Equipment
Ben Hogan irons of the past and future
The “Table Full of Jewelry” is Ronnie McGraw’s incredible collection of Ben Hogan iron heads. Laid out like a banquet, the assortment of some of the finest irons ever made catalogues 50 years of chief Hogan Company iron designer Gene Sheeley’s work — much of which was done with Ben Hogan peering (literally and figuratively) over his shoulder.
The table is a place of reflection, reorientation, and inspiration for Terry Koehler, President and CEO of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company.
[quote_box_center]”I look at this table full of clubs and go ‘I had that one, I had that one,’” he says.[/quote_box_center]
Koehler often returns to the table to imagine what the golf legend-turned clubmaker might have had in mind with each design, what he was trying to, what his sharp mind was calculating and considering.
Mr. Koehler was kind enough to select three of Mr. Hogan’s designs from the full spread of treasures, talk to me about them in detail, and indicate how what he sees is shaping the upcoming release of the first Ben Hogan iron in nearly a decade.
The clubs, and his comments, are below.
Power Thrust
“In the early 60s, the Precision had run its course and Hogan introduced a club called the Power Thrust,” Koehler says. “The Power Thrust was the beginning of a really radical weight distribution change that Mr. Hogan drove: distributing the weight up higher through the clubhead.
“The toe on the back of the clubhead is really swept away … mass was really concentrated behind the center two-thirds of the face, rather than all the way across the bottom of the blade. He moved the center of mass up in the blade quite a bit higher. The Power Thrust was the club Mr. Hogan really favored the rest of his playing career.”
IPT
“Then, they did the IPT, which was the Improved Power Thrust: The first appearance of the classic Hogan muscle pad,
Koehler says. “Mr. Hogan really perfected what he considered optimum weighting.
“He moved away from what muscle backs at that time had become. The muscleback blade has been defined as this upside-down crescent. Hogan never did that. The Hogan muscle always extended evenly across the back of the golf club—across the entire impact area of the face.
“This…was when Mr. Hogan came upon this idea of squeezing the weight back a little more toward the center of the golf club. If you look at Hogan clubs from then on, there was considerable mass out on the toe-third of the golf club. The weakness of every muscleback blade out there is that there’s no mass out on the last third of the golf club, so when you catch one on the toe, it’s just horribly penalizing. I believe that’s why Mr. Hogan didn’t like the traditional muscleback blade.”
1992 Apex
“The ’92 Apex has a lot of the Apex II design in it,” Koehler says. “There’s not a lot of difference between it and the IPT. I think that’s because the object of striking the golf ball didn’t change in those 25 years, and it hasn’t changed since. If you’re in the middle of the fairway at — pick a number — you’re objective is the exact same thing Mr. Hogan wanted to do: You want to control trajectory. You want to control distance. You want to control ball flight.
“There’s not a guy on the PGA Tour today that strikes a golf ball with the precision Mr. Hogan did. These three clubs for me define what Mr. Hogan personally felt about how a ball ought to come off of a club, how you build a club to allow you to control trajectory and how you build a club to allow you to have precise distance control.”
The Vault
Mr. Koehler also alluded to something called “The Vault.” For even the most casual fan of golf history, The Vault sounds incredible. For a Hogan aficionado, the collection is Shangri La: Mr. Hogan’s personal collection of hundreds of prototypes. Inside The Vault, Koehler said, you can see just how far Mr. Hogan was willing to go to answer the question “How do we build a club to help people play better golf?”
The Hogan Company, which is synonymous with traditional forged blade, experimented with some pretty off-the-wall designs under Mr. Hogan’s direction. Included in The Vault are items such as a wedge with wavy grooves from the mid-60s (an experiment to see if more spin could be imparted than with traditional parallel grooves).
Also in The Vault: A persimmon driver with a brass insert in the toe to move weight to that portion of the club and a small aluminum-headed wood that looks a great deal like the modern hybrid. Speaking of modern design, there’s a putter in the The Vault that, according to Koehler, looks and feels exactly like one of today’s counterbalanced designs.
Several Hogan Company associates quote the Hawk as saying: “We should never stop looking for something that will help people play better.” It’s clear that the search was an exhaustive one and that the willingness to experiment was great.
