Hey all! So just an update, I think at this point only two people for this test have received their driver, @GolferChick and myself (somehow I was actually the first, receiving it on July 14th), so hopefully should start seeing stuff posted from the others soon.
Because of this, I can't/won't talk to much about the driver as I don't want to inadvertently influence any of the other reviewers. What I will say is that when I actually had it in hand, it looked even better than the pictures that were posted for the review sign-up!
Please, allow me to take this time to introduce myself a little bit, and give you (probably) more detail then you need to know about me and my game 🙂 I was born in 1980.......ok, that is too far back, and waaaaaay more then you are interested in. I started golfing when I was 10 (that was when you were allowed on the course back then), and would golf occasionally with my dad. I really didn't get too into it back then, as I was always embarrassed when we would go to the course, and get paired up with another twosome. So it was kinda off and on until I was 20 and in the Air Force in Japan, this is where I met a fellow Airman who was big into golf, and started playing a lot, like a lot - a lot. Since then it has been at least a fairly regular part of my life, playing regular rounds, best ball tournaments, on Unit intramural golf teams, etc. Over the last 4-5 years though, it started to really slow down, to really only maybe 3-4 times a year (seems when I got to my last duty station, less and less people were playing, and i didn't really meet any others golfing). Well, last year I retired (right when Covid hit, geez thanks for that timing) and I decided that I wanted to golf again, even if that means just 9 holes after work (now an Army Civilian). So now I am at the course/range generally at least 3 days of the week, plus over the last few weeks have started taking lessons to try and get my game back to where it used to be (or at least close). I used to be a lower to mid-80s golfer, and now am more of an upper 80s lower 90s golfer. My swing speed before lessons was in upper-90 MPH, now in the lower 100 MPH range.
I am hitting my driver better, but still struggle with some things. First, contact.....my misses on the face are generally more towards the toe, or low on the face. My bad swing is when I forget to extend down the target line at/after impact, and instead have a more in-out-back in (arcing) downswing. This, along with my wrists getting through too quickly because of the arcing swing, leads to my usual miss, a low duck hook into Brenda's back yard (Alex Etches on YouTube anyone???).
I have been an analyst my entire career, so I really like numbers, looking at data, etc. So for this test I will be using my Mevo launch monitor, as well as my arccos sensors to assist in gathering data for comparison to my current gamer (Cobra Speedzone Extreme, with an Aldila Rouge Elite Green R-flex shaft). I also really like to tinker, so changing/trying out various shafts, playing with the loft adjustments, etc is really just tons of fun (I think that used to be my nickname) for me.
I look forward to going through this process (obviously already been in the midst of it for almost a month now), and answering any questions I can about the product. If you have questions, fire away!
UPDATE: 30 Aug 2021
Hmmm, apparently I can just keep adding to this instead up adding comments.....okalidokali then
I have kept working on my swing, and am fairly happy with where it is right now. Most recent "change" is really just shortening my swing a little, using my shoulder touching my chin as my trigger to stop my backswing and start the downswing. Otherwise, it seemed like most of my issues were with overswinging which completely destroyed my timing, balance, etc.
Well, the reviews are further delayed, right now Honma may not be able to get the other testers drivers out until mid-September 😞 Sooooo, in the meantime I will continue to add to this reivew/post.
Here is the arrival of my driver:
Who's who? Ok, not hard to tell the Taylormades....
Well, I better stop there....don't want the moderators getting mad at me for posting images too soon. I will get a video of my swing soon (hopefully in slo-mo).
Honma T//World GS Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by DechamBRO
Hi all!!! Just want to say thank you so much to Mygolfspy.com and Honma for making this review happen, and choosing me as one of the reviewers! As an analyst and tinkerer, I love getting to try out new things, analyze data, compare, etc. So, I love an experience like this.
Currently I am about a bogey a hole golfer (but hey, I totally took like 3 lessons), so shooting upper 80s to lower 90s. All my clubs, including driver, have become much more consistent over the course of this review.
I really hadn’t heard much if anything about Honma really prior to this. I believe I had seen the name before, in MGS and other blogs/forums talking about Japanese golf manufacturers… but that is about it.
