I still don’t know that I have any big future plans to play these Ben Hogan Bounce Sole irons. The 1972 Hogan Apex iron would continue that evolution by altering the muscle of the iron and center of gravity in such a way to allow for better trajectory control.įinal Thoughts – Ben Hogan Bounce Sole Irons It was easier to control and make better contact in different lies. So while the Bounce Sole “One Plus” still wasn’t exactly “game improvement”, it was more friendly through the turf. If you look at clubs from that point in time, the Bounce Sole really should be considered a breakthrough in club design. The sole of this club had much more camber and quite a bit more bounce than other clubs from this time period. By 1969, the next generation of irons started surfacing and is often referred to as the “One Plus”, or “Bounce Sole” irons, which really became the foundation for the classic Apex iron models to follow.įor this era of golf, the Bounce Sole irons were one of the more forgiving and playable options.
#Ben hogan apex plus irons plus#
But in 1967/1968, the “Bounce Sole” was introduced to Hogan irons via the Plus One model. This head profile, in my opinion, reached its pinnacle with the ’72-75 Apex irons. Now, the general shape of the Bounce Sole irons started appearing around 1964 with the Hogan PT-3 irons. They were just the irons the Ben Hogan Golf Company sold. Irons like these weren’t sold as “great ball striker, low handicap only” irons. It’s crazy to think how different the market was back in those days. What is known is that they tend to be highly desired and fairly collectible as they are regarded as some of the best vintage forged irons of the era. Oddly, there isn’t really a ton out there in terms of 60s/70s Hogan irons. Before I knew it, these gems arrived at my doorstep. Given my love for this period of vintage Hogan irons, I sent the guy a message. So one day in a Facebook, group I see a member post “I just got a second set of these irons, but I don’t need both” and he was selling this set for a song. Justin’s insight around old clubs and different marketplaces opened up a whole new world of vintage equipment to me. That sickness allowed these Ben Hogan Bounce Sole irons to come into my life.įast forward a few months and vintage gear enthusiast, Justin Thompson, joins the Driving Range Heroes team. Those clubs gave me the bug and I eventually found another setof the same irons for a steal and bought those for gamers. It all started with a set of 1973 Hogan Apex irons I found at a golf show with Jon Heise last year. Specifically with vintage Ben Hogan irons. If you’ve followed the site over the past year, you’re aware of my pandemic-induced love of vintage golf equipment.