The last line of Endo forged Titleist irons was the 690 series, though several tour players (including Scott Piercy who paired with Billy Horschel to win in New Orleans this year) still bag the 15-year old Endo forged, 680 MBs. Mizuno, which is arguably is a more established brand name globally than Endo/EPON, didn’t have the in-house capability to produce a forged iron with an undercut cavity, but Epon could. The Tour wedge has a smaller profile and teardrop shape, while the Tour-S is larger, more forgiving and generates 1000 more RPM than the tour wedge – loft for loft. They are positively the best irons I’ve ever hit. Some of its valid and some is self-congratulatory back-slapping – but in either case, there’s little to separate the company from the background noise. The Verdict: Low-handicap contrarians who revel in having others peek into their bag and wonder what they're playing should consider these. At GolfWRX, we love golf equipment plain and simple. Epon’s iron lineup currently has choices for all levels of golfers and is actually growing in number of models. Nike contracted with Endo for its various VR-series irons and woods. Their tagline for the AF-Tour is, “If you’ve got to ask if you’re good enough to play this club, then you likely … That said, North American consumers seem to be growing more accepting of premium-priced equipment, particularly as prices on stock OTR (off-the-rack) equipment continue to rise. Reduce strokes off your next round! And with Epon, we can take the process to the next level,” Vaughn said. Its performance is that of a Super Game-Improvement iron, yet the body profile is ostensibly game-improvement. EPON offers two wedges (Tour and Tour Spin), both available in even-numbered lofts 48° – 60°. …also, I apparently totally forgot to mention their putters, of which I also have one: a 2nd gen i-33. The other interesting note is that without the need for solvents or tape, the new Concept Helix grips and more environmentally friendly. After nearly six months gaming the Miura’s my handicap is back under 10. I used a mate’s Epon driver (AF 105) a few months ago and was astounded with the feel and distance. Forgiveness is underwhelming. Director of Club Fitting at PureForm Golf, Paul Jenner, details the similarities and differences between the Miura and Epon iron heads. By that measure, creating tooling dies for intricately designed forgings is relative child’s play. Curated photos, videos and reviews to help you choose the best golf equipment. Consumers identify with the name or label on the product, regardless of who or what is actually behind the engineering, design and quality control. That produces a much more consistent product, because there is less room for error on the grinding and polishing part of the process. As the product line both renews and expands, the challenge becomes more complex. They were all forged at the famed Endo Forging House in Japan, though many years apart. I HAVE HAD MANY forged sets and these play very well. The 502 has a face made of a high COR super spring steel material that provides loads of rebound giving maxium distance like their 701 model irons. Shop the best prices and selection on custom Epon AF-505 iron sets for sale from Fairway Jockey. ‘Anyone else not carry any fairway woods?’ – GolfWRXers discuss. Endo’s resume also includes Henrik Stenson’s current gamers, the Callaway Legacy Black. Amongst his varied responsibilities, Yamamiya focuses on designing equipment specifically for the North American market. Both setups are 100% JDM clubs. In 2010, the brand dipped its proverbial toes in the shallow end by releasing the AF 301/501/701 series of irons. EPON exists for a single purpose – to see what can happen when those constraints don’t exist – but like every other company, EPON is trying like hell to grow, but it won’t be fueled by volume price points or battling major domestic OEMs for floor space at your local big box retailer. Epon’s latest line of clubs includes the AF-Tour (traditional blade), AF-Tour CB, AF-303, AF-503, and the AF-705. In any event, irons more precise than your swing won’t make you hit the ball better. My driving iron, 3 wood and driver are likewise Epon (AF-901, AF-203, AF-105), and I also have a Mizuno driver from their Tour (Yoro) department called the MP-Craft which was made by Endo. https://www.patreon.com/tourexperiencegolf http://txg.ca – Testing the new AF-305 irons from Epon! Although the author references the “higher-grade materials” that Epon/Endo use, he could have elaborated on that quite a bit. A first from ENDO manufacturing. Endo’s client list is impressive, which validates the quality of the work done for Srixon, Bridgestone, et al. Member Bomber_11 – Raw Callaway Apex MB irons, Member darrickpe – TaylorMade SIM “Rocket” fairway, Select grip offerings from SuperStroke, Golf Pride, and Lamkin. All rights reserved. I absolutely love it; forged s20c (rare for a putter), then 100% milled 5x to perfection, with very minimal milled stamping especially on the sole which is mirror finish and bare except for loft/lie milling. I said to the builder, I would buy again if they perform like AF Tours but look more like a Titleist. We are replacing “paper clip” with “quarter”. After the first swing, I started mumbling ‘my precious’ and the fitter