2020 Official Member Review: Honma TR20 driver

[bellken]

On 8/10/2020 at 8:48 AM, Getoffmylawn said:

Yeah, fair enough, but still, you get my point...a rough translation in spots.

Btw, you were right about moving the weight forward.  Unlocked some distance for me, and I seem to be more accurate despite it not being in high MOI setting...maybe I've just gotten to know it better. 

I'll post most recent launch monitor info soon.

Props to you for actually reading the manual. I just looked at the pictures

It is pretty cool, that, the heavy weight forward gave you more distance and accuracy. It is kind of surprising to be more accurate with a lower MOI setting. 

[DPattGolf]

What adjustment did you make? Weights only? lofts only? Weights and loft?

I lofted down to 7.5* and moved the 9gram weight from the front to the back

[DPattGolf]

So I finally had a chance to get out on the course yesterday for the first time since making some adjustments to the TR20 and I would say the early results are pretty great.

 

[GolfSpy AFG]

16 hours ago, bellken said:

Props to you for actually reading the manual. I just looked at the pictures

It is pretty cool, that, the heavy weight forward gave you more distance and accuracy. It is kind of surprising to be more accurate with a lower MOI setting. 

I was very surprised...I actually chalk that up to the subjective not-controlled-environment nature of testing.  My last fitting session I was out of gas quickly and not hitting it well...sliding all over.  Hit it much more in the center of the clubface this time around...

[GolfSpy AFG]

My apologies for being a bit tardy with the follow up, but here are the results of a new fitting session with the Honma TR20, this time with the weight forward based on @PrestonAtHonma's recommendation.  Needless to say, it's clearly the setting for me...

I'll do a more direct comparison when I post my final review, but these are substantial gains over my old gamer.  Nearly 10 total yards average, much greater ball speed, and my long ones were significantly longer than the old stick.  For example, longest drive here reached 280, as compared to 263 with the gamer!

Obviously we're not in a controlled setting, so a number of variables factor in.  I'm sure I was swinging much better than the last session, but the results speak for themselves I'd say.

Final review coming soon....

[PrestonAtHonma]

38 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

My apologies for being a bit tardy with the follow up, but here are the results of a new fitting session with the Honma TR20, this time with the weight forward based on @PrestonAtHonma's recommendation.  Needless to say, it's clearly the setting for me...

I'll do a more direct comparison when I post my final review, but these are substantial gains over my old gamer.  Nearly 10 total yards average, much greater ball speed, and my long ones were significantly longer than the old stick.  For example, longest drive here reached 280, as compared to 263 with the gamer!

Obviously we're not in a controlled setting, so a number of variables factor in.  I'm sure I was swinging much better than the last session, but the results speak for themselves I'd say.

Final review coming soon....

Man do I love seeing this! 14 launch and 2400 spin is a fitter's dream. You are maxing that thing out and I'm pumped. And seeing @DPattGolf and @golfingbrock get after it too is awesome. Always available to all you guys if you need some more adjustment.

@DPattGolf love your idea of lofting down and moving the weight back. Super intuitive and looks like you're seeing the benefit. @golfingbrock feel free to shoot me a text if you wanna do some more fiddling with the weights based on what you're seeing. 

Keep it up guys!

[golfingbrock]

I tried to de-loft down to 7.5 like @DPattGolf, but after a couple of holes and bad low pulls, I decided to make an illegal adjustment on course back to my previous setting.  I may experiment with it again, as it might be a good adjustment in the wind.  

[GolfSpy AFG]

On 8/10/2020 at 9:49 PM, Tpoole22 said:

Loving these reviews guys! It looks like everyone so far has seen some good distance gains! 

I noticed that @golfingbrock said that he hasn't been fit before and @Getoffmylawn has spent a good bit of time at golftec judging by his posts, but I'm curious as to whether the other two were fit for their current drivers before trying out the Honma and how much they can say that being fitted for the Honma along with the interchangeable weight system helped with any distance gains?

Hey, sorry, I just realized there was a bit of a question in there I could have followed up on.

I've actually never been fit for a driver before, gamer included.  I've embraced the "get fit" creed in the last year or two, and am now rocking custom fit 919 Forged irons, but my gamer (Epic) was only fit in the sense of a big box retail fitting.  I don't know what everyone's experience in that environment is, but mine was to try a bunch of different clubs and have the "fitter" tell me "here's the one that fits you best among our current inventory" and then walk out of the store with that club.

My TR20 fitting for this test was COVID impacted and accomplished by phone, but I'd tested drivers a couple months ago so I was able to speak to my numbers with some confidence.  I have to say I am really really impressed with the stock 60g Stiff Vizard I'm testing.  

And, as you can see from some of my more recent posts, the interchangeable weight system DEFINITELY contributes to appreciable changes in ball flight dynamics.

[golfingbrock]

Went to the range during lunch with my Honma and Tour Edge, and my cell phone(camera). I feel like I'm back up to full swing speed, so I was able to rip at a few balls.  I hit a bunch of high beautiful bombs, and then checked the camera and realized it wasn't recording.  So I started over, hit some more, and got into a great rhythm.  I got back to review the footage, and realized my phone overheated and my video didn't save 

[GolfSpy AFG]

Sorry I haven't posted much this week...my 3 year old daughter broke her leg earlier in the week so I've been hesitant to head to the course and leave the wife with the kids by herself.

But, I'll get out Sunday and then likely post my review that night.  If you've read my posts, you won't be surprised to know I'm going to rate the TR20 driver pretty damn high.

So high, in fact, that I'm going to kick some tires on some other Honma clubs.  Preston at Honma, as responsive as ever, put in touch with Honma's rep out of Denver, who will be cruising through the Omaha area with the mobile fitting van in mid-to-late September.  

And here's hoping these are available to try by then!  These showed up on the Honma Golf Malaysia IG feed earlier in the week, and thanks to @PMookiefor sending me the link to more images of Honma's new TR21 series fairways and hybrids!

 

A little off topic, but I think they look damn good.  If they sound, feel, and perform like the TR20 driver I'm going to picking them up.  Fingers crossed they're available to try soon...?

[GolfSpy BOS]

6 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

Sorry I haven't posted much this week...my 3 year old daughter broke her leg earlier in the week so I've been hesitant to head to the course and leave the wife with the kids by herself.

But, I'll get out Sunday and then likely post my review that night.  If you've read my posts, you won't be surprised to know I'm going to rate the TR20 driver pretty damn high.

So high, in fact, that I'm going to kick some tires on some other Honma clubs.  Preston at Honma, as responsive as ever, put in touch with Honma's rep out of Denver, who will be cruising through the Omaha area with the mobile fitting van in mid-to-late September.  

And here's hoping these are available to try by then!  These showed up on the Honma Golf Malaysia IG feed earlier in the week, and thanks to @PMookiefor sending me the link to more images of Honma's new TR21 series fairways and hybrids!

 

A little off topic, but I think they look damn good.  If they sound, feel, and perform like the TR20 driver I'm going to picking them up.  Fingers crossed they're available to try soon...?

Hoping for a speedy recovery for your daughter!  I know my 3 year old would not like being in a leg cast.  Stay cool and hope she can still have some fun before summer is over!

And don't worry... we don't mind waiting for quality reviews.  It's almost better if they come out with some time between... keeps us checking this page out!

 

Team #CCC4, out!

 

 

[GolfSpy AFG]

1 minute ago, B.Boston said:

Hoping for a speedy recovery for your daughter!  I know my 3 year old would not like being in a leg cast.  Stay cool and hope she can still have some fun before summer is over!

And don't worry... we don't mind waiting for quality reviews.  It's almost better if they come out with some time between... keeps us checking this page out!

 

Team #CCC4, out!

 

 

Thanks for that; she’ll be fine, she’s just frustrated and she’s 3 so she’s acting out...tyrants come in small sizes apparently.

And thanks for the feedback too; you Cobra guys are sucking up all the thread activity...nice to know you’re keeping an eye on us!

[GolfSpy BOS]

2 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

Thanks for that; she’ll be fine, she’s just frustrated and she’s 3 so she’s acting out...tyrants come in small sizes apparently.

And thanks for the feedback too; you Cobra guys are sucking up all the thread activity...nice to know you’re keeping an eye on us!

what's that saying? Keep your friends close... I forget how the rest goes but you get the point.  

[GolfSpy AFG]

Hey everybody, my final review of the Honma TR20 460 is up!  I hope it generates comments and questions...ask away!  Doing this review has been a blast...big thanks to MGS, and all the members of this awesome community!

