any American foundry forging golf irons?

[ironman]

is there an American foundry forging golf irons? I've heard some company called Endo forge for Titleist forged irons. Endo sounds Japanese. Mizuno forge thier own. KZG gets theirs forged in Japan.

[TheLastDon]

All the major OEM's have their foundry's oversee's.........either in Japan, China, etc. The only company that I know of that does they own is Ping, but they deal only with casting.........no forged irons.

[whackfore]

Powerbilt???? They got a couple of forged irons model.

[maveric]

My understanding is that Mizuno is the only brand with a dedicated foundry. Outsourcing is the name of the game for everyone else. There's not a place in the US where a company (besides Ping for castings) has its own club head manufacturing plant. Typically, the heads are designed in the US (for the most part) and then sent overseas for production.

Endo and Miura are the main Japanese foundries that manufacture many of the forged clubheads for the major brands. Both of these companies are known as premium foundries. They cover such recognized brands as Titleist, Taylor Made, Bridestone, and Nike.

That's why it's silly for anyone to say that any of these brands makes better quality equipment than the other. With the exception of Mizuno and Ping, they virtually all come from the same manufacturer.

However, I understand that much of the manufacturing is shifting to China due to costs...

[bubbha70]

is there an American foundry forging golf irons? I've heard some company called Endo forge for Titleist forged irons. Endo sounds Japanese. Mizuno forge thier own. KZG gets theirs forged in Japan.

I checked out the Endo Manufacturing website. Kinda interesting. They're a Japanese company, with all their manufacturing facilities in Thailand. I guess their taking advantage of the cheap labor.

I checked the Miura website. Also interesting. Katsuhiro Miura is a shareholder, Director of Manufacturing, and Product Development of Miura Golf. He oversees the manufacturing at the Himeji, Japan, plant. But what makes it more interesting is that the MAJOR shareholder and President of Miura Golf is Douglas B. Buchanan, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. There is also Bill Hollowaty, who assumes the Vice President of General Operations of Miura Golf. He too is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Would be pretty interesting to see the cost per unit between the two foundries. I mean it's gotta be a lot cheaper to manufacture stuff in Thailand versus Japan.

Take it easy!

[ironman]

I checked out the Endo Manufacturing website. Kinda interesting. They're a Japanese company, with all their manufacturing facilities in Thailand. I guess their taking advantage of the cheap labor.

I checked the Miura website. Also interesting. Katsuhiro Miura is a shareholder, Director of Manufacturing, and Product Development of Miura Golf. He oversees the manufacturing at the Himeji, Japan, plant. But what makes it more interesting is that the MAJOR shareholder and President of Miura Golf is Douglas B. Buchanan, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. There is also Bill Hollowaty, who assumes the Vice President of General Operations of Miura Golf. He too is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Would be pretty interesting to see the cost per unit between the two foundries. I mean it's gotta be a lot cheaper to manufacture stuff in Thailand versus Japan.

Take it easy!

thanks, bubbha70!

so Miuras must be good stuff.

OT: the heck with "free trade" thinkers...i want manufacturing and farming back in the USA, onwards with an "industrial policy" that favora American makers and growers!....but since i live in a reality, next iron sets for our family will likely be from KZG or Miura (smaller, golf specialized companies) although i am enjoying my Titleists.

[Guru2]

If you look at the web site for California Golf Technologies they have a forged,made in USA,club.A few different models.They also offer a made in USA Titanium Driver head.The company is also called the Golf Lab.I almost bought a set of Mizuno MP 60's.I noticed a tiny little sticker on the hosels that said made in China,then I thought why spend a premium for the Mizuno irons when they use a cheaper founder like just about all the "no name" componet companies.

[neverman]

Maybe you could contact Hubbardton Forge and have them do some customs for you all~ They're doing a bunch of my lighting for our Build at least. Nice USA forgings.

[dorkman53]

Ja wohl, dummkopf spammermeister.......

[LyleG]

almost 5 times the cost to do a forging here vs China

[dorkman53]

almost 5 times the cost to do a forging here vs China

Several years ago, Ping, Hogan, and MacGregor used to emphasize in their ads that they were "American made." Now you never hear that any more. China gets most of the business, and a bit goes on in Thailand, while many of the really high priced Japanese clubs are still done in Japan (but probably not the ones you would see in an American store; they're the kind you'd get directly from Japan via internet sources)

[lorenzoinoc]

almost 5 times the cost to do a forging here vs China

And the Chinese have developed a huge industry devoted to forging things.

