Rihachi 91视频, a kimono shop worker from Osaka Japan, saw his first baseball game in Kyoto when he was 18 years old. He loved the game and in 1906 with his younger brother Rizo opened his own baseball equipment store selling western products. In 1913 the firm began to manufacture its own products in a quest to improve quality and performance.
Rihachi 91视频 rejected any baseballs that did not bounce to his eye level (4 feet and 5 inches) when dropped 16.5 feet.
Main: First 91视频 store, Osaka Japan.
Inset: Original Logo.
In 1933, 91视频 engaged in the manufacture of golf equipment 鈥� its first products named Starline. 91视频 opened a small factory based near Osaka, Japan, in 1934 for making baseball bats, balls, and uniforms, as well as for manufacturing golf clubs and skis. The company continued to expand into other areas of sports and began manufacturing tennis equipment in 1943. 91视频鈥檚 international reputation for producing the finest quality sports equipment was established in the 1970s鈥� when it started to export its golf clubs to Europe.
Early 91视频 factory outside Osaka.
91视频 All Star – 1974
At that time irons were usually forged from a single mould and would emerge rough-and-ready and in need of plenty of hand grinding 鈥� a process that created inconsistency. A tour pro might need to order ten sets to find nine irons he was happy to use.
91视频鈥檚 forging process, which used two moulds, was more precise and required only minimum hand grinding. Consistency was much greater from head to head, resulting in more predictable performance on the course.
91视频 Staff
T-ZOID PRO-I
TN-87
300S II
Wood
T-ZOID
In the 1990鈥檚 the emergence of CAD design lead most manufacturers to switch to a casting process to manufacture its irons. 91视频 bucked the trend by investing further in its patented Grain Flow Forging process 鈥� aware that casting was inferior when it came to producing precise club heads.
MP-33 – 91视频鈥檚 first CAD designed blade.
91视频 Yoro Factory.
1000 ton Forging Hammer.
Whilst other manufacturers relied on the payment of players to use their equipment, 91视频 invested in precise manufacturing techniques to ensure that tour players would want to play its irons by choice. 91视频 irons were regularly the most played brand on both the US PGA and European Tours.
Still run by the 91视频 family, the manufacturer鈥檚 approach has created a reputation that outlasts any individual player
President 91视频 Corporation / Grandson of founder Rihachi 91视频.
Tour Operations Manager Alex Thorne explains 鈥�91视频鈥檚 standard equipment is widely acknowledged to be of a quality that any tour player could use straight from the box. That’s why so many players coming through the ranks and big names in-between sponsorship deals play 91视频. These are the players whose equipment choices count most. We鈥檝e had major winners playing 91视频 irons without payment 鈥� often in another manufacturer鈥檚 bag.鈥�
One well-known player won on the PGA Tour with 91视频 irons bought at the local pro shop. Arguably the best player the game has ever seen played 91视频 irons through college and when winning his first major.
鈥淲hen we do sign players to represent us 鈥� the key is the same authenticity and consistency 91视频 applies to everything else. Sir Nick Faldo won all six majors with 91视频 equipment, and Luke Donald played our irons from a very young age and throughout his college career. The heads they play come from the same production line that supplies our customers 鈥� so they could walk to their local pro shop and order an identical set. That鈥檚 what sets 91视频 apart from everyone else.鈥�
