy to be corrected. There is absolutely no doubt that Honma is a quality manufacturer and has been for a long time. When I was growing up Honma was the ants pants. I guess the point I was making about the irons, was that Gauge, Mizuno and Tourstage were a little more snazzi. That said perhaps Homna has been snazzi for a long time, but in my view their new offering is pretty much the same as what they have had for a period of years. The Armarq shaft can be tested against the other shafts that Chris has in his arsenal. Generally speaking the Homna shafts in the shops in Aus have been very whippy. This of course fits in with Honma's main market being the grey power Japanese. In summary I'm actually a fan, however I find some of the other offerings a little more inovative at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxio Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Jack, Ok. I understand what you mean. I feel however it is not so much the product isn't good but that there are more Japanese brands out there now. Honma with their limited marketing nowadays doesn't get there stuff out there as much. Might have to do with what seems to be a limited market approach. Chris, Really. ARMRQ shafts by themselves.....I picked up an ARMRQ 5 star "proto" pull-out from a JPGA Pro for a buddy. He had the TW400 and the 460. I didn't have a Honma head so he ended up with the shaft. All for the amount of $170. He owed me big for that. He more than made it up by selling me my current putter for the same price. Hopefully buying a TW400 with an ARMRQ next week pending the condition when I see it. I give up on US drivers. The feel and balance just seem better on the Japanese drivers straight from the factory. No need to reshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Honma went bankrupt last year and these two companies bailed them out. http://www.antfactory.jp/english/index.html http://www.milestone-tm.co.jp/ They are not giving out any more accounts in Japan, just basically trying to survive and make it to the next product line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincenti Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Until this week I always avoid Honma due to it's image to older people and most of all it's price tag. I was looking for Miura CB-1006 and saw the Beres line in the web and today I just tried the TW902. First couple balls were not impressive for me. But after a while, I do notice the feeling is really extraordinary and the forgiveness of the club is really high for a blade. Compared to my 690.CB, it's a heaven. Then I watched the quality of the satin finish, it's really an artwork. You ask the cost, they bill me only for 1500 bucks for NSPro950, it's not that expensive. I think I need to change my mind and buy the TW901 (TW902 is still a blade and I am not conviced can play it well through the course) Damned. :tsg_smilie_wah: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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