Equipment
Not Dead: Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company announces restructuring
After rumors circulated this morning on social media that the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company had laid off all its employees and was going out of business, the company responded with a press release that calls the reports “greatly exaggerated.”
“While our organization does not look the same today as it did in 2016, we are confident that the changes we are making will make us a stronger and better company in the future,” said Ben Hogan Golf Equipment CEO Scott White.
According to the release, the Fort Worth, Texas-based company is going through a voluntary reorganization with the stated goals of minimizing expenses and streamlining operations — “approximately 30 [employees]” were laid off, according to Golf Digest, and “CEO Scott White said it hoped to rehire some as contract employees.”
“The company has not declared bankruptcy nor been foreclosed upon, and remains in the business of producing and selling the highest quality and most precise golf equipment in the world,” the press release said. Company representatives did not return calls from GolfWRX for comment.
The Ben Hogan Golf Company was re-launched under the leadership of golf equipment industry veteran Terry Koehler in 2014, who worked at the original company founded by nine-time major championship winner Ben Hogan. The company is best known for its lines of forged irons and wedges, which are sold in individual lofts (20-63 degrees) to help golfers improve their distance control and gapping.
Koehler stepped down as CEO this summer, and was replaced by Scott White.
Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game.
The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag.
At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.
The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.
“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley
In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.
To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.
“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod
An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.
Pricing & Availability
The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026.
In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:
“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly.
My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”
And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
- MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
- dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”
Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.
From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo. 4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades. 5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft. Standard Length, Lie and Lofts. These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me. Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Mike
Jan 28, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Need to get some bags out on tour so people can see the name. Most golfers don’t know the history of Hogan clubs. Need someone to come in and help with business model
rex235
Jan 12, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Dead?
The “new” Ben Hogan Golf Company has always been RH Only.
Apparently they chose to ignore what Ben Hogan wrote in “Power Golf”.
JThunder
Jan 9, 2017 at 5:05 pm
“Restructuring” = keep CEO and mgmt pay high, lay off and cut back on everyone/everything else.
Never works, just delays the inevitable. Allows the “company” to be milked another year or two.
As with Scor, the necessity of having a club for every single loft is both costly for the mfr and stores, and confusing for the vast, vast majority of non-super-tweak-Golfwrx golfers.
In other words, it’s a fine business model if you want to corner a niche and make a fair income. A horrible, awful idea if you want to “crush the competition” and become major. According to every “business” thread on Golfwrx, the latter is the only reason to get into business. See: Toulon selling out, Miura selling out, Nike giving up… etc.
John Schwartz
Jan 9, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Anyone know where I can purchase a set of Fort Worth iron at a discount?
Mike t
Jan 4, 2017 at 9:49 pm
Tough market under best of circumstances. Big 5 dominates and traditional blades are a hard sell.
Pavel
Jan 4, 2017 at 2:27 pm
Sorry to hear about problems at BH.
I got a few SCOR wedges a few years ago, really liked them.
Heard about BH ramping up, got some mid-irons, really like them.
After working a bit of a deal with BH, replaced the SCORs with BH wedges, really like them.
Realized that some of the clubs had the wrong grip size, worked with BH, got the right grips and credit off a new VKTR hybrid, which I really like, to pay for local regripping.
Overall price was no worse than the Ping i15s I got when I (re-)entered golf back in 2010.
I’m a happy camper, BH-wise. I hope they succeed, but will play these clubs regardless…
My 0.02.
BIG STU
Jan 4, 2017 at 1:39 pm
I do know that all but one guy on another site that tested them has dropped them. I looked at a set at PGASS and did not like the way they sat period and I am a blade player. I do know some of the devoted classic Hogan fans did not like them either. But hey I wish the company all the luck in the world
Mat
Jan 3, 2017 at 10:55 pm
New tech? No.
New sales method? No.
New fitting method? No.
New look? No.
Bespoke design? No.
Wide range of no-upcharge shafts? No.
But damn it, we have BH and the loft on there!
Pulling a Nike in 5…4…3…
Boobsy McKiss
Jan 3, 2017 at 10:06 pm
ROFL at the creative banter in here. +1 to you fellas.
