Category: juicy matsu

In February 2026, Juicy Inc. celebrated its 8th anniversary. We are truly grateful to the many people who have supported us in advancing this "Juicy Project."

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Golf clubs aren't just products!
Amidst this, I was very fortunate earlier this year to have an article featuring me as a club designer published in Golf Digest Japan. During that interview, I was asked, "What is your design philosophy?" I answered that I fundamentally aim to create tools that are easy for users to handle, always designing with the mindset that they are "tools for use," not "products for sale."
Afterwards, I took time to reflect anew on my own philosophy and what Juicy truly stands for.

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We certainly aimed to create a comfortable club by incorporating as many thoughtful details as possible for our target users. However, as we prioritized clarity, we found ourselves unknowingly conforming to a product-centric categorization. Disliking this, I reaffirmed why I started the Juicy Project anew.
The pursuit of comfort has nothing to do with golf skill level. Ultimately, we want people to choose Juicy as their very first golf club.Rather than struggling with ill-fitting or difficult clubs during practice, I want people to enjoy comfortable golf from the very start. That's what I'm thinking about. And for professional golfers, comfort means reliability—the crucial balance of precision and performance. Golfers of all levels have their own individuality, and many seek high-quality comfort. My commitment with Juicy is to design golf clubs with new performance for precisely those people.

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Comfortable Golfer
We came up with a new term to describe the golfer image Juicy aims for in a single phrase.
"Comfortable Golfer"
So, we immediately asked the AI, "What is a Comfortable Golfer?" The result was:
・It refers to a style of enjoying golf while valuing comfort, ease, and being true to oneself, or to the golfer who embodies that style.
・Choosing the right gear: Selecting clubs with appropriate weight and shafts that match your swing tempo and power.
・Mental and physical comfort: Playing with relaxed, natural movements (a comfortable swing) rather than forcing power.
・Enjoyment mindset: Enjoy the time spent amidst beautiful scenery and nature itself, not just chasing scores.
・Comfort in golf emphasizes not only skill improvement but also health, fashion, and mental fulfillment.
Summary
A Comfortable Golfer is someone who truly enjoys the sport of golf with comfortable equipment and a positive mental state.

That was the response. AI is amazing, isn't it? It provided a perspective that closely matches the image of a golfer I had in mind.

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With 30 Years of Passion
As mentioned at the beginning, Juicy is entering its ninth year, and simultaneously, I am entering my 30th year of golf club design. Looking back, over these 30 years, I have designed over 60 different iron sets and over 50 different wedge series models.Since becoming Juicy, I've already designed over 10 iron models alone.
Among these, I've now designed an iron with performance characteristics I'd never been able to create before. It embodies the performance I genuinely desired before I understood the manufacturer's perspective. To put it simply, it's the performance needed by golfers who have "decently fast head speed but also make a lot of mistakes."Thirty years ago, such clubs existed to some extent. However, within the brands I worked for, this performance was deemed "unmarketable," and I never got the chance to pursue this dream.
Yet, in this Reiwa era, with new golfers increasing and even top pros using high-moment-of-inertia drivers, I firmly believe this performance will be accepted.
I re-examined every element from scratch, revisited and studied past great clubs, and ultimately created an iron with a significantly different face shape than anything I'd done before – a "Reiwa-era handsome guy" in my mind. It maintains a comfortable size for solid play on the course while achieving the maximum possible moment of inertia for that size. It's crafted in a juicy style, precision-machined from soft iron using FULL CNC.Truthfully, the concept was complete in my mind three years ago, but through deeper precision and physical analysis, it has finally achieved its beloved performance.
The ability to design clubs with the performance I personally desire, even if they might lack market appeal.
I am truly happy. Once again, please allow me to express my gratitude to those who love Juicy clubs, those who support the Juicy Project, and those who nurtured me. Please wait just a little longer for the new iron announcement!

As we enter 2026, I wish to continue from my previous entry, articulating my vision for Jucie's products and our future objectives.

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Are Jucie Clubs Difficult to Play?
We are frequently asked if Jucie clubs are challenging to play. While I would prefer to answer no, I also understand why such an impression might arise. Since our inaugural model, we have released wedges with performance akin to professional personal models, and numerous professional golfers have utilized them to achieve multiple victories. While this naturally creates the perception of 'pro models,' my design philosophy and meticulous attention to detail differ slightly, which I intend to explain by drawing an analogy to automobile performance.