let out a nervous laugh. My infant son won’t be going to college in 17 years because his dad spent all his college money on some Epon irons! Endo is an attractive brand partner for myriad reasons, not the least of which is its well-heeled reputation. Over the years, Endo has forged many irons for OEMs. In today’s world, Endo is able to forge an iron head within 10 grams of the desired weight of the finished club head for any company that asks them to forge an iron. The 905 hybrids (like the utility iron counterpart) will likewise be more compact and workable than its predecessor and available in lofts of 18°, 21°, 24° and 27°. TaylorMade’s new M3 and M4 irons, with “RibCOR” technology, Miura Launches ICL-601 Driving Irons in North America, New Callaway X Forged Irons Unveiled in Japan, Callaway Lightens Up with Ultra-Premium GBB Epic Star Line, Exotics Officially Launches New CBX Iron-Wood, Classic Name, Max Performance: TaylorMade launches 2017 “M CGB” irons. The truth just sounds different.". EPON Golf Golf Clubs AF502 Forged 3-pw rare the 6 iron head is same model but added to the set later. You are bidding on epon irons in excellent condition . Their tagline for the AF-Tour is, “If you’ve got to ask if you’re good enough to play this club, then you likely aren’t.” That statement sums up how I felt about it as well. Endo’s Epon products are the epitome of what a forging manufacturer is capable of producing without any limitations.”. In 10 years, I’ve played four different sets of irons. I dipped my toe into JDM clubs last year with Fourteen Golf and have loved them. When it comes to winning, Emily Kristine Pedersen has made it look pretty easy recently with three straight wins on... Driver: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 60 TX 3-wood: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (15 degrees)... Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero Single Diamond (9 degrees, -1/N) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X (45 inches, D3) 3-wood:... Driver: Callaway BB21 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X (@46.5″) 3-wood: Callaway BB21 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus... Dustin Johnson’s winning WITB: 2020 Masters. I heard they were made in Japan but never have had that confirmed. Endo has a fully-integrated, in-house, 3D-tooling and production process. Epon uses the finest technology to make its clubs, including 3-D tooling that allows for precision. Fairway Golf Review The AF-302 irons have all the attributes of a muscle back: excellent feel, control and workability, but with a larger sweetspot. In the 1970s, a foundry was able to forge a club head to within about 40-60 grams of the desired head weight for the finished product. Find an Epon fitter near you.Â, Fourteen Golf’s new FH-900 Forged irons have mass appeal, Bettinardi launches customizable UPatch headcovers, Inovai 5.0 putters. Firstly, Epon is the house brand of Endo which is a very large forgery and manufacturer; secondly, PXG is at minimum not the forger of their own clubs, the only two golf companies that forge their own club heads in the USA are the new rebranded Ben Hogan’s, and only because they purchased the forgery of the old Ben Hogan’s, and a new brand that purchased the old Nike Oven and a forgery (and is even more high-end than PXG) called P53. Some wear on the box. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Along with the 505, EPON projects these models to account for nearly two-thirds of all iron sales. For their irons, wedges, and putters, Endo uses almost exclusively Japanese sourced s20c carbon steel, which combined with their advanced manufacturing tech makes for a very unique and soft signature feel. However, I was not able to justify the cost difference to make that purchase. Product: Epon AF-305 irons. Epon Golf Products. Epon AF 705 5-P Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X-100 PURED +1/2'' over length, all standard specs otherwise. Mamma Mia!!! From colors, to engraving, to stamping, finish and sightlines, MyTP brings “an extensive level of personalization to a traditional line of blade putters, delivering an ideal blend of the classic and the modern,” says Bill Price, Senior Director of Product Creation, Putter & Wedge. Metalwoods often play 2nd fiddle in JDM conversations which is a byproduct of a comparatively higher price point, and few, if any, demonstrable performance benefits. We're open & shipping daily! I highly doubt PXG will ever become a true OEM. EPON will continue to offer two complementary fairway wood models – a deeper-faced lower-launch AF-205 geared to higher spin players and a more-forgiving, easier to launch iteration with a shallow face. This putter has everything a custom putter lover could ever want – mint condition, weld neck, lovely milled face… the only other thing you could possibly want would be to get it at a lower price, but good luck! What is it that consumers can only access through EPON and not through one of Endo’s OEM partners? vs the std. This makes the 303 a little easier to elevate, though the increased offset may be a bit much for some. Absolutely. The Concept Helix grip and the simple system used to install it removes the fear factor of installing grips and also brings a new level of accessibility to