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/39246-2020-official-member-review-honma-tr20-driver/#comments

[Tpoole22]

22 hours ago, Getoffmylawn said:

Hey everybody, my final review of the Honma TR20 460 is up!  I hope it generates comments and questions...ask away!  Doing this review has been a blast...big thanks to MGS, and all the members of this awesome community!

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/39246-2020-official-member-review-honma-tr20-driver/#comments

Great review, glad to see that it worked out so well for you. So do you think that after testing this club and improving from your current gamer that you could justify spending $650 on it? Seems like a lot but you aren't the only one that has mentioned the great quality a few times.

[GolfSpy AFG]

3 hours ago, Tpoole22 said:

Great review, glad to see that it worked out so well for you. So do you think that after testing this club and improving from your current gamer that you could justify spending $650 on it? Seems like a lot but you aren't the only one that has mentioned the great quality a few times.

Thanks, and great question!

Short answer is yes, I would, but I wouldn’t advise anyone else to unless they got fit and did a legit comparison against some other clubs.

If you look back in this thread, I tested the TR20 against a 410 Plus and a MAVRIK, and the Honma came out well in front in both cases.  Maybe some confirmation bias?  I don’t know...my point is, to me, I’ll spend money to get the absolute best fit for me, and I happen to have been very lucky here in that this club fit me well.  I suspect it will fit many others too if they give it a try.

Sure, if I spent that much I’d have some explaining to do at home, but like I said in my review...I’m golf obsessed, so it’s well worth it to me.  If someone were to fit a 410 within a yard or two of the TR20, then at that current price disparity then yeah, get the Ping.

Bottomline:  people should really try this club before dismissing it based on price.  The quality, especially the stock shaft offerings, can’t be denied.

Hope that helps.

[Nunfa0]

On 6/27/2020 at 7:27 AM, Getoffmylawn said:

Getoffmylawn's Honma TR20 460 Review

First and foremost, let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have been selected by MyGolfSpy as a tester.  And, I want to thank the membership of this community. This really is a great place for a passionate golfer to come and learn, grow, and improve among other passionate golfers.

My name is Hayes and I was born and raised in upstate New York near Buffalo. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel on Active Duty in the Air Force with 19+ years in, and am currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

I started playing golf about 8 years ago while I was stationed in Texas, and while I can’t tell you the exact moment that I got hooked, I definitely did.  Put mildly, I am truly golf obsessed…you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with golf on the brain more than me.

Does my skill match my interest?  Not yet.  I play to a 6 handicap, and falling, but I’m very much a work in progress.  I consider myself an above average putter, above average around the greens, a decent iron player, and a struggling driver of the golf ball.

Case in point, here’s my driver swing:

My takeaway’s too inside, I’m across the line at the top of my backswing, I slide instead of turn…  Like I said, I’m a work in progress.  The point is, when it comes to the driver, I’m not sure I meet the standard of “better player” like the rest of my game.  I am by no means long and accept that I will never be a bomber.   That said, I really don’t need to be…I love wedging it more than any other aspect of the game, and so I’m most concerned with hitting fairways and having a wedge in my hand, rather than punching out sideways to get back in play.  Forgiveness and accuracy matter more to me than distance.  But, all that being said, yeah, I want to hit it longer.  Unless I’m in league play I usually play from the back tees, but that does often leave me in 3 wood, hybrid or long iron territory to get home in 2 on a par 5.  I typically hit a little draw, and very rarely overcook it, but I do block it right too often, leaving me in punch-out territory.

My previous driver experience is not terribly deep:  for a while I played a Cleveland Classic, then the Nike Covert, the Ping G30, and most recently the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic from 2017, with the infamous “made for” Project X HZRDOUS T800 55g Stiff shaft.

My fitting for the Epic was hardly a fitting…I hit several drivers at a big box store, and the fitter basically told me what driver in their inventory hit me best.  I did see appreciable gains on their launch monitor, and I was desperate to get out of the “holy cow that’s loud” G30, so buying the Epic wasn’t exactly a hard sell for me, and truth be told it’s really not that far off from being a good fit.

Enter the Honma TR20 460.

First Impressions

My first impression of Honma came from a phone call from Preston Toulon, their Custom Fitting manager, who expressed his apologies for COVID’s impact on their ability to do an in-person fitting, but then spent 20 minutes on the phone asking me about my game, my current driver, my typical ball flight, my miss, and everything else necessary to land on a good setup.  Preston’s quality service and attention continued throughout this testing experience as well…after many phone calls and texts I can assure you, Honma will go the extra mile to see their products do well once they’re in a golfer’s hands.

Looks

Wow, what a beautiful golf club.

What immediately stood out to me is the premium feel and appearance of the TR20.  Honma claims to be highly weight-efficient through the use of more carbon fiber than anyone, and a look at the sole certainly attests to that.  The TR20 makes use of an interchangeable weight system in the sole for dialing the club in that blends in seamlessly.  The crown of the club is also extremely glossy, and clean, without any alignment marks.  The face of the club also frames the ball very nicely at address, with a very subtle Honma stamp on the toe adding to the premium look of the club.

Perhaps my favorite part of the aesthetics of the club is at the hosel.  Honma’s adapter system is unique, but one of the benefits is a hosel that looks almost glued…quiet, clean, and unobtrusive.

SCORE:  10/10

Sound/Feel

I recognize the sound and feel thing is highly subjective, but I have to say this is where this club really shined for me right from the start.

First, the sound:

Honestly, for me it’s absolutely the best sound from a driver I’ve heard, and I can’t tell you how many compliments and random “what club is that?” questions I’ve gotten on the range for the sound. I’m partial to more of a Callaway-like ting, which is the next closest sound I would compare the Honma to, but that comparison really doesn’t do the TR20 justice.  I’m not sure what else to say on this...it’s what it sounds like when dove’s cry, right after they hit a good drive.

Feel is even more impressive.  The term “jumps off the face” gets worn out in golf equipment, but I’m not sure I can better describe the sensation of a center-strike on the TR20.  More impressive to me was the way this club strikes a perfect balance between forgiving an off-center shot, and giving you enough feedback to let you know where you missed.  Toed, heeled, high or low on the face, I could tell immediately while still generating respectable shots.

Maybe the best anecdote I can give you on this came from my GolfTEC coach when I took it in to pull some numbers.  He’s a 5-time Nebraska PGA Teacher of the Year and owns & operates a GOLFTEC, so he’s seen and heard a lot of boom sticks.  I handed him the Honma and told him to hit a few.  He hit 3 shots and said “man, I like this.”

SCORE: 10/10

Basic Characteristics

So it looks and sounds great, but will this dog hunt?  Oh, yeah.

My TR20 came fitted with a stock Vizard 60g Stiff shaft, which is intended to produce a mid-flight and mid-spin ball and has a stiff tip and softer midsection. 

That “mid” flight is exactly the ball flight I got.  I am sometimes prone to missing high on the face and hitting some balloons, and the TR20 definitely helped bring those misses down.  The forgiveness of this club is probably the most surprising aspect of the TR20.  I was worried going into this test that I was receiving a “Better Players” driver that would punish my misses, and I might end up concluding a marginally capable driver like me shouldn’t be hitting it.  Wrong!  A bad swing still produces a bad shot, but the TR20 definitely reined in my misses and left me in a still-playable positions when my current gamer would have had me off the reservation.

From a workability standpoint, I’ll be honest, I’m more trying to hone a “go-to” shot than I am trying to bend my tee shots.  I did find myself in some situations on the course that required me to cut it, and the Honma helped me pull it off more often than not.

And, distance.  This club goes folks.  Honma’s stock Vizard shafts are a premium shaft on par with aftermarkets, and they’re spine aligned.  Coupled with Honma’s “Non-Rotating System”, the shaft spine stays in a neutral position regardless of your adjustments, and that in turn creates a more stable club at impact.  More stable at impact means more center strikes, and I absolutely experienced longer average drives in addition to hitting some individual record distances.

On Course/LM Performance

At the outset of this test I tracked 3 rounds of drives with my gamer:

As you can see, I averaged 46% FIR, 13 % missed to the left and 41% to the right, with an average distance of 256 yards.

Now here are 3 rounds on the same course with the TR20 460:

The TR20 delivered an FIR of 61%, with 19% missed to the left and 20% missed to the right, and an average distance of…256 yards.  Same as the Epic.

However, mediocre driver of the ball that I am, I assumed I would need the heavy weight back for maximum forgiveness, but when I got on a launch monitor at GolfTEC and showed some initial numbers to Preston at Honma later, he recommended I move the heavy weight forward to try and scrub off some spin.

