Ben Hogan Adds Iron Numbers

This is a press release

The Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company announced today that it will begin shipping 2017 models of the highly successful FT. WORTH™ and PTx™ irons immediately. The design and composition of the golf clubs will remain virtually unchanged, but the 2017 models will now incorporate the more traditional club head numbering system (#4 iron - Pitching Wedge) tastefully engraved on the hosel.



Ben Hogan Golf remains committed to custom club-fitting via the PreciseLoft™ System. Each iron is numbered with its exact loft; between 20 and 47 degrees. Now, the addition of the 'traditional' iron equivalent on the hosel will make for an easier and more simplified on-course experience for those golfers who found the lofts alone to be unconventional. "We listened to our customers and consumers, plain and simple" said Scott White, President and CEO of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company. "The concept behind the PreciseLoft™ System is valid; consistent 4-degree loft gaps between each iron is just logical. However, we wanted to make our equipment as user-friendly as possible so we are adding traditional designations to each iron."



Forged Ben Hogan irons and wedges have long been known for their exceptional feel and performance. In recent years serious, committed golfers have come to appreciate the company's commitment to create a more 'precise' set of irons. "The golf equipment industry as a whole has done a disservice to golfers by focusing on iron distance alone and 'compressing' lofts at the long end of the set" continued White. "In their quest to make the longest #6 or #7 irons so they can make claims in their marketing efforts, most modern sets of irons have significantly strengthened lofts in mid- and short irons, specifically. This means many players experience minimal differences in distance with these irons, but have huge distance gaps in their scoring clubs."

The Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company allows golfers to build iron sets in an exact and precise way. The 28 lofts offered, separated throughout the set by 4-degree increments, are arranged into four different configurations to produce exactly the right launch profile to fit various playing styles and preferences:

Low Launch Loft Profile:
20°(#4) / 24°(#5) / 28°(#6) / 32°(#7) / 36°(#8) / 40°(#9) / 44°(PW)

Low-Mid Launch Loft Profile:
21°(#4) / 25°(#5) / 29°(#6) / 33°(#7) / 37°(#8) / 41°(#9) / 45°(PW)

Mid Launch Loft Profile:
22°(#4) / 26°(#5) / 30°(#6) / 34°(#7) / 38°(#8) / 42°(#9) / 46°(PW)

High Launch Loft Profile:
23°(#4) / 27°(#5) / 31°(#6) / 35°(#7) / 39°(#8) / 43°(#9) / 47°(PW)



The Ben Hogan FT. WORTH™ irons were first introduced in 2015 and were quickly embraced by many accomplished players. The mass is distributed around and behind the primary impact area of the face, not the entire clubhead, so that more energy is 17.FTWORTH_01.jpgdelivered where it counts. The FT. WORTH™ irons apply the most dynamic progressive weighting in golf club history, and they also have the renowned V-SOLE™ design.

The Ben Hogan PTx™ irons were launched in early 2016 and expanded the appeal of the brand to a wider variety of player types. Their industry-first co-forged titanium core removes a precise amount of mass from the center of the clubhead, while preserving face thickness and optimizing perimeter weighting for better shotmaking precision. In the lower lofts, a progressive hollow construction ensures higher ball flights and more spin to hold the green on your long approach shots. The PTx™ irons were the first to deliver optimized launch angles throughout the set by engineering a consistently-positioned center of mass in relation to the golf ball. The PTx™ irons’ V-SOLE™ delivers improved shotmaking versatility no matter the lie.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. It makes sense to me, but at the same time I've gotten so used to the lofts now when I think Hogan that the engraving kinda plays with my head.

Like I said though, It makes sense to me.

I don't know from the pictures it just looks odd and more like an afterthought to me. Not a fan.

I like it and had actually thought about sending my irons somewhere to get the iron numbers engraved. I really like the idea of having both the loft and club number on it. I wish I had that option without having to spend the extra money now to make it happen. Good move on their part I think.

I was really hoping the loft number things would catch on with other OEM's. This was something that distinguished Ben Hogan from others and always intrigued me. If the PTX would have been available earlier in the year, I would have looked at them for my set. I get it from their standpoint completely, but I'm just kind of Meh on this.

jdtox said:

I don't know from the pictures it just looks odd and more like an afterthought to me. Not a fan.

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I can confirm in person it does look better than the pictures.

Ben Hogan Adds Iron Numbers

JB said:

I can confirm in person it does look better than the pictures.

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I trust your judgement and sincerely hope so cause in the pictures it looks pretty awful.

Detracts from an otherwise beautiful iron.

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Is Hogan owned by Callaway now days?

I understand the reasoning but not sure I like it. The concept if just the loft and knowing what distance you hit that specific loft and fitting your gapping around it is a cool and great concept.

Knot Right said:

Is Hogan owned by Callaway now days?

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No. They are their own entity.

Could live without but won't detract me from considering getting a set of PTX at some point.

I think it looks better without the numbers on there. I think they should have stuck to solely the lofts or gone the traditional route.


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Wow, interesting move.

I think it makes a ton of sense and is my preference, but it kind of goes against what they've been telling us, doesn't it?

Canadan said:

Wow, interesting move.

I think it makes a ton of sense and is my preference, but it kind of goes against what they've been telling us, doesn't it?

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New team in place and want to appease everybody. In my opinion they kind of do that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting from my PW before every shot.

I like the original better. When I first got them it was a bit of a thought process to selecting the appropriate iron. Now it's automatic and can go right to it still knowing what it would be in a standard iron number.

I prefer the loft numbers without the iron numbers...just looks odd to me.

JB said:

New team in place and want to appease everybody. In my opinion they kind of do that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting from my PW before every shot.

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Well, I can certainly appreciate that. It's a great move to accommodate one of the main criticisms I had.

Reminds me of a older gentleman that I play with, He put his distances on his irons with a sharpie so he wouldn't have to remember numbers, just match the distances.

Not a fan of this addition. They have been known for the loft stamping,seems to take away the beauty of the club

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I'm not sure. Part of me thinks it looks a little unseemly, like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa. Another part of me wonders if I can send my clubs in to get the engraving done.

As an owner of a set with just the loft, I like how different it makes them and I'm not a huge fan of the engraving. Will they offer an option to order clubs without the engraving, or do I now have a collectors set?

Never had an issue with loft in place of iron #. Don't think both are needed.

Are the engravings for iron numbers the same font type and size? Maybe it would look better if they were (and filled with the same color paint, too)

tequila4kapp said:

Are the engravings for iron numbers the same font type and size? Maybe it would look better if they were (and filled with the same color paint, too)

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No they are smaller. In fact in person they are much more subtle.

I think it's a great idea. Better than having a card on the side of your bag.

I understand why they did and they probably hope that it will capture a larger audience that may be confused by loft stamping. I play with a guy who plays regularly but has absolutely no idea what any lofts his clubs are. The Ben Hogan irons without club number on them would be a disaster for him and i'm sure he wouldn't even consider buying them because of that. With the addition of numbers it puts him back in the market. I'm sure he's not the only one.