epon af tour cb review

The Precision That Is Epon

In 10 years, I’ve played four different sets of irons. Two of those sets I only switched because of the 2010 groove rule. For several years, I played Hogan Apex Plus irons; I still have them in the garage and get them out on occasion. They are positively the best irons I’ve ever hit. I’ve also played the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo and the Titleist 690 CB, which are both tied for a very close second. The fourth set would be the Bridgestone J33 CB irons that were played by Freddy Couples, Matt Kuchar, and Davis Love III in the mid-2000s. I played these irons longer than any others, and the aforementioned Hogan’s just narrowly unseated them. I’m sad that I don’t still have them around.

If you’re accustomed to playing forged irons, it means you’re likely picky about finding the right ones when it’s time to upgrade. You’re searching for the right feel or the right sound or the right head weight. The interesting thing about the irons I mentioned above? They were all forged at the famed Endo Forging House in Japan, though many years apart. If you’re a casual golfer, you may not have heard of Endo… or its house brand, Epon. Prior to researching this piece, I wasn’t all that familiar with them either. Within five minutes of talking on the phone with Dustin Vaughn, however, I learned the forging house had produced all of my favorite irons. Vaughn works for a company called Swing Science, and he’s the Epon distribution manager for all of North America.

“What makes Epon interesting is that when you ask a player what their favorite clubs are, or the clubs they’ve hit that feel the best, they almost alway name a club that was forged at Endo. And with Epon, we can take the process to the next level,” Vaughn said.

I would hear this theme strung throughout our conversation as well as my conversation with Jeff Sheets, who was the lead designer for the Hogan Apex Plus irons back in the day (again, my favorite). The idea is that Epon, because it’s a house brand, can (and does) spend as much time on their product as they need to in order to make it the best they have ever released, and that’s their only restriction.

Over the years, Endo has forged many irons for OEMs. Aside from the aforementioned ones, here are a few others: Mizuno JPX-800 AD and JPX-825, Fourteen TC-606, TC-777, and TC-1000, Nike VR, VR_S, VR Forged and SQ Forged, Titleist 690 MB and VG3. In terms of woods, Epon has forged the Mizuno MP Craft 425 and H4, Nike VR Pro, VR_S, and SQ2 (which is my favorite 3-wood ever, man, I wish I still had it).

When you look at those models, they may not seem like they are the best-selling clubs of all time (though the JPX-800s did well), but they all have a sort of cult following, which is exactly how Epon is viewed, and the company likes it that way.

In the world of iron forging, the process has improved significantly over the course of the last half-century. In the 1970s, a foundry was able to forge a club head to within about 40-60 grams of the desired head weight for the finished product. The extra weight would then have to be ground off by the hands of a highly skilled craftsman, but as with anything, it’s impossible to be perfect every single time. In today’s world, Endo is able to forge an iron head within 10 grams of the desired weight of the finished club head for any company that asks them to forge an iron. That produces a much more consistent product, because there is less room for error on the grinding and polishing part of the process. With its house brand, Epon, the company can take it even further.

With Epon irons, Endo can forge the head to within 6 grams of the desired final head weight. For context, a quarter weighs about 6 grams. Jeff Sheets, the Technical Director for Swing Science and Epon Golf says, “With Epon brand Endo holds nothing back. While they provide premium forgings for major OEMs, every one of those projects operates within a budget. Endo’s Epon products are the epitome of what a forging manufacturer is capable of producing without any limitations.”

Epon AF Tour Irons

Epon’s latest line of clubs includes the AF-Tour (traditional blade), AF-Tour CB, AF-303, AF-503, and the AF-705. The AF-Tour looks as good as any club you could imagine; it has a thin top-line, little-to-no offset, and the lofts are very traditional (the 7-iron loft is 36 degrees). Their tagline for the AF-Tour is, “If you’ve got to ask if you’re good enough to play this club, then you likely aren’t.” That statement sums up how I felt about it as well. The top line is both something to behold and something to fear.

Yet Epon has also managed to do something I’ve never seen before. In its AF-705, which is Epon’s “super game-improvement” iron, the company has managed to have a very thin top-line as well as less offset, yet still have the irons perform like S-GI clubs. It’s also forged from the same S20C carbon steel as the AF-Tour, which means it’s designed to feel like butter but perform like a hybrid iron. I typically balk at a 7-iron with 29 degrees of loft, but the look of the AF-705 reminds me of my old Hogans.