First, admittedly a small sample size, but here are baseline numbers with the old gamer compared to the Honma TR20 460 at a max MOI weight setting::

Now here are the numbers with the TR20 with the heavy weight moved forward:

Taken altogether, the Honma TR20 460 gave me an average ball speed increase of 10 mph, an average carry increase of 15 yards, and an average total distance increase of 9 yards.

Granted, this isn’t a controlled lab environment, but there are two main takeaways here.  One, the Honma TR20 provides me with significant increases in ball speed, carry, and overall distance.  Two, the TR20’s movable weight system does generate appreciable differences in ball flight.

SCORE:  30/30

Miscellaneous

Clearly, this club is a better fit for me than my gamer.  But, I would offer that there are some aspects that may not be for everybody.  The high-gloss crown and lack of an alignment aid might be a concern for some, but a potentially polarizing feature is the hosel adapter.

Making adjustments is a two-handed process with the tool, and the manual even goes so far as to include warnings about not losing contact or parts of the adapter could fall and be lost.  If you’re one of those guys that shows up at the range and starts tinkering with your driver before the round, the TR20 might be slightly more tedious for that.  For me, not a problem…I get fit and don’t touch the settings until my coach tells me to.  But, it’s an aspect of the adapter to at least be cognizant of.

Once more…I like the adapter, and the Non-Rotating System brings with it the performance element of keeping the spine-aligned shaft in the neutral position.  Just something to think about.

SCORE:  8/10

Play it or Trade It?

This one’s obvious…the Honma TR20 460 is going to be in my bag for a long time.   My fairway percentage is up, my distance is up, and my scores are trending in the right direction, with my handicap on the cusp of breaking into the 5’s.

SCORE: 20/20

Conclusion

Is it for you?  Quite possibly.  I perceived this club to be targeted at a “Better Player,” but I can tell you there is plenty of forgiveness and an adjustability system that can really help dial it in.  At the same time, it’s forgiveness does not come at the expense of distance, so if you’re a big hitter this club should still get a look.

One more parting thought:  I don’t want to spend too much talking price, but I do want to give would-be buyers something to consider.  Right now, the TR20 retails for $650, certainly on the high end of the pricing spectrum.  However, the stock shafts coming from many OEMs are questionable when compared to the Honma Vizard, and Honma would encourage you to consider that they are giving you a driver with an aftermarket-quality shaft right out of the gate. My experience with the Vizard supports that claim, and should be something you consider when comparing to other clubs with “made-for” shafts with a paint job to match an aftermarket club.

Final Score:  98/100

 

Excellent review, nice to see this beauty work for you 

[PMookie]

On 6/26/2020 at 2:27 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

Getoffmylawn's Honma TR20 460 Review

First and foremost, let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have been selected by MyGolfSpy as a tester.  And, I want to thank the membership of this community. This really is a great place for a passionate golfer to come and learn, grow, and improve among other passionate golfers.

My name is Hayes and I was born and raised in upstate New York near Buffalo. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel on Active Duty in the Air Force with 19+ years in, and am currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

I started playing golf about 8 years ago while I was stationed in Texas, and while I can’t tell you the exact moment that I got hooked, I definitely did.  Put mildly, I am truly golf obsessed…you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with golf on the brain more than me.

Does my skill match my interest?  Not yet.  I play to a 6 handicap, and falling, but I’m very much a work in progress.  I consider myself an above average putter, above average around the greens, a decent iron player, and a struggling driver of the golf ball.

Case in point, here’s my driver swing:

My takeaway’s too inside, I’m across the line at the top of my backswing, I slide instead of turn…  Like I said, I’m a work in progress.  The point is, when it comes to the driver, I’m not sure I meet the standard of “better player” like the rest of my game.  I am by no means long and accept that I will never be a bomber.   That said, I really don’t need to be…I love wedging it more than any other aspect of the game, and so I’m most concerned with hitting fairways and having a wedge in my hand, rather than punching out sideways to get back in play.  Forgiveness and accuracy matter more to me than distance.  But, all that being said, yeah, I want to hit it longer.  Unless I’m in league play I usually play from the back tees, but that does often leave me in 3 wood, hybrid or long iron territory to get home in 2 on a par 5.  I typically hit a little draw, and very rarely overcook it, but I do block it right too often, leaving me in punch-out territory.

My previous driver experience is not terribly deep:  for a while I played a Cleveland Classic, then the Nike Covert, the Ping G30, and most recently the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic from 2017, with the infamous “made for” Project X HZRDOUS T800 55g Stiff shaft.

My fitting for the Epic was hardly a fitting…I hit several drivers at a big box store, and the fitter basically told me what driver in their inventory hit me best.  I did see appreciable gains on their launch monitor, and I was desperate to get out of the “holy cow that’s loud” G30, so buying the Epic wasn’t exactly a hard sell for me, and truth be told it’s really not that far off from being a good fit.

Enter the Honma TR20 460.

First Impressions

My first impression of Honma came from a phone call from Preston Toulon, their Custom Fitting manager, who expressed his apologies for COVID’s impact on their ability to do an in-person fitting, but then spent 20 minutes on the phone asking me about my game, my current driver, my typical ball flight, my miss, and everything else necessary to land on a good setup.  Preston’s quality service and attention continued throughout this testing experience as well…after many phone calls and texts I can assure you, Honma will go the extra mile to see their products do well once they’re in a golfer’s hands.

Looks

Wow, what a beautiful golf club.

What immediately stood out to me is the premium feel and appearance of the TR20.  Honma claims to be highly weight-efficient through the use of more carbon fiber than anyone, and a look at the sole certainly attests to that.  The TR20 makes use of an interchangeable weight system in the sole for dialing the club in that blends in seamlessly.  The crown of the club is also extremely glossy, and clean, without any alignment marks.  The face of the club also frames the ball very nicely at address, with a very subtle Honma stamp on the toe adding to the premium look of the club.

Perhaps my favorite part of the aesthetics of the club is at the hosel.  Honma’s adapter system is unique, but one of the benefits is a hosel that looks almost glued…quiet, clean, and unobtrusive.

SCORE:  10/10

Sound/Feel

I recognize the sound and feel thing is highly subjective, but I have to say this is where this club really shined for me right from the start.

First, the sound:

Honestly, for me it’s absolutely the best sound from a driver I’ve heard, and I can’t tell you how many compliments and random “what club is that?” questions I’ve gotten on the range for the sound. I’m partial to more of a Callaway-like ting, which is the next closest sound I would compare the Honma to, but that comparison really doesn’t do the TR20 justice.  I’m not sure what else to say on this...it’s what it sounds like when dove’s cry, right after they hit a good drive.

Feel is even more impressive.  The term “jumps off the face” gets worn out in golf equipment, but I’m not sure I can better describe the sensation of a center-strike on the TR20.  More impressive to me was the way this club strikes a perfect balance between forgiving an off-center shot, and giving you enough feedback to let you know where you missed.  Toed, heeled, high or low on the face, I could tell immediately while still generating respectable shots.

Maybe the best anecdote I can give you on this came from my GolfTEC coach when I took it in to pull some numbers.  He’s a 5-time Nebraska PGA Teacher of the Year and owns & operates a GOLFTEC, so he’s seen and heard a lot of boom sticks.  I handed him the Honma and told him to hit a few.  He hit 3 shots and said “man, I like this.”

SCORE: 10/10

Basic Characteristics

So it looks and sounds great, but will this dog hunt?  Oh, yeah.

My TR20 came fitted with a stock Vizard 60g Stiff shaft, which is intended to produce a mid-flight and mid-spin ball and has a stiff tip and softer midsection. 

That “mid” flight is exactly the ball flight I got.  I am sometimes prone to missing high on the face and hitting some balloons, and the TR20 definitely helped bring those misses down.  The forgiveness of this club is probably the most surprising aspect of the TR20.  I was worried going into this test that I was receiving a “Better Players” driver that would punish my misses, and I might end up concluding a marginally capable driver like me shouldn’t be hitting it.  Wrong!  A bad swing still produces a bad shot, but the TR20 definitely reined in my misses and left me in a still-playable positions when my current gamer would have had me off the reservation.

From a workability standpoint, I’ll be honest, I’m more trying to hone a “go-to” shot than I am trying to bend my tee shots.  I did find myself in some situations on the course that required me to cut it, and the Honma helped me pull it off more often than not.

And, distance.  This club goes folks.  Honma’s stock Vizard shafts are a premium shaft on par with aftermarkets, and they’re spine aligned.  Coupled with Honma’s “Non-Rotating System”, the shaft spine stays in a neutral position regardless of your adjustments, and that in turn creates a more stable club at impact.  More stable at impact means more center strikes, and I absolutely experienced longer average drives in addition to hitting some individual record distances.

