Are Japanese Irons Hot?

Frank,

Love your column and never miss reading it on the The Golf Channel web page.  Are most Japanese market irons USGA conforming?  I purchased a set of Japanese Taylormade 360 irons on Ebay, and hit them longer, higher, and straighter than any other irons I've hit.  They are different than U.S. market TM 360's as they have a titanium face, seem lighter, and a little shorter.  I'm short (5'7") and slight so suspect they are probably a better fit for me, however I don't know if they conform to USGA rules and if I can legally play with them in tournaments?  Would appreciate any info you can provide.  Much thanks.  Sincerely,  Kit

Kit
The clubs you refer to are produced by Taylor Made and should conform with USGA rules which are identical to the R and A rules which all reputable manufacturers in Japan adhere to. This is not an issue about which you need to be concerned.

I should advise you however that there is very little you can do to an iron club to make it hit the ball farther unless you change the length or the loft. Most iron clubs today in the game improvement category have a low center of gravity which is positioned as far back from the face as possible which will tend to launch the ball higher than a club which is less forgiving and has a center of gravity closer to the face--normally found in blade designs.

This game improvement design along with a slight increase in shaft length will launch the ball higher and a little farther. However, this is not because it violates any standards.

When it comes to Japanese produced drivers on Ebay I would be a little concerned because the R and A, for almost 10 years permitted a higher coefficient of restitution than the USGA standard. As of January 2008 all drivers produced under the R and A jurisdiction are required to conform to a standard similar to that adopted by the USGA in 1998.

Frank