Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Black · Clubs

Iron Set

Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Black

2017–2019Notable

Caddie's note

“Ft. Worth Black - the players iron in a slate-black finish. Rung-3.”

The story

The 2018 black-finish extension of Hogan's Ft. Worth 15 players iron line, using a patented Diamond Black Metal finish the company says is seven times harder than its standard chrome - it chemically bonds into the 1025 carbon steel face, in theory extending groove life and hardening the face slightly. Beyond cosmetics, Hogan built in Enhanced V-Sole Technology (high-bounce leading edge, low-bounce trailing edge) for turf versatility without altering effective loft, plus progressive weighting the company says produces higher launch in the long irons and a more penetrating flight in the scoring irons. It sold DTC for $700 per 7-piece set (#4-PW) or $100 per club.

Standing

Notable

Got real trade press (Golf Digest ran it as evidence the reborn company was 'continuing its comeback') and a MyGolfSpy forum test program, but no lasting collector or forum-chase status - it reads today as a solid, well-covered players iron from a scrappy DTC brand rather than a club anyone specifically hunts down.

Who it's for

Better players (single-digit to low-teens handicap) who want to work the ball and value the slightly harder, more durable black face for a club left outdoors or in a bag frequently. A mid-to-high handicapper chasing forgiveness should look at Hogan's own Edge/Ft. Worth Hi instead.

Notable

Diamond Black Metal finish is described by Hogan as seven times harder than standard chrome, chemically infiltrating the 1025 carbon steel.
Sold DTC for $700 per 7-piece steel set (#4-PW) or $100 per individual club.
Uses the same Enhanced V-Sole geometry (high-bounce leading edge, low-bounce trailing edge) found across Hogan's reborn-era iron and wedge lines.
MyGolfSpy ran an open forum member test program for it in 2018, a common way the small DTC brand generated independent word-of-mouth review coverage.

In its era

Released in 2018 as Ben Hogan's DTC comeback under BH Golf Equipment LLC was gaining traction, one year after the January 2017 layoffs and Chapter 11 that nearly ended the reborn brand for good. It sits between the original 2015 Ft. Worth 15 and the more premium 2019 Icon in the company's players-iron ladder.

Specifications

Category: Iron Set
Subtype: forged players iron, black finish
Years: 2017–2019
Ladder tier: Players Distance (Forged)
Dexterity: both
: 4=22, 5=26, 6=30, 7=34, 8=38, 9=42, PW=46
: R, S
Stock shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold, KBS Tour, Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3
Shaft weights: steel ~105-120g
: iron 82-96 mph

Forgiveness

6/10

A forged players cavity aimed at 'advanced golfers or those on the bubble skill-wise,' per contemporary reviews - the V-Sole and progressive weighting genuinely help off-center hits and varied lies more than a pure blade would, but it's still a compact players shape, not a game-improvement iron, so it sits mid-pack on forgiveness rather than high.

Calibrated across the whole catalog — a tour blade scores low here on purpose; it means control, not ease.

On the used market

As a niche DTC players iron with no retail distribution history, resale is thin: expect roughly $150-$275 for a clean used set in 2026, with the condition of the black finish (which can show wear differently than chrome) the main swing factor. No 2nd Swing-style reconditioned channel exists for it, so eBay/GolfWRX classifieds are effectively the market.