those that are looking to benefit from the performance advantage of new grips—it also requires zero drying time, meaning you can go from gripping clubs to hitting shots instantly. Epon AF-502 4-6,8-PW Iron Set RH KBS Tour C-taper 130 Extra Stiff Steel # 83266 Required fields are marked *. Positive business strategies in Asia don’t always translate well abroad, and the Japanese domestic market has witnessed an influx of non-native brands further crowding an already congested space which hasn’t experienced any appreciable growth in the last half-decade. So do believe some companies take more care, but you will pay the “luxury tax”, while we play this game, a dollar bill is a gram:). Grab your popcorn and wait for our Most Wanted GI iron results. Copyright 2020. I was fitted for the Miura MC 501 irons and the dispersion pattern between these and my former irons (Mizuno JPX Hot Metal) were worlds apart. I couldn’t look down at the clubs w/o thinking shovel. EPON’s 303 occupies the Players CB space in the line-up. A super low and deep CG combined with a super wide sole makes this the most forgiving iron in the EPON line up. Doubtful. And the question that always comes up is, “Are these irons really $1,200 better than the Titleists or Mizunos I can buy off the shelf?” That’s entirely up to you. “We continue to explore new technologies that benefit golfers, both on and off the course. Nor do I know by what factory. Personal 3’s are great (not mentioned)…play well, my set-up was a private builder/fitter very familiar with Epon, ended up with x100 soft stepped black on black played as well as looked. The question is whether EPON can become a brand unto itself in a way which resonates with boutique brand aficionados – or is the very DNA of what makes JDM brands attractive at odds with doing what’s necessary to capture any meaningful market share in North America. What’s more, regardless of which EPON iron model your fitter recommends, you can be … Fortunately, MGS has been working on something to take the guesswork out of it. The tried the pxg’s before these ; and the epon’s feel softer.They re[placed honma tw 737p’s which replaced I200’S THIS YEAR. It’s an eternity for a single iron model. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), Testers Wanted – Top Flite Gamer Golf Ball, 3 Testers Wanted – Nippon Zelos Iron Shafts. I’m sad that I don’t still have them around. Hopefully Endo is a little more precise than the comparison used. The latest AF-305 irons from Epon are built and designed to offer the best of both worlds: subtle forgiveness and beautiful design, due to their cavity-back shape, which is … I’ve also played the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo and the Titleist 690 CB, which are both tied for a very close second. I have a set of the original Kyoei forged KZG Forged Blades that were made in 2006, and I have no desire to even try another iron ever again, they’re that sweet. I play AF-702s with Fujikura MCI 100-S and got to hit PXG for the first time today. I’ve seen OTR drivers stamped 9.5, measured 10.2. The original ZO blades were forged in Japan – Kyoei I believe. Responsible for the production of golf’s leading OEM brands, EPON made it possible for custom club makers to fit golfers with the best forged products in the world. The updated 905’s more compact frame and rounded profile should transition more smoothly into EPON’s more player-oriented iron sets. Golf Pride’s new Concept Helix grip system uses a friction and torque-based installation method that ensures the grips are secure and are installed using a proprietary ‘horn’ device that is included with every order. Eventually Epon plans to phase out the 501 model for this new 502. With Epon, just as with other super-premium golf equipment manufacturers like Miura or Fourteen or Vega, the discussion always comes back to price, and maybe rightfully so. It’s becoming a familiar refrain in the industry. The sense is this is a play to appeal to those wanting something reminiscent of muscle-backs of yesteryear, but with the advantage of advanced CAD and 3D tooling capabilities. It wasn’t long before Endo, who now sits as CEO/President of EPON Golf, established EPON as a subsidiary of the business entity Endo, allowing the parent company to expand its variety of pursuits, which includes spinal implants, where tolerances are 1/10,000th of a millimeter. Shop used Epon golf clubs and save on your purchase when you trade in your used clubs. You can find his books at his website, chandlercrawford.com, or on Amazon. If cost was not an issue, I would be playing EPON irons. But the primary question EPON must answer is, beyond the token “unlimited budget, no time constraints” division of Endo – What is it about EPON which is demonstrably better? eg : 3 – 258.3 vs 259.5 std 8 – 278.8 vs 280.0 std. There is a mid-launch/mid-spin glued (non-adjustable) version as well, which drops the “i” from its name. The fitter paired the 303s with some Oban steel shafts and oh my goodness…the feel of the TP5X rocketing off those beautiful irons was incredible. I played these irons longer than any others, and the aforementioned Hogan’s just narrowly unseated them. At $2,400 per set, I’m just not sure I’m willing to get divorced over it. