Which Honma iron sets should i buy?

Question

I am in my 50's, and high handicapped around 95. My goal is to high the ball straight and distance is not particularly a concern for me. I have some problem with long irons. Which of the Honma iron set best suits for me. Thanks

LB 280

LB 606

LB 708

Twin Mark series

Also, what's the meaning of stars on the shaft? The more stars, the lighter the shafts?

Answer 1

You are asking a difficult question. Judging from the info you have given you should look for a true cavity-back style club as opposed to irons that lean more heavily towards a blade-style.

I've hit the LB 606 and the LB 708 models. While they were good, I cannot say that they were stunning in any measurable way. That said, I play to a lower handicap than you so my views and requirements in a club are quite different. Personally, I think the Twin Mark AP-302 model might be a good match for your skill level.

The Twin Mark AP-302 is a forgiving club. I'm assuming that accuracy is your primary goal, so while I could not "work" the ball as well as I could with my irons (I play Mizuno MP blades) every ball hit with the AP-302 clubs went string straight for me.

As for your long irons, I hate to say it but the key to success is not necessarily in your clubs. The issue is more likely found in your swing. My advice is to try a trick that helps me whenever my long irons are suffering....

Swing your long irons the same way that you would swing your 8 iron. Don't try to kill the ball. I think you'll find MUCH better results if you swing with a smooth (almost leisurely) tempo and simply let the club do the work on it's own.

To answer your final question, have a look at the following link...

https://www.honmagolf.co.jp/item/shaft_e...

Honma uses ARMRQ shafts. After going to the (ARMRQ) link I've provided scroll to the bottom of the page. You'll find a matrix chart showing the different stars and the meaning of each. Simply find the star grade (i.e., 1S for one star. 2S for two stars, etc...) and look down the column to find the various attributes of each shaft.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your game!

Dale Mayuiers

Portland, Oregon