Asian market has different feel
When Shi Hyun Ahn won the CJ Nine Bridges Classic in South Korea last year, those watching in the U.S. likely had no idea the Elord name embroidered on her cap was that of a golf-equipment company, driving home the fact that some of the tools Asian players use on the LPGA Tour remain a mystery.
Although American-born players generally gravitate toward brands such as Callaway, Cleveland, Ping, TaylorMade, Titleist, etc., that's not always the case in Asia where big brands win out a little less often.
"There's no question that the Asian market for golf equipment is different than that here in America," said Benoit Vincent, senior VP of research and development for TaylorMade. "It's a function-over-form culture. Here in the U.S., you could develop the most advanced golf club from a technology standpoint, but if it doesn't look right or isn't marketed correctly, it won't connect with the consumer. Some of the brands in Asia are huge. We just don't realize it. But it's more a matter of 'Does it work?' than branding."
Honma clubs have worked just fine for Mi Hyun Kim. A five-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Kim played on the Korean LPGA Tour from 1996-97, winning nine times. Although merely a blip on the equipment radar in the U.S., Tokyo-based Honma is well-known in Asia. Since its founding in 1958, the company has opened divisions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand. No wonder it's among the top-10 iron brands used on the Japan Tour.
The Asian influence also is felt in the U.S. as clubs from American companies on the market in Asia often are a precursor of what we will see domestically, TaylorMade's r7 quad driver serving as one example. And it's a strong bet the Nike T-100 hybrid (currently only available in Asia) in Grace Park's bag will be in U.S. golf shops by year's end.
Thus taking the mystery out of it.
Equipment scoop from the tours:
Available in two models (Red X and center-shafted Red X2), these mallets boast a classic shape and a sole with a slight negative bounce that allows the putter to sit squarely without any face closure. Jerry Kelly was among the players using the Red X (SRP: $285) last week at the Memorial.
The number of players changing sets of irons at the Memorial Tournament. The lone participant not standing pat was Tim Petrovic, who switched from Bridgestone's Tour Premium irons to the company's TourStage X-Blade model.