Epon’s AF-705 irons

With Epon, just as with other super-premium golf equipment manufacturers like Miura or Fourteen or Vega, the discussion always comes back to price, and maybe rightfully so. A set of Epon irons is going to set you back almost $2,400, which is basically double what other OEMs charge for their “premium” players irons. And the question that always comes up is, “Are these irons really $1,200 better than the Titleists or Mizunos I can buy off the shelf?” That’s entirely up to you.

All I can tell you is what Epon offers, and that is a totally customized fitting experience (you can’t buy Epon off the shelf) for your irons, fairway woods, or whatever Epon product you buy. You will also get a clubhead that has been inspected by hand as it came off the forging line, and you’re getting a club made by the forging house that forged the four best irons I’ve ever held in my hand, all from different brands.

If Endo can create that consistency among OEMs, all with different specs, it seems to me that their house brand can only be something I’d likely fall in love with. At $2,400 per set, I’m just not sure I’m willing to get divorced over it.

Interesting in hitting an Epon? Find an Epon fitter  near you. 

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Adam Crawford is a writer of many topics but golf has always been at the forefront. An avid player and student of the game, Adam seeks to understand both the analytical side of the game as well as the human aspect - which he finds the most important. You can find his books at his website, chandlercrawford.com, or on Amazon.

16 Comments

Jul 10, 2017 at 3:48 pm

I have a set of EPON AF – 503’S that I LOVE. Each head came wrapped in plastic showing the head wt. vs the std. eg : 3 – 258.3 vs 259.5 std 8 – 278.8 vs 280.0 std. I HAVE HAD MANY forged sets and these play very well. I PAID $ 210 per club with kbs tour shafts. The tried the pxg’s before these ; and the epon’s feel softer.They re[placed honma tw 737p’s which replaced I200’S THIS YEAR. I am set now .Try them !!

Ill take the other

Jun 30, 2017 at 11:28 pm

Personal 3’s are great (not mentioned)…play well, my set-up was a private builder/fitter very familiar with Epon, ended up with x100 soft stepped black on black played as well as looked. Remember builder actually showing me tolerances of head weights vs. another big name OEM’s premium heads (although i believe this is where “tour issue, and OTR differ slightly…i.e. Tour Issue TaylorMade woods, much better product)…may not mean much, but you do get a higher price with a little more perfection; tighter tolerances, more precise specs. I’ve seen OTR drivers stamped 9.5, measured 10.2. So do believe some companies take more care, but you will pay the “luxury tax”

Jun 30, 2017 at 9:57 pm

while we play this game, a dollar bill is a gram:)

Jun 29, 2017 at 8:40 pm

I had a chance to hit some of their drivers a few months ago during a fitting and they were really good, too!

Jun 29, 2017 at 5:33 pm

FYI, Fairway Golf is an Epon dealer and proud sponsor of GolfWRX.

Jun 29, 2017 at 1:06 pm

It’s a shame for the house label that their own irons look like shyyyyte, not very good looking

Jun 30, 2017 at 3:50 am

Try to look at the epon’s personnal first gen.

Jun 30, 2017 at 11:53 am

But that’s not what’s been sold now. Duh

Jul 3, 2017 at 6:49 am

Lol, BIG TIME

Neil Cameron

Jun 29, 2017 at 11:15 am

maybe he meant raw forgings not the finished heads?

Jun 29, 2017 at 10:08 am

I feel like getting a set of Apex Pluses…

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:42 am

Nice puff piece. Disappointed to find it on the front page at WRX not clearly labeled as advertising. In any event, irons more precise than your swing won’t make you hit the ball better. Work on your swing.

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:35 am

I’m sure he meant .6 of a gram ….. just a typo.

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:19 am

“With Epon irons, Endo can forge the head to within 6 grams of the desired final head weight. For context, a paper clip weighs about 6 grams”

Not sure what they make paper clips out of in your part of the woods (tungsten maybe?) but a single paper clip does not weigh 6 grams. 12-14 paper clips might get close to 6 grams. Hopefully Endo is a little more precise than the comparison used.

Boobsy McKiss

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:25 am

ROFL exactly what I was wondering after reading the article.

Adam Crawford

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:48 am

Greg C, you’re right. It was a poor comparison. We are replacing “paper clip” with “quarter”. A quarter weighs exactly 5.7 grams.