Principles guiding the upcoming iron release
I knew that Koehler was unlikely to tip his hand about the January release of the new Ben Hogan irons, but I had to ask what he could tell me. In a way, it wasn’t much. But in another way, it was everything.
“We believe golfers of all skill levels are trying to hit golf shots,” Koehler says. “Golfers are trying to hit draws and fades. Sixty percent of 16-to-20 handicappers are trying to hit draws and fades.
“The things people are trying to do most are flight the ball down and peel a couple yards off. Those are the things modern clubs are designed to fight. What our golf club is designed to do is to take everything we’ve learned from these clubs I’ve talked about.
“[I was] really impressed by the consistency of smash factor of old Hogan clubs on Iron Byron as you move impact around the face.
“We’re trying to fuzz that line between game-improvement and player blade. We like to talk about player improvement. Player improvement is about giving you feedback. You want to know where on the face you’re hitting the ball. If you can’t hit it in that middle 1.25 inches [of the golf club], you really need to go see your golf pro. As a golf club guy, I really can’t help you.
“Our new line is a forged iron product. Mr. Hogan believed every club should be forged and we believe that. You want feedback so that you can continue to learn, because golf is a game where you’re always learning.”
You can check out the new Ben Hogan golf site here.
In a golf world where players are looking to eke out every yard possible, usually by lengthening their drivers to add clubhead speed, there’s one player at the PGA Championship who’s going in the opposite direction. In fact, for Rickie Fowler, his goal off the tee is not about gaining extra distance or yards north to south, but rather about shrinking the misses from east to west.
Ahead of the PGA Championship and the week prior at the Truist Championship. Fowler mentioned to Cobra Tour Rep Ben Schomin that the driver didn’t quite swing feel the same as everything in the bag. As a result, and with Schomin’s suggestion to try and sync everything up with the big stick, Fowler decided to test out a shorter length shaft.
“He’s been at 45 (inches), and he’d been at 45 for a few weeks, 44 1/8 (inches) is really is where he is been living really for the most part, for the last couple of years, and is where he is been comfortable,” Schomin told GolfWRX. “It just felt like it was a little long and loose on him.”
Interestingly, Fowler ranks 40th in Driving Accuracy this year on the PGA Tour. It’s his most accurate season with the driver since the start of the decade. But sometimes for players, feel is more important than statistics.
“It was really more of a trying to get the swing to feel the fluidness from club to club to club to try to get it to feel the same,” Schomin added. “And so we took it down to 43 and a quarter, and it was a touch of a ball speed loss, just based on that overall club head speed. But honestly, he squared it up probably a little better. The right miss wasn’t nearly as far. So really, overall down-range dispersion tightened up a fair amount, and he felt confident in swinging it.”
The change in length had Fowler’s caddie, Ricky Romano, beaming at how well he had driven during Tuesday’s practice round at Aronimink. So much so, he was asking Schomin not to suggest changes anymore.
Fowler’s shaft-shortening is one of a few driver adjustments he’s made this season, and to Schomin’s credit, it’s thanks to the fact that he and the rest of the Cobra team had Fowler fit very well into three of the four heads in the Cobra OPTM lineup.
“He had three distinct drivers and the biggest decision was trying to decide which worked best at that time,” Schomin told GolfWRX previously. “He’s played the majority of the season with OPTM X, but has also played a couple of tournaments with OPTM LS. His overall driving stats have been good.”
At the RBC Heritage earlier this spring, Fowler switched drivers, changing from his Cobra OPTM X and into the Tour, low-loft Max K model that Gary Woodland used to win just a few weeks prior.
Now for the PGA Championship, Fowler’s back in the X head, but still using the UST Mamiya LIN-Q PowerCore White 6TX shaft, just a little bit shorter.
“Will he stay there? I’m not sure,” Schomin added. “Could we end up say at like 43 and 7.5 (of an inch). If it’s giving him the same feel of consistency through the bag, then I think we might end up just a touch longer. But if he likes where he is at, he’s confident where he is at, that’s really all that matters.”
If there’s more testing, though, just don’t tell his caddie.
What you need to know: As is customary for the Fairhaven-based company, Titleist officially announced today that its GTS drivers are headed to retail, following a successful tour release. The GTS2, GTS3, and GTS4 drivers will be available in golf shops June 11.
