Equipment
Ben Hogan launches Ft. Worth 15 Hi Irons, 2016 Staff Bag
The people at the Ben Hogan Golf Company think more golfers would play forged irons if the long irons weren’t so challenging to hit consistently. So as the company builds on its core business of Ft. Worth 15 irons and TK wedges, it makes sense that Hogan would expand its line with more forgiving forged iron options.
At the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show, the company launched a cavity-back set of irons called PTx that are an alternative to the blade-like Ft. Worth 15 irons. It also debuted a hybrid with adjustable weights called VKTR, which could replace a golfer’s troublesome long irons (we identified both as a “Show Stopper”).
Hogan’s new Ft. Worth Hi irons are something in between.
Like the Ft. Worth 15 irons, the Ft. Worth Hi irons are forged from 1025 carbon steel. They’re 15 percent larger, however, and use a two-piece, hollow-body construction that redistributes mass lower and deeper in the iron head. The hollow-body construction also brings added ball speed for more distance, as well as more forgiveness when golfers miss the sweet spot. And its more rearward center of gravity (CG) encourages a higher ball flight to help golfers stop their long approach shots quicker on the green.
Consistent with the importance Hogan places on distance gapping, the Ft. Worth Hi irons are available in 11 different lofts (20-31 degrees). The company recommends as many as three of them chosen from the following loft ranges: 20-23, 24-27, 28-31. Think of them as 3, 4 and 5 iron replacements.
“When you get under 30-32 degrees of loft, spin is your friend, particularly in off-center performance,” says Terry Koehler, President/CEO of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company. “Most long-iron misses are low on the club face and result in low-launch, low-spin shots that have shorter carry distances and a shallower angle of descent. The Fort Worth Hi irons’ hollow construction and precision engineering deliver the right balance of perimeter weighting, looks, ball flight and distance control, creating the new standard in long iron design and playability.”
The Ft. Worth Hi irons are currently available for $169 per club with KBS’ Tour V or Tour 90 shafts. The standard graphite shaft is UST Mamiya’s Recoil, which boost the price to $184 per club. Several custom shaft and grip options are also available through www.benhogangolf.com.
True Ben Hogan fans will also be excited to know that the company has also released a new 2016 Tour Bag ($450) that can be customized for an extra $15.
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- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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We enter week 4 of Thursday night men’s league feeling a little more confident in the game. BK is hoping to go a little lower and reduce the mistakes out there with these clubs in the bag. Watch the video for the full breakdown of why these clubs are getting the starting nod this week!
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X TSPX Blue 7F5
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (-1 degree, flat Ssetting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 S
Iron: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi 4
Shaft: Aerotech Steelfiber hls880 S
Irons: PXG 0317 Tour (5-PW)
Shaft: LA Golf A-Series 105 Low (4)
Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM10 (50-08F)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Dart V 105 F4 Wedge
Wedge: Ping S159 (56-10H)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Wedge: Ping S159 (60-08B)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Putter: PXG Battle Ready II Brandon
Shaft: BGT Stability Tour Spec One
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
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David Labbe
Apr 24, 2016 at 7:18 am
Interesting that PXG started out testing with hollow irons, but the face would not hold form after hitting the ball over a short amount of time. That’s why they then added the polymer type filling so that the iron would hold its shape.
Jim
Aug 15, 2016 at 4:20 pm
….Peter Belmont invented the hollow body iron – I believe. He held patents on it as well as a few adjustable weighting systems and patents that Titleist & TM used at one time or another…Rarely has something “new” in golf equipment not been tried before…. Nike Covert Driver (see BULLET GOLF Hollow Point Driver)….most of the deigns were ahead of their time and limited by materials and tech at the time.
Hope they’re as good as they look. Wish em well… just as long as they don’t end up in Walmart with the BH clothing line…
Belmont’s hollow core iron was years ahead of it’s time as maybe the biggest head anyone’d seen or was willing to try was the original Ping…He kept it as ‘small’ as possible and the weight was on a screw that ran from toe to heel and as it was turned the weight would ‘walk’ out to toe or back towards the heel….other designs for weighted screws in sole plates for woods, as well as heel / toe weight ports for coin style weights
Mark
Apr 24, 2016 at 3:40 am
They look superb. Wonder when they will restart UK sales?
Chuck D
Apr 23, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Hogan’s ghost probably wants nothing to do with a broom handler that STILL appears to be putting illegally with his thumb knuckle AND left forearm STILL ATTACHED to his body…………I don’t care what anyone says! A part of his left arm and hand are connected to his body. Anchoring, simple and plain. The rule is a disaster! The governing numb skulls should have limited the length of the putter to “let’s say 40,” so there would be no question. You should have seen the patrons at the Mahztaz standing at every conceivable angle to see how Lang’a was getting away with his stroke!
Rod C
Aug 9, 2016 at 4:25 pm
I agree 100% with you. It is anchored. If the golf administrators wanted to get rid of the long putter all they need to do is say the hands must be below the elbows when holding the club. That would force a traditional stroke with the putter like 99% of the golfing population.
Jade
Apr 22, 2016 at 4:59 pm
They would of suited DeChambeau!
rex235
Apr 21, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Three words-
RIGHT HAND ONLY.
TCJ
Apr 22, 2016 at 2:28 am
It’s devastating, not a single LH option, with no intentions to pursue it either.
Andy
Apr 21, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Will the company sponsor any pros on the PGA or Champions tour?
Chuck
Apr 21, 2016 at 9:31 pm
I was just thinking about how cool it would be if Langer became a Ben Hogan Golf staffer. Probably the last guy on any tour playing with original Hogans. I’ll bet Langer would love it, if they could afford him. He’s only wearing about eight other logos right now.
Andy
Apr 22, 2016 at 8:54 am
I agree. Maybe he will since it looks like he no longer plays for Adam’s….
I could picture certain tour players who prefer very traditional and classic looking clubs.