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EPON AF-TOUR CB2 REVIEW

September 13, 2023

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Today we have a very special episode, Mikey is in the bay to test out the new EPON AF-TOUR CB2 irons, and one lucky viewer will win the set! Be sure to watch all the way for instructions on how to enter, and good luck!

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Epon AF-506 Irons Review

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50 Words or Less

The Epon AF-506 irons feel spectacular.  Decent look at address but quite ugly in the bag.  Performance is fine but doesn’t stand out in any category.

Introduction

Among the gear-obsessed “Endo Forged” is an indication that an iron is elite.  In addition to producing irons for other manufacturers, Endo also produces their own clubs under the Epon brand.  The AF-506 is one of Epon’s latest designs, and I tested it to see how it compared to offerings from the more well-known brands in the game.

At address , the Epon AF-506 is a standard game improvement iron .  It has a healthy amount of offset, a medium-thin top line, and a blade length just below average.  There’s nothing too exciting here but nothing bad, either.

In the bag , however, I think these irons look terrible .  And, to be fair, it’s just one major issue: the screws.  If those were removed, this would be a perfectly standard cavity back iron.  In fact, I think the shape of the cavity is pretty cool  and a bit unusual.  The screws ruin the whole aesthetic.  They look cheap, like something out of a box set, and given the premium price of these irons, that’s unacceptable.

Sound & Feel

Endo forging comes with a lot of hype, but these irons back it up.  Hitting the Epon AF-506 on the center of the face feels magical.  They are incredibly soft, like the ball just melts into the center of the face.  These are the softest irons I’ve hit in quite a while .

When you move off center the feel does get firmer, but it never crosses into being hard or unpleasant.  Feedback is very precise – you can pinpoint the impact location without any trouble.

Performance

The feel of the AF-506 is spectacular.  The looks, at least in the bag, are awful.  The performance is somewhere in the middle.

On their website, Epon says that this “packs a ton of game improvement in a 1-piece forged design.”  In my testing, I found the forgiveness to be good but not outstanding .  Virtually every major OEM makes an iron of similar proportions that is as or more forgiving than the AF-506.  With this set, your small mishits will be on or around the green, and your bigger mishits are going to be ugly.  It has a fairly wide sole and low CG to boost thin shots, but you’ll still lose considerable distance on those strikes.

When hit well, the Epon AF-506 produces good ball speed, and medium-low launch and spin .  This adds up to distance that’s adequate but not elite.  Epon says that this has the thinnest face of any 1-piece billet forged club, but that’s not enough to keep up with the fastest irons on the market.

Ultimately, I’m left a little puzzled as to whom this iron is for.  Players who want maximum distance are going to find better fits.  The forgiveness is fine, but it’s not impressive for its size (or price tag).  If you don’t fall in love with the feel of impact, I don’t think this iron is going to end up in your bag.

The one great strength of the Epon AF-506 irons is the feel at impact.  Endo Forging lives up the hype and produces one of the softest hits you’ll find.  Unfortunately, nothing else about this iron is worthy of its hefty price tag.

Visit Epon Golf HERE

Epon af-506 irons price & specs.

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Thanks for the review.

I remember when the 501’s were a player’s club. The 701 was GI/SGI. Things change in 11 years. You’re right, those screws are screwy. Disappointing.

I see a giant frog face ….disappointing from Epon

I’ve had every iron you can possibly think of.. The 506 not the prettiest.. but they are the best iron I’ve ever played.. Worth every penny!!!!

