Let me know if you do. I’m curious what bending them stronger will do to the peak height?
Ben Hogan PTx Pro Forged Irons
It’s funny, they are the only clubs I own that I can get to consistently draw. And as my swing has progressed, I am picking up distance while maintaining that nice, high ball flight.I’m one of those THP’ers these have been loaned too. And I know we talk about clubs a lot but i have seen other irons in your bag and yell at you every time the PTX pros aren’t there!I have seen your golf game with these in the bag and it’s fun to watch!
When I first got these I thought I made a mistake and picked clubs out of my league. They can be intimidating when you compare the size to some game improvement irons. But I guess they became my aspirational set in a way, and I think my game has grown to fit into them. They are really forgiving on toe misses, not so much in the inside. But darn are these playable. When I stared I was a 20+ and with these clubs and some lessons I am down to a 17, trending event lower. I have no doubt I’ll be a 15 or better in the next couple of months if I can get the rounds in.
I was really hoping to sneak over to my LGS at lunch to take some more swings with these today. Plan was 6, 8, and PW since two weeks ago I brought the 4, 5, 7, and 9. Then I looked at my work calendar and saw meetings from 9:30-12 and then 12:30-2 
- Staff
- #1,104
I have a review coming on these, with Sim data from the 6 iron, 8 iron , & PW. My set is bent 2° strong, so stay tuned.Let me know if you do. I’m curious what bending them stronger will do to the peak height?
I’ve been typing it up, will post this week.
Managed to get over to the LGS to get some more swings in with these. Took the 6, 8, and PW. I'll preface this by saying I was doing some searching with my set-up and grip which likely impacted my results. Since my LGS has said they don't mind if I come in every other week or so and hit balls on their monitor I want to really take advantage of that by honing in on a consistent grip / stance / posture. OK enough of that. These irons continue to perform wonderfully when you make a good swing. I was grooving pretty quickly with 8 and PW (not surprisingly) and the distances were about what I expected given my testing with the 9i. PW carry ~145 and 8i~165 on swings that felt good. What I found interesting, and perhaps this is me and my inexact data points because I'm going off my memory of the carry distances, is that the gapping seemed to jump from consistently ~10 yards from PW - 8i, but then it seemed to jump to closer to 15 yards between my 7i and 8i. My notes, had the 7i at 180, and I was around 195 with the 6i, then 210 with 5i and 220 with the 4i. Obviously the sample is small and the data could be off, but I was trying to be observant and think I'm pretty accurate in recollection. I truly love the feel of these on well struck shots, and really hope I can dial my swing in to find that sweet spot more often.
I want to find some time on a good launch meter with my set.
I think the next time I'm there I'm going to push my luck and see if they'll show me how to operate it so I can choose the iron I'm using, see the summarized data, etc.. Worst they can do is say no right?
if not, swing in groups of 5, take cell phone pictures of data and spend some quality time with spreadsheet lovin. that's my plan if/when I get on a quality launch monitor.
Between you and me, I've been in there enough that a few of the experienced guys know I'm all set and are fine with me running the PC. A few of the less experienced fitters don't know me and I'm still working on them.
Between you and me, I've been in there enough that a few of the experienced guys know I'm all set and are fine with me running the PC. A few of the less experienced fitters don't know me and I'm still working on them.
BTW - use the Export tool to send yourself a numerical format .csv of the data to your email address. This is easy to suck into Excel. Upper Right Corner. Most customers don't know it exists and don't ask for it, and several of the fitters are unfamiliar as well. At least until I showed them.
Yeah the main manager (Eric i think) is pretty cool with me using the monitor so long as it's not too frequent so maybe he'll take a few minutes to show me how to operate the PC...figure if he's good with it the others probably would be tooBetween you and me, I've been in there enough that a few of the experienced guys know I'm all set and are fine with me running the PC. A few of the less experienced fitters don't know me and I'm still working on them.
- Staff
- #1,112
Full review will be up tomorrow...
Until then, here are some numbers for you people that are into that sort of thing.
Until then, here are some numbers for you people that are into that sort of thing.
- Staff
- #1,113
Here is my review of the Ben Hogan PTx Pro Irons, that I received as part of the Ben Hogan/ UST Mamiya Experience. The set that I received was: 4-PW with Custom Recoil 110 Proto Shafts. This set is 1 degree Up & 2 Degrees Strong. These irons have two finish options: Chrome and Black. I selected the Black finish.
About me:
Handicap- GHIN 10.5
Swing Speed- 98-105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight- Mid-High
Previous Iron Set- Callaway Apex 19 w/ Recoil 95 Proto
Data Performance from Sim Testing: I hit the PTx Pros in the sim,and compared them to my previous iron set, differences with the Apex 19 will be in parenthesis. I hit the 6 iron, 8 iron, & PW.
