Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Irons Course-Tested Review

If you like classic looks with modern technology in your irons, check out the Ben Hogan Golf Company. Ben Hogan has been perfecting that blend since its inception, and the new Ft. Worth irons are another prime example.

I’ve been testing these players cavity back irons for weeks – both on the course and on a simulator – to see exactly how they perform, and what type of player should check them out. Here’s our complete course-tested review.

Pros:

• Striking aesthetics that appeal to better players (minimal offset, thin top line, compact footprint)
• Higher launch and descent angles and ample spin make for excellent control and green-holding power
• Premium feel at impact
• Variety of customization options, including shafts, length, lie and loft adjustments
• V-Sole design for forgiveness through the turf, plus Ceramic Matrix Core for forgiveness across the face
• Strong value

Cons:

• Traditional loft structure may not be ideal for players who launch the ball high with modern lofts
• Bulky cavity – although invisible at address – may not appeal to some players

The Ben Hogan Ft. Worth irons are undoubtedly made for good ball-strikers. If the traditional loft structure didn’t give it away, the sleek profile, thin topline, and minimal offset left no doubt.

The thick cavity provides muscle behind the sweet spot, the lofts offer the precision and stopping power better players seek, and a couple of key technologies make room for just the right amount of forgiveness.

The modern Ben Hogan Golf Company may take advantage of the direct-to-consumer model, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with stock builds. 

Au contraire. 

In my opinion, one of the most attractive elements of this, and any, Ben Hogan set is the wealth of options you have to tailor any set to your exact specs.

I especially like this for better players clubs like this Ft. Worth set. Players in this category are more likely to have (or at least be sensitive to) specific launch and spin needs that can be fine-tuned with shaft selection or loft adjustment.

They’re more likely to know the appropriate length and lie adjustments that complement their swing. 

They’re more likely to have a grip preference, and more likely to have specific distance gaps their irons need to fill to complement the transitions to the hybrids and woods, and wedges. 

All of those can be customized on a set of the Ben Hogan Ft. Worth irons, meaning any player who knows their specs can dial in the perfect set.

The Ben Hogan Ft. Worth irons boast extra forgiveness. After testing the Ft. Worth irons, I would add the caveat that extra forgiveness is relative. 

The Ft. Worth irons are forgiving for better players, but not necessarily forgiving for everybody.

In my testing, distances with the Ft. Worth irons were reasonably consistent from center strikes to minor toe and heel infractions. 

The difference between a well-struck 7-iron and a slight toe miss was around eight yards. With a pitching wedge, it was around 4-5 yards. If your target is somewhere near the middle of the green, those misses should still safely find the green. That’s a good consolation for a mis-hit in my book.

However, don’t expect extravagant forgiveness on bigger misses – those farther from the center, chunks, and thins – from the Ft. Worth irons. 

The V-Sole found on Ben Hogan irons is not exclusive to the Ft. Worth set, but it certainly helps turf interaction by increasing the bounce on the leading edge to prevent digging, which is particularly helpful out of rough.

Hogan also baked (co-forged, actually) a Ceramic Matrix Core behind the face of each iron, which helps optimize launch for each individual iron, and allows more weight to be spread to the perimeter. That, of course, results in more consistency across the face.

The Ben Hogan Ft. Worth irons are exactly what you would want from a players iron.

The design is quintessential Ben Hogan Golf, which is known for its timeless look.

The topline is thin, the offset is barely there, and the footprint is compact. 

The feeling at impact is more of a crisp connection than a buttery soft strike, and it’s incredibly addictive. If I didn’t have a family, a job, and a lower back to worry about, I could hit these irons for hours at a time and never get bored.

Even as a player whose game isn’t quite ready for this caliber of iron, I really like the sleek profile of the Ft. Worth irons. The small head made me feel like any strike is going to catch at least a chunk of the sweet spot, because there isn’t a whole lot of room on the heel or toe to miss the sweet spot completely.

Speaking of those looks, the cavity on the Ft. Worth irons is pretty big. That’s a lot of muscle behind the face. While it’s not noticeable at address, I know some players favor a more subtle profile.