Best Blade/Tour Irons...Ever?

[Blatter]

Hogan Apex best I've ever played there was also a very shallow cb version but I can't remember the model (they were also fantastic)

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Blatter

Hogan Apex best I've ever played there was also a very shallow cb version but I can't remember the model (they were also fantastic)

Which Apex? It's like saying your favourite movie is the one with Harrison Ford.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

It's like saying your favourite movie is the one with Harrison Ford.

I loved that one! He was all, like, rugged and stuff.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Which Apex? It's like saying your favourite movie is the one with Harrison Ford.

He means the ones that have a "7" on the sole of one of the irons.

[Blatter]

Originally Posted by Shorty

He means the ones that have a "7" on the sole of one of the irons.

Ha - That's them, black grips . My son tells me the shallow cb model was FTX

[The Tin Man]

This link will help with the Hogan vintages. http://web.archive.org/web/20011206100727/www.benhogan.com/53-99_Clubs.html

You want the Apex model that calls the pitching wedge - "Equalizer".

[sean_miller]

Seriously though, of all the versions of Apex I've played, the following 2 are my favourites:

1.) PC (1984)

2.) the Cameos (~1979)

Ones I'd like to try out:

- BH Grinds (used by Tom Kite to win the Open)

- these ones even though not "Ben Hogan Apex" irons - they remind me of Clevelands (or vise versa)

Ones that disappoint me every time:

- Channel backs (beautiful but over my head - used by Justin Leonard to win The Open Championship)

[Ben]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Seriously though, of all the versions of Apex I've played, the following 2 are my favourites:

1.) PC (1984)

2.) the Cameos (~1979)

Ones I'd like to try out:

- BH Grinds (used by Tom Kite to win the Open)

- these ones even though not "Ben Hogan Apex" irons - they remind me of Clevelands (or vise versa)

Ones that disappoint me every time:

- Channel backs (beautiful but over my head - used by Justin Leonard to win The Open Championship)

I was about to say, Redlines, the best? Really?

I've got a set of Grinds you can borrow if you're ever in the LA area? :) They're pretty bitchin' looking. I've actually got just about every set the company has made, don't hit them though.

The Channelbacks do have a bit of a clunk to them off the face. I remember hitting the EDGE irons when I was a kid and having a hard time with them. The Channelbacks have that same sort of feel. I was super excited when my shipment came, but wasn't too excited after I tried them.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Ben

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Seriously though, of all the versions of Apex I've played, the following 2 are my favourites:

1.) PC (1984)

2.) the Cameos (~1979)

Ones I'd like to try out:

- BH Grinds (used by Tom Kite to win the Open)

- these ones even though not "Ben Hogan Apex" irons - they remind me of Clevelands (or vise versa)

Ones that disappoint me every time:

- Channel backs (beautiful but over my head - used by Justin Leonard to win The Open Championship)

I was about to say, Redlines, the best? Really?

I've got a set of Grinds you can borrow if you're ever in the LA area? :) They're pretty bitchin' looking. I've actually got just about every set the company has made, don't hit them though.

The Channelbacks do have a bit of a clunk to them off the face. I remember hitting the EDGE irons when I was a kid and having a hard time with them. The Channelbacks have that same sort of feel. I was super excited when my shipment came, but wasn't too excited after I tried them.

I really don't care for the Chanelback short irons for some reason. I debated putting the long irons in the bag and 7-E as the PCs, but they don't mesh together at all and ultimately I prefer the PC long irons. To me that's their strength. The 2-6 are just, well, perfect. I might never play the Channelbacks again, but every time I think about which vintage set to haul out, the PCs are on the short list.

[The Tin Man]

I'm thrown off by which ones your calling "channel" backs. Some models like the Directors and Radials have concave backs that fit between a traditional Muscle back and  a Cavity back like the Edge.

I rate the Radials as Game Improvement,  the Percisions as "don't try these at home" with Directors in between.

We probably have enough clubs combined to hold an LA Hogan Demo Day.

