The Club Report – SAQRA INB-1150 Irons

SAQRA is a name that’s likely anything but familiar to most golfers. The company was launched in 2010 and originally serviced the Asian market exclusively, but earlier this year, SAQRA teamed with component manufacturer Swing Science. They signed on to handle exclusive US Distribution of SAQRA products, and since then, Swing Science has been busy building the SAQRA dealer network.

Today that network includes 30+ dealers, and SAQRA is just getting started.

Similar to Swing Science, Wishon, Miura, and KZG, the SAQRA line is a 100% custom offering. No big box here, SAQRA is available exclusively through the growing dealer/fitter network. Every SAQRA club is custom built by the dealer.

In addition to the INB-1150 irons, the current lineup includes 2018 Forged Cavity Backs, NB512 Wedge, and the INB UT Hybrid.

One of the principle design goals of the SAQRA line is to create products that suit the better player’s eye, but offer enough forgiveness and playability so that higher handicap golfers more accustomed to cast design aren’t excluded from the offerings.

For the guys who care about such things (and you probably should), the SAQRA INB-1150 and others are Endo forged.

Specifications

For our purposes, we built the SAQRA INB-1150 Irons with Project X 6.0 shafts and DTX grips from PURE Grips.

As SAQRA is a 100% custom product, there’s no such thing as a stock shaft and grip, however, one can expect to pay approximately $245 per iron for an average build.

It sounds expensive, and compared to off-the-rack, or custom fit, but assembled by the OEM…and it is. However, when you consider that like Miura, being custom fit, and having your clubs built to precise specifications is included in the cost, it’s more palatable.

You’re simply not going to get the same attention to detail from an OEM assembled club.

Key Features

• Forged from S25C soft carbon steel.
• CNC milled rear, for precision geometry and exacting weight distribution
• Lower center of gravity than most forged blade designs
• Hittable for good ballstrikers who may not otherwise benefit from blades

All SAQRA heads (irons, wedges, and hybrids) are .370” parallel tip which, in the hands of an experienced builder, generally allows for more precise customization.

Looks

In every respect, the INB-1150 can be classified as a progressive design in much the same vein as the Mizuno MP-69.

Long irons offer narrower soles, thicker toplines, and plenty of offset. As you traverse the set from long to middle and middle to short, soles widen, toplines get thicker. Offset, while still present, and noticeable, is diminished as the clubs get shorter.

As I said, it’s very similar to how Mizuno designed the MP-69, and runs counter to Cobra’s AMP Cell Pro, where sole and topline width remain relatively constant as loft changes.

It’s not a design philosophy I expect will be overly popular with all of the purists out there, but given that SAQRA’s intent was to create a more playable blade, I suppose it makes sense.

It’s also important to note, that despite increasing sole width, and topline thickness; throughout the set, the irons, overall, are quite compact. At no point in the set would I describe them as bulky…even by blade standards.

If you look at what has been released over the last few seasons, the SAQRA INB-1150 fits nicely in the blade category, or perhaps more accurately, the modern blade category.

Much to the chagrin of old-school purists, these aren’t your grandpa’s butter knives.

That’s probably a good thing.

For comparison purposes, they’re only slightly larger than the Miura CB-501 (as close to a blade design as you’re likely to find in a cavity back), and only slightly smaller than the Cobra AMP Cell Pro (Flow Set) irons I’ve been playing most of this season.

For whatever it’s worth to you, sole widths for all 3 sets coverage and are basically identical at the 7 iron. On either side, there are noticeable differences.

The most intriguing design feature of the SAQRA INB-1150 blades is the milling on the rear of the club. While, as we’ve already seen, SAQRA claims the milling process helps to ensure precision geometry and weight distribution, that milling, coupled with the non-glare satin finish gives the INB-1150s its distinctive appearance.

The rear milling is the definitive feature of the design. Frankly, I love the understated, yet modern looks.

Feel

To try and get a handle on how the SAQRA INB-1150 actually feel, I hit them side by side with the Miura CB-501s.

The CB-501s are a more solid feeling iron. They’re not buttery like a Mizuno, so it’s not a huge surprise, considering the carbon steel composition, that the SAQRA’s would offer a slightly softer feel by comparison.  Also well worth a mention, my CB-501s are outfitted with KBS C-Tapers, while the INB-1150s were built with Project X.

Generally speaking, I find Project X to be a bit on the harsh side, so it’s entirely possible, if not likely, that if outfitted with identical shafts, the SAQRA’s would feel even softer still.

Once again, we’re not talking about a significant difference. This isn’t like hitting range balls next to Pro V1s, it’s slight, but certainly noticeable.

Performance

Hitting the irons side by side, I was most struck by the forgiveness of the SAQRA INB-1150s. Once again, we’re speaking in relative terms here. The INB-1150s aren’t the TaylorMade RocketBallz, or the PING K15 (the gold standard for a truly forgiving iron), but when you consider that we’re talking about a modern blade design that offers forgiveness on-par with player-centric cavity backs, it’s nonetheless impressive.

I certainly wouldn’t have any reservations about playing them with money on the line (although I might think twice about taking on a long water carry).

Trajectory across long, middle, and short irons was consistently higher than my CB-501s. Again…the shaft could account for that as well, so the real point to consider is that there’s nothing in the INB-1150s that makes them inherently difficult to get off the ground.

As you should expect, performance (distance anyway) did suffer on toe-sided strikes, but did not suffer nearly as much as I would expect on high face contact.

Like any iron, the ability to hit it straight is largely dictated by your swing, but for the most part I had little issue hitting the SAQRA irons in the general vicinity of the target, and my natural shot shape with irons (slight draw) wasn’t altered by the change in equipment.

Overall, I found the performance to be on par with most player-centric designs, and considering the modern blade design, the forgiveness story is as surprising that of the Adams MB2 irons we reviewed nearly two seasons ago.

If the goal was to create a more hittable blade, then SAQRA has most definitely succeeded.

The Takeaway

The SAQRA INB-1150 is an intriguing offering for the discerning player who might otherwise be intimidated by blades. For those who love the clean lines and semi-traditional appearance, SAQRA’s first foray into the US Market offers a competent alternative to both big OEM offerings and its primary higher end competition, Miura.

No doubt sticker shock will be an issue for a reasonable percentage of the population, however; Miura has proven time and time again that there is a market for a high-end, custom product, built to exacting specifications.

Performance is everything you would expect from a product at this price. While the reality is you’re unlikely to notice a significant difference between properly fit SAQRA irons and properly fit OEM irons, there’s something to be said for owning (and playing) something where true craftsmanship is part of the equation.

If you simply want what everybody else has, big box will do. If you want something distinctively yours, SAQRA’s INB-1150s are well worth a look.

As with any custom set, regardless of the price point, the final product is only as good as its fitter and builder.

Choose wisely.

The Good

+ More forgiveness than you would expect from a blade
+ Beautiful CNC milling gives the INB-1150 a distinctive look
+ Custom-only option means your build gets the attention it deserves

The Bad

– Progressive design may not appeal to traditionalists
– Premium price point will limit opportunity

For more information visit SaqraGolf.us