On Course/LM Performance

At the outset of this test I tracked 3 rounds of drives with my gamer:

As you can see, I averaged 46% FIR, 13 % missed to the left and 41% to the right, with an average distance of 256 yards.

Now here are 3 rounds on the same course with the TR20 460:

The TR20 delivered an FIR of 61%, with 19% missed to the left and 20% missed to the right, and an average distance of…256 yards.  Same as the Epic.

However, mediocre driver of the ball that I am, I assumed I would need the heavy weight back for maximum forgiveness, but when I got on a launch monitor at GolfTEC and showed some initial numbers to Preston at Honma later, he recommended I move the heavy weight forward to try and scrub off some spin.

First, admittedly a small sample size, but here are baseline numbers with the old gamer compared to the Honma TR20 460 at a max MOI weight setting::

Now here are the numbers with the TR20 with the heavy weight moved forward:

Taken altogether, the Honma TR20 460 gave me an average ball speed increase of 10 mph, an average carry increase of 15 yards, and an average total distance increase of 9 yards.

Granted, this isn’t a controlled lab environment, but there are two main takeaways here.  One, the Honma TR20 provides me with significant increases in ball speed, carry, and overall distance.  Two, the TR20’s movable weight system does generate appreciable differences in ball flight.

SCORE:  30/30

Miscellaneous

Clearly, this club is a better fit for me than my gamer.  But, I would offer that there are some aspects that may not be for everybody.  The high-gloss crown and lack of an alignment aid might be a concern for some, but a potentially polarizing feature is the hosel adapter.

Making adjustments is a two-handed process with the tool, and the manual even goes so far as to include warnings about not losing contact or parts of the adapter could fall and be lost.  If you’re one of those guys that shows up at the range and starts tinkering with your driver before the round, the TR20 might be slightly more tedious for that.  For me, not a problem…I get fit and don’t touch the settings until my coach tells me to.  But, it’s an aspect of the adapter to at least be cognizant of.

Once more…I like the adapter, and the Non-Rotating System brings with it the performance element of keeping the spine-aligned shaft in the neutral position.  Just something to think about.

SCORE:  8/10

Play it or Trade It?

This one’s obvious…the Honma TR20 460 is going to be in my bag for a long time.   My fairway percentage is up, my distance is up, and my scores are trending in the right direction, with my handicap on the cusp of breaking into the 5’s.

SCORE: 20/20

Conclusion

Is it for you?  Quite possibly.  I perceived this club to be targeted at a “Better Player,” but I can tell you there is plenty of forgiveness and an adjustability system that can really help dial it in.  At the same time, it’s forgiveness does not come at the expense of distance, so if you’re a big hitter this club should still get a look.

One more parting thought:  I don’t want to spend too much talking price, but I do want to give would-be buyers something to consider.  Right now, the TR20 retails for $650, certainly on the high end of the pricing spectrum.  However, the stock shafts coming from many OEMs are questionable when compared to the Honma Vizard, and Honma would encourage you to consider that they are giving you a driver with an aftermarket-quality shaft right out of the gate. My experience with the Vizard supports that claim, and should be something you consider when comparing to other clubs with “made-for” shafts with a paint job to match an aftermarket club.

Final Score:  98/100

 

Nice job! Glad you found she’ll be a “keeper”!!!

[GolfSpy AFG]

58 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Nice job! Glad you found she’ll be a “keeper”!!!

Thanks.  No doubt I'll keep it, in fact chances are high some more Honma clubs will find their way into the bag.  I'll keep updating this thread, and will definitely share if that happens...

[PrestonAtHonma]

On 6/26/2020 at 12:27 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

Getoffmylawn's Honma TR20 460 Review

First and foremost, let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have been selected by MyGolfSpy as a tester.  And, I want to thank the membership of this community. This really is a great place for a passionate golfer to come and learn, grow, and improve among other passionate golfers.

My name is Hayes and I was born and raised in upstate New York near Buffalo. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel on Active Duty in the Air Force with 19+ years in, and am currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

I started playing golf about 8 years ago while I was stationed in Texas, and while I can’t tell you the exact moment that I got hooked, I definitely did.  Put mildly, I am truly golf obsessed…you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with golf on the brain more than me.

Does my skill match my interest?  Not yet.  I play to a 6 handicap, and falling, but I’m very much a work in progress.  I consider myself an above average putter, above average around the greens, a decent iron player, and a struggling driver of the golf ball.

Case in point, here’s my driver swing:

My takeaway’s too inside, I’m across the line at the top of my backswing, I slide instead of turn…  Like I said, I’m a work in progress.  The point is, when it comes to the driver, I’m not sure I meet the standard of “better player” like the rest of my game.  I am by no means long and accept that I will never be a bomber.   That said, I really don’t need to be…I love wedging it more than any other aspect of the game, and so I’m most concerned with hitting fairways and having a wedge in my hand, rather than punching out sideways to get back in play.  Forgiveness and accuracy matter more to me than distance.  But, all that being said, yeah, I want to hit it longer.  Unless I’m in league play I usually play from the back tees, but that does often leave me in 3 wood, hybrid or long iron territory to get home in 2 on a par 5.  I typically hit a little draw, and very rarely overcook it, but I do block it right too often, leaving me in punch-out territory.

My previous driver experience is not terribly deep:  for a while I played a Cleveland Classic, then the Nike Covert, the Ping G30, and most recently the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic from 2017, with the infamous “made for” Project X HZRDOUS T800 55g Stiff shaft.

My fitting for the Epic was hardly a fitting…I hit several drivers at a big box store, and the fitter basically told me what driver in their inventory hit me best.  I did see appreciable gains on their launch monitor, and I was desperate to get out of the “holy cow that’s loud” G30, so buying the Epic wasn’t exactly a hard sell for me, and truth be told it’s really not that far off from being a good fit.

Enter the Honma TR20 460.

First Impressions

My first impression of Honma came from a phone call from Preston Toulon, their Custom Fitting manager, who expressed his apologies for COVID’s impact on their ability to do an in-person fitting, but then spent 20 minutes on the phone asking me about my game, my current driver, my typical ball flight, my miss, and everything else necessary to land on a good setup.  Preston’s quality service and attention continued throughout this testing experience as well…after many phone calls and texts I can assure you, Honma will go the extra mile to see their products do well once they’re in a golfer’s hands.

Looks

Wow, what a beautiful golf club.

What immediately stood out to me is the premium feel and appearance of the TR20.  Honma claims to be highly weight-efficient through the use of more carbon fiber than anyone, and a look at the sole certainly attests to that.  The TR20 makes use of an interchangeable weight system in the sole for dialing the club in that blends in seamlessly.  The crown of the club is also extremely glossy, and clean, without any alignment marks.  The face of the club also frames the ball very nicely at address, with a very subtle Honma stamp on the toe adding to the premium look of the club.

Perhaps my favorite part of the aesthetics of the club is at the hosel.  Honma’s adapter system is unique, but one of the benefits is a hosel that looks almost glued…quiet, clean, and unobtrusive.

SCORE:  10/10

Sound/Feel

I recognize the sound and feel thing is highly subjective, but I have to say this is where this club really shined for me right from the start.

First, the sound:

Honestly, for me it’s absolutely the best sound from a driver I’ve heard, and I can’t tell you how many compliments and random “what club is that?” questions I’ve gotten on the range for the sound. I’m partial to more of a Callaway-like ting, which is the next closest sound I would compare the Honma to, but that comparison really doesn’t do the TR20 justice.  I’m not sure what else to say on this...it’s what it sounds like when dove’s cry, right after they hit a good drive.

Feel is even more impressive.  The term “jumps off the face” gets worn out in golf equipment, but I’m not sure I can better describe the sensation of a center-strike on the TR20.  More impressive to me was the way this club strikes a perfect balance between forgiving an off-center shot, and giving you enough feedback to let you know where you missed.  Toed, heeled, high or low on the face, I could tell immediately while still generating respectable shots.

Maybe the best anecdote I can give you on this came from my GolfTEC coach when I took it in to pull some numbers.  He’s a 5-time Nebraska PGA Teacher of the Year and owns & operates a GOLFTEC, so he’s seen and heard a lot of boom sticks.  I handed him the Honma and told him to hit a few.  He hit 3 shots and said “man, I like this.”

SCORE: 10/10

Basic Characteristics

So it looks and sounds great, but will this dog hunt?  Oh, yeah.

My TR20 came fitted with a stock Vizard 60g Stiff shaft, which is intended to produce a mid-flight and mid-spin ball and has a stiff tip and softer midsection. 

