Equipment Review: Maruman Golf
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Maruman & Company, Ltd., with head office in Tokyo, Japan (est. 1971) is a multi-faceted company, excelling not only in the golf industry, but also in health-related products. We’re talking golf here – and isn’t 18 holes the best medicine money can buy? – so we’ll state right off the bat, Maruman Golf is one of the world’s premier golf equipment manufacturers.

You can watch for Maruman to quickly establish a stronger following here in North America. If you’re a true golf aficionado, though, then you’re already familiar with Maruman’s innovative, cutting-edge golf equipment technology. In fact, golf clubs from Maruman are some of the prettiest sticks made today. They’re winners, too, helping touring pros win around the globe.

In 2007, Maruman re-introduced their top-notch golf gear to the U.S. market with a presence at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. Here at London Ontario Golf, we’ve already reviewed the Maruman Shuttle M-Sole fairway wood – one of the very best we’ve tested. Hit it on the screws, and this baby launches the pill just as long as a driver.

This month, we review four additional offerings from Maruman Golf, and in doing so discover two hidden gems that quickly found a place in our bag.

Conductor Driver

Literature for the Maruman Conductor driver reads, “High-quality clubs for advanced and intermediate players.” Trust me when I say, Maruman has downplayed its outstanding big stick. The Conductor is quite possibly the best driver I have tested since the Adams XTD Pro, and the original KZG Gemini. 

The Conductor brand has already proven to be successful on many professional tours around the world. No surprise. The ball sounds solid off the face. Its design is without flaw. The aesthetics are outstanding. And it works – time after time – with the ability to fade, draw or go for the flag in a variety of wind conditions. It’s long, accurate and now in my bag this 2008 season.

I tested the 9° driver which features a neutral face – this 450cc driver is also available in 10° and 11° lofts. The real secret lies in the aerodynamic design, as well as the quality components. Maruman is uncompromising in its creation of high-quality clubs, and its research and design team deserves kudos. 

The crown of the Conductor clubhead features a flat design and low-frequency component which creates a dynamic sound. The sole features an Aero Cavity at both the sole and heel, plus a larger Aero Groove for a smooth swing. Wind tunnel testing has proven that this makes the Conductor driver with ADSS Design more effective than other 460cc models. Really, there isn’t much of a difference between a 450cc and 460cc club – unless the design of the club makes the most of MOI and CG. The Conductor passes both tests with flying colours.

High modulus titanium in the face of this club, and partial thickness design creates a wide area, high repulsion face within the rules of the R&A and USGA. Despite the fact the Conductor is a lethal weapon in the hands of a low- or mid-handicap golfer, it is legal. Remember that when you’re launching flag-seeking missiles.

The shaft, as they say, is the engine of the golf club, and Maruman has come up with a winner with its ST-5 graphite shaft. It’s available in regular, senior, stiff and extra-stiff. I tested the stiff flex shaft utilizing nanotechnology and new balance design from Maruman. Believe it or not, this shaft is only 56 g, but the low lick point goes the extra mile in stabilizing the clubhead. A medium trajectory produces the perfect launch for my individual swing.

I’ve recently switched from a Golf Pride Tour Wrap grip to a more traditional-sized grip on my driver, and Maruman’s Golf Pride New Balance grip is perfect for the Conductor’s shaft and head weight. It’s tacky, moisture-resistant and boasts a medium density.

What more can I say about the Conductor driver, other than the fact I cannot wait to get back onto the course with this baby. I highly recommend this driver, which in my books deserves a place amongst the very best from the TaylorMades, Callaways, Pings, Mizunos and Nikes of the world. 

Conductor Hybrid

Here’s another club which caught me by surprise this year: the Maruman Conductor hybrid. This is the best hybrid since the Sonartec MD, in my books. It’s more of a player’s utility club than a mid-handicapper club, and thus produces some amazing results. I tested the 19° U3 hybrid with 39.5-inch Conductor ST-5 graphite shaft, and found success from a variety of lies and off the tee.

Two features make the Conductor hybrid a winner. An Aero-Groove sole (grooves running from face to back of club) reduces contact with the nastiest of rough, while a Top Blade design sets the majority of the clubhead slightly lower in height than that just following the clubface. Tungsten weight in the rear of the sole produces a penetrating ball flight. I love the clubface, too: high-strength stainless steel Custom 465.

The Conductor hybrid is also available in 22° (39-inch shaft) and 25° (38.5 inches).

Conductor Iron

If Maruman’s Conductor irons aren’t some of the prettiest irons ever made, then I’m Tiger Woods. Made for low- and mid-handicappers, the Conductor iron with slight offset features a mid-sized clubhead with ultra-forgiving features. 

The new Maruman sole design – the Razor Sole – emulates its Aero Cavity and reduces drag through fairway and rough, plus promotes a smooth, uninhibited follow through. The Conductor iron also features a solid cavity at the sole with inner tungsten weights for low CG and high MOI. A medium-size sole works like a larger sole, thanks to the Razor inclusion.

How good are these irons? We tested the 6 iron and had to keep checking to make sure we didn’t have a 5 iron in our hands, thanks in part to the ST-5 graphite shaft. It’s long, it’s straight, and it’s a sure fire way to improve your game.

The Conductor iron set runs from 4-SW, and also offers steel shafts – NS Pro 950 GH.

Pound for pound, this iron matches up against any other mainstream best-seller already established in the North American market.

Shuttle M-Sole Hybrid

Like the Shuttle M-Sole fairway wood, the Shuttle hybrid produces a high trajectory, and a soft landing. The Maruman Shuttle NBP Type UT shaft is incredible in its ability to get the ball in the air at once and over great distances. It’s great for players of all abilities.

The Shuttle hybrid features a closed face made of very thin 1.9 mm high-strength maraging steel 771. A unique inset neck at the hosel shortens the gravity distance, making it easier to catch and control the ball. 

The M-Sole design is the real secret here. It produces deep gravity and a great follow through by emulating a trampoline effect off the face, producing explosive shotmaking. And a round sole from toe to heel makes it easier to hit from a variety of undulations. A round side sole helps promote smooth swinging, too. A wide head for deep CG and weight concentrated at the neck for high MOI make the Shuttle M-Sole hybrid a trustworthy club for any level of golfer.

We tested the 20° U3 hybrid. It’s available in 23°, 26° and 29°, too.

London Ontario Golf is proud to have Maruman Golf on board as our newest partner, and we wish Maruman well as it makes new fans amongst the North American golfing population.

Visit www.marumanglobal.com to learn about all of its outstanding offerings for the discerning golfer.