Equipment
Terry Koehler, the new Hogan irons and what it’s all about
A few weeks ago, we were one of the first outlets to break the news that the Ben Hogan Company will be returning to the equipment sector in 2015. In a roughly 45-minute call with Mr. Koehler, he casually inserted bits of wisdom and insight (and Ben Hogan stories) I felt ought to see the light of day.
What follows is a mix of Koehler’s comments on the direction of the new Hogan company, Mr. Hogan and golf in general. Hopefully it’s of value and interest to Hoganophiles and those interested in the company’s return to the equipment business.
The dream
Terry Koehler told his 90-plus-year-old mother, his dream job was to make golf clubs for the Ben Hogan brand in accordance with the company’s central values: performance, precision, quality, responsiveness and feel. Integrity and honesty.
So, when Perry Ellis acquired the Hogan brand, Koehler wondered what, if anything would come of the equipment. In August of last year, curiosity got the better of him and the founder of SCOR golf dialed up Perry Ellis to ask what their intentions were. That conversation began the path toward the recent announcement that Koehler will oversee the rebirth of Ben Hogan’s golf clubs.
An iron-centric company and a high bar
The anchor of the Ben Hogan company is, and always will be irons, although Koehler sees the company producing a full range of clubs in the future. The Ben Hogan Company won’t be racing to occupy every category and is entirely focused on developing irons initially.
“We’re not going to do anything until we believe that we have something that’s better than what’s out there,” Koehler said.
Thus, until they’ve produced an iron that’s both better than what’s on the market—and up to Mr. Hogan’s standards—they’re not bringing anything to retail. Proceeding slowly is a deliberate choice because of the responsibility brought on by carrying the Hogan mantle for Koehler.
Regarding clubmaking, Koehler said, “Mr. Hogan set a pretty high bar for all of us to aspire to.” Thus, the company’s efforts will be guided by a focus on performance, hard work and precision, rather than a release schedule. Koehler plans to produce the entire golf club, from “grip to head,” not just clubheads.
Koehler on golfers
“One of the things that frustrates me about being in this business is when you ask people, ‘Are you a golfer?’
They say, ‘I’m not any good. I’m a 15 or 16.’
Really, if you can break 90 regularly, you’re a pretty good golfer.
I don’t know where people come up with this self-deprecating thing of ‘I’m not any good.’ Everybody under a 15 or so is a player, hitting golf shots out there.”
On what it’s all about
The payoff of this game is the two or three times a round when that shot did what you wanted it to do. There’s little gratification in a skulled shot that bounces out of a bunker and rolls up 18 feet to the hole. Serious golfers play this game not for the numbers at the end of the day, but for those three or four times when the ball does exactly what you want it to.
The club pro’s duty
Mr. Hogan believed, according to Koehler, that the club professional has a duty to sell equipment to his members, as it’s an essential facet of his charge to help his members improve. Thus, Koehler states unequivocally that the Hogan company won’t put pro shops at a price disadvantage compared to larger retailers.
Two out of three greens isn’t right
If you were going to shoot in the low 60s in the 40s and 50s, given the condition of greens, it was imperative to knock flags down all day, according to Koehler. Players in the Snead, Hogan and Nelson eras weren’t making many 15-to-20 footers. Today, Koehler says, “Hitting greens is an art I don’t think anybody puts enough emphasis on.”
Further it “doesn’t seem right” to him that pros settle for hitting 12 or 14 greens rather than 16 or 18.
On what constitutes success for the Hogan brand going forward…
“Success will mean those people on GolfWRX.com saying we did this right.”
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Gerald Garrison
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:03 pm
As 40 plus year professional golfer, club builder, teacher and player, I have to say we have gotten away from the art of the golf shot and fallen into “make your mis hits better”. My clients will be very happy that they will now have clubs that reward their work to improve that nothing feel of a well hit shot off a precise made club. About time. Thank you Terry.
Kirk Weems
Nov 9, 2014 at 8:17 am
I am a Hogan Player.