That “mid” flight is exactly the ball flight I got.  I am sometimes prone to missing high on the face and hitting some balloons, and the TR20 definitely helped bring those misses down.  The forgiveness of this club is probably the most surprising aspect of the TR20.  I was worried going into this test that I was receiving a “Better Players” driver that would punish my misses, and I might end up concluding a marginally capable driver like me shouldn’t be hitting it.  Wrong!  A bad swing still produces a bad shot, but the TR20 definitely reined in my misses and left me in a still-playable positions when my current gamer would have had me off the reservation.

From a workability standpoint, I’ll be honest, I’m more trying to hone a “go-to” shot than I am trying to bend my tee shots.  I did find myself in some situations on the course that required me to cut it, and the Honma helped me pull it off more often than not.

And, distance.  This club goes folks.  Honma’s stock Vizard shafts are a premium shaft on par with aftermarkets, and they’re spine aligned.  Coupled with Honma’s “Non-Rotating System”, the shaft spine stays in a neutral position regardless of your adjustments, and that in turn creates a more stable club at impact.  More stable at impact means more center strikes, and I absolutely experienced longer average drives in addition to hitting some individual record distances.

On Course/LM Performance

At the outset of this test I tracked 3 rounds of drives with my gamer:

As you can see, I averaged 46% FIR, 13 % missed to the left and 41% to the right, with an average distance of 256 yards.

Now here are 3 rounds on the same course with the TR20 460:

The TR20 delivered an FIR of 61%, with 19% missed to the left and 20% missed to the right, and an average distance of…256 yards.  Same as the Epic.

However, mediocre driver of the ball that I am, I assumed I would need the heavy weight back for maximum forgiveness, but when I got on a launch monitor at GolfTEC and showed some initial numbers to Preston at Honma later, he recommended I move the heavy weight forward to try and scrub off some spin.

First, admittedly a small sample size, but here are baseline numbers with the old gamer compared to the Honma TR20 460 at a max MOI weight setting::

Now here are the numbers with the TR20 with the heavy weight moved forward:

Taken altogether, the Honma TR20 460 gave me an average ball speed increase of 10 mph, an average carry increase of 15 yards, and an average total distance increase of 9 yards.

Granted, this isn’t a controlled lab environment, but there are two main takeaways here.  One, the Honma TR20 provides me with significant increases in ball speed, carry, and overall distance.  Two, the TR20’s movable weight system does generate appreciable differences in ball flight.

SCORE:  30/30

Miscellaneous

Clearly, this club is a better fit for me than my gamer.  But, I would offer that there are some aspects that may not be for everybody.  The high-gloss crown and lack of an alignment aid might be a concern for some, but a potentially polarizing feature is the hosel adapter.

Making adjustments is a two-handed process with the tool, and the manual even goes so far as to include warnings about not losing contact or parts of the adapter could fall and be lost.  If you’re one of those guys that shows up at the range and starts tinkering with your driver before the round, the TR20 might be slightly more tedious for that.  For me, not a problem…I get fit and don’t touch the settings until my coach tells me to.  But, it’s an aspect of the adapter to at least be cognizant of.

Once more…I like the adapter, and the Non-Rotating System brings with it the performance element of keeping the spine-aligned shaft in the neutral position.  Just something to think about.

SCORE:  8/10

Play it or Trade It?

This one’s obvious…the Honma TR20 460 is going to be in my bag for a long time.   My fairway percentage is up, my distance is up, and my scores are trending in the right direction, with my handicap on the cusp of breaking into the 5’s.

SCORE: 20/20

Conclusion

Is it for you?  Quite possibly.  I perceived this club to be targeted at a “Better Player,” but I can tell you there is plenty of forgiveness and an adjustability system that can really help dial it in.  At the same time, it’s forgiveness does not come at the expense of distance, so if you’re a big hitter this club should still get a look.

One more parting thought:  I don’t want to spend too much talking price, but I do want to give would-be buyers something to consider.  Right now, the TR20 retails for $650, certainly on the high end of the pricing spectrum.  However, the stock shafts coming from many OEMs are questionable when compared to the Honma Vizard, and Honma would encourage you to consider that they are giving you a driver with an aftermarket-quality shaft right out of the gate. My experience with the Vizard supports that claim, and should be something you consider when comparing to other clubs with “made-for” shafts with a paint job to match an aftermarket club.

Final Score:  98/100

 

Hayes, your thoughtfulness throughout this process is so appreciated. I'm thrilled you took the time to test our product and compare it to others and also took the time to dial in the product to the degree you did. I'm stoked we landed in a club head and shaft configuration totally tuned to you and I'm stoked that we'll be able to help you shoot lower scores and have more fun.

Always happy to talk golf and help you dial in your clubs. Also happy to answer any other questions about the 13 other spots open in your bag  

Keep in touch. Be well!

And to the rest of the MGS community, I'm always available to answer questions you have about our stuff.

[GolfSpy BOS]

On 6/26/2020 at 3:27 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

Getoffmylawn's Honma TR20 460 Review

First and foremost, let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have been selected by MyGolfSpy as a tester.  And, I want to thank the membership of this community. This really is a great place for a passionate golfer to come and learn, grow, and improve among other passionate golfers.

My name is Hayes and I was born and raised in upstate New York near Buffalo. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel on Active Duty in the Air Force with 19+ years in, and am currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

I started playing golf about 8 years ago while I was stationed in Texas, and while I can’t tell you the exact moment that I got hooked, I definitely did.  Put mildly, I am truly golf obsessed…you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with golf on the brain more than me.

Does my skill match my interest?  Not yet.  I play to a 6 handicap, and falling, but I’m very much a work in progress.  I consider myself an above average putter, above average around the greens, a decent iron player, and a struggling driver of the golf ball.

Case in point, here’s my driver swing:

My takeaway’s too inside, I’m across the line at the top of my backswing, I slide instead of turn…  Like I said, I’m a work in progress.  The point is, when it comes to the driver, I’m not sure I meet the standard of “better player” like the rest of my game.  I am by no means long and accept that I will never be a bomber.   That said, I really don’t need to be…I love wedging it more than any other aspect of the game, and so I’m most concerned with hitting fairways and having a wedge in my hand, rather than punching out sideways to get back in play.  Forgiveness and accuracy matter more to me than distance.  But, all that being said, yeah, I want to hit it longer.  Unless I’m in league play I usually play from the back tees, but that does often leave me in 3 wood, hybrid or long iron territory to get home in 2 on a par 5.  I typically hit a little draw, and very rarely overcook it, but I do block it right too often, leaving me in punch-out territory.

My previous driver experience is not terribly deep:  for a while I played a Cleveland Classic, then the Nike Covert, the Ping G30, and most recently the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic from 2017, with the infamous “made for” Project X HZRDOUS T800 55g Stiff shaft.

My fitting for the Epic was hardly a fitting…I hit several drivers at a big box store, and the fitter basically told me what driver in their inventory hit me best.  I did see appreciable gains on their launch monitor, and I was desperate to get out of the “holy cow that’s loud” G30, so buying the Epic wasn’t exactly a hard sell for me, and truth be told it’s really not that far off from being a good fit.

Enter the Honma TR20 460.

First Impressions

My first impression of Honma came from a phone call from Preston Toulon, their Custom Fitting manager, who expressed his apologies for COVID’s impact on their ability to do an in-person fitting, but then spent 20 minutes on the phone asking me about my game, my current driver, my typical ball flight, my miss, and everything else necessary to land on a good setup.  Preston’s quality service and attention continued throughout this testing experience as well…after many phone calls and texts I can assure you, Honma will go the extra mile to see their products do well once they’re in a golfer’s hands.

Looks

Wow, what a beautiful golf club.

What immediately stood out to me is the premium feel and appearance of the TR20.  Honma claims to be highly weight-efficient through the use of more carbon fiber than anyone, and a look at the sole certainly attests to that.  The TR20 makes use of an interchangeable weight system in the sole for dialing the club in that blends in seamlessly.  The crown of the club is also extremely glossy, and clean, without any alignment marks.  The face of the club also frames the ball very nicely at address, with a very subtle Honma stamp on the toe adding to the premium look of the club.

Perhaps my favorite part of the aesthetics of the club is at the hosel.  Honma’s adapter system is unique, but one of the benefits is a hosel that looks almost glued…quiet, clean, and unobtrusive.

SCORE:  10/10

Sound/Feel

I recognize the sound and feel thing is highly subjective, but I have to say this is where this club really shined for me right from the start.