[pingman360]

Several years ago, Ping, Hogan, and MacGregor used to emphasize in their ads that they were "American made." Now you never hear that any more. China gets most of the business, and a bit goes on in Thailand, while many of the really high priced Japanese clubs are still done in Japan (but probably not the ones you would see in an American store; they're the kind you'd get directly from Japan via internet sources)

yeah PING still does make some of their clubs but anything with a tungsten weight in it is made in China...

as for macgregor they simply can't afford to forge their clubs anymore...

[tomhot]

So far as I know , they arenot authorized and certificated from Titleist .

[bjdrivers]

So far as I know , they arenot authorized and certificated from Titleist .

yeah, but i'm pretty sure lorenzo is a certificated italian immigrant.

[lorenzoinoc]

I can see this trying to be nice thing is killing you.

tomhot, welcome to the board. Tell us something about yourself. Where do you play, handicap, how long you've been playing?

[daveperkins]

yeah PING still does make some of their clubs but anything with a tungsten weight in it is made in China... ...

It's not tungsten that has to be done in China, it's titanium.. the Ping Rapture is the only Ping not cast in the states, because of its titanium face.. because we have some draconian titanium regulations, not sure about why but it's prohibitively expensive to cast titanium here, so Ping outsources those irons to China..

[pingman360]

It's not tungsten that has to be done in China, it's titanium.. the Ping Rapture is the only Ping not cast in the states, because of its titanium face.. because we have some draconian titanium regulations, not sure about why but it's prohibitively expensive to cast titanium here, so Ping outsources those irons to China..

are you positive??? i heard that the tour-w was cast in China due to the tungsten in the toe...

[bjdrivers]

It's not tungsten that has to be done in China, it's titanium.. the Ping Rapture is the only Ping not cast in the states, because of its titanium face.. because we have some draconian titanium regulations, not sure about why but it's prohibitively expensive to cast titanium here, so Ping outsources those irons to China..

are you saying all titanium clubs are done in china? that would include about 100% of all OEM drivers since 1994.

[dorkman53]

are you saying all titanium clubs are done in china? that would include about 100% of all OEM drivers since 1994.

No; some are still done in Japan or Thailand.

[Not a hacker]

I thought Powerbilt also built their clubs in the US. Could be wrong about this as only going on what a golf store shop assistant told me and we all know how reliable they are. I have read advertisements (couple years ago) for powerbilt that say they are US built so maybe they still are. If so, they have a forged iron (Citation FZ) in their lineup you might like to try.

As for the Mizuno's, I have a friend of mine who lives in China and he told me Mizuno has a huge factory there so maybe they are also doing their forgings in China these days. Even more reason to go for a set of used Mizzies in good condition ( as if the new MP52/62 wasn't enough reason to go retro). He told me it's been there for a few years now so Guru2 is probably right about the MP60's being Chinese made.

[bjdrivers]

I thought Powerbilt also built their clubs in the US. Could be wrong about this as only going on what a golf store shop assistant told me and we all know how reliable they are. I have read advertisements (couple years ago) for powerbilt that say they are US built so maybe they still are. If so, they have a forged iron (Citation FZ) in their lineup you might like to try.

As for the Mizuno's, I have a friend of mine who lives in China and he told me Mizuno has a huge factory there so maybe they are also doing their forgings in China these days. Even more reason to go for a set of used Mizzies in good condition ( as if the new MP52/62 wasn't enough reason to go retro). He told me it's been there for a few years now so Guru2 is probably right about the MP60's being Chinese made.

what about titleist forgings?

[Not a hacker]

what about titleist forgings?

China. Not sure how long, maybe your current clubs were made in US but I would suspect China.

[Puma with a putter]

On a side note, I toured the Ping Plant back in 2005. Cool place. No forgings, only castings. The guy at Ping told me that it is simply way too expensive to forge in the US. There are too many environmental regulations. This is true in most industries, not just golf clubs. Japan has the same problem, that's why Mizuno forges in Thailand and China now. There are far fewer environmental regulations to deal with.

