In 1912 in the suburbs of Fort Worth, Texas one of the all time greats of golf was born. Ben Hogan is a name that any true golfer knows and has grown up learning of his legendary accomplishments. Not only did he make a name for himself on the golf course as a gifted and winning player but he built an equipment company that is synonymous with golf itself. As a young child my father regaled stories of Hogan’s 64 PGA Tour event wins and basically taught me the game using one of his many Hogan golf clubs. To this day I have carried with me one of those wedges in my bag. Regardless of the bald face and rusted appearance the wedge is something I can’t seem to let go of… Hogan was just that kind of guy. He left a mark on the industry and his equipment forever left a mark on me.
The revitalization of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company at the begin of the year couldn’t have come at a better time. Trust in the name and stories of the great Hogan clubs from yesteryear have excited the industry. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try out some of the new Ben Hogan TK15 Wedges… dialing in your short game is where it counts on the course and all the practice in the world can only be amplified by having the right equipment in hand.
Product Details
Customizable options – grip size, shaft , length, and lie
Loft options available from 48° to 63°
White, red, and blue grip color
Forged from 1025 carbon steel in a six step process that delivers extraordinary club-to-club consistency
100% CNC-milled faces and grooves to optimize your spin performance
Reborn out of Ft. Worth, TX
Looks/Feel
Don’t call me crazy but these new wedges are simply beautiful.
There is something very timeless and classic about the appearance but at a closer look the precision and new advanced equipment technology is very apparent. Compared to another competitor wedge you can see some very clear differences in the Hogan wedges. Other current wedges on the market seem to have the majority of the thickness and weight of the underbelly towards the bottom of the club head whereas the Hogan TK15 Wedges seem to be more evenly distributed. It almost looks like there is a mini club head attached to the back of the wedge if that makes sense. The sole of the club head is also very unique with a slight “V” shape which is meant to handle any type of lie and surface area – turf, dirt, etc. The face of the club is clean and clearly optimized for spin control. As we work down the club to the grip it’s a simple design in a classic dark blue (almost navy) with a red tip. All in all there is something very comfortable and familiar with the feel of the wedges.
Performance/Functionality
The time has come and I eagerly hit the golf course. Although wedges are probably the most used clubs in the golf bag I still wanted to take advantage as much as possible and with that thought in mind a few rounds at the local executive golf course are in order. I grabbed a Hogan 55° and 63° wedge and after a few practice swings on the range was able to find where these clubs fit into my game. In a typical round I find myself using my wedges for both short distance and full swing options and the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company knew this in their re-engineering so that their wedges could be used for all available options creating more versatility. For reference, my favorite wedge swing in my bag is a full swing flop shot with a 60° loft but pulling a flop out on the course under or around 10-15 yards can be tough especially when there isn’t much room behind the cup (water, bunker, downhill slope) but in that point, a flop is what you need.
The 63° Hogan wedge performed incredibly well! It took me a moment to gauge my distance but man did that ball just bite the green each time. The precision I was able to pull out shocked me. Like I said before… all the practice in the world can get me the right flop swing but with the right wedge in hand I’m able to get the ball time and time again within mere feet from the cup. On the 9th hole near the clubhouse I even managed to pull an applause from other golfs nearby with the flop shot… always a good feeling! The course I chose to test the wedges (even from the furthest tees) has some super short Par 3’s that range between 80-90 yards in distance which is tough because you can try your PW but then you’re pulling a completely irregular short swing and hoping you managed your distance and swing speed properly. The 55° Hogan wedge on those shorter distance shots at full swing with even tempo hit on point. Creating backspin occurred with ease and I was able to stick many greens whereas with my current wedges in my bag I really have to focus on my swing to get the desired spin control. After the first round I found myself pulling a Hogan TK15 Wedge out of my bag each hole. It was like an old friend had come to visit and I was eager to get out and keep playing.
Overall
It’s appropriate to use the classic Ben Hogan quote of, “The most important shot in golf is the next one.” You can bet that the next shot is in the wheelhouse of your short game. You score around the green and dialing in that area of your skills can be amplified with the right equipment in hand. It’s clear the team at the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company have developed a new generation of a legend.
To this day my dad has always favored his forged Hogan golf clubs of any he’s ever played over the last 65 years and the new TK15 Wedges have easily found themselves at the top of my favorites as well (even though I’ll still be holding on to my old sentimental club).
These wedges are a must try for anyone looking to lower their overall score!
MSRP: $149.00 per wedge
