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
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
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.