Data Averages: 6 Iron (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 119 MPH (-4 MPH)
Launch Angle- 24.6 (-1.6 Degrees)
Spin- 6100 RPMs (+1051 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 164 yards (-11 Yards)
Total Distance- 168 yards (-10 Yards)
Data Averages: 8 Iron (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 109 MPH (-6 MPH)
Launch Angle- 28.3 (-0.9 Degrees)
Spin- 7254 RPMs (+766 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 141 yards (-10 Yards)
Total Distance- 149 yards (-10 Yards)
Data Averages: PW (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 96 MPH (-6 MPH)
Launch Angle- 32.9 (+1.9 Degrees)
Spin- 10005 RPMs (+1193 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 113 yards (-13 Yards)
Total Distance- 117 yards (-10 Yards)
Looks: First and far most, in hand they are beautiful, sharp, extremely attractive, and crisp. I think the word that I’m looking for is classic. I have always believed that, if a club looks good, it gives the player more confidence to play good golf. These defiantly will provide that type of confidence. The dark finish that I selected makes the frame look smaller that it really is at address. It’s hard to compare these to my Apex’s, because they are somewhat similar but at the same time a very different iron profile. The top line looks appealing, and there is a lot of hidden beef on the sole of the club. The shape is also very classic in a compact package, which is what a brand like Ben Hogan is looking to accomplish. The sole has a V-sole type of design. The dark finish is holding up extremely well, and is one of the best dark finishes on the market.
Distance/Forgiveness: The distances that I’m seeing, are about a club shorter that my previous iron set. This difference in distance was about what I expected, the lofts are weaker (even bending these 2 degrees strong, they are still 1 degree weaker that my previous iron set in the 6-PW). The PTx Pros aren’t a players distance iron like the Callaway Apex or Srixon ZX5, they are closer to the Apex Pro or ZX7. The key difference between the PTx Pros and other irons in their category is in the long irons. The long irons in this set are hollow body and are my favorite part of this set. There were times during the event at Hammock Beach, that I actually hoped that I had 5 or 6 iron in because of how well I hit these long irons. As far as forgiveness, these irons are actually very forgiving for this iron profile. They aren’t going to retain ball speed on mishits as well as some of the other iron sets that I have played, but that is also to be expected. If you look at the sim data, the spin numbers are in line with expectations (higher than my previous iron set). The ball flight is lower than my normal ball flight, and more penetrating, this can be attributed to both the head and the Recoil 110 Proto shaft that it is paired with. Lowering my ball flight was Danny Le’s goal in deciding my shaft pairing. I haven’t had any issues with ballooning, and they are surprising forgiving on thin misses.
Feel: Feel is such a relative term, so remember since feel is hard to quantify, this is just a personal opinion. They provide the softness that one will expect from a forged iron. Well struck shots feel great, especially in the longer irons. Turf interaction is excellent, and it is an attribute thatvreally shines in this set. The PTx Pro irons cut through the turf, on really good swings I created fantastic dollar size divots (very rare for me), and the response you get from the irons is amazing. When you do hit it poorly, the club will always tell you what happened. One thing that I noticed is that the stock length on the PTx Pros is ¼ inch longer than the iron set I was playing. I was having issues with catching the ball fat at times during the event, once I cut them to the length I wanted, that problem went away. I’m not a great worker of the golf ball, but those that can work the ball will have no problem with shot shaping from these irons.
Conclusion: If you are in the market for a player’s iron in the same category as the Apex Pro or ZX7, you will want to give this iron set a look too. Just like the brand itself, these irons have a classic look with modern technology packed under the hood. The set gaps perfectly, and the forging and craftsmanship are noticeable. There is a lot tech packed into these irons. I know that for some Ben Hogan isn’t a brand that will move the needle, but they make a great product at a price point that is very affordable. My point is that even though Ben Hogan is a DTC company, don't be so quick not to take a look at their offering.
If you have any questions, please ask.
About me:
Handicap- GHIN 10.5
Swing Speed- 98-105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight- Mid-High
Previous Iron Set- Callaway Apex 19 w/ Recoil 95 Proto
Data Performance from Sim Testing: I hit the PTx Pros in the sim,and compared them to my previous iron set, differences with the Apex 19 will be in parenthesis. I hit the 6 iron, 8 iron, & PW.
Data Averages: 6 Iron (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 119 MPH (-4 MPH)
Launch Angle- 24.6 (-1.6 Degrees)
Spin- 6100 RPMs (+1051 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 164 yards (-11 Yards)
Total Distance- 168 yards (-10 Yards)
Data Averages: 8 Iron (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 109 MPH (-6 MPH)
Launch Angle- 28.3 (-0.9 Degrees)
Spin- 7254 RPMs (+766 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 141 yards (-10 Yards)
Total Distance- 149 yards (-10 Yards)
Data Averages: PW (GC Quad Sim)
Ball Speed- 96 MPH (-6 MPH)
Launch Angle- 32.9 (+1.9 Degrees)
Spin- 10005 RPMs (+1193 RPMs)
Carry Distance- 113 yards (-13 Yards)
Total Distance- 117 yards (-10 Yards)
Looks: First and far most, in hand they are beautiful, sharp, extremely attractive, and crisp. I think the word that I’m looking for is classic. I have always believed that, if a club looks good, it gives the player more confidence to play good golf. These defiantly will provide that type of confidence. The dark finish that I selected makes the frame look smaller that it really is at address. It’s hard to compare these to my Apex’s, because they are somewhat similar but at the same time a very different iron profile. The top line looks appealing, and there is a lot of hidden beef on the sole of the club. The shape is also very classic in a compact package, which is what a brand like Ben Hogan is looking to accomplish. The sole has a V-sole type of design. The dark finish is holding up extremely well, and is one of the best dark finishes on the market.
