Any new Hogan clubs coming?

[air19]

I have been using Apex Plus irons for about 5 years now and I'm also a fan of the Hogan hybrids. Just wondering if anyone has heard of any new offerings.

 

It seems since Callaway has taken over that things have slowed down and the brand is fading away?

 

- Mike

[ultra45]

I've been told that for their iron lineup the cft irons are gone... they will have the apex blades, the apex edge and an apex edge plus... i hit the apex edge at a demo day this season and i didn't know they had changed from the edge from a few years before... i am really interested in what the edge plus is going to look/feel like...

 

anyone have pics of the new stuff??

[Zippy]

All indications are that Callaway is looking for a buyer for the Ben Hogan brand, at least the golf clubs side. They might blame it on lackluster sales, I will blame it on mis-handling of the brand.

 

I know there are some fans of the woods out there, but by and large they were a huge flop. I can't believe for a moment that Mr. Hogan would have put his stamp of approval on those sub-par offerings.

 

The Apex blades are sweet, ande the FTX irons are great as well, but they are products that existed or were in the works since before Callaway bought the brand.

 

The BH-5 were a Callaway creation stamped with the BH starburst just to Callaway didn't de-value their brand. Too bad they de-valued the Hogan brand instead. Not that they were a bad iron, but there is nothing Hogan about them. From the shape of the clubhead, to the scorelines on the face, down to the font of the numerals on the sole, they are Callaway irons.

 

The Bettinardi adventure was a failure. Why, I don't know, but I have to imagine Callaway lost some dough on the deal.

 

Hogan balls went from a Phoenix-like resurrection with the Apex Plus line to a joke with the Tour Deep and Hawk offerings. Not that they were poor products again, but they weren't making the buzz like Hogan was their last year or two with Spalding.

 

Overall, everything Callaway did with the brand since the acquired Hogan wound up coming right back in their face. It seems to me that Callaway is content to let the brand stagnate until someone decides to buy the nameplate and iron designs so they can cut their losses and split.

[DougnDallas]

All indications are that Callaway is looking for a buyer for the Ben Hogan brand, at least the golf clubs side. They might blame it on lackluster sales, I will blame it on mis-handling of the brand.

 

I know there are some fans of the woods out there, but by and large they were a huge flop. I can't believe for a moment that Mr. Hogan would have put his stamp of approval on those sub-par offerings.

 

The Apex blades are sweet, ande the FTX irons are great as well, but they are products that existed or were in the works since before Callaway bought the brand.

 

The BH-5 were a Callaway creation stamped with the BH starburst just to Callaway didn't de-value their brand. Too bad they de-valued the Hogan brand instead. Not that they were a bad iron, but there is nothing Hogan about them. From the shape of the clubhead, to the scorelines on the face, down to the font of the numerals on the sole, they are Callaway irons.

 

The Bettinardi adventure was a failure. Why, I don't know, but I have to imagine Callaway lost some dough on the deal.

 

Hogan balls went from a Phoenix-like resurrection with the Apex Plus line to a joke with the Tour Deep and Hawk offerings. Not that they were poor products again, but they weren't making the buzz like Hogan was their last year or two with Spalding.

 

Overall, everything Callaway did with the brand since the acquired Hogan wound up coming right back in their face. It seems to me that Callaway is content to let the brand stagnate until someone decides to buy the nameplate and iron designs so they can cut their losses and split.

 

The Future of the Hogan Brand

[sergizmo]

All indications are that Callaway is looking for a buyer for the Ben Hogan brand, at least the golf clubs side. They might blame it on lackluster sales, I will blame it on mis-handling of the brand.

 

I know there are some fans of the woods out there, but by and large they were a huge flop. I can't believe for a moment that Mr. Hogan would have put his stamp of approval on those sub-par offerings.

 

The Apex blades are sweet, ande the FTX irons are great as well, but they are products that existed or were in the works since before Callaway bought the brand.

 

The BH-5 were a Callaway creation stamped with the BH starburst just to Callaway didn't de-value their brand. Too bad they de-valued the Hogan brand instead. Not that they were a bad iron, but there is nothing Hogan about them. From the shape of the clubhead, to the scorelines on the face, down to the font of the numerals on the sole, they are Callaway irons.