[newtogolf]

So far in my collection of Ben Hogan irons I have;

1968 - Plus One

1975 - Producer

1979 - Apex II

1999 - Apex Plus

1999 - Apex Pro

2005 - Edge CFT

[Aging Boomer]

Examples of channel backs are Kenneth Smith Royal Signets, Hogan Directors, some older  H&B; Citations, original Lynx Masters, and Palmer Deacons.  These all go back a while, as most modern blades are either cavity back or muscle (actually, mussel) backs.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by The Tin Man

I'm thrown off by which ones your calling "channel" backs. Some models like the Directors and Radials have concave backs that fit between a traditional Muscle back and  a Cavity back like the Edge.

I rate the Radials as Game Improvement,  the Percisions as "don't try these at home" with Directors in between.

We probably have enough clubs combined to hold an LA Hogan Demo Day.

Whatcha smoking?!?

The other picture posted were of a Slazenger Ben Hogan and a 1984 Apex PC as indicated by the letters "P" and "C" dead centre on the back of the blade.

This is a channelback below. "Channelback" being far and away the most common name for the 1994 Apex irons.

[BugDude]

You can pick up GREAT sets of irons cheap on eBay.

My personal favorite set of irons of all time, Golden Ram frequency matched tour grind .  I bought a set 2i - pw for $50 many moons ago and absolutely love them.  Been playing with them for years.  Ram was the first company to large scale frequency match clubs, spine align shafts, balance the set, etc.  These were VERY expensive irons in the day for that reason.

I also bought a set of Ram FX Pro Set with factory graphite shafts on eBay for $75 years ago, 2i - sw.  I like to use them in the winter to get the same distance per club year round, the graphite is a little easier to deal with in the cold, and the faces are larger in the 7 - 2 since I don't play as much when it is cold (the 8 - pw is the same head as the Golden Rams).  This is essentially an early set of forged progressive cavity back irons from 2-7 and muscle back blades in the 8-pw.  This set of irons cost $1,100 in 1984 new.  What a bargain now huh?

Another great set of irons are the early MacGreggor VIP irons.  Expensive then, somewhat expensive now.  These are top shelf forged muscle backs.

Another great older set of irons mentioned already that are one of the nicest feeling set of irons anywhere are the forged Sam Sneed Blue Ridge irons.

You can buy newer sets of forged blades and progressive sets, but these older sets out there on eBay for under $100 are hard to beat.  I bought my first set of old tiny headed blades for practice irons to help me work on ball striking.  For the price, why not.  I ended up falling in love with them and use them exclusively to this day.

[BugDude]

Most ANY of the Ben Hogan forged irons are also awesome.  I've played with a buddy's set numerous times and they are sweet.

[The Tin Man]

The "gold" standard to which I compare all other clubs is a Blue Ridge 6 iron from a junk barrel.  There are so many versions of this club made over the years and I have yet to find this version on E-bay. There are so many good clubs for sale for less then what re-gripping costs.

But, most of the older clubs with long hostels and knife edges are beyond me even with the short irons. I like blades from the late 70's early 80's. I don't hit anything newer any better.  (I also have a Titlist AP1's)

[Ben]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

The PCs certainly are pretty!

Originally Posted by The Tin Man

We probably have enough clubs combined to hold an LA Hogan Demo Day.

I'm clocking in at around 25 sets... My oldest is actually a set of Hogans made by MacGregor (pre-Hogan Company) and my latest being a set of 2008 Apex (post-Hogan Co.) made by Callaway when they still cared about the brand... Bastids! My goal is to have a (serial numbers matching with original grips) set of each club made. I've really slowed down my collecting over the last two years, but I've still got my searches saved on eBay for the sets I'm missing, in case a deal I can't refuse comes around. Now I'm more into collecting odd items. Photos, books, anything Hogan. This is my club collection from about two years ago: I've had some additions since.

[Ben]

Back to the subject at hand, I was the lucky benefactor of a garage cleaning and was given this set of Founders Club Forged 200-Series irons. 2-PW. The picture does not do them justice. Hit maybe a few times, some are not even touched. They are SO Sexy!