Ben Hogan Putter timeline..

[Potato Roller]

I have been trying to compile a complete list of Ben Hogan Co. putters offered from the company's inception in the mid-50's till 1980. Pictures, descriptions, year of manufacture, etc.. I know they aren't a highly sought out item, but I'm intrigued by how little info is publshed about them. Researching through web-based sources such as this site, e-bay, etc.. has provided a minimal amount of info however, I can't help but think that there must be someone out there who has an experts knowledge of these pseudo-obscure Hogan offerings... For example, did the 1400 series of putters start being produced in 1969 or was it earlier? Secondly, the first few iterations of that series were referred to as the "DARS putters", but the last few of the series ( the 1480, 1490) didn't have DARS stamped on them. Why? What did DARS stand for anyways? Lastly, on the 1490 putter, why was it stamped with a big rose emblem? I saw one on e-bay and the seller called it a "Condi Rose" stamp. I googled the reference and nothing came up.. The more I research, the more the mystery grows...

[teevons]

D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters

[stixman]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1354071591' post='5987681']
D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters
[/quote]

The reference to the 'Condi Rose' (sic) goes back to the cleekmark of Robert Condie of St Andrews. His business operated from 1890 to 1936 and had a reputation for producing very high quality hand made clubs. Some say that MacGregor hijacked Condie's Rose cleekmark, which If you look at the two you can readily see that the allegation was not unfounded.

[tembolo1284]

Wow these are pretty.

[bobone]

Hi PotatoRoller
I too am attempting something similar for Zebra Putters. Have you come aross any resource for manufacturer's timelines for putters yet? Ram Gold made the Zebra. Who made the Hogan putters?
Bob

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1354071591' post='5987681']
D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters
[/quote]

Haha that's a lot of putters I love it!

[Golfnguitars]

[quote name='Potato Roller' timestamp='1354041256' post='5985421']
I have been trying to compile a complete list of Ben Hogan Co. putters offered from the company's inception in the mid-50's till 1980. Pictures, descriptions, year of manufacture, etc.. I know they aren't a highly sought out item, but I'm intrigued by how little info is publshed about them. Researching through web-based sources such as this site, e-bay, etc.. has provided a minimal amount of info however, I can't help but think that there must be someone out there who has an experts knowledge of these pseudo-obscure Hogan offerings... For example, did the 1400 series of putters start being produced in 1969 or was it earlier? Secondly, the first few iterations of that series were referred to as the "DARS putters", but the last few of the series ( the 1480, 1490) didn't have DARS stamped on them. Why? What did DARS stand for anyways? Lastly, on the 1490 putter, why was it stamped with a big rose emblem? I saw one on e-bay and the seller called it a "Condi Rose" stamp. I googled the reference and nothing came up.. The more I research, the more the mystery grows...
[/quote]
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1399908658' post='9279197']
[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1354071591' post='5987681']
D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters
[/quote]

Haha that's a lot of putters I love it!
[/quote]The stamp on the putters is actually DBRC, not DARS. The stamp stands for "Designed by Ray Cook". You probably know this, but Ray Cook was a putter designer from San Antonio, Texas known primarily for his mallet putters used by Orville Moody, Dave Stockton, Bruce Crampton, and Nancy Lopez among many others. I hope this helps!

Regards,
Kelly Roberts

[weeicemon]

[quote name='Golfnguitars' timestamp='1424992192' post='11035549']
[quote name='Potato Roller' timestamp='1354041256' post='5985421']
I have been trying to compile a complete list of Ben Hogan Co. putters offered from the company's inception in the mid-50's till 1980. Pictures, descriptions, year of manufacture, etc.. I know they aren't a highly sought out item, but I'm intrigued by how little info is publshed about them. Researching through web-based sources such as this site, e-bay, etc.. has provided a minimal amount of info however, I can't help but think that there must be someone out there who has an experts knowledge of these pseudo-obscure Hogan offerings... For example, did the 1400 series of putters start being produced in 1969 or was it earlier? Secondly, the first few iterations of that series were referred to as the "DARS putters", but the last few of the series ( the 1480, 1490) didn't have DARS stamped on them. Why? What did DARS stand for anyways? Lastly, on the 1490 putter, why was it stamped with a big rose emblem? I saw one on e-bay and the seller called it a "Condi Rose" stamp. I googled the reference and nothing came up.. The more I research, the more the mystery grows...
[/quote]
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1399908658' post='9279197']
[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1354071591' post='5987681']
D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters
[/quote]

Haha that's a lot of putters I love it!
[/quote]The stamp on the putters is actually DBRC, not DARS. The stamp stands for "Designed by Ray Cook". You probably know this, but Ray Cook was a putter designer from San Antonio, Texas known primarily for his mallet putters used by Orville Moody, Dave Stockton, Bruce Crampton, and Nancy Lopez among many others. I hope this helps!