For testing I will be taking the driver out to the range, and playing rounds with it. I have a Mevo personal launch monitor, so I plan on getting some actual data to post as well. To earn a spot in my bag, it needs to perform better than my current gamers (Mizuno ST200, and Cobra Speedzone). That isn’t necessarily distance, but if it gives me more confidence at address, and if it is more consistent (basically forgiving when my swing gets sloppy), then it will earn a spot.
Looks (9 out of 10 points)
The club is gorgeous. Absolutely well made. It has a great blend to me of modern as well as classic (no weird square or triangle head that will take some getting used to, if ever at all). Compared to allot of the modern drivers, the color blend of red and black is subtle, and classy. No weird neon colors or Sasquatch yellow here. Really, everything looks top of the line, nothing stands out to distract you, everything just subtle and gorgeous.
So, why the decrease of one point? Well, they may have done too well. By that, I mean that this is a 460cc club head, and yet, when I stand over it, it looks smaller than my Cobra Speedzone and Mizuno ST-200. The others, behind the ball, give me great confidence. The Honma; however, with the more compact appearance, doesn’t make me feel like I can just swing away like the others…. feels/looks like there is less room for error.
Now, I believe this is a personal preference item, as I know that there are quite a few who prefer the compact classic look…. but hey, I am the one doing the review 😊
Sound & Feel (6 out of 10 points)
This, unfortunately, for me was perhaps the biggest downside of this driver. Personally, I did not like either. First, the feel.... The club's weight, swing weight/balance all felt great, so no issues there. The shaft felt whippier to me than any of my other stiff flex shafts, this could be because of the lower kick point for higher ball flight, or that the shaft is 55 grams (I am used to around 65), or a combination of the two.
Then the feel off the face....it felt harder/more solid than what I am used to with the drivers that I have used.... which makes it difficult to describe. I don't want to say that it felt bad necessarily, but that it definitely felt harder at impact. My Cobra Speedzone Extreme and my buddies Ping G410 felt considerably softer at impact as well as.... I dunno.... more springy of the face as well (yeah, I'm gonna go with that).
Finally, the sound, which they say at least affects your perception of feel (much like smell affects taste). This was much louder than my Cobra, Mizuno, or my friend's Ping....much higher pitch as well. enough so that my son, and even a stranger danger at the range commented on. In my son’s words, it sounds like when two empty glass coke bottles cling together. It is definitely noticeable, I even hit one at an open range (not covered) that left my right ear ringing…. like it actually hurt. The Cobra almost sounded silent after hitting the Honma.
With all of that, I really did not like the overall feel and sound of the Honma, which really brought its grade down for me.
Taste (?? out of 10 points)
Now for taste…. wait, I don’t see that on the scorecard……hmmmm, must be an oversight by the MGS moderators. Ah well, “Das Schmeckt Gut!”
Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)
Hey, this is where I get to talk about stuff like adjustability! This feature, to be honest, I initially struggled with. Why? Well because it is different than literally everything else out there. You get a torque wrench (c’mon, we are all used to that), but also a little sleeve thing that goes over the wrench, and turns freely around the wrench, so that you can turn the washer, and therefore set it to where you want it before re-tightening.
Now, it took me a minute to learn, that really, the easiest way to do this is to simply loosen it a little bit, then use the sleeve to adjust, then retighten the screw. After I learned this, it was much easier then trying to use them both together.
The issue I have, is that (as you can see from the instructions), you can make adjustments +- .5 degrees, and this adjusts the face angle (F.A.) as well…. but on the club, itself, there are no hash marks. So, while you have 360 degrees available to adjust the club, on the club itself you have no reference points……so here’s to hoping…. Hence, the loss of 1 point here.
On Course/LM Performance (20 out of 30 points)
So, as you can see above, when it comes to the basic numbers, the Honma stacks up well against everything else. The Honma averaged 244 yards, as did the hodgepodge (Cobra, TaylorMade M1/M2, Mizuno ST200) ….to some degree this comes to the basic limits on driver (COR, mass, etc.).
My issue with the Honma, came down to the fact that it is more draw biased. As a player whose typical miss it to the left (the dreaded low duck hook), the Honma made it worse. Even lowering the loft, and therefore opening the face, my miss hits were even more left.
