Looking for specs on Ben Hogan Legend Irons

No_Catchy_Nickname · December 23, 2015

I bought a set of Ben Hogan "Legend" irons yesterday, 2i-SW, but I can't find any information on their specs anywhere. Here's what I know (some of it gleaned from old threads on this site):

The "legend" irons were a 35th Anniversary release for the Japanese market. Apparently they sold for $2,500 at the time. I got these for much, much less.

They are NOT rebadged 1988 Redlines, even though they must have come out that same year.

They were a limited edition of, I think 1,500 sets. Which seems quite a lot to me, bearing it mind it was just for Japan.

What I would like to know are the lofts of the irons, but they are listed nowhere. Would Callaway have that information now?

The ones I have are shafted with the Apex 3, so they're a bit bendy for my liking. They also appear to have quite a lot of offset, but it didn't bother me after a few shots. I get some pictures up when I have time.

I am also considering a reshaft, but they are pinned, so the guys at the place where I usually go for stuff like that said they couldn't do it, but they did think there was one old geezer nearby who could. I am already picturing some master Japanese craftsman, with massive eyebrows and a beard that reaches down to his knees, sitting cross-legged on an old tatami mat bending and working irons using only his bare hands and "reiki". I expect to be disappointed.

Anyway, I hit them at the range today, and they felt extremely good. I was hitting them up against my Mizuno MS-11s. I found the sweetspot to less towards the heel than the Mizunos, or to put it another way, hitting the ball even a little towards the heel resulted in a considerable loss of distance (even in the 9i and PW/Equalizer). I grew up hit blades with sweetspots slightly towards the heel, so that took a bit of getting used to.

Even though the Mizunos are half-an-inch longer in the shaft length (I got them extended) and have strengthened lofts (a previous owner must have done it), I found that the Hogan 7i kept up with the Mizuno 7i. The 4i were also pretty similar, but the biggest difference was in the short irons. The Equalizer went only slightly further than my 52* wedge, so I suspect it has 49* or 50* of loft.

One final note: the SW is a real shovel! They don't make them like that anymore. But damn, it is an absolute joy to hit, and so easy.

No_Catchy_Nickname · December 24, 2015

Well, I did a bit of digging around, and I think these are basically restamped 1982 Medallions. I suspect the sandwedge is taken from a different line, because they don't have the sunburst stamping. When I referred to the Hogan Iron Spec Sheet posted by [b]Chuck_22046[/b] in November 2014 (thread title: Hogan Iron Spec Sheet), I noticed that there was no SW listed for the Medallion 1982s.
Anyway, the offset on these anniversary irons and shape of the back is pretty much identical to the Medallions. I wonder if they did this to clear some left-over stock? If so, the $2,500 price tag they apparently put on them seems like an [s]utter rip-off[/s] excellent business move. Incidentally, I noticed the serial number on the hosel of the 2i is different from the rest of the set, but still a 35th Anniversary Legend iron.
Anyway, some pictures so you can judge for yourselves.
[attachment=3077000:4i (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077002:4i_6 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077004:6i_2 (300x400).jpg][attachment=3077006:6i_3 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077008:6i_10 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077010:SW_1 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077012:SW_6 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077014:SW_11 (400x300).jpg][attachment=3077018:SW_2 (400x300).jpg]

Shallowface · December 25, 2015

I have several Hogan catalogs from the 1980s, but the 1990 catalog is the first one I have in which they printed any specifications. I don't have anything on the Legend irons.

Maybe those specs were another one of "Hogan's Secrets."

HoldenCornfield · December 25, 2015

I had a set of the 1978 Medallions (copper coin version). Great clubs, highly under-rated amongst the other Hogan clubs. If you don't mind the offset, that is.

No_Catchy_Nickname · December 25, 2015

[quote name='Shallowface' timestamp='1451052326' post='12762214']
I have several Hogan catalogs from the 1980s, but the 1990 catalog is the first one I have in which they printed any specifications. I don't have anything on the Legend irons.

Maybe those specs were another one of "Hogan's Secrets."
[/quote]

These were a Japan-only release, so they probably wouldn't have featured in a catalogue anyway. However, I still think they are just restamped Medallions from 1982, so the specs posted by [b]Chuck_2204 [/b]are what I'll go by until I've got the distances dialled in. Interesting to see the Medallions go up in increments of 3.5*, and that the 5-iron has the same loft as the 6-iron from my Mizuno MP-4s.

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1451052930' post='12762240']
I had a set of the 1978 Medallions (copper coin version). Great clubs, highly under-rated amongst the other Hogan clubs. If you don't mind the offset, that is.
[/quote]

So far, I like these irons, too. The offset is odd, but not a killer; it's hard to describe, but it's not like a massive gooseneck. Unless I change out the soft shaft, I might make them my winter irons. Swing easy, and hit high.

jdw928 · December 27, 2015

[quote name='Shallowface' timestamp='1451052326' post='12762214']
I have several Hogan catalogs from the 1980s, but the 1990 catalog is the first one I have in which they printed any specifications. I don't have anything on the Legend irons.

Maybe those specs were another one of "Hogan's Secrets."
[/quote]
Shallowface

Have you had any thoughts of scanning some of those old catalogs and sharing them? I know I would love to see them. I have close to a dozen sets from the Power Thrusts to Apex Plus.

JDW

Shallowface · December 27, 2015

[quote name='jdw928' timestamp='1451238338' post='12768364']
[quote name='Shallowface' timestamp='1451052326' post='12762214']
I have several Hogan catalogs from the 1980s, but the 1990 catalog is the first one I have in which they printed any specifications. I don't have anything on the Legend irons.

Maybe those specs were another one of "Hogan's Secrets."
[/quote]
Shallowface

Have you had any thoughts of scanning some of those old catalogs and sharing them? I know I would love to see them. I have close to a dozen sets from the Power Thrusts to Apex Plus.

JDW
[/quote]

You'll find some here.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1096967-hogan-iron-spec-sheet/

biggsenator · August 16, 2021

Are those old catalogues still up anywhere? I tried the link and the page no onager exists.

Fellaheen51 · August 16, 2021

7 hours ago, biggsenator said:

Are those old catalogues still up anywhere? I tried the link and the page no onager exists.

Are you looking for catalogs or specs? Many informational posts were lost during the two site hosting platform changes. If the later, someone (don't recall who for proper crediting) posted this. Open the "Hogan" tab.

hogan_specs.xls