Honma built the GS to do one thing well: get the ball up and out there without asking much of the golfer. GS is short for Gain Speed, and the whole set leans into that idea with light weight, a wide sole, and lofts that hit harder than the numbers on old sets ever did. The 7-iron sits at 29 degrees, which is genuinely strong. For reference, a 7-iron from twenty years ago was closer to 34 or 35.
What that means in practice is more carry per club. Your 7-iron flies like an old 6, and if you're a golfer who has watched playing partners fly it past you, this set closes some of that gap. Honma pairs the strong lofts with a low, deep center of gravity so the ball still launches high despite the delofted faces. That combination is the entire pitch here.
Honma has a reputation for premium irons that cost as much as a used car, but the GS is not that iron. It's the accessible, forgiveness-first end of the lineup, aimed at mid and higher handicaps who want distance and an easy launch more than shot shaping or feedback. Know that going in and the set makes a lot of sense.
Honma GS Irons: Key Specs
- Category
- Game Improvement
- Set makeup
- 5-iron to PW
- 7-iron loft
- 29 degrees
- Loft range
- 22 to 43 degrees
- Model year
- 2023
Loft Specifications
| 5i | 6i | 7i | 8i | 9i | PW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.0° | 25.0° | 29.0° | 33.0° | 38.0° | 43.0° |
Stock steel shaft. Lofts are approximate and subject to manufacturing tolerances.
About the Honma GS
The GS uses a hollow-body construction with a thin, fast face and a wide sole, the standard recipe for a distance iron. Weight gets pushed low and toward the perimeter, which raises the moment of inertia and keeps mishits from bleeding off as much speed. The low center of gravity is what lets Honma run those strong lofts without turning every iron into a line drive. The sole is broad and the topline is on the thicker side, so this is not a set built to look dainty at address. It's built to reassure. Offset is generous through the long irons to help square the face and fight the slice that plagues a lot of the golfers this set targets.
Loft Analysis
The Honma GS's 7-iron is lofted at 29° - moderately strong - slightly stronger than traditional lofts. For a golfer with an 85-95 mph swing speed, this projects to a 7-iron carry of approximately 154-164 yards. The 5-iron (22°) to 7-iron gap of 7° is well-gapped, which may create overlapping distance windows with similarly lofted fairway woods or hybrids. The pitching wedge at 43° provides a conventional loft window that pairs cleanly with a 50-52° gap wedge.
Who Should Play the Honma GS?
- ✓Mid to high handicappers who want maximum distance and forgiveness from an iron
- ✓Moderate swing speed players who struggle to get long irons airborne
- ✓Golfers replacing an older set who feel like they've lost yardage to their playing partners
- ✓Slicers who benefit from offset and a low, deep weighting that helps square the face
- ✓Anyone who values an easy, high launch over shot-shaping control or crisp feedback
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Honma GS 7-iron only 29 degrees?
The GS uses strong, delofted lofts to chase distance. At 29 degrees the 7-iron is roughly a full club stronger than a traditional 7-iron, which is why it carries farther. Honma offsets the strong loft with a low center of gravity so the ball still launches high. The tradeoff is that the whole set runs strong, so your pitching wedge at 43 degrees leaves a real gap down to your scoring wedges.
Do I need to add a gap wedge with the GS set?
Almost certainly. The GS pitching wedge is 43 degrees, which is stronger than a lot of standalone sand wedges from years past. If your next wedge is a 54 or 56, you'll have a big yardage hole. Most players will want a gap wedge around 48 to 50 degrees to bridge from the PW down to the sand wedge.
Is the Honma GS a good iron for beginners?
It fits beginners and higher handicaps well. The wide sole, deep low weighting, and generous offset all make the ball easier to launch and straighter to hit. It's forgiving on mishits and asks very little in terms of ball striking. What it won't give you is much feedback or the ability to work the ball, but most newer golfers aren't looking for that yet.
How does the GS compare to Honma's premium Beres irons?
Different clubs for different players. Beres is Honma's luxury line, built around feel, craftsmanship, and refined looks for better players and those who want the prestige. The GS sits at the game improvement end, focused on distance and forgiveness at a far more reasonable price. If you want easy launch and long carries, GS is the right side of the family.
Will the strong lofts make the GS harder to stop on greens?
It can, especially in the longer irons. Strong lofts produce a lower, more penetrating flight with less spin, so your long irons will release more on firm greens. Honma counters this with the low center of gravity that boosts launch and peak height, which helps the ball land softer than the raw loft numbers suggest. On the scoring irons it's rarely an issue, but expect the 5 and 6-iron to run out a bit.
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