Proto Concept Iron Review You Tube video - View Here
Proto-C is a collaborative effort between the Endo forging house and the Golf Partner executive ownership group.
Golf Partner is the largest golf retailer in the world. It boasts nearly 400 retail locations and 550,000 in-stock clubs. It’s something like the Japanese equivalent to Starbucks but for golf equipment. I mention this primarily to illustrate that the company has a unique perspective and breadth of JDM market knowledge. Its leadership has a keen understanding of what works, what doesn’t and, most importantly, what resonates with the target audience.
Proto-C is short for Proto Concept. The name is indicative of a design mindset dedicated to pushing boundaries. Think of it in somewhat the same vein as a concept car. Or perhaps an experimental pursuit without the typical constraints of working to hit a target price point or release date.
Conceptual prototypes aren’t produced with a mass-market mentality.
With golf equipment, it’s fundamentally a discussion of materials and manufacturing processes. Often, more advanced materials help mitigate traditional engineering tradeoffs. For example, a driver that is both forgiving and low spinning. Or it could be an iron that looks like a muscle-back at address but plays with the forgiveness of a game-improvement iron.
In short, conceptual equipment is an exercise in working towards both having and eating one’s cake.
With its maiden release, the design team at Proto-C worked in concert with Endo to develop an industry-first manufacturing process. In addition, Endo has the capacity to forge intricate geometries. The result is equipment that adheres to tighter spec tolerances which don’t rely on superfluous materials to try and approximate a traditional forged feel.
Additionally, Proto-C states that because of Endo’s manufacturing processes, each iron and wedge model is discrete. To clarify, this means that each model is more distinct in its performance characteristics, though aesthetically the look is similar.
PROTO CONCEPT STARTING LINEUP
The initial product launch from Proto-C features four iron models, two wedges, a driving iron and a flagship driver. From a distance, it might not appear that Proto-C equipment is all that different from bellwether big-name brands. As usual, it’s the details that drive the story.