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The paramount factor is superior fundamental performance.

Both automobiles and golf clubs are frequently categorized, and in my perception, sports cars are akin to professional models, while family cars resemble amateur models. Furthermore, our engagement with tour professionals evokes the image of participating in serious races, much like a works team. It's akin to racing with vehicles that are not street-legal. Consequently, one might conclude that while sports cars are appealing, they are unmanageable, or that since high speeds are not a priority, professional models would not be actively chosen.
However, Jucie's models are subtly different. They are comparable to rally cars competing in production-car-based races or the WRC. The crucial aspect is that the base vehicle is meticulously engineered for comfortable urban driving, yet possesses such high fundamental performance that, with tuning and driver skill, it can achieve extraordinary speeds. Examples include cars like the R32 GT-R, the first-generation Impreza, the Swift Sport, or, in the current era, the Yaris.
Jucie clubs are designed with a profound awareness that, when paired with the appropriate shaft and assembly, they offer comfortable performance even for the average golfer. Therefore, we encourage selection based on the principle of 'my model = easy to use,' rather than 'pro model = difficult.'
However, to achieve this level of performance, while it is essential for me to be a professional designer, the fundamental performance must also be discernible within the professional domains of tuning and user experience. Therefore, we intend to steadfastly continue our works team-like activities, constantly refining ourselves alongside professional golfers who play at the forefront, and aspire to continuously create clubs that bring joy to as many golfers as possible.

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Should Vehicles Be Solely Purpose-Driven?
Automobiles are categorized by various objectives, not limited to speed, such as off-road capability, passenger and cargo capacity, or fuel efficiency prioritization. While Jucie's core philosophy is to 'aim for a rally car with high fundamental performance,' we also constantly ponder whether vehicles should solely be designed for speed.
Approximately 25 years ago, I drove a compact 4WD manual transmission sports car that boasted 180 horsepower from a 1600cc engine, a remarkable power-to-displacement ratio for its time. However, due to the inconvenience of daily use, I transitioned to a 3-door compact SUV, which was quite rare back then. That vehicle was marketed towards younger individuals with a snowboarder image, but I heard it sold exceptionally well among the senior demographic.
The reason for its popularity was that, at the time, the term 'SUV' was not yet established, and it fell into a category of vehicles focused on off-road capability, such as 'cross-country' models. However, its ease of entry and exit, higher eye-point, and effortless driving over minor obstacles were reportedly highly valued by seniors. Today, I believe there has been a significant increase in the number of seniors driving compact SUVs.

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Clubs That Generate New Needs, Born from the Field
Similar phenomena occasionally occur in golf clubs. A recent example is a model introduced by a certain manufacturer, positioned as an intermediary club between a utility and a fairway wood (Fw). Upon evaluating its center of gravity performance, I observed that while its trajectory resembled that of an Fw, its influence on the swing was anticipated to be closer to an iron than an Fw. I felt it was optimally suited for users who prefer iron-type utility clubs and desire slightly more spin. Consequently, its usage increasingly aligned with this prediction, and I found it fascinating how, with each model revision, its specifications evolved to become progressively closer to those of an iron.
Just as the compact SUV evolved through the accumulation of evaluations that differed from its initial purpose, golf clubs, too, will establish new standards if their actual performance meets golfers' emerging needs, rather than being judged solely by category. Furthermore, we are committed to meticulously crafting clubs that are not specialized by category but offer a balanced ease of use—'performance that simply allows for enjoyable golf.' We also believe that wedges and utility clubs still possess significant potential for evolution and change. Therefore, we aim to adopt an even more field-oriented approach, relentlessly pursuing what clubs are truly needed by actual golfers.
We are also contemplating various new initiatives to effectively capture these evolving needs, so please look forward to them.

As we approach 2026, this article will simply articulate the aspirations we aim to integrate into our golf club designs.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Previously, I discussed how sole performance should not be judged by a simple one-dimensional metric like sole angle, but rather two-dimensionally, considering thickness and width, and even three-dimensionally, accounting for changes in the toe-heel direction.
This time, I would like to discuss how being aware of the four-dimensional performance beyond these aspects can lead to a more satisfactory wedge selection, helping you understand what truly suits you, or why a particular club did not.

