Back in October, Honma unveiled their new TW767 lineup. While we have come to expect game-improvement aesthetics and designs from the Beres line, the Tour World range is where Honma typically showcases some of their best-looking clubs for the wider audience. The TW767 lineup features four distinct irons: the V iron (most demanding), Vx (forged cavity), Px (players distance), and Hx (most forgiving) models. Recently, THP reviewed the Px irons, highlighting their incredible style and impressive performance. Today, we will focus on the Vx iron, which emphasizes both feel and distance.
Tech Talk – Honma TW767 Vx
When Honma began designing the TW767 Vx irons, their goal was clear: to create an even more perfect iron. While this might seem like a daunting task, the good news for the Vx model is that it is built on a solid foundation from the TW757 Vx. Since many technologies and materials are similar, the TW767 Vx irons represent more of an evolutionary release.
Honma’s goal of creating a more perfect iron led to innovations aimed at enhancing both feel and forgiveness. To achieve this, they incorporated extra thickness within the cavity, which is elegantly showcased by a small-step design. Based on my experience with the previous generation, there was some disbelief about how the overall feel could be improved, as those irons are already among the softest and smoothest I’ve ever used. Although both the TW757 Vx and TW767 Vx are forged from S20C, the latter produced a slightly deeper sound, contributing to a softer feel at impact. One advantage of the thicker cavity is that higher contact points are less penalizing compared to other forged cavity back irons.
Adding a 7-gram tungsten weight to the toe of the four to eight iron contributes to improved forgiveness and stability. This extra weight lowers the center of gravity while increasing the moment of inertia (MOI), which helps keep the clubhead stable during contact. Honma further enhances this design by adding additional concentrated mass to the heel, promoting forgiveness and optimizing spin. Like many other companies, the goal is to create a small iron that performs slightly larger while staying true to the iron’s design.
The Vx irons feature a medium-length blade, a thin topline, and a narrow sole. They cater to golfers more consistent with their contact location and want to benefit from increased distance without switching to a hollow body or larger clubhead. With a low center of gravity, the Vx irons offer an advantage that many forged cavity back irons lack: strong lofts. Upon reviewing the lofts, you’ll notice that they are more aligned with the lofts found in players’ distance clubs rather than traditional cavity backs. Honma is confident that, due to their high-quality materials and construction, the Vx irons can provide impressive distance while maintaining their signature feel.
Data Talk
Having both the Honma Vx and Px irons available provides an excellent opportunity to test them side by side and assess whether their differences in design and technology lead to variations in performance data. To ensure a fair comparison, both sets of irons were tested on the same day using the same type of ball. It’s important to note that some of the data collected for the Px may vary slightly from what was reported in the official Px review. Additionally, we included the previous generation TW757 7-iron. Let’s dive into the numbers we recorded using our SkyTrak+ launch monitor.
Our test configuration for the TW767 Vx irons included a 6-PW set paired with Nippon Modus 105 stiff-flex steel shafts. I have had many previous encounters with the Modus 105 shaft, even using them in the last generation of Vx irons. This shaft has consistently suited me well over the years, and having it in these irons instantly brought back that familiar feel.
To begin with, here are some baseline numbers for the Vx 7 iron and PW. Honma markets the Vx irons as forged clubs designed for both distance and forgiveness. With a 7-iron carry distance of 160 yards, the distance claim holds up for me. While it may not be the longest option available, especially compared to the Px, which gets the slight edge in carry distance. Distance aside, what impressed me was the speed consistency. Most of the recorded ball speeds fell within the 112 to 114MPH range, with the lowest recorded speed at 109. The difference between the highest and lowest speeds resulted in only a 7-yard loss in carry distance. While your results may vary, the overall consistency we observed was quite impressive.
As expected with this type of design, the backspin numbers were higher than those of some recently tested irons, including the Px model. Regarding the pitching wedge, its launch angle, height, and spin characteristics make it a club that should be easy to control when approaching the pin. Overall, the distance performance of the pitching wedge falls within my typical expectations. However, one aspect not observed in the data was the added comfort with altering the ball flight using the Vx pitching wedge compared to the Px model.
Comparing TW767 Vx and Px Models
When comparing these irons to the TW767 Px, let’s start with the 7-iron. While the differences are subtle, they are noteworthy. On average, the Px iron launched 2° higher than the Vx and produced slightly less spin. However, The Vx iron showed much more consistency in generating spin closer to or above the 6,000 RPM mark, although it produced one shot that was lower than any of those recorded with the Px. We can credit my non-robotic swing for that result.
Regarding carry distances, the Px has a slight edge, gaining a couple of yards and achieving a somewhat stronger descent angle. Overall, these results align with my expectations when comparing the two irons. It’s also worth noting that the Vx provided a lower peak height by three yards, depending on what one is looking for in their game.
The most notable anomaly in this data set was the increased spin generated by the Px irons compared to previous tests. This time, we surpassed the 8,000 RPM mark, which is higher than we observed during the official review testing. While we can’t completely disregard that figure, there are still comparable ball flight differences in the PW that we noticed in the 7-iron comparisons, as the Px produced a higher ball flight. Unsurprisingly, the ball speed and distance were very similar, given that the Px lacks the L-Cup face in the higher-lofted irons and features a flat face design. This makes the performance of these clubs more closely aligned when compared to the long irons.
The Details
At the end of the day, both the TW767 Px and Vx irons have considerable crossover appeal. They share many similarities in appearance and performance, so the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference. Based on my experience, the Px irons offer slightly higher peak height and greater forgiveness, while the Vx irons stand out for their excellent feel and still provide good distance performance. Hopefully, when golfers have the opportunity to try both models, they can do so side by side to determine which one best suits their game.
Honma offers the TW767 Vx irons at $175 per club, making the stock set 6-PW cost $875. Golfers can also build on that set by ordering a 4 or 5 iron and an AW.
More information on the entire TW767 lineup can be found on their website.
