Ben Hogan Golf Company Still Alive… Kind Of

[1badbadger]

Apparently the Ben Hogan Golf Company website is back online and they are continuing to sell clubs direct to consumers.  They have downsized and moved to a new location and are trying to sell off existing inventory while looking for long-term investors.

https://www.mygolfspy.com/the-ben-hogan-golf-equipment-company-is-not-dead-yet/ 

[cristphoto]

Aren't they still part of Callaway or were they spun off? 

[mvmac]

1 hour ago, cristphoto said:

Aren't they still part of Callaway or were they spun off? 

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/ben-hogan-brand-set-for-return

[Hacker James]

I recently made an inquiry on another matter to Ben Hogan Company. This is their reply:

 

Thank you for your inquiry.  Our company went bankrupt and went to Chapter 11 on May 31st.  We now have new owners as of June 2nd.  We have no dealers across the US or overseas.  All of the clubs we are selling are standard length, lie and grip size.  Since the clubs are forged, the clubs cannot be adjusted for lie.  The PTX irons that we have would come in graphite and are $770.00 a set.  The set comes in a set of seven (4-pw) and cannot be broken up.  If you have any questions or you would like to place an order, call me at 262-271-1956.  Thanks

[jamo]

27 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

I recently made an inquiry on another matter to Ben Hogan Company. This is their reply:

 

Thank you for your inquiry.  Our company went bankrupt and went to Chapter 11 on May 31st.  We now have new owners as of June 2nd.  We have no dealers across the US or overseas.  All of the clubs we are selling are standard length, lie and grip size.  Since the clubs are forged, the clubs cannot be adjusted for lie.  The PTX irons that we have would come in graphite and are $770.00 a set.  The set comes in a set of seven (4-pw) and cannot be broken up.  If you have any questions or you would like to place an order, call me at 262-271-1956.  Thanks

Am I missing something, or does that not make sense...?

[Hacker James]

10 minutes ago, jamo said:

Am I missing something, or does that not make sense...?

I had the same thought. That is just what he said.???

[Shindig]

1 hour ago, jamo said:

Am I missing something, or does that not make sense...?

I had the same thought.  Forged irons that can't be adjusted for lie?

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, Shindig said:

I had the same thought.  Forged irons that can't be adjusted for lie?

@WUTiger thinks it is because of the 4I thru 7I having hollow heads on the BH PTX line. That makes a little sense in that the loft and lie machine would put too much pressure on the head and it could possibly collapse?

[iacas]

They probably just mean that they won't adjust the lie for you. All stock.

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

They probably just mean that they won't adjust the lie for you. All stock.

not in the context of what I asked them. I had said that I would not purchase a set of new clubs without having a fitting and whether or not their clubs could be adjusted by a local fitter of my choosing. You are right in that the remaining clubs they have are all stock and standard length, grips, and graphite shafts and only the one PTX model. The responder was more than likely just a sales person or post bankruptcy receiver trying to get what they could from remaining stock rather than a tech. Its moot, however in that I doubt if I would pay $770 for a set of clubs without a company to back them up. When and If the new owners come on line....maybe.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Hacker James

[Vinsk]

I emailed asking about buying some clubs and my response was:

Thank you for your inquiry.  Unfortunately, we never did get into any left handed products before the old company went bankrupt.  Let me know if i can be of further assistance.

[1badbadger]

I'm a little skeptical...

 

[WUTiger]

A big challenge is gaining economies of scale. Can the reloaded BH operation spread the fixed costs of club design and foundry dies over enough club sets  of 4-PW.. I mean, 22º - 46º ... that the set won't cost $2,000?

[Jack Watson]

Man,  if you like forged blades buy some Mizunos that have some grooves on em.

I think this whole Hogan club thing was a failed attempt to cash in on a name.  Jmo.

Mizuno has had great forging for a long time if you are into that.  Good used mp irons can be had for a steal.

Look up Mizuno ring test vs cast.  Pretty cool with their grain flow forging process.  The Japanese are forging experts.

Older Hogan sets meh.  New Hogan branded probably suck.

[WUTiger]

1 hour ago, Jack Watson said:

New Hogan branded probably suck.

Got to spend about a half hour hitting Hogans at the PGA Show in 2016. Clubs had a good feel, and gave you some options on gapping. I would have considered going with 24º, 28º, 32º... and then 4º gaps the rest of the way. 

The Fort Worth irons were hard to handle, but the PTX would have been good with a sub-100 gram R-flex, maybe something in the NS Pro line.

The big stopping point was they weren't significantly better than two other sets of irons I already had, and I didn't have $1,500 laying around for a whimsical purchase.

I pressed the Hogan guys a little, and they said if I came to Fort Worth at my own expense they would put me through a full fitting, let me try different toys they had. (At the time, the BH fitting network around USA was pretty sparse, which may have caused problems in their shaky launch).

I think they're good clubs, it's just a question of how many people like them and go ahead and buy them. (I liked, but didn't buy.) 

[1badbadger]

1 hour ago, Jack Watson said:

Man,  if you like forged blades buy some Mizunos that have some grooves on em.

I think this whole Hogan club thing was a failed attempt to cash in on a name.  Jmo.

Mizuno has had great forging for a long time if you are into that.  Good used mp irons can be had for a steal.

Look up Mizuno ring test vs cast.  Pretty cool with their grain flow forging process.  The Japanese are forging experts.

Older Hogan sets meh.  New Hogan branded probably suck.

Jack, you are correct that Mizuno makes an outstanding forged blade, and has done so for many years. Then again, so did Hogan.  From the 1950s - 1990s, Hogan blades were very highly regarded and used by many great players.  

Good used sets of Mizuno MP irons can be found for a great deal.  And so can good used sets of Hogan Apex irons.

I really didn't get the impression anyone was trying to cash in on a name...I saw it as a failed attempt at honestly trying to revive a brand.  Also jmo.

It's the last comment I'm surprised about...what gives you the impression the new Hogan stuff probably sucks?  Seems like statement with no knowledge or experience to back it up.

[Wally Fairway]

I had some interest in this thread, as I've played Hogan irons since the early 80's; but I'm not really interested in some left over clubs from a bankrupt company that some new owners are trying to liquidate as they decide how to capitalize on one of the most historic names in the game of golf.
I think I will just look to Callaway, Taylormade or Titleist as my next set ..... I last upgraded to new irons in 2006, so it might just be time.

[mcanadiens]

Being the sort that tries to pay as little as possible for things, I have a couple of Ben Hogan golf shirts I bought a few months ago at Walmart for $20 a piece.

I also got an old H-40 PW in the bag. Not my favorite club and a definite candidate to get replaced if I find the right deal.