Equipment

Ben Hogan launches two long iron alternatives – UiHi Utility Irons and VKTR+ Hybrids

Published

4 years ago

May 5, 2020

2020 Ben hogan UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids.

Ben Hogan Golf Equipment has introduced two long iron alternatives – the UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids.

Per the company, the latest additions are “designed for serious golfers who may not be comfortable hitting lower-lofted irons” and are offered in 18, 22 and 26-degree lofts to replace traditional 3/4/5 irons.

The UiHi’s utility irons feature larger hollow head dimensions designed to instill confidence and make the club appear to be more highly-lofted. The UiHi’s are a two-piece forged construction which also feature a deep cavity and a low-and-rearward center of gravity designed to help get shots airborne quickly – while also seeking to provide maximum forgiveness.

2020 Ben hogan UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids.

The VKTR+ hybrids is an “optimized version of the original VKTR hybrid” and feature a high toe that aims to encourage golfers to swing it more like an iron, rather than a wood. The hybrid also contains ‘Bulge and roll’ – typically seen in a driver or fairway metal – which seeks to help bring mishits back online.

The face thickness on the brand’s VKTR+ hybrids varies from toe to heel and crown to sole in design to provide ultimate forgiveness.

2020 Ben hogan UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids.

Speaking on the two long iron alternative products, Scott White, President and CEO of Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company, stated

“Hitting long irons well has always been a challenge for golfers of all ability levels. That’s especially true now, as many golfers around the world haven’t been playing much, nor had the opportunity to practice. The UiHi utility irons and new VKTR+ hybrid clubs will make that part of the game a little less daunting for golfers returning to the courses … and in the future.”

2020 Ben hogan UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids.

The new long iron alternative products, which join the brand’s ICON blades and PTx PRO irons in creating a Player’s Combo Set, are available exclusively at www.BenHoganGolf.com and www.BenHoganGolf.eu as part of the company’s Direct-To-Consumer business model.

The VKTR+ hybrids are offered at $140.00 each, while the UiHi’s utility irons cost $110.00 each.

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Equipment

Spotted: Chris Kirk’s Callaway Opus wedges

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2024

Brian Knudson

Gear junkies have been waiting patiently for Callaway to release new wedges. We may have gotten a sneak peek at what’s coming after seeing something new in Chris Kirk’s bag at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. Spotted were a few different wedges, but the Callaway Opus caught our eye.

The term opus can mean, “any artistic work, especially one on a large scale. With iconic wedge designer Roger Cleveland now working with Terra Forza golf, could this have been his last creation for Callaway?

We don’t have any official word from Callaway on these wedges, but the main focal point seems to be the extra mass in the center of the club. This added material could be used to adjust the center of gravity on the wedge in order for it to launch and spin a specific way. It can also be used to enhance the feel and sound of the club with more material behind the impact location.

The shaping of the head looks to be a little more on the rounded side compared to the current Jaws Raw wedges. The topline on the wedge looks to be fairly thin and the leading edge is pretty straight with just a little bit of a radius to it. The color looks to be an antique brown and it will be interesting to see if that is a plating on the club or some kind of oilcan finish that will wear away and rust.

Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge

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Equipment

Callaway launches Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max driver

Published

4 hours ago

May 21, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Give me a Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond driver but make it Max. Callaway engineers have taken the tour staple triple diamond head and boosted its size from 450 to 460cc’s. “By doing that we’ve created a more forgiving head while still keeping the same great shape that’s beloved on tour,” said Callaway’s advanced R&D manager Nick Yontz. The driver offers more spin than Triple Diamond standard — and thus more workability and forgiveness.

In contrast to the standard Triple Diamond, which features 14 and two-gram weights. The Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max is equipped with 10-gram and four-gram interchangeable weights, which contributes to greater overall stability. According to Callaway, the driver plays more neutral than the neutral-to-fade-bias Triple Diamond.

Comparison of the Triple Diamond and Triple Diamond Max faces.

Discussing testing on tour, Nick Yontz, advanced R&D manager, said:

“We first brought this head out for Tour testing in November last year. Players would step up and we had it matched up to their gamer driver specs. They would swing, and we saw consistently good ball flights – very stable. It was the word ‘stable’ that continued to be used by players.”

“They would continue to split the fairway and what that caused them to do was to start swinging faster. They had this excitement that, ‘This thing doesn’t go offline. I can keep swinging harder and harder and it maintains that straight flight’”

“We were seeing players. that would have small gains in ball speed from just the driver head alone, but then the swing speed would increase the more and more swings they made. By the end of it, they really saw meaningful gains in ball speed and distance.”

As a refresher on the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke driver family — which now includes Paradym Ai Smoke Max, Paradym Ai Smoke Max D, Paradym Smoke Max Fast, Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond, and Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max — check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max: Pricing, specs, availability

Price: $599.99

Loft options: 9, 10.5 degrees

Stock shaft: Project X Denali Blue

At retail: June 7

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Equipment

Photos from the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

4 hours ago

May 21, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is live this week at Colonial Country Club for the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Custom Camerons and some “super” new grips from SuperStroke are filling our galleries early in the week as well as WITBs — including the always interesting “Cashmere Keith” Mitchell.

Check out links to our photos below, which we’ll continue to update throughout the week.

And while you’re making your way through our photos, be sure to check out last year’s incredible gallery of prototype and personal Ben Hogan golf clubs.