Since debuting at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, the new GTS lineup has quickly gained traction on the PGA Tour, with more than 50 players already making the switch to a GTS2, GTS3, or GTS4 driver. Among them are Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
Justin Thomas’ Titleist GTS2 driver (Greg Moore, GolfWRX)
According to Titleist, the GTS series builds upon the performance foundation established by the GT Series, while introducing several major technological advancements, including a new Split Mass Frame construction, refined aerodynamics, and an updated Speed Sync face design.
2026 Titleist GTS drivers: What’s new, key technology
Split Mass Frame and thermoform body
At the center of the new GTS lineup is a redesigned internal structure: the Split Mass Frame. This technology works with a full-thermoform body made from Titleist’s Proprietary Matrix Polymer (PMP), a lightweight composite that enables engineers to reposition mass more efficiently throughout the head. Compared to the previous GT generation, GTS drivers feature nearly double the PMP material, increasing from 13 grams to 26 grams, while maintaining the sound and feel preferred by better players.
The weight savings from the thermoform construction allowed Titleist engineers to strategically separate mass placement inside the head. Specifically, more weight is pushed rearward to improve stability and forgiveness, while additional mass is positioned low and forward to optimize speed, launch, and spin.
In short, golfers are able to maintain ball speed and consistency across both centered and off-center strikes.
Faster aerodynamics
Titleist also refined the aerodynamic shaping of the GTS heads to help players generate more clubhead speed.
The tails of the new GTS2 and GTS3 heads have been raised compared to previous models, helping airflow stay attached to the crown and sole longer during the swing. According to Titleist, the improved airflow reduces drag and increases speed without affecting launch conditions or center of gravity placement.
Typically, aerodynamic gains can compromise forgiveness or launch characteristics, but the weight savings from the Split Mass Frame allowed engineers to preserve preferred CG locations.
New Speed Sync face
The new Speed Sync Face design is engineered to improve ball speed retention across a larger portion of the face. A reinforced perimeter structure helps maximize face deflection and COR on centered strikes, while the upper portion of the support ring is opened up to increase speed on high-face impacts, a common strike location for many golfers. The face also features a variable thickness design to preserve speed and performance across a wider impact area.
Expanded adjustability
Each GTS model includes a dual-weighting system to fine-tune launch, spin, and shot shape more precisely than previous generations. GTS2 uses interchangeable forward and aft weights, while GTS3 and GTS4 combine a rear weight with an adjustable forward track weight system.
Tour-inspired face graphics
The new lineup features redesigned high-contrast face graphics to improve alignment and framing at address, according to Titleist. Sharp visual lines are designed to make it easier to center the golf ball and to perceive loft more easily at setup.
Additional model details
GTS2
- The GTS2 is the most forgiving model, designed for golfers seeking maximum stability and consistent speed across the face.
- It produces high launch with mid spin and features a larger, confidence-inspiring profile behind the ball.
- Standard weighting includes an 11-gram forward weight and a 5-gram rear weight, with additional fitting configurations available.
GTS3
- The GTS3 is aimed at players who want more control over launch, spin, and shot shaping.
- Compared to GTS2, the GTS3 offers lower launch and spin while featuring a more compact profile and deeper face design preferred by many stronger players.
- The head features an adjustable forward-track weight system to further fine-tune center of gravity placement.
GTS4
- The lowest-spinning option in the lineup, GTS4 is built for golfers looking to reduce excessive spin and maximize total distance.
- Unlike previous “4” models from Titleist, the new GTS4 features a full 460cc profile that improves forgiveness and stability while retaining its low-spin DNA.
- Like GTS3, it includes a forward track weighting system for precise fitting adjustments.
What Titleist says
“When we talk about driver design, it’s never about the one feature or benefit — it’s about all of them,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Titleist’s Senior Director of Metalwood R&D. “Ball speed, forgiveness, spin stability, adjustability, exceptional sound and feel… these are all attributes that golfers care about. It’s our job to design a lineup that elevates performance across the board without sacrificing in key areas, and we feel we’ve done that with GTS.”
“We know that forward CGs drive speed with great launch and spin characteristics, but you need to be able to do that with an inertial stability that still preserves ball speed, launch and spin consistency on off-center hits,” Luttrell said. “We’ve never before been able to hit these CG positions and inertia properties at the same time, and we’re achieving that because of GTS’ construction.”
