Anybody still playing older Ben Hogan irons?

[muller93]

Just curious how many people are still playing older Ben Hogan irons. Picked me up a set of Apex Grind irons end of last year and have enjoyed them. 

[Adamman84]

Depends on your definition of "older" but I still have my original Hogan Apex 99 blades from HS/College that I still throw in the bag from time to time. They still feel incredible!

[muller93]

On 8/1/2024 at 12:52 PM, Adamman84 said:

Depends on your definition of "older" but I still have my original Hogan Apex 99 blades from HS/College that I still throw in the bag from time to time. They still feel incredible!

I’d say anything before 2010. From best I can figure my irons are from the early 2000s, possibly before they were bought by Callaway. They definitely feel amazing when I make a good shot and they teach me quickly when I make a bad strike on the ball haha.

[Nm243008]

I still have the OG Hogan APEX PC irons from the mid 80's. Still one of the best blades ever made

[RetiredBoomer]

7 minutes ago, Tsecor said:

I still have the OG Hogan APEX PC irons from the mid 80's. Still one of the best blades ever made

I clearly remember that a  survey at the time said that the Hogan Apex "Percussion Center" blade had the least forgiving MOI of any major brand iron model [of any type] offered that year.  The Golden Ram Tour Grind was rated the most forgiving pure blade model, if I recall correctly.  I'm pretty sure about the first part, though.

[muller93]

On 8/15/2024 at 9:13 AM, Tsecor said:

I still have the OG Hogan APEX PC irons from the mid 80's. Still one of the best blades ever made

I’m curious if the newer iterations are holding as true to the Hogan legacy to make them worth it.

[Nm243008]

On 8/15/2024 at 10:26 AM, RetiredBoomer said:

I clearly remember that a  survey at the time said that the Hogan Apex "Percussion Center" blade had the least forgiving MOI of any major brand iron model [of any type] offered that year.  The Golden Ram Tour Grind was rated the most forgiving pure blade model, if I recall correctly.  I'm pretty sure about the first part, though.

Whatever they said, doesnt really matter. Played my best golf of my life with those irons. 

[Nm243008]

46 minutes ago, muller93 said:

I’m curious if the newer iterations are holding as true to the Hogan legacy to make them worth it.

im not sure.....dont see too many sets of hogans at the courses these days

[muller93]

4 minutes ago, Tsecor said:

im not sure.....dont see too many sets of hogans at the courses these days

True, but then again, they don’t have the same marketing budget the big boys do to sway people their way or to even put them in the hands of a big name player I’m sure, even if they are good.

[Dimpledballs]

I still game a Hogan Apex edge set. I bought them in 2003 as a present to myself after graduating in undergrad. i still love them. I hit irons every year trying to replace them but never pull the trigger. Maybe 2025 is the year?

[muller93]

10 minutes ago, Dimpledballs said:

I still game a Hogan Apex edge set. I bought them in 2003 as a present to myself after graduating in undergrad. i still love them. I hit irons every year trying to replace them but never pull the trigger. Maybe 2025 is the year?

If I’m not mistaken the new Ben Hogan company has a tryout period you can do to see if you like them so maybe some new Hogans would be the ticket.

Edited August 21 by muller93

[IndyBonzo]

I play my Apex II set several times a year, and a buddy and I plan to play a “vintage blade” round this Sunday. I will game my new to me Apex 99 set for the first time.  Excited to do so!

[Dimpledballs]

21 hours ago, muller93 said:

If I’m not mistaken the new Ben Hogan company has a tryout period you can do to see if you like them so maybe some new Hogans would be the ticket.

I should look into it. Appreciate the heads up

[BIG STU]

Not front line but I do play my 1980s Macgregors. Now in vintage play with my persimmons I do swap in my set of 1955 Precisions. The only full set of Hogan irons I own even though I have quite a few Hogan Wedges. Since I saw this thread I may put them in play this Sunday for my vintage Sunday round. Have not played them in a while.

I did have a set of Grinds and the shafts were getting a little too stiff for me. I gifted them to a fellow Spy on here a few years back. I forgot who it was

Edited August 22 by BIG STU

[Adamman84]

On 8/20/2024 at 8:56 AM, muller93 said:

I’m curious if the newer iterations are holding as true to the Hogan legacy to make them worth it.

I have a set of the Icon Ben Hogan irons, got them a few years ago and I will say that they feel just as good as my original Apex 99 irons. I take them out from time to time and love every second of it, they still make a fantastic product (just wish they were more popular).

I tend to keep an eye on Hogan and see what they come up with, would be curious to see if they bring out a new set of MB's soonish 

[MissionMan]

On 7/18/2024 at 11:58 PM, muller93 said:

Just curious how many people are still playing older Ben Hogan irons. Picked me up a set of Apex Grind irons end of last year and have enjoyed them. 

I learnt to play with Hogan director blades as hand me downs from my dad when he got his Pings. I absolutely loved them although my hands hated them with mishits on cold mornings. I still miss them, partly due to nostalgia, partly because they remind me of my dad who passed away 30 years ago. 

[Biggsenator]

I have a set of every Hogan forged blade post-1970, and I rotate playing them, among other vintage sets I have collected. My favorites are the 1989 Jeff Sheets designed Endo blades. I also enjoy the new Hogan Icon irons, though I prefer weaker, more traditional lofts. Hogan made some of the best feeling clubs ever. Like the ball isn't even there if you make a good swing.

Edited September 6 by Biggsenator

[BIG STU]

On 9/6/2024 at 2:51 AM, Biggsenator said:

I have a set of every Hogan forged blade post-1970, and I rotate playing them, among other vintage sets I have collected. My favorites are the 1989 Jeff Sheets designed Endo blades. I also enjoy the new Hogan Icon irons, though I prefer weaker, more traditional lofts. Hogan made some of the best feeling clubs ever. Like the ball isn't even there if you make a good swing.

