Honma is a manufacturer of golf clubs like no other. No other manufacturer embodies Japanese perfection as much as Honma. No other brand is associated with more luxury than Honma. But Honma is not only handmade blacksmith’s art from Japan with 5-star clubs that hardly anyone can afford. Honma is also active in a market segment that is normally only served by the large, industrial manufacturers. The TWorld 747 series, which was also played by Justin Rose, is Honma’s answer to the high demands of sporty players. And here Honma delivers handmade, forged quality from Japan at a very fair price.
Honma Golf Clubs
Honma ushered in a new era at the end of 2018 with the 747 TWorld Series. For the first time a big name of the tour, Justin Rose, was signed. The TWorld clubs are also complete: from putters, wedges, four different irons, hybrid, fairway wood, driving iron and driver. The TWorlds are modern, innovative, good looking and affordable even for small budgets.
Beside the TWorlds there is the Beres series, which is without doubt the flagship of Honma. The Beres are already in their sixth generation and the seventh generation is due to be heralded at the end of 2019. Three different types of players will be addressed. However, all Beres clubs are aimed at players who find it difficult to achieve high club head speeds. The Beres offer particularly light and soft shafts, which nevertheless have extremely good values and move the ball in the right direction. The club heads are designed to provide high ball speeds and easy launch. The Beres are traditionally available in 2 to 5 stars, with 2 and 3 stars being the most commonly sold versions. 4 and 5 stars Beres are very rare and anything but cheap.
Beside TWorld and Beres there is also the XP1 series which is rather new.
Honma Irons
Currently there are four different Tour Release irons from Honma: Honma TR20 P, V, V and B as well as TR21 X. The TR20 B is the new blade developed together with Justin Rose. The other irons are more for ordinary people. The P is a two-piece iron that makes the game much easier. The V, on the other hand, is a mixture of Blade and Cavity Back and rather something for very good players. And the X is the first hollow construction iron made by Honma with a forged club face and heavy tungsten inserts – it performs incredibly well – better than other hollow construction irons like PXG or the Mizuno HMB.
The Beres have two different irons which are very similar and differ only slightly in shape and size: The Beres for men and Beres for Ladies. What makes Beres irons special are not only the club heads but the particularly high-quality ArmRQ shafts which are manufactured particularly by Honma.
Honma TR20 and TR21: Tour Release
New for the 2020 season is the TR series. It will soon replace the TWorlds and usher in a new era. It is true that the series will rely in part on proven concepts such as the typical P, V and blade irons already used by the TWorlds. But some new paths will also be taken. For example with the TR21 X, a hollow construction iron for maximum ball speed and forgiveness. This iron is our big surprise for the 2021 season, because its performance is outstanding. For relatively little money, Honma offers maximum performance with the TR21 X, which can easily compete with PXG irons that cost more than twice as much. Both irons are basically similarly constructed, hence this comparison.
The TR21 woods and hybrids also have new features. For the first time, fairway woods and hybrids are equipped with an “adjustable sleeve”. And Honma again uses the “non rotating hosel” where the shaft does not rotate when you adjust the loft and face. In addition, as with the TR20 Driver, the weight screws can also be replaced. So it is not only possible to adjust the ball flight but also the swing weight. No manufacturer offers such adjustment possibilities. Especially the non rotating hosel is important to make sure that the shaft is always installed correctly. Honma spines the shaft during installation – something no other big manufacturer does… Not to mention the big difference in quality with the shafts. Of course Honma relies on the in-house Vizard shafts.
Honma Balls
Honma balls are becoming more and more popular and are therefore used by Honma as never before. This means that there is basically the right golf ball for every type of player:
- TW-X
- D1 in white, yellow and multicoloured
- Future XX
- D1 Plus
Golfbags from Honma
Honma is a kind of lifestyle these days. You have to live and love this brand in order to play it and that includes showing to the outside that you are a Honma fan. Of course, this is best done with the right bag. And here Honma delivers practically everything imaginable. Lightweight carrybags, larger carrybags, lightweight caddiebags, large caddiebags and then again very classic leather-look bags. For the logo, Honma relies on classic lettering, the Honma mole or the modern “dancing” logo.
Honma Golf Clubs Tests
In the following you will find various club tests with Honma:
Tour Release:
Beres:
Where can you buy Honma clubs?
Honmagolf Store Locator: honmagolf.com/int/all-stores
Online Shops for USA: tourspecgolf.com/brand/honma
Online Shop for Europe: exactgolf.com