Regards,
Kelly Roberts
[/quote]

There was a DARS series as well as the DBRC.

[Golfnguitars]

Thanks for the info......found a couple in the eBay archives; I've never seen one before. Any idea what DARS stands for?

[jdw928]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1354071591' post='5987681']
D stood for deep, or deep back, they made different d models, the putter with the rose was a ladies putter, called a Yellow Rose
attached are a couple of pictures of the putters at Shady Oak of Hogan putters
[/quote]

Teevons,

I'm restoring a brass Hogan putter that is stamped P144. What can you tell me about it? I couldn't find anything on the web...

Thanks
JD

[Quasimoto]

I have a MacGregor Ben Hogan flat blade that also has GRADCO on the sole.
As well it has REG. NO 243-8 [b]I think. [/b]There are also 2 clover leafs on the end of the back of the blade.
The paint fill is all red except for the Macgregor and the Gradco are blue.

I notice there are a number of putters in the pictures above that have very similar ferrules as the one I have.
As I wish to change the shaft due to rust, I would like to know if these are sold by anyone.
They are quite long; 2 inch with a slim about 1/4 red band around the top.

I would appreciate any info anyone can provide.

[T308]

On 11/16/2015 at 2:09 PM, Quasimoto said:

I have a MacGregor Ben Hogan flat blade that also has GRADCO on the sole.
As well it has REG. NO 243-8 [b]I think. [/b]There are also 2 clover leafs on the end of the back of the blade.
The paint fill is all red except for the Macgregor and the Gradco are blue.

Gradco was a Canadian licensee of MacGregor.  It's an abbreviation of Grainger Adanac Company.

[T308]

On 11/27/2012 at 5:34 AM, Potato Roller said:

<< For example, did the 1400 series of putters start being produced in 1969 or was it earlier? >>

Bumping a necro-thread, 1400 was new for 1969 and went away in 1976.

[T308]

On 5/12/2014 at 2:08 AM, bobone said:

Hi PotatoRoller
I too am attempting something similar for Zebra Putters. Have you come aross any resource for manufacturer's timelines for putters yet? Ram Gold made the Zebra. Who made the Hogan putters?
Bob

Ray Cook provided design ideas as early as 1969 and then took over subcontract production in 1971 for Hogan putters.

[MrFlipper]

My daughter, a huge Hogan fan, putts left handed with a ping 1-a. I think the great man would have been cool with that, giving how he felt about putting...

Edited January 19, 2022 by MrFlipper

[bigfatmatt]

On 1/19/2022 at 12:06 PM, T308 said:

Ray Cook provided design ideas as early as 1969 and then took over subcontract production in 1971 for Hogan putters.

Do you have any insight on the P series of putters?  I have a wooden shafted brass headed P-200 putter.  It says "P-200 Ben Hogan MacDougall" on it.

[T308]

9 hours ago, bigfatmatt said:

Do you have any insight on the P series of putters?  I have a wooden shafted brass headed P-200 putter.  It says "P-200 Ben Hogan MacDougall" on it.

 

They were a very unsuccessful line that was ultimately bartered out by the Hogan Company in exchange for advertising and sold through discount stores.  Mr. Hogan wanted them destroyed, but the advertising was important to Hogan ball campaign so they were sold.  Hogan putters were generally poor sellers and the P-200 was one of, if not the, worst of the bunch.  

[bigfatmatt]

9 hours ago, T308 said:

 

They were a very unsuccessful line that was ultimately bartered out by the Hogan Company in exchange for advertising and sold through discount stores.  Mr. Hogan wanted them destroyed, but the advertising was important to Hogan ball campaign so they were sold.  Hogan putters were generally poor sellers and the P-200 was one of, if not the, worst of the bunch.  

lol wow.  Thanks for the info.  Do you know when they were produced?  I could only find claims of people saying 1979.

[T308]

On 5/12/2022 at 8:47 AM, bigfatmatt said:

lol wow.  Thanks for the info.  Do you know when they were produced?  I could only find claims of people saying 1979.

Yes, it appears on the price list during 1979 only.  Suggested retail price $45.00.  Wholesale $27.00.

[bcstones]

First came across a mallet head Hogan putter with "DBRC". Asked the Elder Pro I was helping in his shop what the blazes that meant....he laughed "Designed By Ray Cook". So I learned to appreciated that man's putter designs. 

Here's a page from a 1996 "Golf Club Collectors Handbook"  by American Golf Classics...about Ben Hogan commissioning Stewart MacDougall to design some putters.

 

Enjoy