Thanks Matt for this review. I actually bought these not too long ago and absolutely love them. I think they fit right in between the Players Distance and Game Improvement iron categories kind of like the Srixon Zx5 profile. I switched out of the Mizuno JPX-900 Forged to these Epon AF-506. I tried the new APEX, Zx5/Zx7, T300, Miura CB-301, new P790, and these Epons stood out from the pack. I am not a brand loyalist and I myself wasn’t a fan of the industrial look either at first but they actually have grown on me over time and I can get over some of the looks given the performance its giving me, however I know everyone has difference preference and swing profiles. I think this iron is unique in this category as its the only 1 piece forged in this category so to speak. I agree the feel is absolutely its selling point. I was looking for an iron with that same soft feel as my Mizunos with a bit higher ball flight, forgiveness, better turf interaction, keeping a “thinner top line”, and better spin. For me this one did exactly that when I paired it with the NS Pro 950 Neo Shaft. For me it came down to these the Zx5 and Miura CB-301. The Zx5 was just to low spin and feeling off the face wasn’t near as satisfying as its a 2 piece forged head. The CB-301 lived up to the hype of their unique Miura feel but not as forgiving and don’t think I’m quite a good enough ball striker to game those just yet. P790 was long but lowest spin and wouldn’t be able to stick greens like I would want. The Epons for me also are about identical lofts as my old JPX900 and im a half club longer with the 506 (might be due to the better quality of build and slightly heavier heads to help fitters more on builds/swing weights). Side Note I’m originally from Seattle but currently living and working in Bangkok, Thailand so its easier to test some of the JDM brands and buy them (Cheaper here in Asia). Again just my personal experience with these and I know everyone has different taste and preference.

I feel the same about the Apex MB. Maybe they are functional? Different weights to adjust SW and/or CG?

I actually demoed these this summer and was a bit disappointed as well. I thought the AF305 was much nicer overall.

Back in Asia, I played quite a lot with those owning high-end equipment and yet couldn’t hit a damn. Mostly gear heads who wants the bet of the best instead of improving on their techique,

Matt, I don’t find them horrific compared to the Callaway Paradym ( cheap blue back face). But it’s just a matter of taste. Honesty, you can’t find in the market such a club which brings efficiency and length with a « ton » of forgiveness ! And the butter feel with a something like GI … No brand does provide it. The only issue I found is about the sole which is too large especially with firm fairways. And also a slight lack of workability.( my previous set of Miura Mc 501 was easy to shape, no doubt). That said, these irons are ( for me) the best of the best I had to use and this from more than30 years! The Aerotech shaft can help too! Thanks for your interesting reviews!!

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This 2-piece pocket cavity iron highlights ENDO’s leadership position in producing ultra-premium game improvement golf clubs. A forged body using S20C Carbon Steel combined with a Spring Steel face ensures superb feel combined with tremendous ball speed. A DLC “Black Finish” makes this head look as cool as it plays!

• Pocket Cavity 2-piece Construction
• A Super Thin “Spring Steel Face” enhances Ball Speed
• Slightly more offset and blade length than the 706s
• Unique CG position promotes squaring of the face
• Progressive “Face Length” for added forgiveness
• The AW & SW feature solid construction for better feel

SPECIFICATIONS

“ With the EPON brand Endo holds nothing back. While they provide premium forgings for major OEMs every one of those projects operates within a budget. Endo’s EPON products are the epitome of what a forging manufacturer is capable of producing without any limitations. The EPON products are the cream of the crop. ”

Jeff Sheets Technical Director-Swing Science Author-The Perfect Fit Fitting Today’s Golf Equipment to Today’s Golfer

Epon AF Tour CB Irons - Fairway Golf Online Golf Store – Buy Custom Golf Clubs and Golf Gear

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• Irons 8pc Set

Epon AF Tour CB Irons

New for 2015, the AF-Tour CB provides a more forgiving version of the AF-Tour with similar lofts but more offset. In addition, more mass has been moved toward the sole of the golf club contributing to higher launch conditions.

Specifications

Face: Carbon steel 1020 Forged

Sole: Carbon steel 1020 Forged

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Wells Fargo Championship

Quail Hollow Club

Epon irons feature new forgings in line, including thin-faced AF-505 iron, as well as new forgiving wedge

The new Epon irons and wedges bring classic forged shapes into the modern technology era of thin faces, oversized shapes and enhanced forgiveness. That’s just the fresh thinking you might expect from the company that also manufactures forged irons for some of the top brands in the game.

Epon, the subsidary brand for Endo Manufacturing of Japan, which has been forging irons for leading brands around the world since the 1960s, debuts three new models this spring. That trio includes a new forged wedge (Tour Wedge Type S), a classic muscleback blade (AF Tour MB II) and a unique forged design with what the company is touting as “the thinnest face on any one-piece forging in the world” (AF-505). Says veteran designer Jeff Sheets, technical director for Epon North America, “With the Epon brand, Endo holds nothing back. While they provide premium forgings for major OEMs, every one of those projects operates within a budget. Endo’s Epon products are the epitome of what a forging manufacturer is capable of producing without any limitations.”