Would not want to be in the business of making golf equipment these days. Have to move a lot of clubs to pay for all that overhead and R&D. Sounds like Hogan didn’t have much of the later though.
Rich Douglas
Jan 3, 2017 at 9:50 pm
I loved my Hogan Edge irons, the first cavity-back forged iron offered by a major manufacturer. But that was 1992. What’s changed? Individual loft numbers instead of club numbers? Really? That’s just a gimmick, and not a very good one. After all, you might find yourself tweaking lofts on a normal set anyway, and you can’t possibly know which exact lofts will provide the distances and gaps you need; you might find yourself tweaking these lofts, too.
I sold them when I realized I needed more help (I was a 16 back then, a 6 now) than those barely-cavity almost-blades could provide.
The company is going to need something else.
Jack
Jan 4, 2017 at 2:33 am
LOL yeah who remembers the loft of their 7 iron? and all 9 other irons? Terrible idea that required people to relearn something that made the game even more difficult.
farmer
Jan 3, 2017 at 9:26 pm
I have hit the new Hogan irons, and they were fine. There’s the problem, there are a bunch of irons that feel fine, with real distribution networks, a presence in the retail world. Hogan has none of these. Remember when Scratch was all the buzz? Same issues, and Scratch is no more, even though they made fine irons.
Lowell
Jan 3, 2017 at 8:38 pm
As everything else in life you either reinvent your product to attract new buyers or be left waiting for the traditionalist to buy your product. I loved Hogan clubs back in the day but lost touch and never had a reason to go back. I hope they make it but somebody is starting to write on the wall. I give them a dumb and dumbest chance. Go Loyd!!!
KK
Jan 3, 2017 at 6:50 pm
Anyone really surprised? Ben Hogan Golf Co. is trying to sell 80s clubs in 2016.
Buck
Jan 3, 2017 at 8:24 pm
By 80’s clubs, do you mean ones you can’t hit? Just kidding.
I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with the clubs themselves. As others have already stated, it was their business model that sealed their fate.
Matt
Jan 3, 2017 at 6:15 pm
They seem to be very expensive.
Lowell
Jan 3, 2017 at 8:40 pm
I remember in the early 2000’s when a buddy of mine flew to their home office, got fitted and left with a new set of clubs. I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $3000. Not sure what else you got.
bogeypro
Jan 3, 2017 at 4:09 pm
If they would just put iron numbers on their clubs….I’d probably look at them. Great equipment with a weird idea.
Brian
Jan 3, 2017 at 4:13 pm
They started doing that last year, in addition to the lofts.
McPickens
Jan 3, 2017 at 5:39 pm
“…started doing it…” poorly. Awful looking etch job. Should have stayed with traditional numbering with custom lofts.
John H. Brink
Jan 3, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Trying to deal with them directly was exasperating at best. Those who offered to help open sales territories were basically ignored. Flawed sales strategy and clubs priced to line someone’s pockets.
Feel the Bern
Jan 3, 2017 at 3:36 pm
Seems to me Ben Hogan would be rolling in his grave if he were still alive.
Captain Obvious
Jan 3, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Seems to me that if he were still alive, he wouldn’t be in his grave.
Double Mocha Man
Jan 3, 2017 at 3:47 pm
Ah, living up to your username, I see.
RanchoBob
Jan 3, 2017 at 4:02 pm
Actually, if he were alive he’d be in his grave scratching at the lid.
*ba dum tss*
Feel the Bern
Jan 3, 2017 at 5:02 pm
Just seems that news like this would make good ol’ gentle Ben glad he isn’t around to see his name tarnished.
Hawk
Jan 3, 2017 at 5:21 pm
I don’t believe that the word “gentle” was ever used to describe Hogan. Gentle Ben Crenshaw, yes. Gentle Hogan? Not quite.
the bishop
Jan 3, 2017 at 5:35 pm
A guy I know relayed a personal Ben Crenshaw story that might make you rethink the term “Gently Ben” as well.
Feel the Bern
Jan 3, 2017 at 9:06 pm
He’d be pretty ornery if he heard you say that. Hope he doesn’t have the internet in heaven.