Ben Hogan is back with a new line-up of clubs designed to look very similar to the originals but packed with modern technology.
PGA pro Jack Backhouse was quick to snap these up out of the office as a long-time Ben Hogan fan, but did they perform to the high standards Hogan held himself to? Find out in our Ben Hogan PTx Tour irons review…
NCG SUMMARY
These are stunning golf clubs. They have serious bag appeal with the set split between blade like irons and small cb style heads.
They produce great ball speeds and distance, and feel pretty solid from the face. Ben Hogan have filled the head with new technology that these irons provide modern performance.
PROS
- Good value
- Great looking clubs
- Nice compact short irons
- Great custom options
CONS
- None
Ben Hogan PTx Irons Review: First Impressions
For as long as I have played golf, I have had a great interest in Ben Hogan’s mystique. I’ve read the books about him, studied his golf swing, and, believe it or not, I have owned two sets of Ben Hogan irons before. He is 100% a golfing idol of mine.
My first set of Apex irons was a gift from my dad, presumably hoping that they had magical powers to produce expert ball striking, when I was 13 or 14. My hands did bleed from practice, but it was more from the shanks than it was 1000 reps.
The second set was more recent, and I still have them. A very similar style spit set of irons that looked great behind the ball and felt wonderful from the centre. I was very excited to get my hands on the PTx Tour irons.
I like how these look straight away. The two red stripes on the ferrule, the BH stamp and the classic logo all remind me of the good old days.
They are designed to be clubs for the aspirational player, not wanting to play game improvement irons any more, but instead looking for some decent control with forgiveness. I like how the short irons are bladey and the longer irons have more help that you can’t really see when the club sits behind the ball.
NCG Verdict
Behind the ball, the 9 iron is a genuine players iron. The 9 iron and pitching wedge are one piece construction forged from 1025 carbon steel, which is the same as what we see in the major brands forged irons. The carbon steel delivers a soft feel with decent ball speed and appropriate spin.
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The 130 carry is fairly standard for me with this kind of club, I was pleased to see the spin up over 7000rpm with the peak height at 100 feet. There is absolutely no difference between this club and the major brand blade that I game week in week out. I feel no issue knocking shots down, and shot making performance and control are great.
The middle scoring irons (7-8 iron) are 3 piece irons forged with a design to keep the ball flight lower, which is ideal for your middle irons.
If Ben Hogan Golf is using the same attention to detail that Hogan himself used to use when designing and building his own clubs, then we are in great hands.
The 1025 forged carbon steel irons produced a pretty good 154 yard carry average, with one shot going 166 yards (flush pull). Again, I like the spin and the 97-foot average peak height, and I feel like I can control these shots into a green.
I do like a combo set and the 7 iron is slightly bigger than the 9i, with enhanced perimeter weighting just to make the mishits perform a little better.
The 5 iron was a huge surprise for me personally. I loved how easy this club was to hit, and I hit some of the highest shots of the day with this club, which isn’t something I can normally manage.
These long irons are foam-filled and have some tungsten weighting in a 4-piece construction head. This is loads of tech in a small head and it really shots. 186 average carry at 4700rpm backspin is perfect.
The irons performed really well on the golf course. I like the V sole design for turf interaction, and I was able to hit all kinds of mid-high and low flights in the windy conditions.
One of the best parts of the new Ben Hogan line up is just how customisable these irons are. They have many different shafts, grips, lengths and lie options so you can really get a set built to suit your game.
Final Thoughts
In a world of irons costing upwards of £1400 for a custom-fit set, these Ben Hogan irons are a breath of fresh air. For £799, you can get a fully custom-fit set 4-PW with a top-quality head.
If Ben Hogan can get these irons in the hands of golfers, I can see them really getting back up there as a top golf brand.
Ben Hogan PTx Irons Review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £799.99 / $999.99 (4-PW)
More information: Ben Hogan website
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