RIP New Ben Hogan Equipment Company?

[mvmac]

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2017/1/3/rip-the-new-ben-hogan-equipment-company.html

Quote

MyGolfSpy.com is reporting exclusively that the entire workforce at the Ft. Worth company has been laid off. 

They conclude:

Sources tell MyGolfSpy that personnel reductions were discussed at a recent Board of Directors meeting, but nothing to this extent.

Other sources also tell MyGolfSpy that Hogan owes money to several media outlets and vendors, and has so for a while, which is always an indication of a struggling operation. Other sources report that Perry Ellis, the owner of the Hogan brand who licensed the name to the Ben Hogan Company, has had concerns over the current status of the golf equipment company.

Besides the obvious job losses, this is a huge downer for those who loved the idea of a restored brand and the irons that had been brought back in grand fashion.

Update on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 10:59 AM by Geoff

**John Barba of MyGolfSpy shared this from Ben Hogan Co. CEO Scott White...

 

Just in from @BenHoganGolf CEO Scott White: Hogan is NOT shutting down-instead "voluntarily implementing reorganization"

— John Barba (@golfspybarbajo) January 3, 2017

 

Update on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 11:58 AM by Geoff

**A statement from the company...

 

[Hacker James]

wow, I hope there will be a more promising chapter coming. 

i remember reading a little awhile back when Callaway bought out BH and took it out of production, but something about being able to capitalize on some of the iconic names such as "EDGE".  I may be a little sketchy on the details though as I really did not follow it further.  I do know that Jesse Ortiz is now working with The Bobby Jones Company. (I know,not the same thing, but this post reminds me of that also).

[jamo]

[caniac6]

A company that makes really expensive clubs, that most people don't have the skill to hit, and have no retail presence, named after a golfer that most people under 70 have never seen play, don't know how that business plan could possibly fail!

[boogielicious]

26 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

A company that makes really expensive clubs, that most people don't have the skill to hit, and have no retail presence, named after a golfer that most people under 70 have never seen play, don't know how that business plan could possibly fail!

Good point. Even Arnie and Jack didn't really make an impact on equipment and other than clothing, Tiger hasn't tried at all.

[OrangeHog]

14 hours ago, caniac6 said:

A company that makes really expensive clubs, that most people don't have the skill to hit, and have no retail presence, named after a golfer that most people under 70 have never seen play, don't know how that business plan could possibly fail!

Really couldn't have summed it up any better.

I gamed the PTx irons for a while in 2016 and while they looked great they lacked feel and performance was very 'meh'.  For that price point I expected more but they simply didn't deliver.

[tristanhilton85]

This is too bad. They had some nice looking clubs; it would've helped if they were more readily available to consumers.

[natureboy]

Hopefully it's more of 'furlough' than a shut-down. I liked their approach with the lofts vs. club numbers. Seemed to be good quality. If I didn't generally use the secondary market for my clubs, probably would have taken a close look.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, tristanhilton85 said:

This is too bad. They had some nice looking clubs; it would've helped if they were more readily available to consumers.

Did you read the first post? They're still around.

Kinda.

[cipher]

24 minutes ago, iacas said:

Did you read the first post? They're still around.

Kinda.

Yeah I am curious to see what this is all going to amount to.  

[WUTiger]

Spent two hour-long sessions at PGA show 2016 hitting the Hogan stuff. I liked the feel, and the beveled/two-bounce V sole seemed to move through the ball pretty good. (but it was astroturf, not zoysia)

I think the newly launched PTx irons would be better for a player like me than the originals.

This reminds me of when MacGregor went to sleep, and came back - but largely as a Golfsmith brand. Which raises a related question... will Galaxy keep the MacGregor brand?

So, with Hogan on hiatus, will this give any momentum to Srixon, whose irons have the beveled/two bounce VT soles? The latest Cleveland wedges also have the V sole. (Srixon now owns Cleveland)

[mvmac]

Yeah they're still around and saying they're restructuring, but things are probably not great.

I was surprised how many staff people they had at the PGA Show last time I was there in 2014.

[mchepp]

Sad news. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[natureboy]

They may have been hoping the economy would bump up a bit more by now, but the timing of the economic hit from the China stock market issues (possibly a delayed echo of the 2008-2009 U.S. housing / banking crisis) probably didn't help.

[Piz]

Seems like eponymous brands have gone the way of the Dodo.  My Denny Shute putter, Tommy Armour Silver Scot sand wedge, Frank Johnston model Dominion Special, Tony Penna 10 iron, and Hogan Special SI, are relics...not that they don't make it into the bag on certain occasions.  I am sad for the loss; but not so hide-bound that I don't recognize the advantages a pointy stick has over a plain, however cherished, cylindrical object.

[Hacker James]

13 hours ago, Piz said:

Seems like eponymous brands have gone the way of the Dodo.  My Denny Shute putter, Tommy Armour Silver Scot sand wedge, Frank Johnston model Dominion Special, Tony Penna 10 iron, and Hogan Special SI, are relics...not that they don't make it into the bag on certain occasions.  I am sad for the loss; but not so hide-bound that I don't recognize the advantages a pointy stick has over a plain, however cherished, cylindrical object.

My bag is full of relics, but then again, I am one also.

[Golfingdad]

They sure didn't do much in the way of marketing.  I think I heard of this company two times.  Here on TST when they announced they were coming back with those degree labeled throwback clubs, and here on TST now when they announce their death.

[Hacker James]

This sort of thing relates to many endeavours, not only golf. One example would be Harley Davidson had significant problems back when for a short time they had the AMF ?  Harley. but came back stronger than before.