Hogan redline iron help

[Jgb333]

I just picked up a set of what appears to be Hogan Redlines 3-E. I am not a hogan expert so I came here looking for some help!

They are free of any stamping other than “apex” and “Ben Hogan”. The shafts are pinned, and the serials match. The 8,9 and wedge have more of a curved top line than the 3-7. Shafts are labeled “3”. I’ve included pictures of just the 7 iron.

 

 

 

 

[James the Hogan Fan]

That’s a redline to my eye. Ferrules match my set, hosel pins are a check, mine are apex 4 but apex 3 is just regular flex, no “forged” from the later years (90-92?) They seem to be what they are. And I think the weird top line on the short irons is just a quirk of the set.

 

I’d compare photos of mine, but mine live in a box, and that box lives 7,000 miles away!

 

Have you tried them out?

[Jgb333]

That’s a redline to my eye. Ferrules match my set, hosel pins are a check, mine are apex 4 but apex 3 is just regular flex, no “forged” from the later years (90-92?) They seem to be what they are. And I think the weird top line on the short irons is just a quirk of the set.

 

I’d compare photos of mine, but mine live in a box, and that box lives 7,000 miles away!

 

Have you tried them out?

 

I live in the northeast so it’s a little cold out...but I did set up my hitting net in the front yard. I took 4 or 5 rips before my hands froze. The feel great.

This had to close to the time they stopped using pins.

I paid $50 for the set...too much?

There is hardly any groove wear

[James the Hogan Fan]

That’s a redline to my eye. Ferrules match my set, hosel pins are a check, mine are apex 4 but apex 3 is just regular flex, no “forged” from the later years (90-92?) They seem to be what they are. And I think the weird top line on the short irons is just a quirk of the set.

 

I’d compare photos of mine, but mine live in a box, and that box lives 7,000 miles away!

 

Have you tried them out?

 

I live in the northeast so it’s a little cold out...but I did set up my hitting net in the front yard. I took 4 or 5 rips before my hands froze. The feel great.

This had to close to the time they stopped using pins.

I paid $50 for the set...too much?

There is hardly any groove wear

 

I paid $175 for mine last year (I bought in the $ummer though) I think you did just fine.

 

I know the ‘99 apex did not have pins. Not sure about the channel-backs from ‘94... The second iteration of Radials did away with them eventually (I have a 7i head with no hole)

[Jgb333]

Thanks for the information. I was thinking about flipping them but the feel surprised me.

[Bigarch]

Great set of clubs. They are indeed Redlines. They are one of the more desireable sets of Hogan irons because they so playable. Many Hoganistas think they are the best version of Hogan irons throughout the years. I picked up a set of them last year and love them.

[wkuo3]

Isn't that the groove on these Red Line are not conforming ? Either square grooves or modified U grooves ?

 

I would keep it in good condition since this will be one of the classic set of Ben Hogan irons for decades to come. Certainly will pay you many time over for what you had in it.

[aswile]

Isn't that the groove on these Red Line are not conforming ? Either square grooves or modified U grooves ?

 

I would keep it in good condition since this will be one of the classic set of Ben Hogan irons for decades to come. Certainly will pay you many time over for what you had in it.

 

I thought I remembered them being square grooved, which should make them non-conforming.

[forgedforever]

Those are indeed Hogan Redlines. Great set of sticks! I'm reading the OP's serial number as BG3378. The "B" denotes manufactured in 1988 (as were mine). The "G" denotes the month, in this case July. From my notes and recollection since G is the 7th letter of the alphabet it was used to, in this case, designate the 7th month of that year for manufacturing.

 

As aswile notes in Post 8 I believe these irons feature square grooves.

[otw]

Those are indeed Hogan Redlines. Great set of sticks! I'm reading the OP's serial number as BG3378. The "B" denotes manufactured in 1988 (as were mine). The "G" denotes the month, in this case July. From my notes and recollection since G is the 7th letter of the alphabet it was used to, in this case, designate the 7th month of that year for manufacturing.

 

As aswile notes in Post 8 I believe these irons feature square grooves.

Yes for square grooves.

[deejaid]

If you don’t like them, flip them, you might double your money. But for your $50 investment, I don’t think you’ll find a nicer set of clubs. Beautiful set.

[Bruceapex]

Yep, redlines for sure!

I’ve been playing them for 31 years now had have gone thru 4 sets (all new, never hit before I put them in my bag).

This spring I broke out my 5th set.

In my opinion, the finest set of irons ever...by a long shot, if feel and accuracy are what one is looking for.

Apex redlines, the pinnacle af club design and manufacturing.

Mine are all apex #4 shafts, except for the set my wife plays, which have #3 apex shafts.

[RobotDoctor]

I have a set of Hogan Redlines that were rechromed and regrooved by Iron Factory in Glendale, AZ. These are really terrific irons but not legal for USGA play. There's a reason these are coveted.

 

 

 

 

[resnor]

What is the difference between the Radials and the Redlines?

