Which Honma iron is best for me?

Last updated: 02 January 2024

What is the Honma iron for your golf game?

Neil Wain is the Today's Golfer golf test professional.

Which Honma irons should I buy? Your guide to each iron in Honma’s line-up and who they are aimed at.

Most major brands have five, six or even seven irons in their line-ups, which shows the importance of having solutions for all golfers, irrespective of ability or personal preference. Choices range from slimline musclebacks to hollow heads and cavity backs, and while some are forged, others have springy faces just like a driver.

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So with such a huge amount of choice out there, we felt it was far too easy for golfers to get confused about which iron best suits them.

Even golfers who have a good idea of which iron suits them probably don’t realise what they put on the line in terms of ball speed, carry and forgiveness by choosing a set above their station.

EXPLAINED: How we test golf equipment

To help you choose the right Honma model, we will show you how the brand’s whole iron range compares against each other.

As well as launch monitor data from our pro, we’ve given every Honma iron a forgiveness rating (1 = least forgiving, 5 = most forgiving) and a handicap guide to spell out simply what sort of players should be considering what sort of models, and why.

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How we tested which Honma iron is best for you

We asked Honma to submit their entire 2021 irons range for testing.

We created a controlled test environment indoors at Keele Golf Centre and used premium golf balls.

We collected a ton of data from every iron shot hit, using a Foresight Sports GC Quad launch monitor, all of which can be found further down this piece.

RELATED: Tested – Best Drivers

Honma T//World TR20 B Irons

RRP £1,225
Category Muscleback blade
Forgiveness rating 1
Handicap range 4 and below
Construction Forged from a single piece of S20C carbon steel
Availability 3-10 (PW)
Stock shaft Nippon Modus3 / Nippon NS950GH Neo / Honma Vizard
7-iron loft 34°

When you realise the Honma TR20 B irons were designed with input from Justin Rose, the player profile is pretty obvious. Only tour players, elite golfers and those who feel they shape a high percentage of shots need apply.

Unexpectedly, our data reveals the B doesn’t give up as much as its blade peers in terms of ball speed, distance and forgiveness against the players and players distance models within its respective iron range.

The TR20’s toplines are wafer-thin, and compared to the fast face and hollow-body TR21 X, you give up nine yards of 7-iron carry as well as launch, height and descent angle.

WATCH: Best Muscleback/Blades Test

RELATED: Best Forged Irons

Honma T//World TR20 V Irons

RRP £1,225
Category Players
Forgiveness rating 2
Handicap range 4 and below
Construction Forged from a single piece of S20C carbon steel
Availability: 4-10 (PW), 11 (GW)
Stock shaft: Nippon Modus3, Nippon NS950GH Neo, Honma Vizard IB-WF100
7-iron loft: 32°

Watch modern tour players and their iron shots usually fall to one side of their target line or the other; very few players hit big, arcing shot shapes in the modern game. And that’s often the distinction given by brands for how players choose between a blade and forged cavity tour iron.

If you’re an elite player but your game isn’t based around shaping shots, a forged players iron is likely to be the type of model you’d plump for. We suspect, though, that a majority of good club golfers will find it hard to resist the seven extra yards of carry, plus higher shots and steeper landing angles on offer, from the 2° stronger (7-iron) TR20 P.

BUY IT NOW: Get the Honma T//World TR20 V irons from Scottsdale Golf

Honma T//World TR20 P Irons

RRP £1,225
Category Players distance
Forgiveness rating 2.5
Handicap range 12 and below
Construction S35C steel body with MS300 L face cup
Availability: 5-10 (PW), 11 (GW)
Stock shaft: Nippon Modus3, Nippon NS950GH Neo, Honma Vizard TR65
7-iron loft: 30°

The TR20 P is a strong-lofted, fast-faced players distance iron, but thanks to having a slightly smaller head size than some of the competition, our forgiveness rating is a fraction lower than the Mizuno JPX921 Forged, TaylorMade P790 and Callaway Apex 21.

If you’re a reasonable ball striker, who wouldn’t argue with gaining a few yards, they’re a cracking option. And thanks to Honma’s mix-and-match policy, you can build your perfect combo set from three TR20 models.

If you want to go slightly more forgiving and powerful, the hollow-body TR21 X has all the answers you need.

BUY IT NOW: Get the Honma T//World TR20 P irons from Scottsdale Golf

WATCH: Best Players Distance Irons Test

Honma T//World TR21 X irons

RRP £175 (s), £210 (g) per iron
Category Mid-handicap
Forgiveness rating 3.5
Handicap range 18 and below
Construction Cast 17-4 hollow body with C300 face

Honma tout the TR21 X as a players distance iron, but when you realise the blade length is 1.4mm longer and 4.5mm taller than the TR20 P, plus the body is cast, not forged, we’d say the model very nearly slides into the mid-handicap iron category, too.

Next to the competition, the TR21 X will probably be a fraction too big to be a full-on players distance iron. But, thanks to slightly more offset, that doesn’t mean it’s not a great alternative to a traditional cavity-back.

It very nearly found itself among our Top 10 mid-handicap irons this year, and if you put a premium on good looking irons that are powerful and forgiving, they’re right up your street.

BUY IT NOW: Get the Honma T//World TR21 X irons from Scottsdale Golf

WATCH: Best Mid-Handicap Irons Test

RELATED: Best Mid-Handicap Irons

Honma T//World GS irons

RRP £1,155
Category High handicap
Forgiveness category 4
Handicap range 28 and below
Construction Cast 17-4+ stainless steel with AM355P face

Brands are taking slower swing speeds more seriously than ever, so there are now specific ranges that set out to maximise mph and yards for players who naturally create less. And Honma are better at that than most.

Yes, our pro swung the lightweight GS faster (GS stands for Gain Speed), but that’s exactly the trait that will help average speed players launch shots higher to optimise carry.

You’re unlikely to see the 6.3mph ball speed gain and 15 yards more carry (7-iron) to the TR21 X that we did, as at lower speeds gaps narrow. But for the right player, the T//World GS is Honma’s longest, most forgiving iron model.

WATCH: Best High-Handicap Irons Test

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