Honma Golf is huge in the Asian market, and they make equipment that personifies the high-end equipment space. They make hand-crafted clubs that can be so customized that you may literally be the only person on the planet with that same club.
However, the company also realizes the lower portion of that high-end market still demands performance, technology and a unique character that will make them not only the envy of their golf group but also a better player.
For 2018, Honma is bringing two lines, the Beres 06 and Be Zeal 535, to the North American market.
The Beres 06 series is the higher end, with a 2 Star model (not as much customization in construction, e.g., no actual gold on it) driver coming in at $900. Fairway woods run $450 each in that 2 Star category.
Both the driver and fairway woods feature Key Groove technology, which promotes maximum ball speeds across the face, while an enlarged sweet spot promotes confidences thanks to improved face construction. A carbon fiber-layered shaft utilizes advanced material construction around a softer, lighter center for performance in a shaft with less weight.
The Beres U-06 hybrid has a 12-gram weight on the heel to lower center of gravity and promote a higher, longer-flying ball flight. The shallow back shape is designed to not replicate the look and feel of a fairway wood. The hybrid costs $450 each.
The Beres IS-06 irons, which are $350 each, have a new face design to promote higher launch conditions. Face and sole slots are designed to help the club flex and either deflect on poor hits or maximize distance on desired contact points. The ARMRQ X shaft distributes weight along the length of each shaft to promote a consistent, fluid swing.
The Be Zeal 535 series costs less and is designed more for a casual player seeking modern technology.
The $605 driver features Groove Power Technology, which the company claims means as little performance variance as 8 percent across the face. A 7-gram weight in the heel-sole promotes a draw bias. The Vizard shaft offers an improved kick point, with more stiffness higher in the shaft for low-spin, high-launch drives.
The fairway wood utilize a lot of technology found in the driver, and they price in at $325 each.
The Be Zeal 535 hybrids, which are $260 each, use Groove Power Technology and the Vizard shaft for maximum performance.
The Be Zeal 535 irons feature slots on the proprietary 0.1 mm-thick titanium face, as well sole and topline for more forgiveness and overall distance across the face, while tungsten weights lower the center of gravity for higher launch. These irons come in at $160 per iron in steel and $200 per iron in graphite.