First, the sound:

Honestly, for me it’s absolutely the best sound from a driver I’ve heard, and I can’t tell you how many compliments and random “what club is that?” questions I’ve gotten on the range for the sound. I’m partial to more of a Callaway-like ting, which is the next closest sound I would compare the Honma to, but that comparison really doesn’t do the TR20 justice.  I’m not sure what else to say on this...it’s what it sounds like when dove’s cry, right after they hit a good drive.

Feel is even more impressive.  The term “jumps off the face” gets worn out in golf equipment, but I’m not sure I can better describe the sensation of a center-strike on the TR20.  More impressive to me was the way this club strikes a perfect balance between forgiving an off-center shot, and giving you enough feedback to let you know where you missed.  Toed, heeled, high or low on the face, I could tell immediately while still generating respectable shots.

Maybe the best anecdote I can give you on this came from my GolfTEC coach when I took it in to pull some numbers.  He’s a 5-time Nebraska PGA Teacher of the Year and owns & operates a GOLFTEC, so he’s seen and heard a lot of boom sticks.  I handed him the Honma and told him to hit a few.  He hit 3 shots and said “man, I like this.”

SCORE: 10/10

Basic Characteristics

So it looks and sounds great, but will this dog hunt?  Oh, yeah.

My TR20 came fitted with a stock Vizard 60g Stiff shaft, which is intended to produce a mid-flight and mid-spin ball and has a stiff tip and softer midsection. 

That “mid” flight is exactly the ball flight I got.  I am sometimes prone to missing high on the face and hitting some balloons, and the TR20 definitely helped bring those misses down.  The forgiveness of this club is probably the most surprising aspect of the TR20.  I was worried going into this test that I was receiving a “Better Players” driver that would punish my misses, and I might end up concluding a marginally capable driver like me shouldn’t be hitting it.  Wrong!  A bad swing still produces a bad shot, but the TR20 definitely reined in my misses and left me in a still-playable positions when my current gamer would have had me off the reservation.

From a workability standpoint, I’ll be honest, I’m more trying to hone a “go-to” shot than I am trying to bend my tee shots.  I did find myself in some situations on the course that required me to cut it, and the Honma helped me pull it off more often than not.

And, distance.  This club goes folks.  Honma’s stock Vizard shafts are a premium shaft on par with aftermarkets, and they’re spine aligned.  Coupled with Honma’s “Non-Rotating System”, the shaft spine stays in a neutral position regardless of your adjustments, and that in turn creates a more stable club at impact.  More stable at impact means more center strikes, and I absolutely experienced longer average drives in addition to hitting some individual record distances.

On Course/LM Performance

At the outset of this test I tracked 3 rounds of drives with my gamer:

As you can see, I averaged 46% FIR, 13 % missed to the left and 41% to the right, with an average distance of 256 yards.

Now here are 3 rounds on the same course with the TR20 460:

The TR20 delivered an FIR of 61%, with 19% missed to the left and 20% missed to the right, and an average distance of…256 yards.  Same as the Epic.

However, mediocre driver of the ball that I am, I assumed I would need the heavy weight back for maximum forgiveness, but when I got on a launch monitor at GolfTEC and showed some initial numbers to Preston at Honma later, he recommended I move the heavy weight forward to try and scrub off some spin.

First, admittedly a small sample size, but here are baseline numbers with the old gamer compared to the Honma TR20 460 at a max MOI weight setting::

Now here are the numbers with the TR20 with the heavy weight moved forward:

Taken altogether, the Honma TR20 460 gave me an average ball speed increase of 10 mph, an average carry increase of 15 yards, and an average total distance increase of 9 yards.

Granted, this isn’t a controlled lab environment, but there are two main takeaways here.  One, the Honma TR20 provides me with significant increases in ball speed, carry, and overall distance.  Two, the TR20’s movable weight system does generate appreciable differences in ball flight.

SCORE:  30/30

Miscellaneous

Clearly, this club is a better fit for me than my gamer.  But, I would offer that there are some aspects that may not be for everybody.  The high-gloss crown and lack of an alignment aid might be a concern for some, but a potentially polarizing feature is the hosel adapter.

Making adjustments is a two-handed process with the tool, and the manual even goes so far as to include warnings about not losing contact or parts of the adapter could fall and be lost.  If you’re one of those guys that shows up at the range and starts tinkering with your driver before the round, the TR20 might be slightly more tedious for that.  For me, not a problem…I get fit and don’t touch the settings until my coach tells me to.  But, it’s an aspect of the adapter to at least be cognizant of.

Once more…I like the adapter, and the Non-Rotating System brings with it the performance element of keeping the spine-aligned shaft in the neutral position.  Just something to think about.

SCORE:  8/10

Play it or Trade It?

This one’s obvious…the Honma TR20 460 is going to be in my bag for a long time.   My fairway percentage is up, my distance is up, and my scores are trending in the right direction, with my handicap on the cusp of breaking into the 5’s.

SCORE: 20/20

Conclusion

Is it for you?  Quite possibly.  I perceived this club to be targeted at a “Better Player,” but I can tell you there is plenty of forgiveness and an adjustability system that can really help dial it in.  At the same time, it’s forgiveness does not come at the expense of distance, so if you’re a big hitter this club should still get a look.

One more parting thought:  I don’t want to spend too much talking price, but I do want to give would-be buyers something to consider.  Right now, the TR20 retails for $650, certainly on the high end of the pricing spectrum.  However, the stock shafts coming from many OEMs are questionable when compared to the Honma Vizard, and Honma would encourage you to consider that they are giving you a driver with an aftermarket-quality shaft right out of the gate. My experience with the Vizard supports that claim, and should be something you consider when comparing to other clubs with “made-for” shafts with a paint job to match an aftermarket club.

Final Score:  98/100

 

Nice review man!  Keep that handicap going down! 

 

Sincerely,

Team #CCC4

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 6/26/2020 at 3:27 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

Getoffmylawn's Honma TR20 460 Review

First and foremost, let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have been selected by MyGolfSpy as a tester.  And, I want to thank the membership of this community. This really is a great place for a passionate golfer to come and learn, grow, and improve among other passionate golfers.

My name is Hayes and I was born and raised in upstate New York near Buffalo. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel on Active Duty in the Air Force with 19+ years in, and am currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

I started playing golf about 8 years ago while I was stationed in Texas, and while I can’t tell you the exact moment that I got hooked, I definitely did.  Put mildly, I am truly golf obsessed…you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with golf on the brain more than me.

Does my skill match my interest?  Not yet.  I play to a 6 handicap, and falling, but I’m very much a work in progress.  I consider myself an above average putter, above average around the greens, a decent iron player, and a struggling driver of the golf ball.

Case in point, here’s my driver swing:

My takeaway’s too inside, I’m across the line at the top of my backswing, I slide instead of turn…  Like I said, I’m a work in progress.  The point is, when it comes to the driver, I’m not sure I meet the standard of “better player” like the rest of my game.  I am by no means long and accept that I will never be a bomber.   That said, I really don’t need to be…I love wedging it more than any other aspect of the game, and so I’m most concerned with hitting fairways and having a wedge in my hand, rather than punching out sideways to get back in play.  Forgiveness and accuracy matter more to me than distance.  But, all that being said, yeah, I want to hit it longer.  Unless I’m in league play I usually play from the back tees, but that does often leave me in 3 wood, hybrid or long iron territory to get home in 2 on a par 5.  I typically hit a little draw, and very rarely overcook it, but I do block it right too often, leaving me in punch-out territory.

My previous driver experience is not terribly deep:  for a while I played a Cleveland Classic, then the Nike Covert, the Ping G30, and most recently the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic from 2017, with the infamous “made for” Project X HZRDOUS T800 55g Stiff shaft.

My fitting for the Epic was hardly a fitting…I hit several drivers at a big box store, and the fitter basically told me what driver in their inventory hit me best.  I did see appreciable gains on their launch monitor, and I was desperate to get out of the “holy cow that’s loud” G30, so buying the Epic wasn’t exactly a hard sell for me, and truth be told it’s really not that far off from being a good fit.

Enter the Honma TR20 460.

First Impressions

My first impression of Honma came from a phone call from Preston Toulon, their Custom Fitting manager, who expressed his apologies for COVID’s impact on their ability to do an in-person fitting, but then spent 20 minutes on the phone asking me about my game, my current driver, my typical ball flight, my miss, and everything else necessary to land on a good setup.  Preston’s quality service and attention continued throughout this testing experience as well…after many phone calls and texts I can assure you, Honma will go the extra mile to see their products do well once they’re in a golfer’s hands.

Looks

Wow, what a beautiful golf club.