 

The Bettinardi adventure was a failure. Why, I don't know, but I have to imagine Callaway lost some dough on the deal.

 

Hogan balls went from a Phoenix-like resurrection with the Apex Plus line to a joke with the Tour Deep and Hawk offerings. Not that they were poor products again, but they weren't making the buzz like Hogan was their last year or two with Spalding.

 

Overall, everything Callaway did with the brand since the acquired Hogan wound up coming right back in their face. It seems to me that Callaway is content to let the brand stagnate until someone decides to buy the nameplate and iron designs so they can cut their losses and split.

 

Callaway wanted Top-Flite, which is a huge chunk of the ball market. To get it they had to buy the whole Spalding/Strata/Hogan/Top Flite conglomerate. I don't have a source on this, but the way Callaway is handling things, it's pretty obvious what their motives are and what is important to them.

 

They are just digging the historic Hogan brand into the ground. The driver was absolute junk (to me and most people anyway) compared to almost everything else out there. Most of the time, if a company doesn't have a sucessfull driver offering, the rest of the brand stuggles (Mizuno being an exception). The fairways were OK, but nothing set them apart from the pack. You are right, there is nothing Hogan about the BH-5's. More like X-14's.

 

Just a total shame.

[DougnDallas]

I just happened to run into the Callaway guys today at a golf shop. I got to see the new line and YES there is a new Hogan iron coming (sort of) the APEX PLUS!!!!

 

We started talking about the Future of the brand (see link in my post above) and he said to expect big things from Hogan in 2008!!!!!!!!

 

We also talked about how the X-Forged Prototype should be a Hogan Club! VERY Interesting.

[Night train]

I don't see where Hogan has been hurt by Callaway at all. When Callaway bought them they were virtually bankrupt, hadn't made money in years, had zero retail presence, had pulled out of Ft. Worth and moved their operations to Virginia. They were sinking VERY fast. Their sales were dismal!

 

And they made some bad clubs far before Callaway rescued them from the grave. Think back to the Hogan Magnum and the H-40, both were cast monstrosities!

[seriously_obsessed_duffer]

 

Hogan balls went from a Phoenix-like resurrection with the Apex Plus line to a joke with the Tour Deep and Hawk offerings. Not that they were poor products again, but they weren't making the buzz like Hogan was their last year or two with Spalding.

 

 

Just a note to say that, as you mentioned, the Tour Deep and the Hawk were not poor products. They are actually both absolutely outstanding balls. It's a shame about the buzz factor.

[DougnDallas]

I don't see where Hogan has been hurt by Callaway at all. When Callaway bought them they were virtually bankrupt, hadn't made money in years, had zero retail presence, had pulled out of Ft. Worth and moved their operations to Virginia. They were sinking VERY fast.

 

And they made some bad clubs far before Callaway rescued them from the grave. Think back to the Hogan Magnum and the H-40, both were cast monstrosities!

 

 

Actually they went back to Ft. Worth from Virgina and were making some VERY high quality irons, which is all they should be doing IMO (see link above "The Future of the Hogan Brand")

[Night train]

They certainly made some nice irons, but no one was buying them. They were floundering in red ink and soon to be out of business. Had they been making money and growing their business, they would never have sold to anyone.

 

It just seems as though everyone is blaming Callaway for ruining the brand, when it fact they saved it from a certain death. The brand in its current form may not be what everyone would like to see, but it still lives and they still make some good irons.

[RagingAardvark]

Just a note to say that, as you mentioned, the Tour Deep and the Hawk were not poor products. They are actually both absolutely outstanding balls. It's a shame about the buzz factor.

 

Heck yeah! I dug the Hawk when I tried it, and think the Tour Deep is even better. Played my last round with a sleeve and think I have a new fave ball! :(

[pigglet222]

Does anyone know if the Apex Plus irons were forged in Virginia or Ft. Worth?

[MellonC]

They were forged in Guangzu, China.