Sixty-three years.
Few equipment companies have been around for as long as Honma Golf. Founded in Sakata, Japan, in 1959, Honma is a legendary, luxury lifestyle brand in its homeland. By contrast, many golfers in the U.S. might be unfamiliar with the innovative company because it set up shop here just six years ago. “From start to finish, all research, design, testing, and manufacturing is performed in-house,” says Lorena Padilla, Chief Marketing Officer, Honma Golf. Their holistic approach, which includes shaft making, allows for total control over the finished product.
On the one hand, Honma is a modern, high-tech organization. Yet, it’s also renowned for old-school craftsmanship and artistry. “We make the shape of our woods by hand-shaving a block of persimmon rather than doing it with CAD [Computer Aided Design],” says Takahiro Suzuki, Head of Product Development, Honma Golf. “The result is unique curves that cannot be expressed by CAD, plus beautiful shapes that only skilled craftsmen can do.” Blending the old with the new is paying off: the company just reported the highest yearly revenues and profits in history.
