I’m an avid golfer, a 6.5 handicap on my way to a 2 (been a 5.6) and frequent tester of golf clubs and equipment since 2015.
I’ve played the Ben Hogan Icons as part of my Hogan Players Combo set for a couple of years now.
Quick Take
Ben Hogan Icon irons are the best performance/dollar blades I’ve hit.
They’re forged from soft carbon steel. They look phenomenal and play that way.
I don’t think you’ll find a better-performing blade and I know you won’t find a better price.
Golfer Geeks Verdict
4.8/ 5
★★★★★★★★★★
The Scorecard
Bag Appeal5
Distance5
Sound & Feel4
Launch & Flight5
Forgiveness4
Value5
5 = Among the best / 4 = Very good / 3 = Average–acceptable / 2 = Below average / 1 = Poor / 0 = ☠️
Best For
Budget minded low handicaps with strong ball striking who refuse to sacrifice premium performance and premium sound and feel.
Considerations
Somewhat limited shaft and grip options. You can opt for the combo set if you’re not confident enough to play blades through the bag (I’m not.)
The Verdict
Ben Hogan Icon irons are as good as any blade irons I’ve tested. (Keep in mind, I’m only a 6ish handicap)
They go as far as I need. They launch as quickly as I need. They’ve got a scoonch of forgiveness. (I play 8, 9, and pw. Though, I own and have hit the 7 and 6-iron)
Perennial contenders for the best blade irons on the market.
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About Jamie
Handicap: 6.5
Expertise: reviewing clubs since 2015
Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
Typical ball flight: Mid-High Tight Draw
Golf ball used: Titleist ProV1x
Set Tested
Set: 8 iron – pw
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold 130g
Shaft flex: Stiff flex
Ben Hogan Icon Iron specs
Club
Loftdegrees
Liedegrees
Lengthinches
4
22.0°
60.0°
39″
5
26.0°
61.0°
38.25″
6
30.0°
62.0°
37.5″
7
34.0°
62.5°
37″
8
38.0°
63.0°
36.5″
9
42.0°
63.5°
36″
PW
46.0°
64.0°
35.75″
Icon Irons Overview
They are forged muscle-back blades made with an emphasis on shot-making. They’re designed to appeal to more accomplished players with a compact clubhead, thin topline & sole, minimal offset, and clean elegant design.
Why Consider the ICON Irons
The ICON irons are premium blades that have all the performance features low handicaps demand at half the price of the major manufacturers.
Features & Benefits
1) Progressive Center of Mass
Trajectory is optimized in the short irons by positioning more weight higher in the clubhead to lower ball flight and prevent ballooning for greater accuracy and consistency.
They achieve higher trajectory and more spin in the longer irons by placing weight lower in the clubhead.
The amount of weight and position is optimized for each iron individually.
2) Optional Diamond Black Metal Finish
Reduces glare. Provides better contrast with the golf ball. Incredibly durable and reduces wear on grooves.
The Nickel-chrome finish is also very durable and is a proven way to protect forged clubs
3) 4-Degree Loft Gapping
Eliminates yardage gaps with 4-degree loft gaps from club to club for consistency through the set.
4) V-Sole Technology
Assures better club turf interaction in any contidion with a high-bounce leading edge and a softer-bounce trailing edge
Testing the ICON Irons
Original testing was done in late 2020 with the 6 and 9-iron (which I still have). I’ve been playing the 8-iron through pitching wedge as part of my Hogan Player’s Combo set since January of 2021.
How I tested:
Range sessions: Dozens Rounds of golf: Dozens Launch monitor: coming soon.
My experience and thoughts from initial testing of the ICON irons
Two things caught my eye when I first tried the ICON irons.
Distance- I pulled my normal club for my normal distance and got good results
Accuracy/ Playability- I found it easy to take off yardage and to flight the ball. I have a greater feeling of control when playing the ICONs.
1) The ICONs have traditional lofts and are designed for shot-making. They have none of the game improvement features you find in many of today’s clubs. So, I thought I would give up at least a little distance.
Hit it on the button and it turns out you have nothing to worry about. You start feeling and seeing the difference in performance and distance when you stray more than a little from center-face contact.
I had 183 yards to a front right pin on the first par three I played and there was about half a club’s worth of wind behind me. My regular club for this shot is a 6-iron. My 6-irons have carried 175 yards for as long as I can remember. I put a descent swing on it and made good contact. Nothing special. I watched the ball launch and climb quickly into the sky and land over the green 10 yards past the pin.
You may be thinking, “you misjudged the wind.” Possible. But I don’t think so. I put it pin-high the prior hole with the exact same wind using my own 56 degree sand wedge.
2) I discovered pretty quickly the Icons are precision instruments… especially the scoring irons. No big surprise there. I had to dial up a couple in-between distances and got satisfying results.
Both were with the 9-iron. We played with about a half a club wind either into or with us most of the day. I was able to stick it on the green pin-high in both instances…which pleased me. I could flight the irons lower on command.
I’ve been playing the ICONS regularly for 5 months. I’m playing better golf and scoring well more consistently. The ICONs aren’t magic, but they have make my swing less sloppy.
Review of the ICON Irons
Category
Grade
Bag Appeal
5
Distance
5
Sound & Feel
4
Launch & Flight
5
Forgiveness
5
Value
5
Bag Appeal (5): Elegant and beautiful muscle back club head. Thin topline. Minimal offset. Best looking Hogan irons to date.
Sound & Feel (4): Must make center contact to make it sing. Do that and you get a satisfying click on contact. Forged club heads are known and bought for their feel. The Icons are no different.
Distance (5): There’s not a ton here, but there is some. Bring your good swings
Forgiveness (5): Nice high penetrating shots that hold the green. Easy to flight…something I love to do these days.
Flight/Playability (5): Plenty long for players. Easy to take off yards too. Comes in handy when between golf clubs
Wallet Damage (5): The best price on blades or premium blades you’ll find at ~$125/club.
Customer Reviews
There are currently 5 reviews on Hogan website. There were 47+ reviews on the Hogan website before they shut down for a couple years. (1)
Who are the Icon Irons For?
Low handicaps (Yes, if): You need to be a strong ball striker and a 5 or less handicap…minimum.
Mid Handicaps (Nope): Too much for you. Check out the PTx PROs or Edge Ex irons.
High Handicaps (No)Take a look at the Edge EX irons mentioned above. They may be just what you are looking for.
Potential Alternatives
Titleist 620 MB irons: A perenial favorite and outstanding performer. May even have a touch more forgiveness than the Hogans. Play similarly to the Icons.
Taylormade P-7CB irons: They’re cavity back, but are for serious ball strikers only. Outstanding if you can handle them.
I recommend the Ben Hogan ICON irons if you are in the market for
Muscle-back blades designed for shot-making.
Don’t mind spending about 1/2 of what you’d pay for a comparable set from the big boys.
These are the best looking irons I’ve ever laid my eyes or hands on. I’m not sure what else a low-handicap player looking for blades would want in an iron. They are worth a look if you are in the market and don’t mind saving money.
Thanks for checking out my Ben Hogan Icon irons review.
Leave a comment below and let me know what you think or how you like the ICONs if you got your own set.
Written ByJamie
