Member Review: 2015 Ben Hogan TK 15 Wedges

[mvmac]

Thanks to @bmartin461 for the great review!

Feel free to ask any questions in this thread.

http://thesandtrap.com/products/ben-hogan-golf-mens-tk1561tvs-sand-wedge-right-hand-steel-stiff-61#

Pros: Classic style, innovative design, excellent performance

Cons: None

Modern’ wedges bear a puzzling similarity to those dating all the way back to the 1950s, the ones Ben Hogan said should not be hit over 40 yards. (This from a man who was known to hit his driver 300+.) What Mr. Hogan knew was that the heavy bottom and thin upper face caused very inconsistent distances with full swings.

That insight inspired the company completely re-engineer the design of wedges to make them much better at full shots than any other wedge you can play. And they built in even more innovations to make sure they were more versatile around the greens than the wedges currently in your bag.

The new Hogan TK 15 wedges will show you that you are a much better wedge player than you might have thought.

The new TK 15 integrated wedges are forged from premium 1025 Carbon Steel, and offer soft feel and the high performance the company hopes meets the standards of Hogan the player. Utilizing what the company calls its Precise Loft System and HoganFitTM fitting methodology, the TK 15 wedges provides golfers unmatched precision for better performance in prime scoring range.

Technology and Design
In the TK 15 wedges, engineers re-distributed the mass more evenly across the back of the clubhead to deliver more penetrating trajectories on full swings, and distance control on all shots that is so important to scoring range performance.

At the heart of every Hogan TK 15 wedge is the renowned V-SOLE ^® design. For each loft, the engineers blended a high-bounce front section with a low-bounce main portion, so your TK 15 wedges can handle any lie or shot you might face.

In the TK 15 wedges, as loft decreases from the lob wedge down to the pitching wedge, some of the mass is gradually redistributed more toward the heel and toe, and higher on the clubhead. This ensures optimum trajectories on full shots, and improved distance control anywhere. And those shots caught high on the face fly almost exactly like a well-struck shot.

Distance control is the real measure of a good wedge player. And it is built into the new Hogans.

Specifications

These wedges come in any loft from 48 – 63 degrees.  You also have your choice of four shafts and three grip sizes.

Esthetics
Right from receipt of the box I was impressed. These say “all-American” all over them, the box is red, white and blue, as are the grips.

The finish on the wedges are high end, a beautiful matte finish, very simple marking on the back and sole make them timeless.

Performance
I have been playing three wedges, 53, 57 and 61 for a few months now.  It took a bit to get used to the spin differences to what I had  before (56/60 Mizuno wedges).  The runout seems to be less so they are more capable of the two hop stop type of shots.

Because of the distributed weighting, the full shots are more consistent and less likely to dig into the ground like a tradition wedge might.

The grips have two circles that are designed to help with consistent choke down results, so you can rely on a full swing with a normal grip to go x yards, a lowered grip to the first circle to go y yards and the second circle to go z yards.

Conclusion
With all the loft options and technology behind these, they can complete with anything on the market today.   If you pick your wedges based on looks along, you could not go wrong having these in your bag.  They are timeless and perform very well.  They are premium though, the cost for these are among the highest you can spend on a wedge.

For me, these now have a permanent spot in my bag, I feel confident every time I pull one for a shot, weather a short chip around the green or from a location requiring a full swing.

The TK 15 wedges began shipping in April 2015. MSRP is $150 per club, or $165 with graphite shafts.

[golfbrittany]

Nice review. Similar results to this review. Definitely for someone who values looks in addition to performance.

[WUTiger]

On 8/28/2015 at 9:56 AM, mvmac said:

Thanks to @bmartin461 for the great review!

...Technology and Design
In the TK 15 wedges, engineers re-distributed the mass more evenly across the back of the clubhead to deliver more penetrating trajectories on full swings, and distance control on all shots that is so important to scoring range performance. ..

First of all, good review.

The weight redistribution reminds me of a move by club designer Tom Wishon for wedges a couple of years ago. He made one variety in which he raised the vertical center of gravity slightly. This was to lessen the chance golfers would pop up wedge shot out of fluffy lies.