Ben Hogan's Early 1950's 1-iron

        There are 3 known MacGregor Personal Model Ben Hogan 1 Irons in existence.

        Two such 1-irons are currently in the USGA Museum in Far Hills, New Jersey; the 3rd is offered here.

        By way of background, the most famous shot of Ben Hogan's career (and quite possibly the most famous shot in golf history) occurred when Hogan hit a 1-iron for his approach shot on the 72nd hole of the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club. Soon thereafter, that 1-iron went missing. It turned up decades later, in 1983, was authenticated by Ben Hogan himself, and given to the USGA Museum. That 1-iron is a MacGregor Personal Model Ben Hogan #1622.

        Only two other MacGregor Ben Hogan 1-irons are known to exist and are identical MacGregor Personal Model Ben Hogan #1037. One such club is offered here, and the other is part of the mixed set of Hogan's irons in the permanent collection of the USGA Museum and which are identified as being used by Hogan during his famous 1953 season.

        According to Merion Golf Club member and club historian John G. Capers, III, who has thoroughly researched and handled all 3 known 1-irons, that 1-iron from the 1953 set matches this club exactly ("with the exception of minor placement differences as would be expected with 'handmade' clubs of the era").

        According to Capers' research, "the documentation confirms that Ben Hogan possessed these clubs and probably used them in competition between 1950 and when he started to use his [own brand's clubs in 1954]."