Did I gain speed? Yeah, looks that way. But, again, if I lose it all left out of bounds, in the woods, etc. Have I really gained anything?
When my swing was great though, man, this thing flew. It really does have a high, long ball flight, with a little draw when hit with a nice slight in to out swing path…. but again, for me, I really had to focus up. If I did this, it was great…. but again, I REALLY HAD TO FOCUS, there was no simply swinging away for me. It simply isn’t a good club for someone who typically misses left, or very very left.
Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
So…. this is tough. Two others still haven’t received their clubs….and Honma seems to have to some degree ghosted the MGS staff…. I understand COVID has caused issues….and then Honma was robbed (seriously, they lost a TON of product) …. but two of the testers literally received a golf club box from Honma with nothing but the headcover and wrench……I don’t think I have ever seen that before.
Speaking of the headcover, it is a really good quality…. like nice and thick for the padding underneath the leather…. again, nothing less than top quality on this product.
Technology wise, it has some stuff, and lacks some others (much like many other clubs on the market). speedpocket thing under the face, yes. Adjustable hosel, yes. Carbon fiber crown, no. Rear weight, yes. Face tech that helps keep ball speed on mishits, yes. I would compare the tech very closely with the Mizuno ST200, except that the weight is set for a draw bias, as opposed to straight back.
Oooooohhhhhhhh, look……. plastic!
Play It or Trade It (15 out of 20 points)
Is this going in my bag……. no. As I have pointed out, while it is a great high-quality club, it just isn’t a better option for my swing than my Cobra or my Mizuno. The main reason for this is that I don’t have the confidence I do standing over it as I do with the others (it looks smaller, therefore appears less forgiving, and you can’t mess with someone’s confidence like that), the sound is just too much for me to deal with, and the weighting makes my standard miss worse (as opposed to someone who generally hits a fade or a slice). So, this won’t be in my bag. It will; however, go in my 15-year-old son’s bag. He is just learning, and works well for him. He needs the help getting the ball more airborne, and definitely needs help with losing the ball to the right. Yet it gives him the same feeling/swing weight as his current gamer, the Wilson Staff D100. So, it won’t go in my bag, but it will stay in the family 😊
Conclusion
This really is a top-quality, well-made club. It is, though, made for a specific golfer. If you struggle with not getting enough height on your shot, and lose them to the right, then this club is definitely worth a shot. Honma might not be a well-known name in the US, but if you are the golfer I mentioned, and see one in store, go ahead and add it to the pile of others you are testing, you might be surprised.
My Driver has arrived. Stay tuned in the coming weeks to see how I feel the Honma T//World GS stacks up!
Hello, I am Jackie an avid golfer from Minneapolis presently playing to a 4.7 HI. I have been playing golf for an exceptionally long time but was not that serious about how I played until the last 15 years or so. Now, I play every chance I get. Nothing beats getting outside, enjoying mother nature, and shooting my lowest score ever. I am an LPGA Amateur’s member and I love competing in Minnesota Golf Association events.
The strength of my game has been my driving the past couple of years. 200 plus yards with a very high percentage of drives between the trees. I have learned to play smart golf as I age which has helped me lower my handicap a bit. My putting has been my biggest weakness and I have been working on it in addition to my short game 40 yards and in. Fixing these two are going to be a key to getting to that coveted 0.0 HI. I have also worked with a golf coach and fitness trainer to work on the mental and physical aspects of my game as both need attention and they will help me play solid golf for years to come.
I used to hit a medium height soft fade, which put my usual miss to the right. However, I have recently been able to hit a soft draw which has been wonderful but also has made it harder to hit the fade. My swing tempo is what you would consider medium or average. Slowing down my back swing is key to hitting the ball consistently. My driver swing speed hovers around 85-88 MPH and being an AARP member, I don't believe it will be going up
My current driver I the PXG Gen 3 If I crunch it on a warm day I can get it out to 250. It has an Adilla NV Stiff shaft that allows me to put a little extra torque on the driver. My main goal with a driver is to get it out there 200 plus yards between the trees. In the heat of the summer when I am swinging well and the balls are flying it is more like 220 plus between the trees with a good angle to the pin. If I do that then I can get it on or close in two on most holes and shorter par 5’s. Out of 4 par 5’s on my home course there is only one I can get on in a somewhat regular bases with a great drive and a good 4 or 7 wood. 2 of the other 3 once in a blue moon and the last not yet (close a couple of times). On par shorter 4’s I am usually using a 9 iron or less to the green and on longer par 4’s that can go up to and including my trusty 7wood which I carry 155 yards.
