Equipment
Patrick Reed’s irons and playing golf club detective
As golf writers with a specialty in golf club technology and an understanding of how the industry and supply chains work, it’s usually not overly difficult for us to draw some conclusions as to where particular clubs might come from. The reason being that as far as top-end quality components go, there are only so many places that have the capability to produce them—especially when it comes to creating thin cast/forged titanium woods or forged irons.
When a new club shows up, this puts us in the position of reading between the lines, closely comparing pictures, club designs, and even fonts, in an attempt to connect the dots.
One of the first examples of this in 2019 was Francesco Molinari’s custom Callaway irons—obviously different from the standard Apex MB model. Francesco even divulged some information about their Japanese roots in an interview with Golf.com’s Jonathan Wall “These [Apex MB] forged blades are made, I think, in Japan, so they’re slightly different from the standard muscle back.” I took a deep dive on these in a piece that can be found here.
OEM Oversight
Don’t think for a second it’s only equipment junkies on the outside doing research to learn more about their favorite clubs or trying to track down prototype information—OEMs and equipment manufacturers do it too; they even have teams dedicated to the task.
One of the best examples of this is a group of engineers located in Titleist HQ in Fairhaven Massachusetts. Their primary role is to monitor their supply chain, but the other key part of their role is to keep up to date on what other overseas manufacturers are doing with their balls, including the “white label” balls being sold under various brands—a hot topic that has been discussed many times over. The reason this is key for Titleist/Acushnet is they are both designers and patent holders when it comes to golf ball IP (intellectual property), and Acushnet also owns its manufacturing, something only the largest companies can afford to do.
The “Patrick Reed Signature” Irons
Photo By: Royce Thompson (PGA Tour)
This brings us to Patrick Reed’s new “signature” irons, spotted earlier this week at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Patrick has been quiet on the subject beyond a few details including that he’s been working on them for over a year with a small Japanese company, and we would be hearing more at the beginning of January. First reported by PGA Tour’s Andrew Tursky, thanks to some digging on the USGA Conforming List, the irons are Manufactured by Emery JPN Co.
Here’s where the detective work kicks in: I went beyond the USGA’s list and starting searching for Emery JPN Co. online and came back mostly empty-handed until I had an idea. The USGA isn’t the only governing body to have conforming lists so I went to the R&A, and BINGO!
A quick search for Emery resulted in them being the parent company for a number of quality component OEMs including GrindWorks.jp , SAQRA , and Patrick Reed.
Just like with golf balls, phones or computers, smaller companies don’t own their manufacturing and instead rely on creating a design to then be built by a much large facility. With phones, that means Foxconn, with golf balls that means a few large companies in Taiwan and China, and for forged irons, that generally leads to Endo—one of the largest forging companies in the world—they even have they own in house brand, Epon. Considering that GrindWorks irons are known to be forged at Endo, I would be happy to draw a straight line to the Patrick Reed irons also being forged there too.
Until we have further details this is still speculation, but to see what other are saying in the GolfWRX forums check out the discussion here: GolfWRX Forums: Patrick Reed with new Irons
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
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Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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Pingback: TOUR REPORT: John Daly’s bizarre irons, Tiger’s surprising equipment changes – GolfWRX
john
Dec 24, 2019 at 7:36 am
Like the man himself, they should probably be a lot chunkier.
jgpl001
Dec 16, 2019 at 4:10 pm
These look a little cheap and 1970’s to me
No drooling here..
Randy Copeland
Dec 12, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Muira’s made for Nike with Far Par stamped on them for sure no doubt.
lance
Dec 10, 2019 at 2:13 pm
Shovel back > muscle back
Tyler Durden
Dec 9, 2019 at 12:48 pm
This iron is specially ground in the back to make scooping sand or other impediments easier to sweep away
Caroline
Dec 7, 2019 at 8:44 pm
all the big OEM golf companies are in the business to make money and many to satisfy stock holders…it is very simple you make the best equipment you can with the highest margin you can. And when you sit down with that pencil to figure out how to make a good margin finding someone to make your product is always a consideration…
ewfnick
Dec 7, 2019 at 4:50 am
Wondered what the fuss was about and just seen what he did, nothing worse than a cheat, if he was playing in any of the groups I play with he would have caught a smack in the gob
Elvis Pwessley
Dec 7, 2019 at 12:34 am
Awww….my whittle comment got deweated!
Pricilla Presley
Dec 7, 2019 at 12:19 am
Uh oh, can he be the new douche Kooch replacement? I never liked his rolled shoulders and that smug look on his mug or that silly skip step as he pulls his ball out of the cup. Just an all around douche!
Dyson Bochambeau
Dec 6, 2019 at 8:51 pm
I hear his clubs give you improved lies
Brandon
Dec 6, 2019 at 7:36 pm
Fake news. Patrick Reed forged these himself using nothing but the finest American carbon steel and good old fashioned determination. He just had to move a little sand first in his backyard foundry so he could swing his sledge hammer better.
Clint
Dec 6, 2019 at 4:43 pm
These look like they have just enough sole to push some sand away from your ball in the bunker.
Rory
Dec 6, 2019 at 7:08 pm
No such thing as bad publicity, but I’m betting that’s not the first close up they wanted…..
Hdtvman
Dec 6, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Nice work, Lt. Columbia. What I like about Reed, like Tiger, he’s there to win, not chasing the money from major manufacturer’s. I’m sure he could name his price with any of them, but he plays what he likes and what works best for him.
jr
Dec 26, 2019 at 5:50 pm
Or maybe no sponsor wants him.
Hoganben
Dec 6, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Almost all forged irons look the same so may as well have one or two companies make them and they all look the same because one or two companies make them. Ps….I could design Tiger’s new irons…his irons are always the same with just a different brand name on them!!
Geoffrey Holland
Dec 6, 2019 at 1:48 pm
The loost art of proofreading strikes again.
“the irons are Manufactured by Emory JPN Co.
Here’s where the detective work kicks in: I went beyond the USGA’s list and starting searching for Emery JPN Co.”
Paul
Dec 6, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Who cares, get a life.
Jethro
Dec 6, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Your name is misspelled. It should be Jeffrey. Lol!
Waka waka
Dec 6, 2019 at 4:26 pm
Preach!!!!
Geoffery The Girraffe
Dec 6, 2019 at 4:21 pm
ironic typo in his own comment then!
Rory
Dec 6, 2019 at 7:06 pm
I think he has looooost his mind
Tim
Dec 7, 2019 at 8:18 am
Loost..Proof..???
Gary
Dec 6, 2019 at 11:51 am
As soon as I saw them I thought Epon. The shape and finishing just looks like what I’m used to seeing from Epon.
Also if you connect the dots you’ll probably find that Endo forges the blanks that Artisan uses. That’s probably where the connection started.