Hogan...mythical?

[RayG]

I won a set of the original Edges back in the mid 80's. I loved them and had them dialed in to my game in no time. I continued to use them until sometime around 2000 or so when they were stolen out of my car. I then picked up a "mid-budget" set of Wilson's to hold me over for awhile. In 2007, I went down to play a few rounds with Dad, and lo and behold- in HIS bag is a set of Edges from 3-4 yrs prior. He had picked them up at an estate sale for $50. By the time that trip was over, I bought them off him and gave him my set. That year was pretty much his last golf that he played on a regular basis anyway and didn't really need the "good" clubs. Since then he plays at most twice a year at a small little 9-holer in a HOA get-together. I just had the Edges re-gripped and I still use them regularly- I just love the feel and the response through my fingers. A real nice combination of feel the feel of a forged blade and the forgiveness of a cavity back. Also maintains the ability to work the ball a bit better than a lot of the cast cavity backs.

[The Recreational Golfer]

When it came time for me to upgrade my c.1962 Wilson Staff irons, I bought the 1999 Hogan Apex irons. Fabulous feel and beautiful to look at -- the tuxedos of golf clubs. Last year I bought a set of Apex Red Lines (1988) and those are the clubs I play with now.

Last week I ran into a guy on the course who had a set of Apex Radials (1983) in his bag, that a friend had given him.

In page 45 of last week's Golfweek magazine there as a current photograph of noted amateur Jim Holtgrieve holding an Apex Producer (1975).

I was at a Nike demo two years ago and the guy asked what I was playing now, and I told him the Hogan Apex, so he said, try this one. It was a Nike iron that felt just like the Apex. When I mentioned that, he said the guy who designed the club used to work for Hogan.

So while Callaway has buried the Hogan brand, Hogan designers live on and you can get the Hogan feel in modern clubs if you look for it.

[WUTiger]

Know what you mean, Sean! I played MacGregor MTs from 1974 until 1994, and I about died in the early 1990s when McG turned into a department store brand.

[LankyLefty]

Golflink.com has an interesting section on the history of his clubs that can be found here: http://www.golflink.com/facts_4936_history-ben-hogan-golf-irons.html

Hogan himself oversaw the company from 1953 until some time in the late 60s or early 70s. His original set of irons was called "Precision" they were successful. He later developed a set called "Apex" irons that were said to have improved steel shafts. While these were both somewhat Successful lines of clubs from Ben Hogan golf that are most remembered came out in 1989 long after Hogan had stopped managing the business.  These were wildly successful and the most famous Hogan line. This lead the "Apex Edge" line which was marketed to lower skill level golfers. Then Callaway bought the company and... the rest is history.

So to answer the OP I would guess they were speaking of the Edge irons as they were the most well received Hogan set, however if they are even older they might have been talking about the Precision or Apex sets which in their time were considered solid.

[dbwood]

I have a set of Hogan Directors that I bought used in 1980.  The Director evidently is considered one of the runts of the litter, but they don't look, measure, or play like poorly constructed clubs.  Many years ago I was playing with a retired guy who was much better than me.  He asked to hit one and preceded without a practice swing to drop the ball 6 feet from the hole on a par 3. He said, "don't ever sell these".

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by LankyLefty

Golflink.com has an interesting section on the history of his clubs that can be found here: http://www.golflink.com/facts_4936_history-ben-hogan-golf-irons.html

. . .  This lead the "Apex Edge" line which was marketed to lower skill level golfers. Then Callaway bought the company and... the rest is history.

So to answer the OP I would guess they were speaking of the Edge irons as they were the most well received Hogan set, however if they are even older they might have been talking about the Precision or Apex sets which in their time were considered solid.

From the article:

"About The Author

Brendan O'Brien is a professional journalist in Milwaukee, Wis. "

That's some real nice journalism Brendan. He missed a decade here and there. 1994 to 2004 wasn't a great decade financially, but when Spalding owned the brand, they may have made the best Ben Hogan irons of the whole line. Sorry, my fellow Hogan fans, but we know it's probably true.

[newtogolf]

My instructor has a set of Hogan Edges, really nice looking clubs and he hits them amazingly.  Thought it was great timing that I had read this thread and then noticed his clubs, gave me even a better appreciation for them, thanks.

[tomwalshco]

They were fine. No better than any other top-line of the day, really. The Hogan name and connection has added to the mystique of the clubs a little. They did look nice, though.

Been around golf equipment since the early 60's when I caddied at a local CC. Titleist was Acushnet and didn't even make clubs then.