Club Junkie’s take
I feel like every time there is a new Titleist wood release, I figure they can’t outdo their previous driver. And every year, I am wrong and impressed with the performance. The GTS fits right into that narrative again, as I didn’t know where Titleist could go from GT, but they pushed the limits again, and my fitting proved the smart people there found ways to improve.
My past four Titleist drivers have been a 2 series as my swing typically requires a little height, spin, and forgiveness so I figured I would just get a new GTS2 and be on my way. During the fitting, I was impressed by the new GTS construction, its added PMP material, and the advanced adjustability on each model. My fitter, Joey, got to work putting together a GTS2 and we started there. The launch and spin were great, and the consistency on misses was very tight. My average ball speed with the GTS went up a little bit as the new Speed Sync face creates more speed away from the center.
Joey then built up a GTS3 in 11 degrees, but I figured this wouldn’t have the stability I needed for tight dispersion on my miss hits. That thought was quickly erased after a few shots, and I really liked the more center start line and reduced draw on the misses I was seeing. We tried a few different settings and shafts to dial in the details in order to get the best fit. Having a forward and rear weight in the head allowed Joey to set up the GTS3 with a heavier rear weight to keep the launch and spin up, while the Sure Fit hosel set flat created a more center start line for me. My misses were not nearly as far left, and I was really impressed with the consistency on the spin and launch when I didn’t hit it in the center.
Titleist again created a wood line in GTS that delivers improvements over previous drivers while keeping the traditional look and feel you expect. More adjustability, better off-center speed, and 3 drivers that are playable over a wider range of players should make these extremely successful in fittings.
Pricing, specs, availability
GTS2 lofts: 8, 9, 10, 11 degrees (RH/LH)
GTS3 lofts: 8, 9, 10, 11 degrees (RH/LH)
GTS4 lofts: 8, 9, 10 (RH/LH)
Featured shafts
- Project X Titan Black
- Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White
- Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue
- Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Red
Premium shafts
- Graphite Design Tour AD DI
- Graphite Design Tour AD VF
- Graphite Design Tour AD FI
Available for fittings and pre-sale now.
In golf shops worldwide beginning June 11.
Price: $699 (standard), $899 (premium)
Titleist has today introduced its new GTS2 and GTS3 fairways.
Lower and deeper center of gravity (CG) positions, new adjustable heel-toe weights and advanced clubface innovations drive total performance in the two tour-proven models.
- Tour-inspired polished clubfaces: To help players see more of the clubface at address.
GTS2 Fairway
The new GTS2 fairway is designed with a shallower face and a larger profile than GTS3, ideal for players with more sweeping deliveries with their fairway metals.
GTS2’s new face height, inspired by tour feedback, was designed shallower than the prior generation GT2 model and more in line with the GT1 fairway. Each loft in GTS2 leverages a shallower profile except for the 13.5-degree, which maintains a slightly taller face.
With its new dual-weighting system, the ‘2’ model now has heel-toe CG adjustability.
Lofts: 13.5, 15.0, 16.5, 18.0, 21.0
Dual-weight system: 11-gram weight in heel, 5-gram weight in toe (standard)
GTS3 Fairway
The new GTS3 fairway is designed with a deeper face and a more compact profile, ideal for players who hit down on the golf ball more with their fairway metals.
New to the GTS3 family is a 21-degree offering, giving players two distinct profiles in Titleist’s 7-wood loft.
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Harris Telemacher
Jan 16, 2015 at 11:38 am
1992 Apex and Apex II model came from the same dies…….I think the only difference is the stamping and grooves.
Ben Hogan
Dec 28, 2014 at 7:16 pm
I had a 30 min conversation with Mr. Koehler a couple months back and learned that he will deliver a quality iron set. Unlike many of the past company owners, he and his R&D team have direct ties to Mr. Hogan (when he was still consulting). Koehler has the passion and perfectionist standards that I think would Mr. Hogan would respect.
Brett
Dec 28, 2014 at 5:14 pm
any pics of the new clubs or date when they will be released?
Rick Wilmoth
Dec 23, 2014 at 12:41 pm
What about left handed clubs? What about that history?
Care
Dec 27, 2014 at 3:18 am
Left handed?
Snowman2134
Dec 22, 2014 at 9:12 am
How about folks just hold their water and wait to see what they produce?
ramel
Dec 22, 2014 at 3:01 am
I’m curious to see where Mr. Koehler positions the Hogan clubs in the market.