The AF-505 may be the most dramatic effort in the new Epon lineup. It replaces the compact AF-503, which used a two-piece design with a high-strength “spring” steel (SUS 10) in the face. The AF-505 goes a different direction, moving from a two-piece construction to a single-piece forging that uses Japanese S20C carbon steel. The forging features a faces that is nearly 25 percent thinner than the two-piece designs’s spring steel face insert. According to Epon’s Dustin Vaughn, the AF-503 face was 2.6 millimeters thick, while the new AF-505 is just two millimeters, or about the thickness of a nickel. While irons with face inserts and other one-piece castings can occasionally produce thinner face designs, that kind of thickness on a forged design is unique. “By taking the face down to only two millimeters, we were able to retain and even improve upon ball speed while maintaining more of a traditional forged feel at impact,” Vaughn said.

The AF-505 also features less offset and a shorter blade length. The use of heel and toe weight ports (adjustable by the fitter) allows the design to still produce similar launch and forgiveness in the tighter package. Vaughn said the moment of inertia measurement on the AF-505 is actually higher than on the larger AF-503.

Epon’s expertise in its forging technique is also seen on the AF-Tour MB II, the first replacement in the muscleback blade design for the company since 2008. It is forged from Japanese S20C carbon steel and features traditional four-degree loft spacing, including a 32-degree 6-iron and 48-degree pitching wedge. It is also offered as a combo set with the Epon AF-Tour CB. Altogether, the current Epon line includes six iron models and two wedge lines.

The Epon Tour Wedge Type S is designed with an oversize shape and more offset compared to the previously introduced Tour Wedge . An added layer of fraise milling aims to boost spin compared to the original Tour Wedge, enhancing the overlapped milled groove design that extends the milling beyond the groove edge to improve performance in wet conditions. The Type S als utilizes a higher center of gravity through a thicker face design at the top that tapers from 5.5 millimeters at the topline to four millimeters toward the sole. It’s offered in seven lofts (48 to 60 degrees).

The full Epon irons and wedges lineup is available through Epon authorized dealers. Pricing starts at $350 pre club for the AF-505 (4-iron through pitching wedge) and the AF Tour MB II (3-iron through pitching wedge), and the Type S wedge will retail for $375.

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Epon AF-505 Iron Review

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Golf->Tacos->Gainz

• Sep 8, 2018

KingSinghUNLTD

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What’s the $ damage for a set of these? We’re these the #1 in your fitting, performing better than your 790s?  

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KingSinghUNLTD said: What’s the $ damage for a set of these? We’re these the #1 in your fitting, performing better than your 790s? Click to expand...

grateful for this community

mr.hicksta said: Yeah these were his first recommendation, but I really didn't give them a good look until a couple weeks after the fact. I did like the design, but I didn't like the shaft he had in the one I tried. They definitely felt better than the P790s, but they were a bit shorter. I paid $1620 just for the iron heads (4-PW) and that was with a pretty good discount. All said mine will come out cheaper than the PXG Gen2 so I'm good with that! Click to expand...

c.a.eleric said: why did he recommend these over your p790s? sorry if you already answered that in your other thread but i don’t recall seeing it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Click to expand...

On The Eh Team

• Sep 9, 2018

Those are bad ass.  

Beautiful irons! Good luck.  

Well-known member

Will the 2* stronger have an impact on turf interaction from the std loft?  

Mach2 said: Will the 2* stronger have an impact on turf interaction from the std loft? Click to expand...

mr.hicksta said: They’ll be standard loft, but will be 2° upright. Click to expand...

• Sep 18, 2018

My Epons will arrive Friday so I'll have some in hand pics along with some thoughts on the JDM goodness!  

• Sep 20, 2018

Nothing more exciting than seeing and hitting a new club for the first time. Especially after a Joe Kwok fitting. Looking forward to the review...  

• Sep 21, 2018

Let's have fun.

Kewl - looking forward to it.  

Ryan Loves Golf

• Sep 22, 2018

mr.hicksta said: They're here!!! I'll be posting thoughts and pics this weekend after I get them to the range! Click to expand...

Ryan Loves Golf said: Nice!! Who built them for you? Click to expand...

Solid look - I hope they work out for you.  

Those look nice! Interested to see how they compare to the P790’s. I’m still waiting on my PXG’s but I continue to get annoyed with the P790 and the singular high shot it produces.  

