Ram Axial Forged irons finished third overall MyGolfSpy Player’s Iron Testing this year. It came as more of a surprise than it should have.
Of course, Ram and his recently resurrected comrades MacGregor, Teardrop and Ben Hogan have some interesting things going on. The fact that Ram came up with a great performing forged iron is to its credit. But it’s also important to note that the golfer’s iron category is one where smaller brands can compete equally with the so-called Big Five of Callaway, Titleist, TaylorMade, PING and COBRA.
Smaller brands have traditionally performed very well in the golfer’s iron category. In 2023, the Takomo TG 301 CB finished third overall. A year ago, the new level 623 CB finished first. Since becoming a direct-to-consumer thing, entries from brands such as Ben Hogan, Sub 70, New Level and Scott Golf have performed surprisingly well.
We’re talking about one-piece forgings here. The overall level of technology is not high, so there is, to some extent, a more level playing field. But nevertheless, Forged axial ram surprised us.
Therefore, it seems worth diving deeper and seeing how Axial was created.
Ram Axial Forged: A golden Ram return
We’ve covered the Ram Golf story in great detail beforebut it’s worth a quick review.
Ram Golf began after World War II in Chicago. Brothers Lyle, Al, and Jim Hansberger built Ram into a solid company that produced recreational and pro-level equipment. Ram is also credited with developing and selling the first Surlyn covered golf ball, the Ram 3-D.
The Hansberger brothers sold Ram to Colgate-Palmolive in 1974, but bought it back six years later at a bargain price. The ’80s were Ram’s heyday with Tom Watson on staff and the Zebra player dominating the Tour and retail. However, by the late 90s, the industry was changing and the small family business was struggling. Hansberger cashed in at the right time, selling the brand to an eager entrepreneur Rudy Slucker. A series of bankruptcies and ownership changes later, Ram was an inexpensive house brand at Sports Authority.
When Sports Authority went under in 2016, DICK’S collected all of its assets. Four years later, Simon Millington and Sports Brands, Inc., purchased the Ram brand from DICK’S, along with Zebra, MacGregor and Teardrop. Over the past three years, Millington has revived each brand as a direct-to-consumer offering.
To begin with, Ram was an entry-level brand with low-cost, open-mold clubs and accessories. Millington’s plan all along, however, has been to move away from open-mold clubs and offer customers original models at DTC pricing.
Now that we are up to date, let’s see Forged axial ram.
A surprise under $500
“I like the fact that we surprised people with it,” Millington tells MyGolfSpy. “I mean, it’s not a blind test. Your testers knew when they were hitting a Titleist, a Callaway or us.”
When many of our testers heard the name Ram, they thought it was a weird collaboration with the Dodge pickup truck. However, after the test, many came away with a change of heart acknowledging his performance.
“I never thought the Ram would make an iron this good,” one tester told us.
“I really liked it and I didn’t expect it,” said another. “It has an attractive design and is consistent.”
“We’re a golf family and we test everything ourselves,” says Millington. “We knew it was a big club so we weren’t surprised it went well. We’d be disappointed if we didn’t get the best value. That meant we were doing something wrong.”
This is the part where it is important to emphasize Forged axial ram it is, in fact, an original design by Millington. It’s not an open mold, nor is it a slightly modified open model stamped with the Ram logo.
“I had been in the golf industry for 40 years and had a good idea of what I wanted,” explains Millington. “Unfortunately, I draw like a three-year-old.”
To make the Axial a reality, Millington turned to two seasoned professionals: former Callaway/Odyssey designer Larry Tang and his full-time club designer Gavin Wallin, formerly of Adams.
Ram Axial Travel
You may not know name Larry Tang. However, if you’ve ever rolled a 2-Ball Odyssey shooter, you’re familiar with its workings. Tang is an industrial designer with a specialty in golf equipment. He is listed on more than 150 design patents for products including Big Bertha irons and drivers, Epic metal woods and Apex irons and hybrids.
“I came up with the idea, but Larry came in and did all the clever stuff,” says Millington. “He fixed the weighting and all the tech specs.”
It took about eight months to go from Millington’s original sketch to the final product, a One piece 1020 carbon steel forging.