There are just so many good clubmakers, and even those formerly associated with making shovels now make very fine player irons.
I do hope he considers getting some inspiration from the JDM. Right now, Japan produces some of the most beautiful irons.
slimeone
Dec 21, 2014 at 9:18 pm
Not sure what they are trying to achieve by bringing Hogans back. When Hogan started the company it was because he wasn’t happy with the standard of clubs currently available. But now there are countless manufacturers all over the world making very fine forged player’s irons. All of the major OEMs have at least one basic player’s blade in their lineup and they all use comparable design and manufacturing technology and also have huge backing behind their RnD which was something Hogan brand specialised in.
Also most of the Hogan faithful have moved on, and I don’t see how they are gonna attract young golfers to the brand over Cobra or TM or one of the cool companies.
Phat
Dec 21, 2014 at 9:47 pm
+1 on that front, though who knows what’s around the corner… Brands like Hogan do represent a more stylish time for golf and there may well be a market for some of that sauce. Cycling for example has had a resurgence the past 5-6 years in boutique high street-styled competition apparel bearing modern technology (Rapha), and stylish cutting edge OEM manufacturers like Campagnolo. if a couple of pro’s with that Palmer swagger started demanding gear that doesn’t look like it was designed by Mattel, the reborn Hogan brand could be killing it again…
slimeone
Dec 22, 2014 at 1:19 am
Good points, and given that the influence of the Hogan Personal can be seen so clearly in modern irons it does make sense that people will appreciate the authentic Hogan style once again. But I agree that they need some serious tour presence to get the name out there. Maybe a couple of young upstarts and some grizzled veterans.
Waste
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:15 am
I don’t think the new Hogan brand could be killing anything at all, because even many good players these days aren’t really playing blades any more, so the new Hogan company would end up having to go with the times and provide combo- type sets to attract the mid market, and that will inevitably bring the company down to the level of other major OEMs, and therefore will struggle.
The only way for this new Hogan company to stay slick and hold water would be to become a company like Miura and only produce premium equipment at higher prices and custom build everything to order. The new company cannot let it be watered down and suckered into the general lower retail markets.
But I think the Hogan name should be put to rest and never be used again. How is this new company going to license the Apex name from Callaway, anyways, without paying a massive fee? Buy out the name again from Callaway?
This whole venture is a waste of time.
slimeone
Dec 22, 2014 at 4:03 pm
I agree, but Miura’s success is built on their reputation for unsurpassed forging and finishing. Eidelon Brand’s heritage in forging is non-existent.
Plod
Dec 23, 2014 at 2:35 am
True. But Miuras have been forged in Japan for ages, and hasn’t change much there.
For the new Hogan company to even pretend to be present the kind of quality that Mr Hogan wanted in the first place is the same type of quality, and where would the new Hogan get such quality at reasonable prices? It can’t. Unless it’s done in some place like China or Thailand or perhaps another cheap country may be in South America? But would people pay such high prices for ones not made in the USA? Most likely not! So for it to be made in the USA, the prices surely are going to be comparable to the Miura types, and that is why this new Hogan company is in a quandary.
Lee
Dec 23, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Heads made in China, sure the best factories out their make great products but what with the call for ‘Mr Hogan!’ to be Canonised well this is what it sounds like to me (and don’t forget the great Arnold Palmer who never says a bad word about anyone once commented ‘I don’t like that man’) why aren’t they being made in the US or Japan at least. I don’t see it.
Chuck
Dec 25, 2014 at 2:23 pm
It’s just possible, that the right way to think about it is that the success of Ben Hogan Golf was due to Mr. Hogan.
And the success of Miura Golf is due to Mr. Miura.
Shallowface
Dec 22, 2014 at 7:48 am
“Cool companies.” Is that what it’s all about?
Sheesh.
Something it would do American Business a world of good to learn.
It’s not all about the young.
The young are broke, mainly from trying to be cool.
I’m 54, retired, play 100 rounds a year, and I’m standing in the golf shop (or any number of other businesses) with wads of disposable cash and there’s nothing for me to buy, because all of the focus is on the young and the cool.
It is the absolute epitome of stupidity, and it deserves to fail.
Ben
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:04 pm
I love you.
george
Dec 23, 2014 at 11:46 am
+1 Thank you. I could not have said it better.