[daveperkins]

are you saying all titanium clubs are done in china? that would include about 100% of all OEM drivers since 1994.

I only know what I've read. I know the Rapture irons aren't made here because of titanium regulations. NOt sure if it's a particular manufacturing technique that's in play or not.. and I haven't heard that any drivers are made overseas because of titanium regulation.. but I am certain that the Rapture iron aren't made here and that it's because of titanium regulation.

Perhaps it's something about the process of putting the titanium face on the cast steel head, I don't know. But it was in a golf magazine.

[daveperkins]

And the Chinese have developed a huge industry devoted to forging things.

heh, I just read today of a large open air market somewhere in China where everything for sale is a forgery of a famous name brand.. :-)

[daveperkins]

are you positive??? i heard that the tour-w was cast in China due to the tungsten in the toe...

There is tungsten in a LOT of irons, and I haven't heard of a large number of brands being outsourced because of tungsten. perhaps its true, but I don't know of it.

I read an article in a golf magazine that said of all the irons it tested, only the Raptures were made in china, and it was because of expensive titanium regulations. Perhaps as i've said it's because of the process of joining titanium face to cast steel head in Rapture iron.

[daveperkins]

I thought Powerbilt also built their clubs in the US. Could be wrong about this as only going on what a golf store shop assistant told me and we all know how reliable they are. I have read advertisements (couple years ago) for powerbilt that say they are US built so maybe they still are. If so, they have a forged iron (Citation FZ) in their lineup you might like to try.

As for the Mizuno's, I have a friend of mine who lives in China and he told me Mizuno has a huge factory there so maybe they are also doing their forgings in China these days. Even more reason to go for a set of used Mizzies in good condition ( as if the new MP52/62 wasn't enough reason to go retro). He told me it's been there for a few years now so Guru2 is probably right about the MP60's being Chinese made.

call it fate, karma, a magical conjunction of the stars, then, that I just acquired a fine set of MP14s.. forged in Japan as it SHOULD be.. :-)

[lorenzoinoc]

heh, I just read today of a large open air market somewhere in China where everything for sale is a forgery of a famous name brand.. :-)

Interesting how companies have their clubs manufactured in China, then act surprised and indignant when knock-offs begin showing up. If you spend some time in China and Hong Kong, you find there's not much of value that is counterfeited and available over there.

[NiftyNiblick]

If you look at the web site for California Golf Technologies they have a forged,made in USA,club.A few different models.They also offer a made in USA Titanium Driver head.The company is also called the Golf Lab.I almost bought a set of Mizuno MP 60's.I noticed a tiny little sticker on the hosels that said made in China,then I thought why spend a premium for the Mizuno irons when they use a cheaper founder like just about all the "no name" componet companies.

California Golf Technologies will custom grind a set starting from one of four basic American forgings:

Forged Cavity Back Progressive Offset
Forged Muscle Back Low COG
Forged Muscle Back High COG
Forged Cavity Back, No Offset

[dorkman53]

California Golf Technologies will custom grind a set starting from one of four basic American forgings:

Forged Cavity Back Progressive Offset
Forged Muscle Back Low COG
Forged Muscle Back High COG
Forged Cavity Back, No Offset

California Golf Technologies is Leith Anderson's company. He is a well respected clubmaker in Northern California. I wasn't sure from what I read which country would be the source of his clubheads. He made some reference to companies in the USA and Japan, but that was a bit cryptic.

[NiftyNiblick]

California Golf Technologies is Leith Anderson's company. He is a well respected clubmaker in Northern California. I wasn't sure from what I read which country would be the source of his clubheads. He made some reference to companies in the USA and Japan, but that was a bit cryptic.

The clubs ground from the four aforementioned raw forgings are imprinted "Forged USA" on the hosel. Those are the only stampings, as a matter of fact, other than the club numbers that you want stamped on the soles.

[SoonerBS]

Where do places like Golfsmith get their forged irons?

[Pky6471]

almost 5 times the cost to do a forging here vs China

I accept the fact that it costs more here vs. China... but where the hell do you get the 5X, it could be true, but show us the fact... Don't pull the number out of your a$$
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