Ben Hogan seems hip again.
Last week Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Co. announced it is now taking orders for the new Ft. Worth 15 irons and TK 15 wedges.
The irons have “Ft. Worth” imprinted on the sides. The Ft. Worth 15 irons and TK 15 wedges will retail for $149 per club with KBS Tour V and Tour 90 steel shafts and $164 per club with Recoil 660 and 680 graphite shafts. Rediscovered hipness is not cheap, apparently.
“The response that we have seen from consumers and trade alike since our launch at the PGA Show in January is truly amazing,” said Terry Koehler, president/CEO of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Co.
“Everybody is well aware of the stories of how committed Mr. Hogan was to producing high quality golf equipment,” said Koehler. “We continue this commitment today. We also understand that while golfers are extremely excited about new products, buying a set of premium irons and wedges is a large purchase, and we want to assure them that we will stand behind our products to provide them with the best experience possible.”
When a run of clubs didn’t meet his standard at the original Ben Hogan company, Hogan wouldn’t hesitate to toss them out.
The new Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Co. was founded in April of 2014 to bring the Ben Hogan brand and standards back to the golf equipment industry. The company is based in Fort Worth, only a few miles from the original Ben Hogan facility.
But it’s not just clubs that have the Hogan name back in the spotlight. A recent spate of books is carrying the Hogan name and philosophy to a new generation.
One is The Brothers Hogan, a family memoir from TCU Press. It tells the story of Ben and his brother, Royal. It’s as much a history of Fort Worth as it is a family memoir, telling stories about the Leonard Brothers, Tex Moncrief, Amon G. Carter and many Fort Worth golf courses. The Brothers Hogan was written by Jacqueline Hogan Towery, her late husband Robert and Peter Barbour. Towery is the daughter of Royal Hogan and niece of Ben Hogan.
The book chronicles Ben Hogan’s remarkable comeback after a serious traffic accident from which few expected him to recover. His will and determination are on full display.
Also on display is his practicality. Practicing for the British Open that he eventually won in 1953, Hogan didn’t bother with the deadly heather and gorse that trapped many golfers. “I figured anyone who would get into it frequently wouldn’t have a chance anyway,” Hogan said.
And now, after a corporate journey that took the company to oblivion and back, Hogan clubs are back with “Ft.Worth” stamped on the side.
Welcome home, Ben.