Superlooper
Dec 23, 2014 at 1:34 pm
Excellent point! The Hogan Tradition & name has incredible value in the game of golf. Calloway is fast on the way to “Spaldingsville” when it comes to golf. I wish the Hogan people much success! I love their products from days gone by. Real men play blades….!
Jason Hutty
Dec 23, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Mizuno. Quality, design, style. Why shop anywhere else?
Steve Haefele
Dec 23, 2014 at 11:35 am
As far as ™ and Cobra being a “cool” company that may be true with today’s youth market. There is definitely a market for classic looking forged clubs like Hogan’s not the new trend of numerous badges and Nascar striped clubs made by Cobra,™ et al.
Joseph
Dec 26, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Yes….sadly most Hogan men have moved on. My first set was the Apex II then the 88 Redlines which were considered by many the greatest blade ever made by Hogan. I for one will buy a new set no matter what it looks like.
Cyd
Dec 27, 2014 at 8:40 am
I still play Redlines.
I too will buy a set.
Snakeeyes
Dec 21, 2014 at 6:44 pm
I played various Hogan iterations starting with the Apex II, PC, Apex Redline, with the original Apex shaft. Whatever they do, PLEASE bring back the original Apex shaft.
Doug Ferreri
Dec 23, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Still use Apex 5 shaft from 1978. Shaft not only ahead of it’s time but still playable today.
Shallowface
Dec 21, 2014 at 4:46 pm
I really appreciate the honesty Terry shows with his comment about needing to see a pro if you can’t hit somewhere near the middle of the face. The truth hurts, but it’s still the truth.
Truth is, guys were 16-20 handicaps with blades in the 1960s when that was all that was available and people with that same ability are 16-20 today with SGI irons. Sole design today is better across the board for sure. Ralph Maltby’s playability charts were a real eye opener for me. Don’t bother with how he ranks the clubs. Just compare measurements.
Finally, the collection above, while impressive, is incomplete. If there’s a Magnum there, I don’t see it!
Hogan may well have believed in forged, but they sold cast clubs (the Producer) as early as 1975. This will be argued to the end of time, but a cast stainless club, properly designed, feels just as good as any forging and is more durable. I could never bring myself to stick a beautiful forged iron head into the “turf” of a sandy driving range in Florida, hitting dirty balls to boot. The grooves would be worn out in one range session.
KC
Dec 20, 2014 at 8:28 pm
Make a modern Apex PC with a sweet spot bigger than a pin head, and I’ll buy it. I learned on the PC, and my hands can still tell the tale. I have my old 6i in the entryway. As I leave for a round, I touch it to remember my beginnings in this game.
Shallowface
Dec 21, 2014 at 8:11 pm
The sweet spot on every iron is the size of a pin head.
But on a club like the PC, it tends to be located more near the hosel and higher than it would be on a game improvement design.
So, if you hit the ball dead center on the clubface, you’ve essentially hit it on the toe to some degree. This can account for the less than solid feel. Players who excelled with a club like this tended to impact the ball on the heel side of the clubface.
I’m betting Terry’s Hogan Irons have a proper center of gravity location.
Ian
Dec 20, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Click bait… the headline suggests we will get to see a ‘future’ iron along with the past.
LimeShark
Dec 20, 2014 at 12:11 pm
The reason they are 16-20 handicappers, is because they are trying to hit fade and draws instead of hitting the fairway.
There is an old story about the poet Robert Frost. A young poet walked up to him and asked Frost’s opinion about a poem the young poet had written. It was a complicated, advanced piece.
Frost told him “you need focus on the rhymey dimey stuff first and become good at it; until you do, you never be good at more advanced poetry.”
Phat
Dec 19, 2014 at 11:25 pm
Who is the head designer, where will they be forged and are they bringing back a modern version of the Apex shaft, and maybe an anniversary iron? I’m excited but sceptical of all the PR drivel. If someone like Jeff Sheets is involved + some of the old core staffers in the production it could be great fun.
Thai Endo
Dec 20, 2014 at 9:05 pm
They’ll be forged in Thailand, probably, like the new Nikes are, at Endo Thailand.
