gocchin Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 As I posted on golftoimpress.com The Japan Golf Fair is of course a place for brands to show case their newest products and while many larger brands use the show as a huge marketing launch for the year's new product line, smaller and unknown brands take the opportunity to be discovered. To be totally honest, this can be the most exciting thing about the show. Every year when we cover the show at TSG, we go into the show pretty much knowing already what the big names will be doing and releasing so its most fun to "discover" the new brand on the block and meet the new people involved in creating these new brands. We spent a bit of time at the Modart booth as we were immediately drawn in by the very nice looking clubs on display. Speaking together with the president and founder, Mitsuru Suda, I was able to learn more about what Modart is and its background in the golf industry and its vision moving ahead with its products. Modart was created by Suda-san last year and is really only picking up steam now. All the clubs offered by Modart are made completely in Japan featuring a full line up of woods and irons and wedges and putters. Follow the read more to find out more! Suda-san having spent more than 10 years in the golf industry had long had a dream of making his own brand. He spent years honing his grinding and club design skills at Fourteen Golf where under the guidance of Grind Studio master and former top Fourteen grinder Masahiro Tomaru. When Tomaru-san left, Suda-san became the top grinder and focused on grinding Fourteen wedges for top Japanese pros on tour. Besides grinding for tour pros, Suda-san was also in charge of up and coming releases which include the very popular MT-28 V5 wedge in his portfolio. Finally last year, Suda-san decided the time was right to start his own brand so he tried to envision what he wanted his brand to be. The final concept and brand name was decided to be MODART. Modart stands for Modern + Art. Should golf clubs focus on the evolution of performance or the visual and aesthetic. Suda-san decided it would be both and thus Modart was born. So what makes Modart stand out from other smaller boutique brands. The first thing that caught our eyes was the quality. The clubs all look amazing, from design, to workmanship and finish. Modart clubs have a very premium aura to them. There are a lot of small brands in Japan and many of them cannot match this level of quality. Suda-san chose carefully in not only design, materials but also in manufacturing in deciding that the clubs would be made in Japan (shafts and grips too!). The two drivers, the deep head MA01D and the shallow head MA01S feature beautiful IP black finishes and classy lines. Suda-san told me that these drivers are different from many drivers in Japan in that unlike most drivers which are anti slice, the Modart drivers are more anti hook. He designed their CG placement so that players would not fear the left side. Both drivers feature forged Ti cup faces and are available with stock shafts made by Fujikura or custom made with any shaft available in Japan. The one biggest difference in Modart is when it comes to their irons and wedges. They use S25C soft carbon steel BUT they are not forged. Each head is CNC MACHINED from the block!!! Suda-san explained that this creates the most pure iron when it comes to materials. The pressure and heat from a forging press can create inconsistancies in the steel including cracking and weakening of the material ultimately degrading he feel. With each Modart iron and wedge being milled straight from the block, there is no contamination of the steel and you get S25C in its original pure form. Suda-san himself will also grind custom wedges similar to the one you see above. Custom grind, shape, offset, engravings and finish are all included. He is currently grinding custom sets of muscle backs which we will feature very soon. Overall we were impressed with not only the products but also with Suda-san's passion and abilities. Like Buchi and Gold's Factory, knowing there is a highly skilled master behind the works you receive make those works even more attractive and in demand. Over the next few weeks TSG will work with Modart at introducing more of their products and more about Suda-san's background and abilities. As the International Dealer for Modart we will soon start offering Modart products through the pro shop as well as via custom order. So stay tuned and we hope you are as excited about Modart as we are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmclarenf1 Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) .. Edited February 25, 2014 by wmclarenf1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill3508 Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Really nice looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landshark Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 really like the look of the irons. any idea of price point and would these be assembled or as components? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpbachman Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Beautiful looking designs, nice article T Edited February 16, 2014 by mpbachman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmclarenf1 Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 really like the look of the irons. any idea of price point and would these be assembled or as components? 600 per head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landshark Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 landshark, on 16 Feb 2014 - 08:44 AM, said: really like the look of the irons. any idea of price point and would these be assembled or as components? 600 per head Surely the irons won't be 600 per head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viperact Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm interested in the wedge and putter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Assembled only I believe, the custom grinds by Suda-San (wedges & irons) while more expensive than most are not super pricey like the fully CNC'd iron which will indeed cost 600 per assembled iron. Why? It's CNC'd 100% of S25C not pressed, even the hosel and all one piece. Drivers, FW, UT, etc.. All priced similar to other JDM clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamen Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Fantastic! I can't wait to check out the products in the proshop. Been waiting for this thread since the mention in the Epon SUS316 thread :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 $600 a piece, so $3600 or $4200 a set. I can't imagine they would improve my game 2 to 3 times more than a set of Epon's, OnOff's or Yamaha's But beautiful looking pieces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjr. D Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Nice but that's just getting a little crazy. Why not use s20c? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Suda-San told us they don' expect many sets to sell at that price, it's really just to showcase what's possible in terms of feel. Wait till you guys see the $120,000 golf shaft next week... S15C vs S20C vs S25C, again too many things involved in feel. An S25c iron can feel softer than an S15c iron and vice versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted February 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 As Chris said, Modart clearly knows the irons at 600.00 a club are targeted at a very narrow and tiny market. Suda-san himself acknowledged this to me as I even told him initially 600.00 was crazy (before he told me it was cnc machined). However, there are those hardcore enough (and rich enough) to want something different and appreciate the work that is put into each single head. Because each head is machined from the block with thousands of mathematical calculations, each head is perfect in shape, weight, density and feel. Modart will be available to us stock shafted or as components (the woods at least). As you can see in the images the wedges are also from the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjr. D Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Hey man, no different than paying 50 million for a piece of art. If you can afford it and want it, no harm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted February 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Hey man, no different than paying 50 million for a piece of art. If you can afford it and want it, no harm done. That's exactly it. Truth is majority will not care how special it is at that price but there are those who will appreciate the work and can afford it. I love the FW. It is compact and deep and uses that crisp and hot 455 custom face. And a few more of the cnc iron. You can even see the machine marks on the sole which Modart left purposely (or it would look like the sole of any other iron). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmclarenf1 Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 T, as the irons and wedges are not forged, how easy are they to adjust for loft and lie? How many degree tolerance before they break? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokidoki1986 Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Can't wait to see more information on their irons, wedges and putters. JDM brand is definitely getting more and more interesting each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoon Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 are my eyes playing tricks on me do i see 16* of that FW? if soo this is what i have been waiting for! i want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted February 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 are my eyes playing tricks on me do i see 16* of that FW? if soo this is what i have been waiting for! i want one Available in 14 16 19 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoon Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Available in 14 16 19 21 thanks! 16 with my name on it! when does it hit the proshop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myswing Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 The wedges set up beautifully from the top. Very nice and were available in 2 degree increments. The factory is in Tochigi prefecture. Heads made and clubs assembled in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanla01 Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Wedge & putter looks gorgeous! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xerobound Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Very nice designs and the cnc'd heads are very interesting. Dont think I can afford a set anytime soon, but I am interested to try them against top forged irons. Very curious on the feel. Serious equipment for serious golfers... with serious money. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Suda-san has the nack for custom grinds. I can't wait to dig into his custom irons. Although I'm for sure gonna splurge on the fully CNC CB as well. Someone has to try them and report back right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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