Honma Bezeal 535 Irons Review - Are They Good for High Handicappers & Forgiving?

Honma Bezeal 535 Irons Review – Are They Good for High Handicappers & Forgiving?

“The Honma Bezeal 535 irons debuted in 2017 along with a whole series of Bezeal golf clubs that were aimed at the average golfer seeking premium look and feel along with playability.”

It’s been almost 6 years since the Honma Bezeal 535 irons have launched and players seem to be split on whether or not they have lived up to the hype. The goal for these irons was to help improve the games of average players (mostly mid handicappers). However, when they were released, an entire set cost about $8,000.

This was a price tag that most average golfers were not willing to trifle with. But in 2023, you can find these irons for a significantly reduced price which is tempting many average golfers to entertain the question, “are the Honma Bezeal 535 irons really good for high handicappers?”

We must admit we were also curious. This was the first time we had the opportunity to test the Honma Bezeal 535 so we were very excited. Join us as we help you decide if these are the irons for you.

The Honma Bezeal Family of Irons

Included in the Bezeal line is the Honma Bezeal 525 irons.

The Honma Bezeal 525 irons promise more forgiveness than the previous Beres model. They also have less offset than the popular TW series of irons from Honma. What you end up getting is a game improvement set that looks more like a player’s performance set.

Are They Good for High Handicappers?

“The Honma Bezeal 535 irons feature internal and external slits in the body which is a feature that is very unique even in 2023.”

The slits are designed to remove mass so that the face can flex more. Honma claims that this improves face repulsion which means the ball will fly off the face with greater force. We’re not sure about all that but the Honma Bezeal 535 irons certainly do play hot.

From our testing, we got the distinct impression that everything about this iron set was designed for distance. The Honma Bezeal 535 irons have very strong lofts with the 9-iron set at 36.5°.

This usually isn’t a good recipe for high handicappers who tend to have slow to moderate swing speeds. However, offsetting the strong loft a bit is the low center of gravity and split perimeter weighting. The Honma Bezeal 535 irons have 6 grams of tungsten in the toes and 3 grams in the heel.

Overall, the Honma Bezeal 535 long irons felt comfortable to swing for our high handicap testers and the short irons launched high. While not the best for high handicappers, the Honma Bezeal 535’s offer an interesting mix of player’s performance and game improvement playability.

Are They Forgiving?

“The Honma Bezeal 535 irons are surprisingly forgiving.”

We say surprising because like any Honma iron, the Honma Bezeal 535’s have relatively compact blade lengths. Still, these are cavity back irons that will help you immensely with distance if you are at least moderately accurate.

Our high handicap testers were launching the ball an average of 160.4 yards after three swings with the 7-iron. Carry distance leaves something to be desired but the low penetrating flight will delight anyone with a moderate swing speed. Again, not the most forgiving irons but certainly one of the most forgiving that Honma has ever produced.

Differences Between the Honma Bezeal 535 Irons and the Callaway Apex Pro Irons

“The Apex Pro 21 irons feature hollow body construction and combine it with a forged design.”

The Callaway Apex Pro irons certainly feel nicer and softer than the Honma Bezeal 535 irons. They also launch higher so overall carry distance was a bit weaker than the Honma Bezeal 535 irons.

Available Shafts

Vizard for Bezeal (R, SR and S flex)
NS Pro 950 GH (Regular and stiff flex)

Are the Honma Bezeal 535 Irons Worth it?

“They are absolutely worth it if you are a mid handicapper.”

For high handicappers, we would say that they are worth it if you can find them for a decent price. While they are not unplayable for high handicappers by any means, other irons may be more beneficial and therefore, more worth the cost.

Honma Bezeal 535 Irons

In 20 Words or Less

“The name of the game is distance with these irons. They are also both moderately workable and forgiving.”

Honma Bezeal 535 Irons – First Impressions

“The first thing that we noticed about the Honma Bezeal 535 was the moderately thick sole.”

The sole width of the Honma Bezeal 535 irons is a bit reminiscent of the newer TR20P irons. As you can imagine, this helps with launch and turf interaction. It also makes the Honma Bezeal 535 irons look better behind the ball for mid and high handicappers.

Honma Bezeal 535 Selling Points

High density tungsten weights
4 slits in the head
Large sweet spot
Slits in the top line
Perimeter weighting

Who Are the Honma Bezeal 535 Irons for?

“The Honma Bezeal 535 irons would be ideal for mid handicappers but has some value for high handicappers as well.”

As long as you can make contact somewhat consistently you will surely see a boost in distance with these irons. That is probably their greatest asset. So overall, we would recommend the Honma Bezeal 535 irons for players in the 12-22 handicap range.

The Honma Bezeal Family of Irons

If you are interested in other entries in the Honma Bezeal line of irons, you should check out the Honma Bezeal 525 irons. Like the Honma Bezeal 535’s the 525’s feature a lightweight titanium face that has been thinned out to spring off the ball on contact.

However, the Honma Bezeal 525 irons have narrower soles than the Honma Bezeal 535’s. The cavity undercut has also been revised in the 525 irons to place more mass behind the sweet spot.