Seems like clubs named after living people never did worth a darn - see Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, et al. Best seller was probably Sam Snead Blue Ridge because they were inexpensive and sold through department stores. Spalding Top Flight and Wilson Staff outsold all the fore-mentioned.

And tour endorsements became big - so Lee Trevino wasn't going to be running around with Jack Nicklaus plastered on his golf bag. And if you didn't like Jack Nicklaus because he upstaged Arnold Palmer, then you weren't going to buy his stuff, either.

Ben Hogan was a bit frosty to his fellow competitors and was not well-loved like a Fred Couples today. So other touring pros weren't going to play his stuff....

2nd level clubs like Northwestern and Ram sold way better than any Walter Hagen or Byron Nelson or Tony Lema because they were sort of agnostic brands.

Marketing people figured it out so you never find a set of Natalie Gulbis or Bubba Watson clubs at your local golf store.

Anybody interested in buying a Bill Clinton tie or dress shirt? Or an Oprah Winfrey mini-van?

[blue72ss]

Originally Posted by tomwalshco

They were fine. No better than any other top-line of the day, really. The Hogan name and connection has added to the mystique of the clubs a little. They did look nice, though.

Been around golf equipment since the early 60's when I caddied at a local CC. Titleist was Acushnet and didn't even make clubs then.

Seems like clubs named after living people never did worth a darn - see Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, et al. Best seller was probably Sam Snead Blue Ridge because they were inexpensive and sold through department stores. Spalding Top Flight and Wilson Staff outsold all the fore-mentioned.

And tour endorsements became big - so Lee Trevino wasn't going to be running around with Jack Nicklaus plastered on his golf bag. And if you didn't like Jack Nicklaus because he upstaged Arnold Palmer, then you weren't going to buy his stuff, either.

Ben Hogan was a bit frosty to his fellow competitors and was not well-loved like a Fred Couples today. So other touring pros weren't going to play his stuff....

2nd level clubs like Northwestern and Ram sold way better than any Walter Hagen or Byron Nelson or Tony Lema because they were sort of agnostic brands.

Marketing people figured it out so you never find a set of Natalie Gulbis or Bubba Watson clubs at your local golf store.

Anybody interested in buying a Bill Clinton tie or dress shirt? Or an Oprah Winfrey mini-van?

Interesting, my opinion (I'm only 30 yrs old but have read alot) as to why you wont find Bubba Watson or Natalie Gulbis clubs on the shelf is because they all learned from Nicklaus and Palmer that there is no money but alot of risk in the equipment game.  Specifically Nicklaus, lost his shirt in the equipment game, lost his shirt in the golf course ownership game as well, barely survived, some of his investors were not so lucky.

Nicklaus clubs could be purchased at woolworth, Palmer clubs were top of the line sold in pro-shops.  Big difference there IMO

[Wally Fairway]

I'm a Hogan irons guy - have been since the 1980's

I have 2 sets of Apex PCs (one set was 2-E, the other is 3-E.. but I lost a 7 iron somewhere along the way so there is only 1 of them)

then I got to the point where I wasn't playing as much and I didn't hit them very well, so around 2003 I bought a set of Hogan CFT's .... still playing them, but I'm thinking about getting the Apex's regripped and switching back.

I have an old Hogan 4 wood - played up until 3-4 years ago, now I want to get it refinished and let is relax in my office (it looks like this, or will when refinished)

[GaijinGolfer]

Oldschool Hogans were great irons but that was a long time ago and unless you can get a set of Hogans from the '70s or older, there nothing to get all worked up about.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Oldschool Hogans were great irons but that was a long time ago and unless you can get a set of Hogans from the '70s or older, there nothing to get all worked up about.

That is not true. Not even close.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Did you notice that on the Golf Channel's show earlier this week about the 1962 U.S. Open, that Arnold Palmer was playing a Hogan driver?

[GatorCallaway]

I remember watching golf when I was a little kid and I had no idea Hogan was a player but I knew the Hogan equipment was top notch. Then I did a report on him in 6th grade and discovered he was the greatest golfer that ever walked the face of the earth, with bad legs and basically one eye. There would be no Tiger chasing Jack. It would be Tiger chasing Hogan. Of course thats all subject to debate, but I'll take Hogan.

[Canes83]

Going to be listing an all original 73 set in a couple days??

[iacas]

Just now, Canes83 said:

Going to be listing an all original 73 set in a couple days??

The topic is several years old.

[Canes83]

8 minutes ago, iacas said:

The topic is several years old.

I'm new. Trying to comment on newer one and can't for some reason. 

[Popeye]

I am currently using the bh-5's and love them. Not quite ready to upgrade yet but when I do will probably stick with BH, any one suggest which ones they would recommend?