[Redys]

Ben Hogan tells his secret

[Redys]

Ben Hogan vs. Tiger Woods
Whose swing is better? There is a big difference between a great swing and a pretty one

By Bob Toski

In simple terms, a great swing sends the ball to the target shot after shot. There is a big difference between a great swing and a pretty one. With cameras and computers, today’s golfers spend a lot of time comparing their swings to Tiger Woods’ in search of an esthetically pleasing motion. But Ben Hogan always looked for a swing with pleasing results.

The differences between Hogan’s and Woods’ careers are fascinating. Hogan was in his eighth season on tour before notching a win, while Woods had 39 victories at the same point in his career. Tiger had 10 major titles before turning 30, while Hogan didn’t win his first until he was 34. It may have taken more time, but once Hogan figured out the best swing for him, he owned and controlled it better than Tiger or anyone else.

The stories about Hogan’s precision are endless. My favorite takes place on the 2nd hole at Augusta National. One year at the Masters, Hogan drove the ball over a hill to a small flat spot tucked in the corner of the fairway, not visible from the tee but providing a perfect angle to the green. Hogan placed his drive in that tiny area all four days. Most tour pros today would have trouble hitting that spot four days in a row with a wedge.

Ben was the only player who surprised his fellow pros when he missed a fairway or green. Even though he was one of the longer hitters on tour, Hogan could go a full season and not hit a drive 40 yards off line.

By comparison, it’s rare for Tiger to play a round without spraying a drive well into the trees. He can’t put the ball in play consistently with the driver, and as long as that is the case, his swing can’t be classified as one of the game’s greatest.

In Tiger’s defense, today’s higher clubhead speeds allow for a much smaller margin for error. But it’s interesting to note that when Tiger hits his controlled “stingers,” he gets closer to looking like what Hogan was trying to do. I really like that shot in Tiger’s bag; I think he could play his stinger exclusively—the way he did at the 2006 British Open—and win more often than he does now.

Tiger is still young, so it’s possible that he will one day master the swing the way Hogan did, but so far I haven’t seen it.

Here’s why: Tiger is the greatest athlete to ever play golf at the highest level. His talent, his instinct for playing golf shots, and his short-game skills are the most refined the game has ever seen. Today, tour golf is so power-oriented that you can win a lot of tournaments with a driver, wedge and putter.

Under pressure, Tiger’s the best with two of those three.

Frankly, he doesn’t need the best swing to dominate, which is why he may never develop a swing as good as Hogan’s was.

Bob Toski is a member of the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame and led the PGA Tour money list in 1954.

Ben Hagan VS Tiger Woods

[Plokiikmol]

Good read Lefty. I've never really studied anything about Hogan so can't really compair, but as a hugh Tiger fan I get a bit disapointed when he starts spraying the driver. Then again, can you imagine how dull things would be if Tiger did hit the fairway consistantly? He attacks the pin from 230 yards out of the rough and behind a tree.

[rxnixoncom]

I haven't really looked at the Ben Hogan part of that yet, but I really liked looking at the old ads and pictures! $39 for a new Simmons mattress (Sealy, too)? A battery that only needs water THREE times a YEAR? Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. Classic stuff.

[hasasnn2345tv]

The bottom line is we will never know just how these two golfers would have played against each other in their prime, using their own swings. Tiger has has had great swing since his youth. Hogan had to get rid of a nasty hook he acquired in the caddy yard as a youngster. Both worked hard to achieve their playing abilities. Both had to over come physical adversity. Who had/has the better swing? It's irrelevant, since they were/are both great champions, well a head of their competition, with their own swings.

[ëàìèíàò]

The bottom line is we will never know just how these two golfers would have played against each other in their prime, using their own swings. .

i watched an interesting program about ancient warriors being pitted against each other using computer simulation.

e.g. a roman gladiator vs. an apache indian.

wonder if they could do the same with tiger and hogan, or should i say i wonder how long it will be before the golf channel does something similar..

[Plokiikmol]

I haven't really looked at the Ben Hogan part of that yet, but I really liked looking at the old ads and pictures! $39 for a new Simmons mattress (Sealy, too)? A battery that only needs water THREE times a YEAR? Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. Classic stuff.

Very cool stuff on there. I have that cedar chest advertised just under the artical, lol. My father gave it to my mom for a present in like late 40's early 50's. Cedar lined and makes the blankets we keep in there smell great!

[draigenia]

According to the article, Hogan twisted the clubhead fully open at the top to prevent it closing too much at impact. That would have worked for Hogan who fought a terrible hook his entire life. It might be just the wrong advice for someone who had an awful slice.

