2020 Official Member Review: Ben Hogan Icon & PTX Pro/Icon Combo Irons

[NRJyzr]

On 8/2/2020 at 1:12 PM, deejaid said:

Well after my experience with the switch from a heavyweight steel shaft to a lightweight graphite I’d advise against it without a fitting. Even going from a 120+ steel to a 90+ steel is too big of a change, at least for me.

I spent the last week testing shafts at my club that were similar to the Hogan offerings using Cobra Forged Tec and Titleist 620 CB heads. The KBS Tour 90 stiff steel shaft was too light and I kept hitting it thin. When I switched to the KBS $-Taper 120 (closest thing my club had to the KBS Tour-V that Hogan offers) I was hitting it center but I didn’t care for the lower ball flight. Finally, I tried the good ole Dynamic a Gold S300 and X100 and the X100 was perfect. Higher ball flight and more spin than the KBS offerings, at least for me, and the heavy weight got my tempo back.



I think with a Direct-To-Consumer model it is probably more important to stick with a similar weight shaft than focusing strictly on flex.


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Brother Deejaid, I wondered if you'd tried ProSoft inserts in the past?

[downlowkey]

Surveillance Report: Subtle Shot Spectrum

*full volume for full ‘forged effect’

Some ideas explored in the official ICON review dropping next week...

Tradition -or- Progress; Creativity -or- Predictability; Exhilarating -or- Sensible?

“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you might find. You get what you need.” - The Rolling Stones

[sirchunksalot]

12 minutes ago, downlowkey said:

Surveillance Report: Subtle Shot Spectrum

*full volume for full ‘forged effect’

Some ideas explored in the official ICON review dropping next week...

Tradition -or- Progress; Creativity -or- Predictability; Exhilarating -or- Sensible?

“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you might find. You get what you need.” - The Rolling Stones

Those sound so much better than the person hitting next to you. 

[downlowkey]

1 minute ago, sirchunksalot said:

Those sound so much better than the person hitting next to you. 

I’ve been surprised by the notice these ICONs have received at the range - from nonchalant peeks strolling past the bag, to the more direct “Those sound so quiet - what are they?”

[Shankster]

1 hour ago, downlowkey said:

Surveillance Report: Subtle Shot Spectrum

*full volume for full ‘forged effect’

Some ideas explored in the official ICON review dropping next week...

Tradition -or- Progress; Creativity -or- Predictability; Exhilarating -or- Sensible?

“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you might find. You get what you need.” - The Rolling Stones

You can hear each grain of steel.  Those sound extremely smooth.... extremely smooth. 

[downlowkey]

10 minutes ago, Shankster said:

You can hear each grain of steel.  Those sound extremely smooth.... extremely smooth. 

I think you would thoroughly enjoy carving it up with these wrenches, pards. The misses (speaking from very regular firsthand experience) hurt. But there is something special about successfully navigating the punishing correlation between input and result that blades uniquely present.

I’m sure you experienced it plenty with those tiny Ping BPs, as has @sirchunksalot alluded to the same in his vintage Wilson experiments. Are you punished for your mistakes? Yes. Do you learn from it? Hopefully. Did you earn the result? Unquestionably. Would you like to operate within that reality? Well... things get deeper there.

Also, the KBS Tour V setup is growing on me. Sore elbows be damned. It’s no limit flagstick season and these hawks are stone cold killers.

[sirchunksalot]

5 minutes ago, downlowkey said:

I think you would thoroughly enjoy carving it up with these wrenches, pards. The misses (speaking from very regular firsthand experience) hurt. But there is something special about successfully navigating the punishing correlation between input and result that blades uniquely present.

I’m sure you experienced it plenty with those tiny Ping BPs, as has @sirchunksalot alluded to the same in his vintage Wilson experiments. Are you punished for your mistakes? Yes. Do you learn from it? Hopefully. Did you earn the result? Unquestionably. Would you like to operate within that reality? Well... things get deeper there.

Also, the KBS Tour V setup is growing on me. Sore elbows be damned. It’s no limit flagstick season and these hawks are stone cold killers.

I can feel a bad shot off the face of my game improvement irons, but the feedback off a forged iron is a completely different beast. I know right away where I hit them and I can imagine these Hogan's perform exactly the same. These irons are some of the most beautiful I've seen. You guys are doing a great job and it sounds like you're having fun doing it. 

[Sluggo42]

On 8/14/2020 at 6:45 PM, sirchunksalot said:

and it sounds like you're having fun doing it. 

You speak the truth...

[Erik-M]

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

[Erik-M]

these irons aren't going anywhere!!!! Best I've ever used! And 4 iron is absolute money now!

[sirchunksalot]

36 minutes ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

That birdie steak to end it was amazing! Great round!

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

Dude, 7 straight birds!

<insert polite golf applause here>  

[Sluggo42]

1 hour ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life

Feels good don’t it?

[deejaid]

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!
I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

Wow! In the groove. Congrats on a great round!


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[PMookie]

15 hours ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

I guess the obvious question is which putter do you use?!?!

[PMookie]

15 hours ago, Erik-M said:

these irons aren't going anywhere!!!! Best I've ever used! And 4 iron is absolute money now!

During the 6 hole streak, were you using mostly PW/9 iron???

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

So how are the ICONs to hit? I'd go through the whole thread but that is a lot to read. I am debating those or the combo as i am not the best ball striker in the world but love the sound of more traditional lofts and forged irons.\

Also, those with the combo sets, do you see anything jumpy on some hits like the TXG folks saw on the non pro PTxs?

Edited August 18, 2020 by rbsiedsc

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

16 hours ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

what did your playing partners think? That is quite impressive. I would enjoy a par streak like that, let alone a birdie streak. Nice work!

[joen]

21 hours ago, Erik-M said:

Just shot my best round of 18 straight, and my best streak of birdies of my life! Started on the back and 4 holes in this happened!!

I was sticking it close, granted allot had to do with me absolutely smashing my driver and straight! But also hitting greens with irons! Hole 1 to 4 inches on the approach! Made a couple 10 footers and a15 foot ish! You could see when i realized how good the round was, it got less good lol

I had a chance at a career round today, but I stumbled on the back nine with a drive OB on a reachable short par 4.  Still put up a 70.  I was feeling pretty Good about myself, until I saw that round you threw up. That is awesome!  Good for you!

[downlowkey]

8 hours ago, rbsiedsc said:

So how are the ICONs to hit? I'd go through the whole thread but that is a lot to read. I am debating those or the combo as i am not the best ball striker in the world but love the sound of more traditional lofts and forged irons.

In a word - buttery.

Without knowing your game, "not the best ball striker" sounds like the combo set might be a better look.

The area on the face of the ICON 4-iron that I would describe as 'sweet spot' is uncomfortably small.

And in my experience, the other areas on the face are not particularly useful.