Fred
Dec 23, 2014 at 9:35 pm
Phat: I’ve read previously that, along with moving the HQs back to Fort Worth, some of the original staff members will also be on board. As far as the Apex name is concerned, I always thought it pretty shallow of Calloway to even consider using the name from another brand of clubs – be original; make up your own name, and not try and cash in on clubs that were once better than anything Calloway has ever made. I’m a Mizuno man, but have always been a big Hogan fan. Looking forward to the company’s new products.
DJ
Dec 19, 2014 at 11:15 pm
Kris Tschetter said in her book, “Once Mr. Hogan was no longer involved in his company, the quality of the products he had so diligently perfected went downhill to the point where I could no longer get a set of Hogan clubs that had any consistency at all. This became a real struggle for me. I had played Hogan clubs all my life, and I hated that I was going to have to change. I loved looking down at those beautiful blades. Nothing looked as good as a Hogan iron.”
IMO Mr. Koehler is a brave soul to take on the challenge of creating a product that Mr. Hogan would be proud of and to some degree right the wrongs that Ms. Tschetter referred to. From everything I’ve read, he seems to be taking all the right steps and doing the due diligence required to get it right. I for one can’t wait to see his final product.
Mad-Mex
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:35 pm
Sadly many of todays players will never know what it feels like to hit a flush shot using a balata wound ball and a Apex Iron,,,,,,,,
Chuck
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:51 pm
There’s much merit to what you say. A balata ball hit properly by a forged blade isn’t just a special feel; it actually sounded different. Like spikes on pavement, or a persimmon wood.
But there was also a trick, with the old Apex clubs. And that was the Apex shaft. Which was very much different from the always-dominant True Temper Dynamic shafts. The Apex had a softer tip, which fooled a lot of people into thinking that somehow the Hogan forged heads were themselves softer when of course such a thing is impossible. The softer-tip Apex shaft was combined with a compact, high-CoG head. Essentially a high-launching shaft connected to a low-hitting head. Just get the ball onto the sweet spot of that little clubhead.
Superlooper
Dec 23, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Well said….
I
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:10 pm
I really wish that this new Hogan company would go away.
I think it is better served in history that the name not be used any more for a new golf equipment company.
The man is gone. Let him rest. Don’t use his name to make gains for yourself.
snowman
Dec 19, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Played Hogan Irons in the 70’s and some of the newer ones after goldsmith bought the brand (think)… Love the looks then and now. Hope they will offer a forged Cavity back and maybe a muscle back blade set or a combo set. Like many of the other comments, I cannot fathom why he would say 60% of 16-20 handicappers are trying to hit fades and draws. From what I’ve seen they are trying to make contact and allow for their natural ball flight (probably a big fade) — maybe thats what he meant.
Golfraven
Dec 19, 2014 at 5:59 pm
I had them and maybe one day again.
nikkyd
Dec 19, 2014 at 5:50 pm
I did a bad thing. I regripped one and only one powerthrust iron for a friend that was new to golf. Original grip, it was loose on the shaft and i couldnt pull it with or or solvent because it was so dried out. When he showed me the like new hogan bag and complete set of irons that were near mint, my jaw dropped. I did a bad thing. He got them for $75 at a yard sale. At least he is using them. Hogan would shake his head if we hung them on the wall instead of using then to dig the secret out of the dirt
Pat
Dec 20, 2014 at 7:51 am
What are you, 5 years old? “I did a bad thing….” ROFL.
slimeone
Dec 19, 2014 at 5:42 pm
I hope they use a reputable forging house and a nice gooey-grade steel!
TheFightingEdFioris
Dec 20, 2014 at 12:56 pm
You know Terry Koehler would not settle for anything less… So exciting.
CairnsRock
Dec 19, 2014 at 4:28 pm
I wish them success but golf tech has moved on. Romanticizing about 90’s tech will not be enough.
Just my opinion based on memory and experience. The average 16 to 20 guys back then couldn’t hit the Hogan irons. They were great looking irons much beloved by low handicappers. Whether fuelled by usability or elitism (that’s what good golfers play, ergo I must)
So my perception is shaded. I hope I’m wrong.
Jafar
Dec 19, 2014 at 4:00 pm
If you aren’t trying to hit a fade or draw, I don’t know what you would be trying to hit. I’m pretty sure it won’t be going straight though, and if it does, it didn’t go as far as it could.
Attempting to hit the ball straight on shots longer than 125 yards is a losing battle. I think if you’re 16-20 handicap then you have enough sense to pick one side of the fairway to miss on.