“The technology is kind of limited in that kind of forgery,” Millington explains. “The way you draw the eye is just as important as the way you play. You can do a little bit with the weighting and stuff, but it’s designed for good players.
“A good player wants to put the club down and say, ‘Oh, I like this better.’
The specifics are not like that
If you check the data, the fact Forged axial ram Finishing second overall in the distance should come as a surprise. Axial Forged 7-iron was the longest in the test with 166.2 yards per carry and 169.9 total yards. It’s also the strongest 7-iron tested at 31 degrees. By comparison, the second-longest 7-iron, the COBRA KING Tour, checked in at 32 degrees. The shortest 7-iron in the test was the Mizuno JPX923 Tour (the JPX925 irons had not been released at the time of the test) with a loft of 34 degrees.
So yes, loft and distance are joined at the hip. Additionally, 31 degrees is more in line with what would be expected in the player’s distance category. This is probably the best way to see Ram Axial Forged. From a launch angle, spin and descent perspective, it’s the player’s distance iron dressed up as a one-piece fake.
Take a good look at the iron and you’ll see an emphasis on getting the CG as low as possible. Club Design 101 tells us that strong lofts without a low CG equal low unplayable bullets. Strong loft with a low CG equal playable distance. While its launch and descent angles were among the lowest in the test, a 45.9-degree descent angle with a 7-iron angle is extremely playable.
Additionally, the Ram axles used in our test have the KBS Tour-V axle which, while on the lighter side, tends to be lower release and lower torque. The KBS Tour 90 is a slightly lighter, higher-launching, higher-revving option that Ram offers at no charge. The KBS Tour Lite and Nippon NS Pro 950GH are refill options that can also increase launch and spin compared to the Tour-V.
Appropriate question
As always, MyGolfSpy recommends setting up for irons. Unfortunately, custom fitment may not be possible with DTC brands. A phone consultation with someone who knows what they are talking about can be effective. No one, however, would suggest that it is an equal substitute.
Most fitters will accept that a device is transferable, provided it is in the same category. This means that if you were fitted for a Callaway Apex Pro, your length, lie and shaft specifications can be applied to a different iron head in the same category.
“We’re gathering here in Nevada,” Millington says. “We’re adding more shaft and grip options and offering length, lie and loft adjustments. We also have master club builders doing the work instead of people just putting the glue on and gluing things together.”
Common criticisms heard about DTC brands are “Looks just like…”, or “looks like they just copied…”
You know, they are probably in place. After all, many forged one-piece golf clubs look like many other forged one-piece golf clubs. They all have a clutch, a face, point lines, a sole, and some sort of grind to create a finished product. The similarities are inevitable, but we’ve said it here many times before: Similar to it is not same as neither is it copy of.
“Everything we do now is pretty much our own design,” says Millington. “With Gavin and Larry, we are doing a lot more work than you would expect from a company of our size.
“It’s also expensive. The tool in each iron set costs at least $40,000. We have four new iron sets coming out and we’ll be making them all left handed as well. And we have Hogan and MacGregor as well as Ram. That could easily add up to half a million dollars.”
Are Ram Axial Forfed Irons For You?
If you insist on a custom fit in person for those specific irons, that’s an easy no. While Millington’s Ben Hogan The brand does not offer a demo program, either Ram neither McGregor there is one at this point. However, you can just buy iron heads and build your own if you’re so inclined.
As mentioned, the custom-tailored questionnaires include all DTC brands. Custom fitting is essential if you want to play your best golf. But if you’re putting together a budget, you’ll need to make decisions. The attraction is great OEM level performance at a fraction of the price. Ram Axial Forged irons will set you back $450 for a 5-PW set of no-load shafts and grips.
It’s hard to resist.
If you are custom fitted, that fit will more often than not translate seamlessly to another club that is in the same category. If you custom fitted the COBRA KING Tour player’s iron with a KBS Tour Lite shaft in COBRA’s standard length and lie. You can easily switch to one Forged axial ramMacGregor MT Milled or MT-Pro, Sub 70 659 CB or TC or a Maltby TE+ built to the same spec and be quite confident.
“They all work,” says Millington. “You may not hit one as far as the other or you may not hit one as straight as the other, but they all work.”
This article was written in partnership with RAM.
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