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What is my concept of 4-dimensional club design?
Generally, three dimensions refer to space expressible by length × width × height. When I design golf clubs, within the physical constraints of what size and weight can be achieved in this space, I strive to enable golfers to execute their desired shots by considering factors such as shape and center of gravity performance.
To this, another dimension is added. In common interpretations, the fourth axis is considered time. Simply put, this interpretation stems from the idea that "even the same object cannot be precisely located if time differs." In the context of club design, this refers to the duration of a golfer's experience (knowledge and expertise). I believe it is crucial to keenly observe and discern how the demands placed on clubs evolve and become more specialized over time.
To illustrate a simple example: when addressing a club that is upright, some golfers will raise their hands to match the club's lie, while others will address the ball from their comfortable position, lifting the toe. Even this slight difference can significantly alter the outcome. When designing, I consider whether such differences stem from individual preference or accumulated experience, and which tendency aligns with the target profile of the club being developed.

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Conversation between Roki Sasaki and his coach
The previous example was relatively simple, but I often engage in almost speculative analyses of how golfers' equipment usage differs based on deeper levels of experience. I once encountered something that felt like a concrete manifestation of such an analysis.
In an interview article about Major League pitcher Roki Sasaki's comeback after a period of poor form, he recounted a conversation with his coach. Alongside checking his current condition, asking "Which pitch type is easiest to throw?" and "Do you have any pain?", the coach also asked, "Is there anything a coach told you around fifth grade that you've continued to uphold?" This resonated strongly with my own subtle checks when designing clubs or recommending them. I was deeply impressed that such considerations are made at the forefront of Major League baseball for adjustments.

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Wedges suited for experienced golfers
To elaborate, even with a single wedge shot, it's often not the optimal technique. However, I believe that golfers unconsciously adopt a swing they cherish as their own successful experience, sparked by a "eureka!" moment at some point. Furthermore, golfers who practice extensively and frequently change clubs can simply overwrite these insights. But for many, these experiences accumulate, and by the time they realize it, they might be repeating erroneous movements, mistakenly associating them with their ideal "nice shot," ultimately leading to repeated mis-hits.
A prime example is the "wedge shot that stops with backspin." Golfers often wish to consistently replicate a shot that was accidentally achieved due to the specific ball used at the time, the softness or slope of the green, or the interaction with grass and pebbles. When this desire becomes too strong, excessive expectations for low-probability shots can ultimately lead to the yips.
At such times, I want you to recall the swing you unconsciously discovered during your most dedicated practice, or the wedge shots you executed then. Instead of forcing a spin shot, you might have been aiming for a simpler approach. The ball itself might have been entirely different. It was with such golfers in mind that the Jucie tH Wedge series was designed. This model is intended for those who learned golf and practiced extensively before the advent of so-called "spin-oriented" wedges. Rather than merely replicating wedges from that era, we focused on designing a club that makes it easy for those golfers to execute simple wedge shots. We aimed for a shape that instills confidence while incorporating recent trends for easy setup. Additionally, there's the enjoyment of generating powerful spin by opening the face slightly. As a result, I believe this has become an excellent wedge that is easy for both seasoned golfers and newcomers to use simply.

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Overwriting insights is also crucial.
Conversely, unconscious insights often do not align with the shot you currently wish to execute. In such cases, by envisioning the shot you want to play and selecting the wedge that facilitates it, even if you feel a little hesitant at first, gaining a new "eureka!" moment will lead to an enjoyable golf life where you evolve alongside your equipment.

In the last issue, we talked about how you should focus not on absolute spin performance, but on "does it always produce the spin you expect?" I would like to talk about another uncomfortable point: "It is a waste of time to choose a wedge by giving priority to the value of the angle of the stance.
This time, I would like to talk about another uncomfortable point, which is that it is a waste of time to select wedges by giving priority to the value of the angle of the stance.

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Is low-vance wedge difficult?

