The hybrid club has become more and more popular over the past few years. Clubs once thought to be “gimmicky” and “ugly” are now found in a large majority of bags. Ben Hogan has always been considered a very traditional company and even they have jumped on the hybrid bandwagon.
The CFT is designed to get the ball airborne in most conditions. The sole is wider so it doesn’t dig on miss hits while there is enough overall club head weight to keep it from getting tangled up in the rough. I even tested it out of a fairway bunker and found the sole glided across the sand very well. The CFT also features a titanium face instead of the standard stainless steel construction in other comparable hybrids. The titanium face is definitely hot and gives the club some real pop. I have talked to a few people that compare the feel of the CFT to that of the original Orlimar TriMetal. The trick to figuring out the whole hybrid craze is to take a step back and figure out what you are trying to replace. Always remember hybrids are shorter than woods and longer than most irons. Hybrids are often numbered (in this case 1,2,3,4,5) but it is vital you play more attention to lofts and lengths to fill the gaps you might have. A good golf professional or salesperson should be able to help you figure out what you need. Remember that there is no law that you can’t combine woods and hybrids to fill these gaps!
I have heard and read many positive reviews about this club in recent months. People I talk to put it in the same category as the TaylorMade Rescue club in terms of feel, performance and styling. The major difference between the two is price. The Ben Hogan club hits a very good price point and is available in enough lofts that it should be considered by anyone that does not like their longer irons.