My first impressions of the Honma T\\World GS is it is a good looking and lightweight club. Honma states it has :
KEEL DESIGN & WEIGHT
Shaped with a raised keel towards the heel to promote draw-biased flight and increase MOI.
ans
FLIP SLOT
TW//GS driver features Flip Slot technology to maximize face flexure and reduce spin for more speed and additional forgiveness.
After a good hour on the driving range I can say the Honma T//World GS is much easier to draw than my present driver and the distance seems to come much easier. I was afraid I could not hit the lighter shaft well but that was not the case.
20211009_101817.mp4
I tested this driver in the number one way that it matters, in my bag on the course. I tested in my league, in tournaments and on fun days out with my friends. I have never touched a Honma club before so it was a put up or shut up test so to speak.
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
The Honma T\\World GS has an appealing shape, crisp look with just enough graphic highlights on the shiny black head as to not get distracting. The alignment aid is simple and stands out enough to be effective. Most drivers have a similar shape and black is fine for me.
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
The video is there you can hear the perfectly centered hit on the driver and it is music to my ears. You can hear the difference when you miss the center and that is what I like. On this perfectly centered hit and others like it I felt nothing Which lets me know it is getting out there. I was able to feel my misses which lets me know I am straying. All drivers sound a little different which is ok to me but not all drivers have a good feel. The stiff shaft was correct for me which I am sure helped me to like how the club felt.
Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)
The Honma T\\World GS hits the ball with my usual medium to high ball flight. I was able to work the ball left and right in addition to keeping it down a bit to get it out of the wind.
I would describe this driver as easy distance, the drive in the video was a perfectly placed 230 yard drive and I did not have to swing crazy to get it. I was able to hit the ball where I wanted with general ease. The one downside to the driver is if I really try to step on it it is very easy to pull hook it. 2 points off for my inability to step on it
The club is easily adjustable and it should have enough adjustability for most golfers and too much for many. 😉 I had no problem using the Honma T\\World GS to compete in fall tournaments and I just had to learn not to overswing.
On-Course / LM Performance (28 out of 30 points)
After a couple of range sessions I used the Honma T\\World GS exclusively for over a month and this driver performs as I expect it to. For me it hits it long, accurate and consistent. After the first week I was confident I could hit the shots I need to. I figured if Justin Rose was playing Honma they had to be ok and now I can say for sure the Honma T\\World GS is a very good Driver. The lightweight shaft and driver is not built for 100+ MPH swing speeds. It is for those of us below 90 MPH who need to get the most out of a drive as we can. I woud describe the Honma T\\World GS as easy distance. I do not have to struggle to hit a drive 210 - 230 yards. I put a good swing on it and it just goes. 2 points off for my inability to step on it
I think lighter crowns and shafts are here to stay and they have a huge market with the aging golfer. I can't say the Honma T\\World GS lowered my handicap but it did not hurt it either.
Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)
Here's where the Honma T\\World GS really earned its keep in my bag and it was a total surprise. I started hitting my fairway woods better. To hit the Honma well I had to swing smoothly and this carried forward to my fairway woods as well.
Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)
I will definitely play the Honma T\\World GS to some degree and it will take some testing and going back and forth between the Honma and my PXG. I may put together a lighter shaft for my PXG and a heavier for the Honma to see if that clears things up a bit. I hit them both very well so this is a very good problem to have. 2 points off for my inability to step on it.
If your swing speed is less than 90 MPH and is only going down, this may be the driver for you!
Conclusion
The Honma T\\World GS is a wonderful driver for those with less than a 90 MPH swing speed. I say it has easy distance and should be perfect for the aging golfer or a golfer with a bad back. If you like to put a bunch of extra torque on the club to get extra distance, that can get you in trouble with this club. If you are looking for 200 -230 down the middle without over swinging, I would give it a shot.
GolferChick reacted to DechamBRO in Honma GS Series Driver