What immediately stood out to me is the premium feel and appearance of the TR20.  Honma claims to be highly weight-efficient through the use of more carbon fiber than anyone, and a look at the sole certainly attests to that.  The TR20 makes use of an interchangeable weight system in the sole for dialing the club in that blends in seamlessly.  The crown of the club is also extremely glossy, and clean, without any alignment marks.  The face of the club also frames the ball very nicely at address, with a very subtle Honma stamp on the toe adding to the premium look of the club.

Perhaps my favorite part of the aesthetics of the club is at the hosel.  Honma’s adapter system is unique, but one of the benefits is a hosel that looks almost glued…quiet, clean, and unobtrusive.

SCORE:  10/10

Sound/Feel

I recognize the sound and feel thing is highly subjective, but I have to say this is where this club really shined for me right from the start.

First, the sound:

Honestly, for me it’s absolutely the best sound from a driver I’ve heard, and I can’t tell you how many compliments and random “what club is that?” questions I’ve gotten on the range for the sound. I’m partial to more of a Callaway-like ting, which is the next closest sound I would compare the Honma to, but that comparison really doesn’t do the TR20 justice.  I’m not sure what else to say on this...it’s what it sounds like when dove’s cry, right after they hit a good drive.

Feel is even more impressive.  The term “jumps off the face” gets worn out in golf equipment, but I’m not sure I can better describe the sensation of a center-strike on the TR20.  More impressive to me was the way this club strikes a perfect balance between forgiving an off-center shot, and giving you enough feedback to let you know where you missed.  Toed, heeled, high or low on the face, I could tell immediately while still generating respectable shots.

Maybe the best anecdote I can give you on this came from my GolfTEC coach when I took it in to pull some numbers.  He’s a 5-time Nebraska PGA Teacher of the Year and owns & operates a GOLFTEC, so he’s seen and heard a lot of boom sticks.  I handed him the Honma and told him to hit a few.  He hit 3 shots and said “man, I like this.”

SCORE: 10/10

Basic Characteristics

So it looks and sounds great, but will this dog hunt?  Oh, yeah.

My TR20 came fitted with a stock Vizard 60g Stiff shaft, which is intended to produce a mid-flight and mid-spin ball and has a stiff tip and softer midsection. 

That “mid” flight is exactly the ball flight I got.  I am sometimes prone to missing high on the face and hitting some balloons, and the TR20 definitely helped bring those misses down.  The forgiveness of this club is probably the most surprising aspect of the TR20.  I was worried going into this test that I was receiving a “Better Players” driver that would punish my misses, and I might end up concluding a marginally capable driver like me shouldn’t be hitting it.  Wrong!  A bad swing still produces a bad shot, but the TR20 definitely reined in my misses and left me in a still-playable positions when my current gamer would have had me off the reservation.

From a workability standpoint, I’ll be honest, I’m more trying to hone a “go-to” shot than I am trying to bend my tee shots.  I did find myself in some situations on the course that required me to cut it, and the Honma helped me pull it off more often than not.

And, distance.  This club goes folks.  Honma’s stock Vizard shafts are a premium shaft on par with aftermarkets, and they’re spine aligned.  Coupled with Honma’s “Non-Rotating System”, the shaft spine stays in a neutral position regardless of your adjustments, and that in turn creates a more stable club at impact.  More stable at impact means more center strikes, and I absolutely experienced longer average drives in addition to hitting some individual record distances.

On Course/LM Performance

At the outset of this test I tracked 3 rounds of drives with my gamer:

As you can see, I averaged 46% FIR, 13 % missed to the left and 41% to the right, with an average distance of 256 yards.

Now here are 3 rounds on the same course with the TR20 460:

The TR20 delivered an FIR of 61%, with 19% missed to the left and 20% missed to the right, and an average distance of…256 yards.  Same as the Epic.

However, mediocre driver of the ball that I am, I assumed I would need the heavy weight back for maximum forgiveness, but when I got on a launch monitor at GolfTEC and showed some initial numbers to Preston at Honma later, he recommended I move the heavy weight forward to try and scrub off some spin.

First, admittedly a small sample size, but here are baseline numbers with the old gamer compared to the Honma TR20 460 at a max MOI weight setting::

Now here are the numbers with the TR20 with the heavy weight moved forward:

Taken altogether, the Honma TR20 460 gave me an average ball speed increase of 10 mph, an average carry increase of 15 yards, and an average total distance increase of 9 yards.

Granted, this isn’t a controlled lab environment, but there are two main takeaways here.  One, the Honma TR20 provides me with significant increases in ball speed, carry, and overall distance.  Two, the TR20’s movable weight system does generate appreciable differences in ball flight.

SCORE:  30/30

Miscellaneous

Clearly, this club is a better fit for me than my gamer.  But, I would offer that there are some aspects that may not be for everybody.  The high-gloss crown and lack of an alignment aid might be a concern for some, but a potentially polarizing feature is the hosel adapter.

Making adjustments is a two-handed process with the tool, and the manual even goes so far as to include warnings about not losing contact or parts of the adapter could fall and be lost.  If you’re one of those guys that shows up at the range and starts tinkering with your driver before the round, the TR20 might be slightly more tedious for that.  For me, not a problem…I get fit and don’t touch the settings until my coach tells me to.  But, it’s an aspect of the adapter to at least be cognizant of.

Once more…I like the adapter, and the Non-Rotating System brings with it the performance element of keeping the spine-aligned shaft in the neutral position.  Just something to think about.

SCORE:  8/10

Play it or Trade It?

This one’s obvious…the Honma TR20 460 is going to be in my bag for a long time.   My fairway percentage is up, my distance is up, and my scores are trending in the right direction, with my handicap on the cusp of breaking into the 5’s.

SCORE: 20/20

Conclusion

Is it for you?  Quite possibly.  I perceived this club to be targeted at a “Better Player,” but I can tell you there is plenty of forgiveness and an adjustability system that can really help dial it in.  At the same time, it’s forgiveness does not come at the expense of distance, so if you’re a big hitter this club should still get a look.

One more parting thought:  I don’t want to spend too much talking price, but I do want to give would-be buyers something to consider.  Right now, the TR20 retails for $650, certainly on the high end of the pricing spectrum.  However, the stock shafts coming from many OEMs are questionable when compared to the Honma Vizard, and Honma would encourage you to consider that they are giving you a driver with an aftermarket-quality shaft right out of the gate. My experience with the Vizard supports that claim, and should be something you consider when comparing to other clubs with “made-for” shafts with a paint job to match an aftermarket club.

Final Score:  98/100

 

Nice review, I love the sound compilation. 

[PMookie]

On 8/25/2020 at 9:16 AM, Getoffmylawn said:

Thanks.  No doubt I'll keep it, in fact chances are high some more Honma clubs will find their way into the bag.  I'll keep updating this thread, and will definitely share if that happens...

I’ll say this: my Hcp was just over 6 before Honma got into my bag. Now? It will be 4.8 next update. Correlation?! I think so!

[PMookie]

17 hours ago, PrestonAtHonma said:

Hayes, your thoughtfulness throughout this process is so appreciated. I'm thrilled you took the time to test our product and compare it to others and also took the time to dial in the product to the degree you did. I'm stoked we landed in a club head and shaft configuration totally tuned to you and I'm stoked that we'll be able to help you shoot lower scores and have more fun.

Always happy to talk golf and help you dial in your clubs. Also happy to answer any other questions about the 13 other spots open in your bag  

Keep in touch. Be well!

And to the rest of the MGS community, I'm always available to answer questions you have about our stuff.

With the TR21 goods available soon, there could be quite a few more Honma clubs in the bags of folks on MGS! Top quality clubs, and excellent customer service. Nothing more one could ask for!!!

[golfingbrock]

1 minute ago, PMookie said:

I’ll say this: my Hcp was just over 6 before Honma got into my bag. Now? It will be 4.8 next update. Correlation?! I think so!

Mine has gone up 0.3 strokes, but also I replaced irons a few weeks before I got driver, and my putter hasn't been my friend.. But my last 5 rounds, my worst is 76 (actually last 3 in a row) 

[JudgeSmails]

My review is up...Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions

[golfingbrock]

20 minutes ago, JudgeSmails said:

My review is up...Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions

[JudgeSmails]

58 minutes ago, golfingbrock said:

I think I deserve a Fresca for it

[golfingbrock]

1 minute ago, JudgeSmails said:

I think I deserve a Fresca for it

Is a brand new amazing driver not enough?