I know people have searched for Hogan's "secret" for years just like people look for the Holy Grail. I don't believe it exists. Each fingerprint is unique and so is each swing. What worked for Hogan is not necessarily the only answer. If Lee Trevino tried Hogan's method, he couldn't keep the ball on the course, he'd be OB right all the time.

[Redys]

According to the article, Hogan twisted the clubhead fully open at the top to prevent it closing too much at impact. That would have worked for Hogan who fought a terrible hook his entire life. It might be just the wrong advice for someone who had an awful slice.

I know people have searched for Hogan's "secret" for years just like people look for the Holy Grail. I don't believe it exists. Each fingerprint is unique and so is each swing. What worked for Hogan is not necessarily the only answer. If Lee Trevino tried Hogan's method, he couldn't keep the ball on the course, he'd be OB right all the time.

Tiger's new swing is 85% Hogan.There is a reason most Pro's strive for Hogan's swing.

His swing change(finding secrets) came after hius horrible accident.Had to learn how to hit it with limited abilities .

Hogan was the best ball stricker of all times.

[Senasivar]

The level of Hogan worship that exists in golf circles has always intrigued me. I'm not talking about his swing, that was magnificent - although I personally prefer Nelson's, but rather Hogan the man.

I know his background and all of the hurdles he overcame. By all accounts, his childhood (specifically, watching his father kill himself) was horrific. As was the car accident later in life. But also by all accounts, Hogan was not a particularly nice man. He was known to be terse or even rude at times, somewhat narcissistic with a short man's complex, and resentful of others around him who succeeded - particularly when (in his mind) they did so with working as hard as he did.

I'll always remember an interview with Arnold Palmer where Arnie was recounting his first Masters where he heard Hogan make a comment about him, the the effect "how did that guy get invited here?" Arnie then said (paraphrased to the best of my recollection), "Hogan was a great man . . . I just said 'great man.' I didn't mean that. Hogan was a great player, but [something along the lines of 'he didn't treat people respectfully.']"

Hogan carefully cultivated his public image and mythology- even to the extent of making demands on the wardrobe and dialogue in the biopic about him. I don't blame him for that - I would do the same. I'm just baffled by the sheer numbers of people who are mesmerized - almost brainwashed - by the 'cult of Hogan.'

Having said that, the old Life magazine article is cool.

[rxnixoncom]

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1565296,00.html


Ben Hogan's Secret is Bad for Slicers
Learn why the greatest ball striker's swing should not be copied by slicers

By DR. T.J. TOMASI
ONE OF GOLF MAGAZINE'S TOP 100 TEACHERS
Published: September 01, 1999

In a 1955 article in Life magazine, Ben Hogan -- at that point essentially retired from the Tour -- solved the mystery of how he had become one of the best ball-strikers in history. The article, titled "My Secret," caused quite a sensation and became required reading for thousands of amateurs. However, many golfers over the years have missed the key word in the title -- "My." Hogan's secret was for him and not necessarily for anyone else. Especially, not for a slicer.

The secret combined three swing keys that Hogan had carefully crafted to eradicate the hook that had plagued him early in his career. But to the majority of golfers then and now, those anti-hook keys have only one result: a big slice. If that's a shot you fight, Hogan's keys actually are throwing fuel onto the fire.

HOGAN'S SECRET
When scottish professionals arrived in America around the turn of the century, they brought with them the idea of rolling the left arm and hand away from the ball during the backswing.

This meant the toe of the club fanned away faster than the heel until, at the top of the swing, the back of the left hand and the right palm faced the sky. The move had gone out of style in the intervening years, but Hogan decided that this action set the club on the ideal swing plane. However, it also turned his clubface so it faced to the sky at the top -- a shut position that promoted a hook -- so two additional changes were needed.

To open the clubface, Hogan moved his left thumb on top of the grip and allowed a slight cupping of his left wrist at the top. These changes rotated the clubface so the toe pointed more toward the ground, correcting the shut position. A good tip if you hook the ball.

YOUR SECRET
Slicers would be wise to work on a secret of their own -- one that is nearly the opposite of Hogan's.

First, when you let your arms rotate in the backswing, be careful not to overdo the move. Most slicers allow the clubhead to move well behind their body. From back there, an over-the-top swing path is the only choice on the downswing.

Second, a weak grip is all too common among slicers, so rotate your left thumb to the right to create a stronger grip. Finally, make sure your left forearm and the back of your left hand are flat at the top of the swing. These changes will help you develop your own secret, that of the slice-free swing.

Spoiler

Hogan allowed the club's toe to rotate past the heel.