Yes you do know your Hogan history--- Yep the 99 Apex were designed by Jeff Sheets and forged by Endo in Japan. I have never owned a set but I have hit them some and do own a 2 iron. They are smooth as a Mother's Love.

A lot of people do not know this and I stumbled upon it one night on the USGA website. Someone evidently submitted a set and they were tested and approved by the USGA under the 2010 groove rule. I won a $100 bet on that one. I won another bet at the same time for $20. We were sitting out a rain delay at Founders Club one day. I mentioned at the time Bernhard Langer was playing Apex long irons. I was called BS on that. I bet him $20. One of the guys looked at it on the phone and it was true. One guy said he bet they were illegal, and I bet him $100 on that. The kid looked that up and I was correct. I told him besides he did not know the rule that it was for clubs of greater than 25* of loft. I asked him if he wanted to bet that?  I had researched it when I was going to get my AM status back and play some CGA Am events. I decided against the CGA events because the Macs were never submitted and approved. I decided at that stage of my life I did not need anyone telling me what clubs I could or could not play and besides the travel and no prize money made it a moot point. I did apply to the USGA and got my AM status back. That way I could play our league. Most at my course knew my past and I was never questioned though. But I did make a copy and filed it with our rules chairman in case anyone ever asked. No one in our league gives 2 rips what clubs anyone plays so I play my old blades and Cleveland 588 SW. Hey if you play golf with me play what you darn well please because I sure am going to

Edited September 8 by BIG STU
Typos i am having one of those days when the brain and fingers are not in sync

[Biggsenator]

@BIG STU: Man, I love your stories! If I ever get to SC, I'd love to play a round or two with you. That's great stuff. I have some non-conforming Titleist Vokeys that were temporarily conforming that I refuse to replace. I can drop all three of them on a dime and I won't give them up! Not too many people remember when Titleist went through producing those wedges with grooves that would eventually be non-Kosher, but no one I play with cares anyway. 

Edited September 9 by Biggsenator

[Biggsenator]

Like I said earlier, I really like the Icons, though mine have KBS shafts, and the '99s I have weaker lofts and DG S300 shafts. But the heads are very similar, and taking into account the different shafts, the feel is very similar. The Hogan folks tried to imitate the '99s very closely in producing the Icons. I just feel kind of weird playing a 3-iron with a 19 degree loft. That's a 1-iron! Give me the old lofts and two wedges, and let me belly open my wedges to hit higher shots. Less clubs, no gaps (so no need for a gap wedge), and more fun because more skill involved. That, to me, is why the older blades are more fun. Sure, you have to develop a good swing to hit them well, but isn't that worth it? By the way, Hogan does have some new forged muscle backs out called PTX Tour. They don't look much different from the Icons to me. 

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, Biggsenator said:

@BIG STU: Man, I love your stories! If I ever get to SC, I'd love to play a round or two with you. That's great stuff. I have some non-conforming Titleist Vokeys that were temporarily conforming that I refuse to replace. I can drop all three of them on a dime and I won't give them up! Not too many people remember when Titleist went through producing those wedges with grooves that would eventually be non-Kosher, but no one I play with cares anyway. 

Yeah Buddy would enjoy that. I am basically a 588 man but have a soft spot for the old 252/258 Vokey wedges. I am also very fond of the old Wilson JP series of wedges. I am basically a wedge Ho. I have some Hogan W and K grinds I am fond of too. I have been carrying a little Vokey 58* 4* bounce for a couple of years now. It is an SM-5 which is a 10 year old design but I got it 2 years ago brand new still in the plastic. It is really good out of our poorly maintained hard greenside bunkers. Yesterday on a whim I threw an older Vokey (forgot what model) in the bag. It has a factory Titleist Aldila graphite shaft in it. I wanted to play it on the Par3 course Saturday but got rained out. I think it was a junkpile find. It is like 11* bounce but the leading edge is worn down like I want it

The league I play in no one cares or pays attention to what anyone plays except some of the guys that play new stuff. They are all about the latest and greatest

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, Biggsenator said:

Like I said earlier, I really like the Icons, though mine have KBS shafts, and the '99s I have weaker lofts and DG S300 shafts. But the heads are very similar, and taking into account the different shafts, the feel is very similar. The Hogan folks tried to imitate the '99s very closely in producing the Icons. I just feel kind of weird playing a 3-iron with a 19 degree loft. That's a 1-iron! Give me the old lofts and two wedges, and let me belly open my wedges to hit higher shots. Less clubs, no gaps (so no need for a gap wedge), and more fun because more skill involved. That, to me, is why the older blades are more fun. Sure, you have to develop a good swing to hit them well, but isn't that worth it? By the way, Hogan does have some new forged muscle backs out called PTX Tour. They don't look much different from the Icons to me. 

Most people do not understand lofts. I have some say "you do not carry a gap wedge?" They do not understand my old VIP PW is 48* which is a little stronger than their gap wedge. When I made my HIO in May one of the guys asked what club I used? I told him 8 iron. That hole plays 133 over water. He was like an 8 iron! Our club president piped up yeah he plays those antique blade irons. 

On the newer Hogans I would have to hit them and feel them. you know it is all about the blends of steels and the processes used to forge them to get that "feel". 

[Biggsenator]

@BIG STU: Yeah, I like a 588 too (Cleveland is the Nicklaus of wedges), but if I'm not playing my Vokeys, I'll tell you what I like next best. It's a 1959 Wilson Staff Dynapower sand wedge. That thing is suh-weet! The bounce is mild enough to use from the fairway, and it just looks fantastic when you address the ball. Talk about antique....