[James the Hogan Fan]

These are radials:

 

 

The radial was introduced in 1983 as a more forgiving version of the ‘80 Director. It basically is a ‘80 director with a large ‘radial’ flange in the sole. This wider base prevents digging and also serves a perimeter weighting, so they are very high launching. “Blades with training wheels” they are often called around here. Hogan re-released them in 1989 in a cast version with an underlined radial on the sole, and then switched back to forged at some point and then finally removed the shaft pins in the final version.

 

Oh and I personally believe the toplines of the radials and redlines are effectively the same design.

 

The redlines, on the other hand, are the 1988 iteration of the Apex line, and are to many the finest set of irons ever made. They are a traditional blade with minimal offset and a sweet spot the size of a pinhead.

 

(I like to joke that since I had my radials refinished and I rebuilt them, I probably have the finest set of hogan radials in the world, or at least top 10!)

[resnor]

Thanks, James!

[rex235]

Those Ben Hogan Apex Redlines from the '80s were RH Only, while the '70s Ben Hogan Apex Irons were RH/LH.

The Ben Hogan Radials were also RH/LH, but most of Ben Hogan's forged product line in the '80s was RH Only.

(Decades, Apex PCs, Medallions, Directors.)

The Jeff Sheets designed '99 Ben Hogan Irons were under contract to be RH Only. "Sorry."

The current Ben Hogan Golf Company is making mostly RH Only models, but has a "limited edition" LH iron model.

 

[James the Hogan Fan]

@rex235 looking at the current Hogan website it would appear at least their current Edge model is made in RH/LH as a standard product, their soon to be discontinued PTX line could be ordered LH, and they have no LH in anything else in irons. Their line of Equalizer Wedges also has an LH option.

 

The plight of the left-handed golfer is the reason my dad told me (though I am left handed at everything else) when I was young that I would learn golf right-handed, “so I (Dad) won’t have to look so hard for equipment for you”

 

Every once in awhile I take an ancient LH Haig Ultra to the range just to see how bad I am at my ”natural” side!

 

 

 

[rex235]

James-

Don't worry. Have ALL the golf clubs I'll ever need.

 

Some of them even have Ben Hogan's name on them...

[rex235]

Am sorry, someone wanted proof..

[](https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/editor/s0/115bypzv8ciz.jpg "")

1951 LH MacGregor Ben Hogan Persimmon woods

[](https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/editor/69/0ywkfsskczm8.jpg "")

A few sets of Ben Hogan irons.

 

 

 

 

[Kirasdad]

I never can figure out the whole “conforming” concern. I get the USGA groove rule, but that is only for USGA sanctioned championships. I play in local tournaments, city championships etc. all the time and this is never mentioned, much less enforced. This is good for I have a Redline SW with square groves that spins like crazy, stops on a dime. Saves me tons of strokes.

[wkuo3]

> @Kirasdad said:

> I never can figure out the whole “conforming” concern. I get the USGA groove rule, but that is only for USGA sanctioned championships. I play in local tournaments, city championships etc. all the time and this is never mentioned, much less enforced. This is good for I have a Redline SW with square groves that spins like crazy, stops on a dime. Saves me tons of strokes.

 

The equipment rules are not enforced by checking conformity before each and every round of competition. Usually the issue would be brought up by a fellow competitor or an official whom might had observed unfair competition edge from the equipment a participant had put in use.

 

This will apply to any tournaments sanctioned by the U.S.G.A. no matter of it's size.

 

Had you been in the top competitor in a sanctioned tournament and your SW saved you some strokes around the greens, some competitors will dig in deeper to try to disqualify you.

 

Some years ago, a local girl competing in the U.S.Junior Open links qualifying rounds, and one of the competitor submitted a request to have her wedges submitted for test for conforming grooves. She was in the final group, and received disqualifying notice. I'm pretty sure it was a careless event by sharpening the old favorite wedges she used for a long time...….. anyhow, she moved on to compete in higher level later on and done okay.

JoAnne Carner, whom had been subject to an equipment conforming test last year had gone through the same situation. Sharpening an old favorite wedge might be safe to have a professional do the job and check the grooves afterward to avoid conforming issue, IF, the equipment will be used in a U.S.G.A. sanctioned event . If you're using the equipment for your own pleasure rounds, no one will care what you bag for the round.

 

[Bruceapex]

I think I remember something about the redline grooves conforming as they were not the square grooves that were banned, they were conforming “U” grooves and someone protested to the r and a, they were grandfathered in. Could be really wrong here, but I don’t play in competition and never did find redlines to help me out of the rough better than my older v groove Hogan’s.

[T308]

On 5/2/2019 at 11:02 AM, James the Hogan Fan said:

The radial was introduced in 1983 as a more forgiving version of the ‘80 Director. It basically is a ‘80 director with a large ‘radial’ flange in the sole. This wider base prevents digging and also serves a perimeter weighting, so they are very high launching. “Blades with training wheels” they are often called around here. Hogan re-released them in 1989 in a cast version with an underlined radial on the sole, and then switched back to forged at some point and then finally removed the shaft pins in the final version.

 

The cast Radials were 1992-3.  They were the version with a satin finish and without shaft pins.