2020 Ben Hogan Icon blades

[RobotDoctor]

With the release of the Icon blades and that they are being delivered now, it seemed appropriate to launch a topic in the Equipment board.

 

I received my Icon blades today (4-PW, nickel plated). These have KBS Tour V stiff shafts at standard L/L/L. I would have preferred Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 stiff shafts but will give these a try to see how they feel and how they perform. I can always reshaft at a later date. Now to go to the only range in the area I know is open the next few days and see how they perform. I will post additional pictures later.

[Oaks]

I’m really starting to consider these or the Combo set. Back to the Heritage!

[GolfSwang]

Beautiful.

Any chance you can post a closeup picture from address with a ball please? Seen a few pics from address floating around, but none with a ball yet. Would like to get a sense of the blade length. Thanks!

[jaroscakj]

I currently play the Apex 50. The backs of the icon remind me of the 50’s. Are the called clamshell?

[RobotDoctor]

Here's the 6 iron at address.

[RobotDoctor]

Not sure if they're called a clamshell or not. I thought of the Apex 50 when I first saw these. I love the blade on blade design feature. My current gamers are the '99 Apex blades so I'm really looking forward to hitting these.

[dmeeksDC]

Address photos with ball are much appreciated. Beautiful clubs. Congrats. To me in photos they don’t look as small behind the ball as the Ft Worth, they appear to be a touch more generous in face size, a big plus in my book. I like the Icon’s look a whole lot more. Will be interested in your early feedback on how they perform.

One advantage for me is I prefer the KBS Tour-V over the Modus 120. Both great shafts and Modus is always a contender when I try clubs. But Tour-V stiff for me is like a cross between the Tour and C Taper. I feel like it delivers a punch, gives me the more penetrating flight, especially for a 110g shaft. i’m curious how they do for you with the Icon.

[RobotDoctor]

I will definitely give the Tour V 110 stiff shafts a through test. If they work well then why reshaft? The Icons have a 4 degree separation between irons (3 iron = 22*, PW = 46*). I am going to go with a 50* GW (as opposed to my normal 52*), 54* SW and my normal 58* LW. If the Tour V 110 stiff shafts worn out then I reshaft the wedges with it.

[cg0rd0noo7]

I am super excited for mine to come. When did you order?

[RobotDoctor]

March 18th. They shut down operations shortly after that. Resumed 2 weeks ago.

[cg0rd0noo7]

 

Thanks. I ordered mine the day they opened back up so hopefully they come in a few weeks.

[RobotDoctor]

It should take about 2-3 weeks. Should be soon!

[cjblake09]

I called today and asked about delivery time and he said mid to end of June.

 

I really like the ICON but will probably go with a combo set. Wish they has some flexibility in the irons on the set but i understand why.

[ldh692002]

please post a review when you’re able to hit them!!

[GolfSwang]

Thanks so much! Blade length not as intimidating as I initially assumed, which is a good thing. Pretty much exactly what I want to see.

I'm curious how these compare forgiveness wise to other blades on the market (with their blade-on-blade design).

[mBiden2]

Man they look great. I’ve really been thinking about order them with the x100s soft stepped and if that doesn’t work I’ll just switch to PX LZ 6.5s that I know work. So all new orders won’t ship until June?

[Tommyj]

Look great, are these 1025 carbon steel, they don't give any details on the Hogan website. I assume they are since they use 1025 for the PTX Pros.

[bullie76]

Purdy. Wish I was young enough to play an iron like these. But at my age I play geezer golf and need all the help I can get. My first good set was in the late 60's and it was an Hogan Apex set.

[morgan1819]

bullie76 - you can play these in a combo set for sure. Maybe go PTx in 5-7 and Icon in 8-PW. Throw some Mitsubishi OT or Fujikura MCI shafts in there while you're at it.

 

Golf is a fun hobby, play what you want.