 

[golfingbrock]

On 6/26/2020 at 2:24 PM, golfingbrock said:

Golfingbrock’s HONMA TR20 440 Review

Hello friends,

My name is Brock, and I am a 37 year old golf nut from Texas.  I tested he Honma TR20 440 Driver with a Vizard FP7-X Shaft.

I have been playing since I was a kid, and I walked onto my college team and got to play for 3 years with some great players. Though I now don’t play as much as I used to, between family and work, I still get out a few times a month, currently a +2 handicap, and obsess about golf daily.

By the way, HUUUGE thanks to MGS and Honma the testing opportunity, and a very understanding wife, as I have gotten out twice as much these last 6 weeks (for research purposes, of course).

I bought my current gamer, a Tour Edge XCG7 Beta with an X-Stiff Ozik Matrix Black Tie 44.5” shaft on the Used rack at PGA Tour Superstore in 2015. Before the Tour Edge, I had a Taylormade R7 425 Quad that I found on Ebay.  As you may have guessed, I wasn’t ‘fit’ for my gamer, but I did test it against the TM SLDR, Ping G30, Nike Covert, and a few others, and the Tour Edge gave me comparable results at a fraction of the cost, so I took a chance on it. As you can see, I found the center a lot.

I let my brother use my Tour Edge while in Utah, because he wasn't touching my Honma.  Here's his first swing!

My strength has always been my irons, and my driver has become more solid the last few years.  I prefer a low/mid flight with low spin since I play in a lot of wind. My normal carry distance is around 260-270 with roll out to 280-300. My go to shot is a draw, but I can miss it both ways if I need to avoid trouble.

First impressions:

I knew very little about Honma before the review process, other than that they made some really expensive gold-plated clubs (the Beres line), and that Justin Rose played Honma for a year before going back to TM.  When the TR20 came out he had some pretty great results immediately, including a 2^nd at the Singapore Open (where he averaged 323 yds on 7 measured drives) and a T5 at the Hero World Challenge. 

As I delved into the company, I learned about their history of over 60 years producing high quality craftsman clubs in Sakata, Japan, and that they build all the components from heads to Vizard (a combination of Victory and Wizard) shafts in house with the utmost quality control. Honma sought to provide the perfect blend of beauty and performance.

I hit a TR20 440 with a stock Stiff shaft a few times at PGA Tour Superstore before mine arrived, and it had a great sound and feel, but as it wasn’t tuned to me, it wasn’t any better than my current gamer.  For the TR20 to earn a spot in my bag, it would have to give me better distance while maintaining my accuracy, and be a club I can trust under pressure.

Grading:

Looks: 10/10

This driver has tons of tech inside, but the outside is all class. With several manufacturers going with a matte black finish, the Honma really stands out!  From the shiny black top and polished titanium face, to the tasteful gold accents on the carbon fiber woven sole, it almost looks too pretty to hit. The shape is a classic pear shape, and the top of the club has no markings, which I love! The club sits very nice and square at set up, and gives me confidence to swing away.

Honma starts the process by hand carving the shape of the head out of a block of Mississippi persimmon by the craftsmen in Japan. Once that was perfect, they built a very light titanium frame so that they could position the adjustable weights in the perfect spots, and added the ET40 carbon crown and the woven carbon sole.

The Headcover is also high quality, and not only protects the club, but makes the bag look really sharp!

Sound/Feel: 9/10

The sound is a nice THWACK when you hit it in the center.  It’s not too muted or too tinny. Mis-hits have a bit more reverb and a slightly deeper tone. One of my playing partners says it even sounds fast!

It feels smooth like a persimmon when you hit the center of the face, but it feels a heavy when you miss it high or on the toe. But you can feel exactly where on the face you missed it, so the feedback response is great.  It feels slightly worse than my gamer on mis-hits(-1), but the added feedback is nice.

 

Basic Characteristics: 19/20

Trajectory:  The TR20 has a good mid-ball flight when I have it set at 8.5.  I can flight it high or low as as needed, but normal launch is 14°

Workability: This driver is much more stable than what I had before, and while I can work it a bit, it is harder to curve with precision than my old gamer (-1)

Accuracy: I can tell a definite improvement in dispersion, and the results are repeatable with good swings.  I had several in a row on the simulator and range that were almost identical.  This is much harder to do on the course!

Distance:  On the course it seems to be at least 10-15 yards longer.  The simulator showed significant gains in clubhead and ball speed, carry distance, and total distance!

 

Forgiveness:  While you can definitely feel mis-hits, they aren’t overly penal and are still within 10-15 yards of good strikes. 

Adjustability: With the 3 sole weight adjustments that provide high MOI, low spin, or draw bias, and 4 hosel adjustment options to change the loft up or down 1 degree or lie up to 2 degrees upright, there are multiple options to fine tune to the best possible option.  There are two 3g weights, and 1 9g weight. I tried them all!

Under Pressure –If I know I need to carry a distance (up to around 270), I feel confident that will be no problem with a solid swing.  On a tight hole I trust my fairway finder swing to keep me in play. I now know I can hit driver off the deck if needed.

On Course Performance: (28/30)

 Overall, how did it Perform?

Overall, the Honma has performed exceptionally on the course. My first round, while playing with bruised ribs, but aided by elevation, ibuprofen and beer, I hit several over 300 (and a couple near 350) on a mountain course. When I got back to my home course,  the gains were still there, and even had a few wedges and short irons into par 5’s. I had 1 bad driving round, but dialed in the adjustments, and now this thing is money.  

This driver, like any driver can still miss big right or left with just the wrong swing!

In my last round, after laying up short of a creek with a 285 yard carry to clear, I pegged a 2^nd ball to see if I the Honma could clear, and when I arrived, it was sitting in the fairway 50 yards past the creek! 

How, if at all, did this product change your impression of the Honma?  I went from knowing next to nothing about Honma to a true believer in a few short weeks. Pure class from customer service to clubs. 

What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model?

The weight adjustments are nice and intuitive. I love that the shaft stays in the same alignment with all the loft and lie adjustments. But I wish extra weights came with the clubs, including 6g and 12g to provide more adjustability options. Then again, too many options might drive a tinkerer mad!

 Here's my videos with several swings and sounds.  My favorites are the reactions from partners when it's hit!

 

Miscellaneous: 10/10

Although we weren’t able to get fit in person, @PrestonAtHonma took the time with each of us to get us into a great driver.  We talked specs and our game for 40 minutes  @PMookie and perhaps others can speak to the premium fitting experience. Though I had wondered if any other shaft or loft option would have been chosen with a fitting, once I hit it I knew I had the right club. 

As I was travelling the week the driver was set to ship, Preston was able to get the driver sent to our Airbnb in Utah so that the package wasn’t left on the porch.  Throughout the process, Preston was available for feedback and adjustment help.

Also, it was comforting knowing that our clubs were assembled by Master club builder “Wedge Wizard” Jason Sanborn. The packaging, tooling and adjustment instructions were all included, and making adjustments is easy, though the Japanese to English translation in the instructions was a bit confusing at times.

 

Play it or Trade it? 19/20

 

I gifted my Tour Edge driver to my brother-in-law today, who just recently started playing. As much as I loved that club, it’s been replaced in the bag by Honma!

The Honma TR20 is made for the low to mid handicapper with refined taste. The ‘TR’ in the model number stands for ‘Tour Release’.  This club performs better than my current gamer by quite a good margin, so the Honma will definitely stay in my bag. If I had the option to keep the 440 or go with the 460, I'm fairly certain I would keep the 440.

As a budget conscious golfer who’s never been fit for clubs or purchased a brand-new driver, I’m not necessarily the target audience for $750 premium driver. However, as a low handicapper trying to get the most out my game, I feel confident that this will help me play my best golf.

Conclusion:

This is a serious club with great tech that should be strongly considered with the bigger name brands if you are in the market for a custom fit driver.  I have gained yards, have shorter clubs into greens on average, and am consistently in play. The fine-tuning loft and weight adjustments can also help really dial in the swing.

Although this club might not be for everyone, it is in my opinion the sexiest driver on the market. It’s a great conversation starter with playing partners, and it’s fun to see the awe on their face when it pops off the club face!

With their quality craftsmanship and now with the Honma House in Carlsbad, Ca and the Tour experience fitting vans available, I expect big things for Honma in the US and in a lot more bags over the next few years.

At the start of the process, before I talked with Preston, and before I swung the club, I expected my review to be much more critical, but here we are with an A+!

Disclaimer: When @PrestonAtHonmaasked why I chose the 440 over the 460, I told him that it improved my odds of being picked, because a majority of the applicants picked the 460 

FINAL SCORE: 95/100

 

Review is posted.

Spoiler alert: I like the Honma