BEN HOGAN FT. WORTH IRONS
CATEGORY: Better Player Irons
PRICE: $1,200, steel; $1,300, graphite
WE TESTED: Ft. Worth/Hi in 21°, 29°, 41°, plus Ft. Worth in 21°, 25°, 29°, 33°, 37°, 41°, 45° with KBS Tour 90 steel shafts
KEY TECHNOLOGIES: The Hi irons (above) produce a higher ball flight than the standard Ft. Worth.
PROS
PLAYABILITY: This club can execute any shot a serious player calls for; lower than average trajectory, but the Hi heads can get more altitude; cambered soles interact beautifully with turf.
ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Rewards perfect contact with matching results; you get exactly what you put into them — clunky swings can produce clunky outcomes, but solid ones can win closes-to-the-pin competitions.
DISTANCE CONTROL: Not as long as some, but similar to what several guys have in their bags; carry distances correspond to the club’s loft rather than an actual club number.
FEEL: Soft impact — the ball stays on the face a long time; mis-hits twist and shout but provide useful feedback; scoring shots feel about as sweet as any premium wedge.
LOOK: A standout — a throwback design that players like to look at as much as they like to swing; small head, thin topline and minimal offset announce workability at setup.
CONS
The small clubheads can look intimidating to hit; the Hi irons get shots airborne but not high enough for some guys; calculating how far each iron goes by loft can take a while.
BOTTOM LINE: These stunning irons were a fan favorite in this year’s test. The very best ballstrikers will benefit from the Ft. Worth’s proficiency, and they could also opt for the Hi model in the long irons.