Distance/Forgiveness: The distances that I’m seeing, are about a club shorter that my previous iron set. This difference in distance was about what I expected, the lofts are weaker (even bending these 2 degrees strong, they are still 1 degree weaker that my previous iron set in the 6-PW). The PTx Pros aren’t a players distance iron like the Callaway Apex or Srixon ZX5, they are closer to the Apex Pro or ZX7. The key difference between the PTx Pros and other irons in their category is in the long irons. The long irons in this set are hollow body and are my favorite part of this set. There were times during the event at Hammock Beach, that I actually hoped that I had 5 or 6 iron in because of how well I hit these long irons. As far as forgiveness, these irons are actually very forgiving for this iron profile. They aren’t going to retain ball speed on mishits as well as some of the other iron sets that I have played, but that is also to be expected. If you look at the sim data, the spin numbers are in line with expectations (higher than my previous iron set). The ball flight is lower than my normal ball flight, and more penetrating, this can be attributed to both the head and the Recoil 110 Proto shaft that it is paired with. Lowering my ball flight was Danny Le’s goal in deciding my shaft pairing. I haven’t had any issues with ballooning, and they are surprising forgiving on thin misses.
Feel: Feel is such a relative term, so remember since feel is hard to quantify, this is just a personal opinion. They provide the softness that one will expect from a forged iron. Well struck shots feel great, especially in the longer irons. Turf interaction is excellent, and it is an attribute thatvreally shines in this set. The PTx Pro irons cut through the turf, on really good swings I created fantastic dollar size divots (very rare for me), and the response you get from the irons is amazing. When you do hit it poorly, the club will always tell you what happened. One thing that I noticed is that the stock length on the PTx Pros is ¼ inch longer than the iron set I was playing. I was having issues with catching the ball fat at times during the event, once I cut them to the length I wanted, that problem went away. I’m not a great worker of the golf ball, but those that can work the ball will have no problem with shot shaping from these irons.
Conclusion: If you are in the market for a player’s iron in the same category as the Apex Pro or ZX7, you will want to give this iron set a look too. Just like the brand itself, these irons have a classic look with modern technology packed under the hood. The set gaps perfectly, and the forging and craftsmanship are noticeable. There is a lot tech packed into these irons. I know that for some Ben Hogan isn’t a brand that will move the needle, but they make a great product at a price point that is very affordable. My point is that even though Ben Hogan is a DTC company, don't be so quick not to take a look at their offering.
If you have any questions, please ask.
Last edited:
Nice write up! I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing some more pics of those black heads on those custom shafts
Awesome writeup Dax, this is the kind of writeup I wish I could provide....so well done man
- Staff
- #1,116
ThanksAwesome writeup Dax, this is the kind of writeup I wish I could provide....so well done man
That was a great writeup. Your comments on turf interaction and long irons being the highlight of the set I agree with 100%. The sole just plain goes to work. I have left the length on mine alone but the extra 1/4" and length progression through the set being a little different in the long irons is something that I pickup on when switching sets. Comparisons to the ZX7 and Apex Pro I find very apt, those are the two I also consider right alongside these.
- Staff
- #1,118
In order to get enough on the course swings to write the review, I was alternating the PTx Pros with my Apex 19s every other round. The length difference got annoying, so I cut the PTx Pros and took that extra 1/4 inch off.
- Staff
- #1,120
Peak height & Ball Flight is slightly lower, but the reason is also shaft related, the Recoil 110 Proto is going to produce a lower ball flight than the Proto 95 that I have in my other set of irons.
- Staff
- #1,121
These will be in my bag for some golf this weekend weather permitting...
Mine too. I’ve got two rounds booked. Fun round with the boys on Saturday. And then a grudge match against @Wildcat4life on Sunday.
I need some Hogan magic to keep my beard and make him shave his.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,111
- Reaction score
- 87,297
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
I finally had to retire my PTx Pros to the back up bag recently. I was in a funk lately so needed a change. On the flip side I know they will be back soon.
still stokes how the black finish has held up on these after a full year of golf. They look practically brand new still.
still stokes how the black finish has held up on these after a full year of golf. They look practically brand new still.
You got this bro!
This is my set after just over a year of play, lessons and range time. I still haven’t hit an iron set with better feel, and I have tried. Hopefully I get them out again next week.
