Honma x Malbon Collaboration: “Culturally Curated”

On the surface, a golf equipment collaboration between Honma and Malbon might sound a little, well, wacky.

Dig a bit below the surface, however, and it’s still a little wacky.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun.

And, remember, golf is a game. Games are supposed to be fun.

The joint press release announcing this unlikely partnership says this limited-edition packaged set collection is, ahem, “a rare collaboration by which cultivated elegance meets the vibrant pulse of American youth.”

Now, there are many, many miles between me and the vibrant pulse of American youth, but I’ll go along with that.

So read on, friends. If you’re a young Malbon fan with cash, you’ll enjoy this one. If you’re not, you might want to head back to the front page and find something else to read. The stuff at the end probably won’t make you happy.

Sakata, Japan, to L.A. …

“Partnering with Honma felt like a seamless fit,” said Malbon co-founders Stephen and Erica Malbon in a prepared statement. “Our shared commitment to precision and compelling design drives this collaboration, reflected in a curated collection of clubs and accessories for our player.”

This Honma X Malbon collaboration features two packaged set collections with all the fixins. The “Performance” collection is designed for what the collaborators are calling the competitive player. The “Premium” collection features Honma’s luxury Beres Four-Star line. I can’t wordsmith it like press release writers can so I’ll let them tell the story:

“The designs blend timeless Japanese artistry with modern expression – where every club carries the soul of its maker and every swing reflects a new era of golf defined by energy, creativity and style.”

Yeah, I couldn’t write that.

The Performance Collection

Based on Honma’s modestly ritzy Beres Nx line of clubs, the Performance Collection features Honma-made Vizard graphite shafts in the entire set, except for the putter. It’s a full 14-piece set. The men’s metalwood heads are a rich emerald green (Honma calls the color Midori), while the women’s are a rose gold color called Tonoko.

The driver (called simply The Honma/Malbon Performance Driver) is adjustable and available in nine- and 10.5-degree lofts. The irons are decidedly game-improvement (with a 27-degree 7-iron). They’re cast with a forged L-Cup face and plenty of tungsten weighting for a low center of gravity. The iron set includes a Honma-esque 10- and 11-iron as well as a gap wedge and sand wedge.

The Premier Collection

The Premier Collection is based on Honma’s ultra-ritzy Beres Four-Star line. As you’d expect, there’s a lot of gold and exotic materials used throughout. As is common with this category, the entire set is lightweight and designed for the slower swing speed player with plenty of money.

The men’s set is gilded in black and gold (Steelers colors, but Honma calls it Sumi and Tonoko), while the women’s set is Shishi and Tonoko, pink and gold. The irons are higher-launching super game-improvement, with a 30-degree 7-iron. They also feature forged L-Cup face technology and a truckload of tungsten.

The Premier Collection features a CNC-milled blade putter instead of a mallet.

About that logo

People often ask what animal is in Honma’s distinctive logo. It’s a mole that is, as the PR people so colorfully put it, “born from the quiet precision of Sakata’s master craftsmen and curiosity and joy for the game.”

After collaborating with Malbon, that mole looks like he’s spent the week partying with the beautiful people in L.A. They say the logo combines the mole with Malbon’s mascot, called “Buckets.”  Again, I can’t do it justice, so I’ll let the PR people take over.

“At first glance, each comes from very different worlds: one, the free spirit of Los Angeles Street culture; the other, the cultivated elegance of Japanese tradition. Together, they form a singular mark that represents something more.

“This is more than equipment. It is craft meeting culture, heritage meeting modernity, and the celebration of a new spirit of golf.”

Gee, I love that kind of talk.

The new Honma X Malbon collaboration is how much???

Before setting off that particular explosive device, I gotta say two things.

First, even though I’m not of this demographic, collaborations such as this one are a good thing for golf. Remember, unless you play on Sundays for your paycheck, you play for fun. Collaborations are fun and fun is good.

Second, prices are what they are. Declaring something to be “overpriced” is more of a value judgment than anything else. Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, pure and simple. To some, a Ferrari is an unattainable luxury. To others, it’s their second car. I may poke fun but I try not to judge.

That said, let’s get to it.

The Honma X Malbon collaboration Performance Collection set is $5,800. That includes 14 clubs, headcovers and the bag.

The Premium Collection set is $20,000. That also includes 14 clubs, headcovers, the bag and a Ferrari.

(I kid, I kid. The Ferrari is extra.)

Honma is also offering a line of accessories for each collection, including Boston bags ($250 to $389), golf balls ($81 per dozen), golf gloves ($67 each) and towels ($81).

The two collections are available now on the Honma and Malbon websites and will launch globally this month at select Honma and Malbon retailers.