Our Brand STory
Makino Golf is founded by Shohei Nomura, a former industrial designer from Tokyo, who moved to Hyōgo Prefecture to pursue his passion for golf club manufacturing. The region is renowned for its skilled artisans and boasts a legacy of craftsmanship spanning over 90 years.
All Makino irons and wedges are forged at Kyōei Golf Industry Co., Ltd., the oldest golf club forging house in Japan.
Every club begins with a master mold, designed and created in our Himeji workshop. Irons, wedges, and one-off models are fully hand-finished here, reflecting the individuality and artistry that define our work.
Grinding is handled in-house whenever possible. When workloads exceed what we can manage alone, we work with Fujimoto Gikoh, whose long-standing expertise continues to uphold the traditions of Ichikawa’s makers.
Our approach is not conventional mass production — it is small-batch craftsmanship, balancing the hands-on detail of our Himeji workshop with the heritage and skill of trusted partners.
The MA3 putters are developed through a partnership between Nomura and machinist Shinagawa, bringing together artistry and precision engineering.
Like Nomura, Shinagawa’s background is unconventional: before inheriting his family’s machining business, he worked as a Merchandising Director for a leading European fashion house. In this new chapter of his career, he has embraced industrial innovation, introducing collaborative robots — still uncommon in Japan — and frequently speaks for European machine manufacturers as a guest lecturer.
This creative and technical foundation defines our partnership. Shinagawa’s precision work, combined with Nomura’s hands-on finishing, produces putters that stand apart from conventional golf equipment. Once the machining is complete, each head returns to our workshop, where shaping, refinement, and finishing are carried out by hand to bring individuality and warmth to every piece.
The result is a balance of engineering precision and human artistry — golf clubs refined in both performance and design.
From a young age, Nomura was uniquely fascinated by metal. While other children played with conventional toys, he could spend hours polishing metal objects, captivated by their sheen and the intricate process of refining them. Despite his reluctance, he was compelled by his father to join him for golf every other weekend. Over time, what started as an obligation turned into a genuine passion, complementing his love for metalwork.
It is said that the brand name “Makino Sports” existed in the 1980s and gained a cult following among a niche audience. However, it reportedly faded from the market during the economic crises of the 1990s. Inspired by the original brand's story and philosophy, Nomura adopted the name “Makino,” giving it personal significance beyond its traditional meaning.
“Makino” embodies the spirit of craftsmanship, merging elements of “Nomura” and “Makita” (the Japanese tools company known for its high-quality power tools and innovative solutions for DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike). By combining these influences, the brand honors Japanese heritage and construction, producing golf clubs that are both functional and artistically crafted.
MODAL ARCHITEXWith Shinagawa’s addition to the team, we launched MA3 (Modal Architex), a bold and innovative line. True to its name, MA3 combines Modal, a term for control in machinery, with Architex (derived from “architects”) to represent creativity, capturing the spirit of trial and error that lies at the heart of craftsmanship.
Each product in the lineup carries an artistic appeal and, in the hand, reflects the quiet determination of a dedicated golfer. This aligns with Makino’s core philosophy: “Don’t let the clubs take over your golf”—an athlete-first approach focused on supporting performance.