I play the FTX’s in the Summer and the Apex Edge’s during the colder months.
I have hit almost every other club manufactured and always return to “perfection”.
Forged Clubs are Butter!
If you don’t like the feel, I have one thing to say…..
Take lessons cause you are hitting them improperly.
Grant
Jul 9, 2014 at 12:37 am
The Apex’s all the way to the end are works of art. I had the last muscle back set that was produced. They had Topflite shafts in them but were still butter to hit. Sold them recently only because Imhave plenty of blade sets left. Will get another set if they are half as good as what I believe they could be. The old Apex 4. Shafts were gems.
Mad-Mex
Jun 1, 2014 at 10:26 pm
With all due apologies, the feeling of hitting a flush high Hogan Apex 7 iron with a wound liquid center balata Titleist is something that cannot and will not be re-created by todays equipment…… or that of walking up to your ball and seeing it smiling at ya after blading it with a wedge,,,,,,,,,,
Roger
Jun 1, 2014 at 5:43 pm
The Dream, the Passion, the Vision, and an understanding
of the History. Thats a great start.Thanks Terry and Ben.
Brian
May 30, 2014 at 3:35 pm
I am keeping my eyes on this as it develops. I would absolutely LOVE to see this brand back in the game with a top-notch iron and wedge line. Make it in the USA, keep it traditional in looks, use top quality components. I’d love to see a forged, muscle back with quality shaft and real leather grip offered.
Devin
May 30, 2014 at 12:37 am
I am ready to preorder. I have refinished my Hogan 99s a few times now. I can’t wait!!
Nevin
May 29, 2014 at 6:22 pm
I am very much excited to see what they come up with. I loved my old Hogan irons and think that a set updated to 2014 standards would be great. Koehler is doing the Scor wedges and they are really nice. This should be good news for us golfers.
snowman0157
May 29, 2014 at 3:39 pm
I’m excited to see the products. I can only envision 2 style of irons from them: Forged Muscleback and some kind of Forged Cavityback(Mr. Hogan probably wouldn’t approve). It is going to be difficult to recreate the magic of the Ben Hogan company era. I hope they can do it. I miss the good ol’ days.
No one method
May 29, 2014 at 1:35 am
Sort of interesting, but what else was he suppose to say? “we will make clubs that others’ have made and will use marketing that you’ve heard before.”
Restarting the Ben Hogan brand can’t be an easy task. Anything less than Fortworth designed, American forged, and hosel pins will be less than the best.
Skully
May 28, 2014 at 8:38 pm
“On what it’s all about…. but for those three or four times when the ball does exactly what you want it to.”
Nice try. That’s the kind of sales pitch that is precisely failing the entire industry that is causing the drop off in players all around. But it’s a good sales pitch to try and sell a golf club that might do that skulled shot less (but we all know it doesn’t)…. which brings me to:
If golf teachers and mental coaches can actually say the exact opposite of this and make players believe that everybody has those shots, including the Pros, and you have to take those shots in stride and use them as a positive thing and focus only on the final score, because in the end, that crappy shot is a lucky shot that happens all the time that actually helped keep the score low.
Steve
May 28, 2014 at 11:30 pm
Everybody plays the game for a different reason; the reason presented in the article is no less valid because you have a difference of opinion. To me, it sounded as if Koehler was reflecting genuinely upon his experiences with the game.
As a scratch golfer, I, too, tee it up in search of those fleeting “perfect” shots. I appreciate Koehler’s candid, positive responses – and choose not to read an (imaginary) agenda into his statements.
Shirley
May 29, 2014 at 12:50 pm
If “in search of” isn’t “imaginary,” then I don’t know what is. Because you’re simply imagining what a perfect shot might feel like to you, which might be completely different to how it feels to somebody else.
However – if you know and accept that in fact bad shots do happen to everybody, including the #1 players of the world – well then the supposed “3 or 4 bad shots” a round are precisely that! They happen.
You obviously don’t play golf.
Matt
May 28, 2014 at 11:13 am
I can’t wait to see what they come up with.