When was the low-vance wedge genre established...
When wedges were commonly included in iron sets, the Sw was a helpful club that was easy to use in bunkers, and when the trend toward strong lofts began to progress and the loft of the Pw was in the 40-degree range, clubs called the Then, clubs called W, Aw, Gw, P/S, etc. appeared between Pw and Sw, and simply the performance to fill the distance difference between Pw and Sw came to be demanded. After that, I feel that the clubs gradually evolved and changed into clubs specializing in handling bad lies close to Sw and clubs specializing in approach performance that can easily carve out a pitch of distance more than Pw.
Further changes occurred, and wedges were created as a series of wedges only, and even as a series of wedges with loft notation instead of number notation, the so-called single-piece wedge as we know it today.
Until then, wedges were all clubs that specialized in helping functions, such as clubs that specialized in getting out of bunkers or clubs that specialized in rolling, as typified by chippers.
It was professional golfers who actively adopted these single-purpose wedges, and they were transformed into various types of performance to meet the demands of various players. A major element of this change was mainly in sole performance, with clubs being created to suit those who used the sole aggressively and those who preferred a sole that did not get in the way at various angles of incidence.

The high-spin wedge was the first to appear on the scene. These high-spin wedges, depending on the sharpness of the scoreline and the performance of the ball at the time, were compatible with those with a strong sole performance, so the number of models with a strong vance effect increased. The early low-vance wedges were created for professionals who did not follow this trend and preferred a model with a weak vance effect that made it easier to hit a variety of shots rather than spin performance.
And because the people who used these low-vance wedges were skilled in wedge work at the time, wedges that incorporated their opinions often had sharp performance, and as a result, the impression that low-vance wedges were difficult became firmly established.

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Low Vance ≠ Smaller Vance Angle

So what does low-vance mean in the first place?
I would describe it as having a "low-vance effect". I don't simply say that the angle of the vance is small. However, it is commonly accepted that they are synonymous in the current wedge selection process.
It is a bit difficult to describe, but it is a "one dimensional" view to evaluate the strength of the Vance effect only in terms of the Vance angle. The angle is ambiguous in terms of what it is in relation to, and in the end it is judged by whether it is too much or too little. In the end, we end up judging the angle based on whether it is too much or too little. Since we cannot reach the original performance in this way, I would like you to at least imagine the cross-section of the wedge and judge its wedge-shaped condition from a "two-dimensional" perspective.
By looking at the cross section, we can determine the difference in width and thickness of the sole, whether the sole is flat or round, and whether the ground contact position is in front or behind. Furthermore, is the contact position front or back? The angle of the sole is also important. The angle, for example, you can see that the wedge angle is the same for a loft of 56 degrees with 8 degrees of advance and for a loft of 60 degrees with 12 degrees of advance.
Even though it may be difficult to understand how these performances affect the effect at first, by being aware of them, you will gradually be able to see the conditions that suit your own hitting style.

To further understand this, I think it is important to take a "three dimensional" view that takes into account the changes in shape in the toe and heel directions. If we look at the rounding of the sole in this direction and the change when the wedge is opened, we will be able to see more of the wedge's true performance.
And beyond that, I value the "4-dimensional" view in my designs. I would like to talk about this in the next issue.

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Thoughts on the Juicy Wedge lineup

As I mentioned, the Juicy wedge series was created with these various performances in mind, and even just looking at the 58-degree wedges, there are five types: B, S, K, G, and T, each with its own unique performance. In particular, the B, S, and K wedges all have a 10-degree angle of incidence. If you choose them by angle, they are all the same, but S has the weakest valance effect, B is standard, and K is slightly stronger, and if you hit the ball, you will feel it immediately.
T sole has a special valance effect, which aims to increase the amount of spin at close distances in a stable manner. It has a good vance effect and a moderate vance effect when it is open.
And as for the G sole, the angle is 8 degrees, but the vance effect is about the same as the B sole, and furthermore, the roundness is adjusted slightly so that the same vance effect is exhibited as much as possible whether the wedge is used straight or open. Furthermore, when evolving the wedge as tT Wedge 2.0, we have slightly strengthened the vance effect to the same level as that of the K sole. Therefore, we hope that our customers will abandon their preconceived notions of "because it has an 8-degree angle" or "because it has a low-vance" and feel that we want them to choose not based on the numerical value of the vance angle, but rather on the index of how effectively the sole functions for the shots they want to hit.