Miura Giken: Bridging the Gap

Miura’s history is well documented and up until earlier this year, it’s modus operandi was rooted in premium forged irons and wedges. These staple offerings created a reputation which was as solid as much as it was unchanging.

But change can be uncomfortable, and I’m sure there were some within the Miura family who would have preferred to keep the status quo.  However, it wasn’t so much a choice as Miura had to adapt in a way which allowed it to compete with the best offerings from both top-tier niche (PXG, EPON, Honma, PRGR) and large global (Callaway, Titleist, Ping, TaylorMade) brands.  It’s not always the flashiest, loudest or most well-funded companies which succeed. Ultimately, it’s the ones most responsive to change.

Toward the end of January, Miura formally announced Howard Milstein as majority owner of global distribution rights for Miura Golf and implicit in this structural change was an acknowledgment of where Miura needed to go to remain competitive.

What was less clear is how Miura planned on getting there – and where exactly there would be.  We knew most of 2017 would be dedicated to revamping a rather cluttered array of club models, as well as its branding and marketing efforts. We also know there’s a large probability Miura will announce new product sometime in 2018 and redefine the role of Miura Giken (a portion of Miura dedicated to Japan-specific club models).

Now, we have a bit more clarity – at least relative to where Miura Giken fits into the grand scheme of things. Moving forward, expect Miura Giken (MG) to be a special collection of limited edition and other small batch runs underneath the Miura umbrella.   Hoyt McGarity, President of Miura Golf and CEO at True Spec Golf/Club Connex, indicated previously the two brands (Miura and Miura Giken) would compress into a single brand with different roles, and it seems that’s going to be the case.

Miura Giken  – and specifically this release of three new iron models (CB-1008, CB-2008, MB-5005) is both a foretaste of what consumers can expect from Miura and something to hold consumer attention for a bit while Miura gets the rest of the house in order. With that, here’s a quick peek at the current, if not temporary, menu.

CB-2008 – ($339 MAP)

This is the largest and most forgiving model of this MG collection. It’s also the first composite body iron produced entirely and exclusively at Miura’s facility in Himeji, Japan. As the MG iron for the masses, Miura worked hard to balance the need for increased forgiveness with the quintessential Miura forged feel. This was achieved by marrying a 4mm thick forged face to a SUS (Japanese equivalent of 304 stainless steel) composite pocket cavityback. By comparison, PXG’s XF iron has a face thickness of 1.5 mm and Vega’s Mizar iron is 3.5 mm thick. Unlike the 5-8 irons, the CB-2008 9-iron and PW are one-piece forged and the 20mm wide sole (in the 7 iron), it’s the biggest Miura’s ever produced.

CB-1008 ($279 MAP)

The CB-1008 occupies the “Players CB” space in this line and is forged from a single billet of soft carbon steel. Other than the wider-than-typical sole (19mm in the 7 iron), the rest of the club has all the fundamental attributes of a club designed to give more accomplished ball strikers an iron with great feel, sufficient workability, and a bit higher launch in the long irons. The thin topline coupled with minimal offset and marginally raised toe remind us how good Miura is at shaping cavity-back and muscle-back irons.

MB-5005 ($339 MAP)

Purists may argue whether or not the MB-5005 is a true blade iron – and given the popularity of it ‘s MB-001 and 1957series Small Blade (aka Baby blade), among the Miura faithful, the MB-5005 does, at a minimum, appear visually distinct. Miura notched 15 grams out of the muscle-back and pushed this discretionary mass toward the perimeter to boost (however marginally) forgiveness. The lines are decidedly more angled and mechanical, which fits well on top of the comparatively longer blade length. The cavity channels provide a depth which is eye-catching and dynamic in a way the MB-001 and Small Blade do not. With that, Miura asserts the MB-5005 has “subtleties with the design of the MB-5005 which have enabled the Miura family to deliver a Blade iron that plays like a Cavity Back.”

QUICK THOUGHTS

When samples become available, we’ll be early in line to test the MG line, so I’ll reserve performance commentary until we have an opportunity for a more thorough examination. On paper, this release is promising; more so for what it symbolizes and less for what it means in the short term. What it offers right now is limited access to product previously available only to the Japan domestic market. While the designs are several years old (the MB-5005 came out in 2014), the increased availability is noteworthy and an important step toward increased brand awareness – particularly in North America. However, as Miura continues to build the plane while it’s flying, so to speak, this move answers an important question surrounding the purpose of Miura Giken. Those who enjoy the exclusivity of Miura Giken product may be critical of this move, but this short-sightedness ignores the more important message.

Miura Giken gives the company a space to take some risks, incorporate more modern technology and push boundaries, without compromising the fundamental underpinnings of what Miura’s always done well.

It used to be a foregone conclusion the next Miura iron or wedge would be a slightly modified version of the previous model – and Miura’s catch phrase “Discover Perfection” exemplified it’s confidence in this approach.

But at some point, it’s foolish not to consider market trends, and it’s clear consumers want (and are willing to pay for) something different than what Miura’s typically offered. Miura Giken stands as part of Miura’s redefinition and an acknowledgment it’s ultimate success will be a function of how it’s able to adapt to a changing global market.

For more information, visit MiuraGolf.com.