[stingerfade]

Have the equalizer wedges. Really great clubs

[dmeeksDC]

The combo sets are very appealing. Never say never on a full Icon set, I guess, but I’d be reluctant to pass up the pop and easy launch in the PTx Pro long irons. The Icon scoring irons would be fun to play and the two heads fit so well together. Will be great to finally see reviews from the players getting them right now.

[jah7838]

I have the PTx Pros that I won here last year. The Icons look phenomenal. I would love to have a blended set of the Icons with the PTx Pros just on looks alone. Looking forward to reading some reviews on them. I might have to get a combo set down the road!

[RobotDoctor]

Here are comparison pictures of the 6 irons for the Icon blades compared to the '99 Ben Hogan Apex blade (my spare set that has been rechromed with brushed finish and scoring lines redone). The red striped ferrule is the Icon, the solid black ferrule is the '99 Apex.

My take is that the Icon blade is slightly larger than the '99 Apex. The hosel is shorter so more weight is concentrated in the head. There have been some reports that the sweetspot is slightly towards the hosel but that remains to be seen. V sole of the Icon is definitely a new design feature. The Icon exhibits a true blade on blade design element where the '99 Apex blade featured a partial blade on blade.

[RobotDoctor]

I just received an email from The Ben Hogan company confirming these are indeed forged from 1025 carbon steel.

[cg0rd0noo7]

Just a heads up on delivery time for people making orders. I placed my order at the beginning of may and when I asked today about timing was told that they should ship beginning to mid June.

[justasgood]

 

I would sell a kidney for this iron

[kaaayelll]

I demoed these on my basement sim last week or the week before. They sent 6i and 9i; I only hit the 6i vs the same in Exotics CBX and Miura BB. Among all, only the Miura had my preferred shaft (Shimada Tour), and if I’m not mistaken, the Miura have a flatter lie (yes, just checked... 1.5* flatter stock), which suits me better.

On pured strikes the Hogan has an addictive, powerful crispness to it. I found myself hitting them high on the face often, though, and they felt harsh there. Hitting them high on the face could relate to the upright lie and/or shaft (Tour V), though I didn’t have as much issue with the Exotics (1* upright from BB, but with KBS Tour shaft).

In comparison, the Miura BB also feel powerful, but with a dense feeling instead of crisp like the Hogan. Of course, feel is subjective. I don’t recall spin rates, launch angles, etc, but distance on good strikes was comparable between the two (note: stock lofts the same at 6i; Shimada shafts 10g+ heavier). I just produced far more misses with the Hogan, and I found misses to be more penal than with the BB. Differences in spec at play, I’m sure. As usual, I left my little test wondering why I have anything besides my BB and why I occasionally let the eye wander. Still, the Icon is an exciting, beautiful offering that will make a lot of bags proud. They did so many things right with these - shape at address, minimal offset, V-sole, etc. OP, I wish you many, many low rounds with them!

[88scooby]

Great thread- I was calling to order the blended set last week, but they were not able to start the blades at the seven iron. I even asked it I could just buy an additional seven icon iron and they could not do that. I am not sure what happens if you loose a club. I guess they are starting on a shoe string, but one would think they could afford twenty or thirty seven and six iron Icons heads to set their blended sets up for different players setups. Its such a small price and minimal effort for great marketing by having better players at different golf clubs playing their products. I am bummed, probably going with blended srixon or mizunos this year. Was so looking forward to the throw back modern Hogan blended setup. Trying not to sounds like a complainer grumpster just cant play the hollow 7i. Not giving up on them at all, will try back next year. Hopefully by then they will have scaled and will be able to provide more custom options.

[awtryau89]

This thread and the one on Tour/PreRelease has me so close to ordering the combo set.

[Joe S]

Nice photo's. It looks like the top line is about the same thickness, is that the case when you look at them in person? I felt like the top line was way to thick on the Ft Worth's and TK Wedges. I'm playing the 99's now and I love them. I'll be really interested in how they compare on the course.