50 Words or Less
The Honma TR21 hybrid has enormous distance potential for the quality ball striker. Stellar looks. A must-try for the better player.
Introduction
Despite being relatively new in the North American market, Honma has maintained an ambitious club release schedule. One of the latest additons to their line is the TR21 hybrid. Designed to please the eye of the better player, this club also has the ability to produce loads of distance.
Looks
Every time that I brought out the Honma TR21 hybrid for testing, people were excitedly taking it out of my hands to see what it was. From every angle, this club is a beauty. That starts with the stock headcover. Normally headcovers don’t merit discussion, but this one has a classy, eye-catching look that matches the club perfectly.
At address, the TR21 hybrid is compact and clean. The crown is gloss black without any alignment marks. There’s a slight pear shape to it, and it’s very compact from front to back. The face is medium height and uniform from heel to toe, more like a fairway wood.
The sole is equally sharp. It’s primarily a mirrored silver with matte silver toward the back. This simple color scheme puts the focus on the geometric design and the weight in the center of the head.
Sound & Feel
Both the sound and feel of the Honma TR21 hybrid were described in my notes as “fairway wood on steroids.” The ball feels extremely fast off the face. This is matched by a high pitched metallic sound that’s louder than average.
Mishits are clearly discernible through both feel and sound. Impact is much quieter when you aren’t in the center of the face, and the shots lose that hot, fast feel.
Performance
The Honma TR21 hybrid’s classy appearance disguises the fact that it’s got nuclear distance potential. When you hit this club pure, it produces huge ball speed. Pair that with the mid-high launch, and you get shots that carry for days.
When your shots wander around the face, you get an interesting mix of results. Virtually every shot launches onto a playable trajectory which is a major plus. However, this club will aggressively lose ball speed when you don’t strike the middle of the face. Ultimately, this makes it a better choice for lower handicap players than those who need more forgiveness.
In 2020, clubs with hosel adjustments may outnumber those with traditional hosels. Honma does something different, however, and it’s worth a quick discussion. Unlike most hosel adjustments where the shaft is rotated into different positions to change the loft and lie, the shaft alignment is always the same with Honma’s system. Rather than turning the shaft, there’s a small dial in the heel of the club that is turned to the desired position. This allows the shaft to stay in the same position for those that want to PURE their shafts [more on PUREing HERE].
Finally, Honma uses proprietary Vizard shafts as their stock shaft options. In the TR21 hybrid, you have the choice of a 65 or 75 gram shaft. These are on the lighter side of hybrid shafts, and I found the 75 gram version to be a little soft for my aggressive transition. If this club is of interest, I’d strongly suggest trying it somewhere like Club Champion where you can demo a variety of shafts to find the one that will let you make consistent, centered contact.
Conclusion
For the skilled player, the Honma TR21 hybrid is a monster. It launches shots easily onto a beautiful trajectory, and well-struck shots carry forever. If, however, you need your hybrid to forgive a mix of toe and heel strikes, you should probably consider other options.
Visit Honma HERE
Honma TR21 Hybrid Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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Thanks for the article, very informative. Have a great Holiday Season. Hit it straight.
They are as described-efficient, accurate and reliable.
I am late to the party but have found the TR21 lineup – fairways and hybrids – superior to more popular OEMs. Maybe it’s smaller and more playable head yet still forgiving.
I found this hybrid at PGATSS for 40% off retail and picked it up since they are going to emphasize the high priced Beres line in the future. But don’t sleep on the TR 21 fwys and woods at this pricing.
I purchased the 4H and as a 9 capper playing MP20 HMBs, I found these perform, as described, hot, hot, hot, and even during a swing change, they perform well. Hit it flush and you get a green-holding flight. Hit it thin and you still get an acceptable mid flight – higher than a Ping G425 in my experience (I own both). The sound is metallic, sharp and pleasing to my ears. The look at address is simple and classic. The size is more compact than a TM Max or G425, making it more playable than its more popular competitors. The shaft plays a bit soft and instead of the Vizard R, I play the stiff flex. Same with the fairways – I’ve moved up a flex.
If you want a satisfying package of head and shaft at a great price, get one while you still can.