Jesse
Dec 19, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Hopefully these will be another option in high end forged clubs, but I’m not sure that market is big enough to support another company. I’m interested to see what they come up with.
GodSpeed
Dec 19, 2014 at 1:58 pm
This coming from someone that would like to see them do well? “60% of golfers 16-20 cap are trying to hit fades/draws”? Is he serious? I know quite a few people in my golf league that fall into that category, and all are still struggling to just hit the ball straight. I get it that he is maybe trying to say their direction is going to be mid-cappers thru scratch players, but 16-20? I think he meant 10-14 maybe?
But anyway, with that comment in mind, he is either out of touch with the market or he is trying desperately to beef up a product that he is afraid of tanking. Either way, I’ve got that awkward-don’t-look feeling and crossing my fingers for them.
Realisitic
Dec 19, 2014 at 1:14 pm
DOA
Dead on Arrival
Saying most golfers want to hit draws and fades… self fulfilling prophecy much Terry? sheesh what a farce
chris franklin
Dec 19, 2014 at 1:03 pm
“60% of 16-20 handicappers are trying to hit draws and fades”.
Hard to believe,in fact it’s so hard to believe I can’t believe it at all,so Mr Koehler your credibility has just gone straight down the toilet.
Will the ‘forged’ irons be properly forged or the same as the current Wilson Staff which are castings that go through a stamping die?
Cynical?Who,me?
Mark
Dec 19, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Very interesting article. Two of my regular playing partners had multiple sets of Hogan irons. Apex, Apex2, Apex PC, Medallion, Edge Forged, FTXs…one still has an old Copper gap wedge and even older forged Special SI in his bag…and off scratch at 50…
Large chris
Dec 19, 2014 at 12:37 pm
It’s all very exciting,I think my apex 99s are pretty great BUT
What I now notice a lot with my clubs, and it’s in the photos in the article, is how straight the leading edge of most Hogan irons is, with no heel or toe relief. To me this limits their versatility, from side hill lies I think the clubs are more of a struggle than most, possibly they were all originally designed for flat Hard Texas conditions.
I will be watching to see if these new clubs can be made a bit more user friendly.
Josh
Dec 19, 2014 at 3:27 pm
This is an absolutely outstanding comment with a great observation.
Neil
Dec 22, 2014 at 12:11 pm
I respectfully disagree.
These are not game improvement clubs – they are aimed at players who understand how to adjust for different conditions. Changing the leading edge would dramatically change the turf interaction and, I suspect, would require other changes to the sole of the club that would render them something other than what the original Hogans are. For me, at least, that straight leading edge is a critical design element of the various iterations of the Hogan Apex; it should NOT be eliminated.
Can't you see I'm eating my lunch?
Dec 19, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Artwork!
Neil
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:27 am
Fabulous! IMHO, Hogan Apex is still the all-time iconic players club. I played the Apex II in college (in the late 1970’s) and the ’88 Redlines through the 1990’s. I currently own a set of the ’92 Apex (2-E, barely used) and a set of ’99 Apex (also 2-E), which I played up until I bought a set of Mizuno MP-32’s in 2006. I still like to take the ’99s out for a spin a couple of times per year, and when I do, they get Ferrari-level attention. Even guys who never hit a two iron in their lives can tell there is something special about those clubs, and they want to see/touch/feel/know all about them.
Thanks for the article!
Superlooper
Dec 23, 2014 at 1:50 pm
So true, Neil…and that feeling is what golf is all about. It’s the feeling of excellence!
Jeff
May 4, 2015 at 6:03 am
Hi Neil, I love the 1992 and looking for a mint set. Willing to sell at a good price?
Jonny B
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:22 am
Can’t wait. Beautiful irons in these pics!
Pingpro1959
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:19 am
I cant wait….:)
Dennis
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:19 am
The last part is pretty funny. This coming from a guy that sold Eidelon and Scor with neither being forged. Does that tell us that his previous products are inferior or just that they are trying to sell something now that they know die hard Hogan fans wont buy (their only audience) unless they are forged.
I would also love to know where the 60% of golfers are trying to work the ball number came from.
RG
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:01 am
Can’t wait to see the what the new line is like. Hopefully the company will make a good solid forged iron and leave the hype to everyone else.