Equipment
Spotted: Ben Hogan’s personal and prototype clubs at the Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Hogan’s personal and professional history is golf lore. Born in 1912, Hogan overcame a challenging start in life to become one of the game’s all-time greats. The “Wee Ice Mon’s” dedication and unwavering work ethic were unparalleled. Hogan amassed a total of nine major championships throughout his career, including four U.S. Open victories, two Masters wins, two PGA Championships, and one Open Championship. Notably, in 1953, he accomplished the incredible feat of winning all three majors he entered — the Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championship.
Another well-read section in the annals of golf history concerns Ben Hogan’s founding of the golf equipment company that bears his name in 1953. On the subject of names, the company’s iron models can be rattled off easily by any equipment junkie — Precision, Apex, Power Thrust, Edge…
In recent years, however, we junkies have been given the gift of a new lens through which to view these iconic irons — and woods, for that matter — in the form of prototype clubs from the Hawk’s private reserve presented at the Charles Schwab Challenge by the Ben Hogan Foundation and it’s generous (and equipment loving) CEO Robert Stennett.
Last year, our Andrew Tursky spoke with Stennett and got a look at prototype woods, irons, and putters.
The proto-hybrid from the 1960s, pictured below, was particularly interesting.
At this year’s contesting of the tournament at Colonial, we were fortunate to get a look at some more Hogan prototypes and personal clubs. Check out a few below.
For more photos and to see what GolfWRXers are saying, head to the GolfWRX forums.
And check out all our photos from Colonial here.
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More “spotted” stories
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- Spotted: Dustin Johnson’s custom Scotty Cameron T5.5 Circle T putter
- Spotted: Hideki Matsuyama’s Scotty Cameron T2 prototype putter
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
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