When the golf community thinks of golf brands, the common names such as Titleist, Taylormade, Callaway and Ping usually come to mind. A more expensive brand that players are curious about is Honma. This company charges premium prices compared to the other big companies.
This article will delve into the reasons why Honma equipment costs so much more and explain the company’s technology.
Reasons Honma Is Expensive
Irons Are Forged:
Every Honma iron was created forged. The Honma TW747 V iron is forged from one piece. Although, not every model of their irons are forged. The Honma Beres is considered a two-piece iron that is semi-forged.
Most irons are casted. This includes many cavity backs. The casting process is when molten metal is poured into a mold. The metal then hardens into the shape of a golf club.
Forging irons involves hammering metal into the shape of a golf club. This process is more tedious and cumbersome. A piece of steel is rolled over and over until it becomes a golf club. This steel has to be softer than casted steel for the process to work.
📢 Need To Know: Honma iron heads are forged by hand which is very difficult and costly compared to the standard casting of clubs.
Premium Materials Used
Rather than using normal steel that is used to create most irons on the market, Honma uses a special, strong steel that is much more expensive to make their clubs. The soft steel is felt at ball contact.
For example, Honma used S20C mild carbon steel to forge Justin Rose’s irons when he was under contract with the company. This is one reason why the clubs are more expensive than other brands of irons.
Homegrown Shafts
Other golf brands use different shafts for their clubs like KBS, True Temper, Project X, Mitsubishi or Fujikura. Honma on the other hand, makes its own shafts for its clubs and at times uses shafts from other competitors.
Honma’s club makers and designers make their shafts fit comfortably specifically for their clubheads.
The company’s ArmRQX shafts have great torque and are made very carefully.
📢 Need To Know: The more “stars” given to Honmas shafts means the greater they are worth.
Market Positioning As A ‘Status Club’
Honma is considered a ‘status club’ among the golf world. This leads to people being interested and wanting to buy the best of the best. A similar analogy is a Ferrari vs. a BMW. The BMW is considered a nice car, but a BMW owner will more than likely turn his or her head if they see a Ferrari driving alongside them.
The Honma club creators are taught to be artisan designers. They are trained specifically to churn out a top-end product using the best materials available on the market.
📢 Need To Know: In Japanese culture, the labor of an artist or special designer earns more credit than in other cultures.
Another Japanese brand that is expensive and specially designed with high-end materials is Mizuno. The brand is known to be one of the best in the world and also has hefty price tags for its equipment, although not as expensive as Honma.
Marketing plays a big role in price as well. The club is marketed as a top-shelf, status brand, that many people enjoy using so they can own the fancy clubs and be able to show off their product on the course or to their friends.
Owning a Honma Beres 07 3-star driver for $1,150 will surely intrigue people on the tee box.
📢 Need To Know: The company also has a 5-star club set that is plated with 24K gold. The set is completely gold-plated from the driver to irons, shafts and clubheads.
What Pros Use Honma?
Japanese professional golfer Hideto Tanihara uses Honma clubs. The 42-year-old member of the European and Japan tours has 14 wins on the Japan Tour and two wins on the Asian Tour.
Tanihara has also played all four major championships and finished tied for fifth in the 2006 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club behind eventual winner Tiger Woods.
English golfer Justin Rose has been the most prominent professional to use Honma clubs. At the beginning of 2019 the former U.S. Open champ signed a multiple-year deal with the company but split off from them in May 2020 after falling from No.1 to 14 in the World Golf Rankings.
📢 Need To Know: The 10-time PGA Tour winner used the clubs for the entirety of the 2019 season and won the 2019 Farmers insurance open while using Honma and being the then-ranked No.1 golfer in the world.
Are Honma Clubs Any Good?
Honma clubs are excellent clubs that will help golfers produce great, low scores if hit correctly. The only issue is their price tag. If you think it is worth it to buy Honma made clubs then definitely make the purchase.
If you’re not looking for solely forged clubs made from expensive materials then reach for another golf brand. Other golf brands can provide the same results if not better depending on the player.
Conclusion
Honma, the Japanese company founded in 1959 makes excellent clubs and even has 24K gold-plated clubs. There are a variety of options to choose from and it is beneficial that the company also makes its own shafts. At the end of the day it is up to the individual to determine whether it’s worth buying clubs this pricey.
Be sure to comment if you’ve owned or own Honma clubs and what your experience with them is.
FAQ
How much is a set of Honma golf clubs?
Whether you want a 2-star or 3-star Honma golf club set, you will come across a huge price list. A set of Honma golf clubs may cost you as low as $2500 and as high as $4500, depending upon the style and customization you want.
What do Honma stars mean?
Honma stars are used to rate the quality of a golf club. The higher the number, the better the club. The Honma star rating system was introduced in 1991, so you’ll get better quality and manufacturing with higher stars.
Is Honma a good golf brand?
Yes, Honma golf equipment is made in Japan and is the choice of many top professional golfers. These are known for their high quality, durability, and consistency. Honma balls are available in many different weights and styles to suit your game.
Where are Honma golf clubs manufactured?
Honma’s manufacturing plant is located in SAKATA, Japan. The business was built in 1959 as Tsurumi Golf Center Co. The brand Honma first made its appearance in 1963. The R and D team monitors all the Honma products manufacturing processes that test product quality and ensure that only the finest golf clubs are shipped.