Flanges look wide. Is there the V sole? Looking forward to your assessment after hitting them.  

Mach2 said: Flanges look wide. Is there the V sole? Looking forward to your assessment after hitting them. Click to expand...

Galen Marek

Those are so sweet looking Hicksta I hope they work out for you. Totally unrelated I'm writing my congressman an e-mail about military pay being too high. Was making the heel/toe weights heavier on one side over the other ever part of the discussion for fitting?  

Galen Marek said: Those are so sweet looking Hicksta I hope they work out for you. Totally unrelated I'm writing my congressman an e-mail about military pay being too high. Was making the heel/toe weights heavier on one side over the other ever part of the discussion for fitting? Click to expand...

@shaneb0t || 18 Grandaddy || 24 Quest Cup

• Sep 23, 2018

Exciting times for the CHA Prez! Great looking clubs, man. Looking forward to your feedback.  

Alright, I finally got these out to the range and bottom line is I'm glad I went this direction because these irons are superb! I thought I'd be hard pressed to find irons that felt better than Miuzno irons and the feel is probably my favorite thing about the AF-505s. Since this was my first range session I was just firing at random flags working though my bag and hitting a mix of shots off the grass and tees for the long irons. The one thing I immediately noticed was how well I could feel the club head, which is something I've never experienced with other irons. That's more of a product of the club build, but I'm happy about it nonetheless! I'll be post more thoughts and such as I get more time with the irons, but I couldn't be happier with how my set turned out.  

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Miura vs. Epon vs. Kyoei

By Vanbilxmchi February 10, 2022 in Equipment

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Vanbilxmchi.

Hi can anyone give an introduction and comparison among those three manufacturers?

I have searched online and they all claim they are the only forging factory in Japan, then they are not only!!! what is the difference?

They all claim their irons are soft and tightest tolerance, but then who is the real one?

If just comparing the cb irons, which I am looking for, which one is the best? most expensive?

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3 different forging houses.   Miura and Kyoei make clubs under their own name.  Epon is the in-house brand for the Endo forging house.   There is no "better"/"best".  Take the CB irons you a

Pepperturbo

@hagimihale Good info.    Of those OEMs, I'd look at Epon AF-Tour CB and Miura TC201.  I would only buy 3-PW, but I am a long iron guy and would be leaning towards these irons; Miura MC501 o

I play a set of '14 or '15 (forget) Japanese Titleist VG3s that were Endo forged in Japan. They are cavity backs, and if you hit the center they are soft beyond belief. And for a 7 index like me they

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3 different forging houses.   Miura and Kyoei make clubs under their own name.  Epon is the in-house brand for the Endo forging house.

There is no "better"/"best".  Take the CB irons you are interested in: Miura CB-1008, Epon AF-Tour, Kyoei KK.  All would feel great if the shaft profile and swingweight was correct for you.  And yet they would each have a slightly different feel.

As for the "softest", "tightest tolerance" stuff. That's just marketing.  Each has a very high standard of what they put out.  You can't go wrong with any of them.

Titleist TSR3 10*: LA Golf Olyss 65S

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Titleist TSR3 19*:  LA Golf Ozik Black Tie 105S

Titleist TSi2 22*: Aldila Tour Blue 105TX

Grindworks PR-202 6-PW: Nippon Modus3 120X

Edel SMS 48*V / 60*T:  Nippon Modus 125 Wedge 

Grindworks Barrett 52* / 56*: Nippon Modus 125 Wedge 

Scotty Cameron 2014 Select Fastback

Mizuno also does their own forging (or have a 3rd party forging house that forges exclusively for them) so it is pretty ignorant and asinine for a company in Japan saying that they're the only forging factory in Japan.  It's like a sushi restaurant saying their the only one making sushi in Japan.

All of those Japanese based companies makes very high quality forgings and you can't go wrong with any of them.  With all things being equal, I think Miura gives the slight nudge than the other competitors because some tour players have used their irons and won with them (like KJ Choi and the 2011 Player's Championship) and major OEMs and used their services.  Like the 2003 TM forged RAC CB that were in in very limited quantities. 

Tiger's Titleist's irons back in the day were forged by Hoffman and Endo.

