Ben Hogan launches new products for '05

Ben Hogan is looking for a comeback in 2005.

Ben Hogan, a unit of Top-Flite Golf -- which itself is wholly owned by Callaway -- is teeing off with a major launch of new products for the upcoming season. Equipment introductions include a new, high-tech driver, new irons, several wedges and putters, and a new ball, all joining a catalog that has been methodically growing the past few years.

“Ben Hogan has been a niche company, but it really is a diamond in the rough,” said Dennis Blake, Top-Flite Golf director of public relations. “Hogan continues to make quality, premium equipment, and we’re adding more new products for 2005 that will help deliver even better performance and results on the course.”

The overall driver lineup, in particular, will offer ultra-advanced technology along with the more traditional. The Big Ben CS-3 driver represents the latest advancement in the realm of strategic weight technology while the ongoing Big Ben Titanium driver, in two head sizes, is the more traditional in design.

Here’s a closer look at Ben Hogan Golf in 2005.

METALWOODS

The name of the Big Ben CS-3 driver stands for Custom Shot Shaping System, a technology that employs three very visual, factory-fixed weight cartridges embedded in the rear and sides of a 420cc titanium head. The design precisely positions 23 grams of weight in a manner which allows golfers to maximize shot shaping drives with draw bias, neutral bias and fade bias.

“We believe the concept of movable weighting is the future of driver design,” said Ben Hogan vp Jamie Bosworth.

Ben Hogan's Big Ben CS-3 driver is among its newest clubs. (Provided to GolfWeb)

Available in early spring, the CS-3 driver comes in a selection of lofts with a suggested retail price of $399.

As a counterpart, the Big Ben C 455 stainless steel fairway woods feature a Speed Slot design to enhance forgiveness and feel via increased clubhead speed and aerodynamic efficiency. Located in the outer toe area of the clubs, rushing air flows more effectively over the surface, thus helping to increase swing speed through impact.

Numbered 3-strong, 3, 4, 5 and 7, the C 455 fairway woods carry a suggested retail price of $225 each.

IRONS

Hogan’s new BH-5 irons offer the company’s classic shape with a promise of greater forgiveness.

These are the first cast, perimeter-weighted irons with stainless steel heads produced by Ben Hogan, offering a high moment of inertia (stability) for off-center hits, along with shotshaping performance characteristics. A thin-face design, short hosel and deep, undercut sole creates a low, rearward center of gravity to help get balls airborne. In shorter irons, the face thickens progressively and the center of gravity moves higher.

In early testing among a group of amateurs assembled by GolfWeb, mid to higher handicap players rated the BH-5 irons very satisfactory for feel, ability to loft the ball and distances achieved.

Suggested retail prices for a standard set (3-PW) of irons is a relatively thrifty $625 with steel shafts and $675 with graphite.

WEDGES

The new Sure-Out wedges represent a rebirth of the classic Hogan wedge design.

Available in lofts of 56 and 60 degrees, the heads are constructed from stainless steel with nickel chrome plating. The club has a lightweight Apex steel shaft.

Suggested retail price is $115 per wedge.

PUTTERS

There are two models in the new Hawk putter series designed by craftsman Bob Bettinardi, labeled BHB11 and BHB12.

Both putters are oversized “potato masher” mallets with rear-weighted construction for stability and alignment. The heads are milled from solid aluminum.

Hawk 11 has a semi-circular rear plate while Hawk 12 is trapezoidal in style. Both are available with center or heel shafts. Most noticeable are lime green Winn grips.

Suggested retail price for the Hawk putters is $190 each.

BALLS

Hogan’s new Tour Deep ball is a top-of-the-line, multi-layer product that offers distance and durability along with a soft feel. It is especially geared for versatility.

“This is definitely a long ball, but it combines multiple features and technology to provide varying attributes,” said Mike McAuliffe, Top-Flite/Ben Hogan senior director of marketing.

According to company specs, Tour Deep is outfitted with the thinnest urethane cover in golf. There’s also an ionomer mid-layer and a polybutadiene (rubber) core. Deep dimples provide lift and distance, with high spin and a medium trajectory.

Suggested retail price for the Tour Deep ball is $58 per dozen.

Editor's note: Chuck Stogel writes about golf equipment. Look for his columns each week on GolfWeb and PGATOUR.COM.