Although metalwood-shaped hybrids more commonly bridge the gap between fairway woods and long irons these days, many golfers still prefer the shot-making control advantages of playing longer shots into the green with a clubhead which is closer to a conventional iron shape.

Step forward Honma’s hand-built 2014 Tour World TW-U, a powerful new driving iron with a rounded heel for a clean-cutting and consistent strike on long approach shots.

A club for the more aggressive, confident golfer, the muscular-looking TW-U clubhead  was developed by Team Honma’s tour staff, and is cast in MS225 steel with tungsten weights on the back face combined with a wide sole to give a deep, low centre of gravity.

The structure of the maraging stainless steel clubface offers an increased moment of inertia over other long irons, providing an enhanced rebound action for superlative distance.

Available in 2i, 3i and 4i lofts, TW-U is fitted with the Nippon NSPRO 950GH steel shaft as standard, but golfers can specify their choice of shaft when they visit their Honma stockist for a fitting. It is also available in Honma’s high-performance VIZARD and ARMRQ8 carbon graphite shafts, although as with all Honma graphite shafts these options have to be factory-fitted in Japan to order.

“The TW-U is an old-school driving iron which suits the stronger golfer who likes to propel the ball on a penetrating flight path to a distant green” said Honma UK spokesman Andy Hiseman. “If you come up against an opponent who is wielding one of these, you know you are in for a tough game.”

Like all Honma golf equipment, the TW-U is hand-built to order in a single location – Honma’s Sakata studio, in northern Japan, where over 100 craftsmen work on every single club the company produces.  Each TW-U clubhead is precisely finished, measured and balanced by hand.

The TW-U complements Honma’s powerful Tour World range of woods and irons in the UK. Tour World was introduced in 2013, aimed at the mid-to low-handicapper, and includes three different forged iron head shapes – the blade TW717 M, and the cavity-back TW717V and P models. Honma Tour World also features three driver heads, four fairway woods, the Tour World Wedge and two utility clubs – the TW-U and the Tour World TW717UT, a metalwood-shaped hybrid club available in thee lofts.

Honma Tour World TW-U driving iron - £375

Head to the Honma Website for more information