10.5 deg Titleist 905R with stock UST Proforce V2 Shaft (Stiff flex) Titleist 990 (3-PW) with stock Dynamic Gold in S300 Taylormade V-Steel 5W & 3W with Grafalloy Prolaunch Red shafts (Regular Flex) 2011 Adams Tom Watson signature wedges in 52 and 56 degrees with stock steel shafts (Player's Grind) Rife Island Series Aruba Blade Putter

"Loft for loft, length for length, and shaft for shaft, the ball will go the same distance when hit on the sweet spot regardless how old the iron."

A friend "in the know" once told me Miura forged the Tom Weiskopf blades for Northwestern. True story.

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LW: Titleist Vokey SM8, 60°D Putter: Cameron Studio Style Newport 2.5, 33" Ball: Bridgestone Tour B RX Bag: Sun Mountain Metro Sunday Bag

@hagimihale Good info. 

Of those OEMs, I'd look at Epon AF-Tour CB and Miura TC201.  I would only buy 3-PW, but I am a long iron guy and would be leaning towards these irons; Miura MC501 or MB101.  Price has no bearing on the quality of these clubs.  All are seen as the best of the best and more costly than most sets.  That said most people could NOT tell the difference between any of the aforementioned irons, at impact.

PS: How each of these heads feel at impact is directly tied to head weight.  Miura tends to have heavier heads than others, including heavier than my 620 MB & CB heads.

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Endo has also forged clubs for a number of other brands

For example, the Mizuno JPX 825 Pros.  Mizuno did not have the ability (at that time) to produce forged irons with a pocket cavity, so they outsourced to Endo.  

And I seem to recall Vega being an in-house brand for Kyoei, but was later spun off. There is some question as to whether Kyoei is still forging Vega clubs, but they were at one point.

1 hour ago, hagimihale said: Endo has also forged clubs for a number of other brands

I play a set of '14 or '15 (forget) Japanese Titleist VG3s that were Endo forged in Japan. They are cavity backs, and if you hit the center they are soft beyond belief. And for a 7 index like me they are still very forgiving...

Miura will feel the most solid of the bunch which is what I prefer  My father has a couple sets of the older Epon irons and one of his clients plays Kyoei irons which I've tried and both JDM are very soft.  There is no best and it all comes down to what you like visually and feel wise. 

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bladehunter

Miura will feel solid , almost crisp.  It’s a good feeling.    

Kyoei is by far , the softest forging made.  Get a raw kyoei iron and from the middle of the face you can hardly feel the strike.    But I’m not selling that as a good thing. It all depends on your taste.  Some prefer one over the other. 

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95124hacker

Endo has a plant in ether Singapore or Thailand but that doesn’t mean the stuff coming from that factory is inferior. The quality standards are the same as MIJ.

Miura has a few models coming out of Taiwan I believe.

Kyoei I think is MIJ only but I could be wrong.

Some people only want MIJ but personally I don’t think anyone could tell the difference.

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PearSorbet17

Epon for me because they make GI clubs!  

I've had the good fortune to play clubs from all three manufacturers. My favorite irons ever for feel and performance were Endo forgings from two decades ago; Hogan '99 Apex and Tourstage Z-101. If I could find a new set of either without them costing more than my new set of Miura's, I'd game either in a heartbeat.

As everyone knows so well, a club's feel is unique to the person swinging it. My rankings and comments are as follows.

Endo; best combination of feel and performance. Not too soft and not too harsh, just right.

Miura; as mentioned earlier, yes they feel very solid and dense, but center face impact is a feel all its own. I liken it to sounding like you toed it but not receiving the harsh vibrations. The sound you hear doesn't match the feel and they perform as well as you can hit 'em.

Kyoei; definitely the softest of the bunch and too soft for me as I card over 200 rounds a year. I had a set of Vegas that the 7-P didn't last half a season. They felt like velvet and performed very well, but needed more durability.

It really depends on what you want and prefer as all of them are excellent choices.

The answer to better golf is work your butt off and learn how to hit it better, farther, and make more putts.

On 2/12/2022 at 10:30 AM, 95124hacker said: Endo has a plant in ether Singapore or Thailand but that doesn’t mean the stuff coming from that factory is inferior. The quality standards are the same as MIJ.   Miura has a few models coming out of Taiwan I believe.   Kyoei I think is MIJ only but I could be wrong.   Some people only want MIJ but personally I don’t think anyone could tell the difference.

Endo is near Bangkok in Thailand.Heard from a top Asian clubmakerbits state of the art

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