Posted by: JUCIE

As we enter 2026, I'd like to once again simply write down my thoughts behind Juicy's products and my goals for the future, continuing from last time.

We've released wedges with professional-level performance since our first model, and numerous pro golfers use them, winning multiple tournaments. It gives the impression, "Well, it's a pro model after all." However, the philosophy and dedication behind my design approach is slightly different. I'd like to explain this by comparing it to automotive performance.

What matters is high basic performance.

Cars and golf clubs are often grouped into broad categories, and in my view, sports cars feel like pro models while family cars feel like amateur models. Furthermore, working with tour pros gives the impression of serious racing participation, like a factory team. It feels like racing with cars that can't even be driven on public roads. That makes sports cars seem cool but unmanageable. You might even think pro models aren't actively chosen because they aren't driven fast in the first place.
But Juicy's models are a bit different. Think of them like rally cars competing in races based on production vehicles or in WRC. The key is that the base car is thoroughly engineered to be comfortable and enjoyable for everyday driving, while also possessing high fundamental performance that allows it to become incredibly fast through tuning and the driver's skill. Think of cars like the R32 GT-R, the first-generation Impreza, the Swift Sport, or the current Yaris.
Juicy clubs are designed with a deep awareness that, when paired with the right shaft and assembly method, they deliver comfortable performance even for the average golfer. Therefore, we want you to choose not because a pro model is difficult, but because your model is easy to use.
However, achieving this performance requires not only being a design professional, but also ensuring the fundamental performance is something professionals can recognize through tuning and use. Therefore, we will continue our works team activities diligently, constantly refining ourselves alongside professional golfers playing at the cutting edge, striving to keep creating clubs that bring joy to as many golfers as possible.

Is a car only good for its intended purpose?
Cars aren't just categorized by how fast they can go—they're also grouped by off-road capability, passenger and cargo capacity, fuel efficiency, and other specific goals. Within that framework, Juicy's core philosophy is to "aim for rally cars with high fundamental performance." Yet we constantly ask: Is a car only good for going fast?
About 25 years ago, I drove a compact sports car with a 1600cc engine producing 180 horsepower. Its power-to-displacement ratio set records for its time, and it featured 4WD and a manual transmission. However, due to the hassle of daily use, I switched to a compact SUV with three doors—something extremely rare back then.That car was marketed as a youth-oriented vehicle inspired by snowboarders, but I heard it sold particularly well to seniors.
The reason it was chosen seems to be that, back then, the term "SUV" wasn't yet established, and it fell into the category of vehicles prioritizing off-road capability, like cross-country vehicles. However, its ease of entry and exit, the high eye point, and the ease of driving over small bumps without worry were apparently more appreciated by the senior demographic. I truly believe the number of seniors driving compact SUVs has increased significantly now.

Clubs born from the field, creating new needs Something similar occasionally happens with golf clubs too. To give a recent example, one manufacturer released a model positioned as a club between a utility and a fairway wood.Upon actually checking its center of gravity performance, it appeared to me that while the ball flight was fairway wood-like, the swing feel was expected to be closer to an iron than a fairway wood. I felt it would be ideal for users who prefer iron-type UTs and desire a bit more spin.The result was fascinating: it increasingly got used that way, and with each model change, its specs shifted closer to an iron.
Just as compact SUVs evolved from being praised for qualities beyond their original purpose, golf clubs too can become new standards if their actual performance delivers what golfers seek—regardless of category.Furthermore, we want to firmly develop clubs that aren't specialized for a category, but instead offer a balanced ease of use – clubs with "performance that simply makes playing golf enjoyable." We also believe wedges and UTs still have significant potential for evolution and change. Therefore, we want to pursue even more, with a field-first approach, what kind of clubs actual golfers need.
We are considering various new initiatives to firmly capture such needs, so please look forward to them.

This time, I simply want to write about what thoughts I wish to put into golf club design as we approach 2026.

A key phrase frequently mentioned when discussing recent club performance is "usable easy clubs," as highlighted in the headline. Historically, pros and advanced players often preferred "usable difficult clubs" emphasizing control, while amateurs frequently used clubs that heavily compensated for poor swing mechanics or lack of speed—clubs that advanced players might deem "unusable easy clubs."However, since the widespread adoption of performance-measuring devices that provide quantifiable results, this trend has gradually shifted. Particularly, the significant evolution in the ease of hitting high-moment-of-inertia drivers has made this "ease" advantageous even for pros, leading to the emergence of "usable, easy-to-hit clubs." Since then, there seems to be a growing demand for "usable, easy-to-hit clubs" extending to fairway woods, utility clubs, and irons as well.

From tightrope walking to sturdy bridges
I often use the analogy of crossing a valley quickly to explain the evolution of clubs toward these large heads. When crossing a valley to the other side, small drivers like persimmon heads are like tightrope walking. In that era, only a handful of masters could balance and move quickly along the rope.The metalwood era was like a swaying suspension bridge. While still accompanied by the fear of falling, it was passable enough. Titanium drivers became a bridge that didn't sway. The era of high moment of inertia drivers is like a sturdy bridge with a wide roadway. At this point, as long as you didn't lose your direction, you could even run at full speed, and anyone could safely cross the valley. Professional golfers' skills shifted from requiring tightrope-walking mastery to needing the athletic ability to run fast.
So, what about irons? While the swing trend is becoming more athletic, they still can't be called sturdy bridges. They feel more like suspension bridges or narrow bridges without railings, even if they don't sway.Consequently, manufacturers are experimenting with various approaches to enhance performance. However, the current sales reality seems focused on the distance competition of the #7 iron. Rather than strengthening the suspension bridge, the trend has shifted towards excessive lightweighting and strong lofts – essentially, if you can't cross it fast, just tilt the bridge downhill.

The straightforward , logical argument is what I've written about so far. However , what I prioritize in my design approach for 2026 is to design with a deeper understanding that actual golfers incorporate and practice movements that are not ideal, either unconsciously or consciously. Using the earlier example, I found inspiration in an interesting story I heard from my mentor.
"When traversing a narrow ridge under harsh conditions like Everest, with a 4000m drop on the right and a 2000m drop on the left, falling either way means certain death. Yet, strangely, you find yourself wanting to lean left as you walk."If we use the analogy of crossing a valley, it's like being on a bridge that's safe to cross if you're not in such a hurry, yet you end up leaning toward the shallower side of the valley as you run. This is precisely the golfer's psychology we should focus on: often, driven by the sheer desire to avoid mistakes, we actively incorporate movements that deviate from the ideal. When this happens, even a "usable, forgiving club" won't produce the ideal ball flight, and a negative mindset seems likely to accumulate.
Furthermore, including the driver, many golfers still strongly believe that progressing like a tightrope walker is their familiar golf. Even on a wider bridge, they diligently maintain a meticulous swing, never neglecting to keep both hands level to maintain balance.

Juicy NEW Model Direction
Starting in 2026, Juicy aims to embark on a new chapter.
We will increase the number of clubs that deliver a truly "gentle" feel.
Using the analogy of crossing a valley, first, we must design clubs that are reliably sturdy, even if just a little, and with a wide path. This creates the "usable, gentle clubs" needed today. Furthermore, if many players tend to lean toward the shallower side of the valley, we will subtly design the path to slope deeper.Or, we could add a safety railing on the deeper side. And instead of an easy downhill bridge, we could subtly start with a gentle slope—providing just the right amount of assist to move forward with confidence. If you swing with your hands level, it should still feel great to run, with performance that makes feedback easy to feel. We aim to gradually develop a series that offers this kind of "ease" attuned to the golfer's mindset, allowing you to dash forward with confidence.