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Epon AF-303 Review. I PAID $ 210 per club with kbs tour shafts. Chris is a self-diagnosed equipment and golf junkie with a penchant for top-shelf ice cream. I had a chance to hit some of their drivers a few months ago during a fitting and they were really good, too! Because EPON uses higher-grade materials than many OEMs and is willing to incur greater production costs to tighten controls over CT (Characteristic Time – which directly influences initial ball speed) – the net result is hotter clubheads which bump right up against USGA tolerances. So, my whole main setup from putter to 3 iron is all forged s20c clubs of the highest quality. A more precisely weighted head lends itself to a more exact build, requiring fewer compensations (tip weights, boring out material from the hosel) on the backend. The traditional shapes of the TP line’s Juno and Soto models can be customized in 11 areas. Where and how EPON fits into this evolving landscape is equal parts question and motivation. It’s clear EPON produces top-tier forged irons for arguably every category of player. Founded in 1950 by Eimatsu Endo as a company dedicated to manufacturing steel parts for machines, housewares, and automobiles, golf equipment wasn’t part of the original business plan. Being a lefty with limited options, I’ve played Miura, Mizuno, Titleist, and Bridgestone forged irons and those Epon were some of the sweetest feeling irons I’ve ever touched. I didn’t shoot my best score ever with my Epon/Endo setup, but I consistently shoot scores pretty close with that bag and I feel like a bit more consistently than I do with my other bag. "Isn't it funny? Thus, Mizuno’s JPX 800 AD and JPX 825 irons are on the extremely short list of Mizuno forged irons produced somewhere other than the Chuo factory. The 505 replaces the 503 and could be the EPON product consumers are still talking about next spring. Get the best deals on EPON Golf Iron Sets when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. This fully hollow-body forged design utilizing stronger lofts screams maximum ball speeds and distance! The 155i driver is notable as it’s one of the few adjustable drivers readily available from the Japanese market. I owned AF Tour CBs and loved the performance and feel, BUT NOT THE LOOKS. This is the crux of EPON’s predicament, and a closer examination of current and pending releases reveals the company just might have worked it out. With its house brand, Epon, the company can take it even further. If you’re accustomed to playing forged irons, it means you’re likely picky about finding the right ones when it’s time to upgrade. Remember builder actually showing me tolerances of head weights vs. another big name OEM’s premium heads (although i believe this is where “tour issue, and OTR differ slightly…i.e. This iron family was designed to appeal to a broader audience than seen in the past. Is it higher quality? In my opinion, as someone who has used and uses or tries all the best JDM products (I’ve been through all the USDM equipment already that I care to, the quality coming from that market is overall trending backward), Epon is the highest quality all-around brand in the entire world. Eric Burch and his equipment company, New Level Golf, is bits and pieces of all three. The extra weight would then have to be ground off by the hands of a highly skilled craftsman, but as with anything, it’s impossible to be perfect every single time. During the late 1960s and 1970s, Endo quickly became the go-to forging house for a plethora of Japanese OEMs, and eventually larger American brands like Callaway and Titleist contracted with Endo to forge some of its most iconic retail iron sets, including the original Callaway Mickelson blade and 2013 X-Forged. Try to look at the epon’s personnal first gen. maybe he meant raw forgings not the finished heads? Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. Strong lofts. To see how it works, check out the video from Golf Pride below. If you’re a casual golfer, you may not have heard of Endo… or its house brand, Epon. And whether golfers prefer the more rounded appearance of the Soto or the more squared-off look of the Juno, the bevy of opportunities to customize these blades offers myriad unique design possibilities. Has been put back whole into the box. Individuals taking knowledge and resources gleaned over several decades of experience in the industry and venturing out as a one-wolf pack to revisit a passion once deferred, make the most of a fortuitous monetary situation, or just to do something different. We will build your Epon AF-505 iron set with the custom shaft and specifications that fit your golf swing. Aside from the aforementioned ones, here are a few others: Mizuno JPX-800 AD and JPX-825, Fourteen TC-606, TC-777, and TC-1000, Nike VR, VR_S, VR Forged and SQ Forged, Titleist 690 MB and VG3. Bridgestone’s current B-series irons/wedges as well as its cult-creating J33 and J40 series irons are all Endo forged. An avid player and student of the game, Adam seeks to understand both the analytical side of the game as well as the human aspect - which he finds the most important. For Epon, they manufacture clubs of the highest possible quality for every club category, even when measured against the specialty clubs of the other boutique brands.