This produced an open clubface position at the top.


A stronger grip will help eliminate your slice.


Hogan's secret was a weak grip, the bane of slicers.


A flat left wrist position will help a slicer square the clubface.


Hogan's cupped left wrist position contributes to a slicer's problems.

[Redys]

The level of Hogan worship that exists in golf circles has always intrigued me. I'm not talking about his swing, that was magnificent - although I personally prefer Nelson's, but rather Hogan the man.

I know his background and all of the hurdles he overcame. By all accounts, his childhood (specifically, watching his father kill himself) was horrific. As was the car accident later in life. But also by all accounts, Hogan was not a particularly nice man. He was known to be terse or even rude at times, somewhat narcissistic with a short man's complex, and resentful of others around him who succeeded - particularly when (in his mind) they did so with working as hard as he did.

I'll always remember an interview with Arnold Palmer where Arnie was recounting his first Masters where he heard Hogan make a comment about him, the the effect "how did that guy get invited here?" Arnie then said (paraphrased to the best of my recollection), "Hogan was a great man . . . I just said 'great man.' I didn't mean that. Hogan was a great player, but [something along the lines of 'he didn't treat people respectfully.']"

Hogan carefully cultivated his public image and mythology- even to the extent of making demands on the wardrobe and dialogue in the biopic about him. I don't blame him for that - I would do the same. I'm just baffled by the sheer numbers of people who are mesmerized - almost brainwashed - by the 'cult of Hogan.'

Having said that, the old Life magazine article is cool.

Is Tiger nice?Freddy also has been known to be a prick

[appleiphoneees]

The level of Hogan worship that exists in golf circles has always intrigued me. I'm not talking about his swing, that was magnificent - although I personally prefer Nelson's, but rather Hogan the man.

I know his background and all of the hurdles he overcame. By all accounts, his childhood (specifically, watching his father kill himself) was horrific. As was the car accident later in life. But also by all accounts, Hogan was not a particularly nice man. He was known to be terse or even rude at times, somewhat narcissistic with a short man's complex, and resentful of others around him who succeeded - particularly when (in his mind) they did so with working as hard as he did.

I'll always remember an interview with Arnold Palmer where Arnie was recounting his first Masters where he heard Hogan make a comment about him, the the effect "how did that guy get invited here?" Arnie then said (paraphrased to the best of my recollection), "Hogan was a great man . . . I just said 'great man.' I didn't mean that. Hogan was a great player, but [something along the lines of 'he didn't treat people respectfully.']"

Hogan carefully cultivated his public image and mythology- even to the extent of making demands on the wardrobe and dialogue in the biopic about him. I don't blame him for that - I would do the same. I'm just baffled by the sheer numbers of people who are mesmerized - almost brainwashed - by the 'cult of Hogan.'

Having said that, the old Life magazine article is cool.

I've wondered about it myself. It's very widespread. The great sportswriter Jim Murray was mesmerized by Hogan, and likewise Dan Jenkins.

No doubt I'd get it if I were 20 years older.

From memory of books I've read, I can think of two other examples of Hogan not exactly oozing warmth. A young starstruck Johnny Miller saw Hogan at the US Open in the early '60s and awkwardly said something harmless like, "Mr. Hogan, it's great to meet you." Hogan responded, "Kid, can't you see I'm eating a sandwich?"

When Gary Player called Hogan for advice on his game, Hogan asked if he played Hogan clubs. Player said he used Dunlop. Hogan said, "Ask Mr. Dunlop."

[Senasivar]

Is Tiger nice?Freddy also has been known to be a prick

What does that have to do with anything?

[Senasivar]

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1565296,00.html

Definitely true. Hogan fought a hook his entire career.

For example, that wrist angle in the LIFE article - very bad advice for someone who slices or hits straight. (I'm always fighting to keep my wrist flat.) That angle will open up the clubface, which helped Hogan mitigate his hook, but which will cause a push or worsen a slice for others.

Another bad piece of Hogan advice unless you are a hooker is in his 5 Lessons where he teaches keeping the arms "bound" together with the elbow pit (?) of the leading arm facing up.

Note: This is not coming from me. This is from my pro, who is a Hogan follower.

[hasasnn2345tv]

Here's a C&P I borrowed from a guy who actually knew Hogan, and Jack Schlee. It's a good read, and may shed some light on the "Hogan Secret". How factual it is, might be anyone's guess.

"I finally found a copy of the Hogan Secret that was in the August 8th 1955 Life magazine.
Actually I had already found a copy in another book. The Life magazine article just gives the other book more credibility. What a good read that was, but you know what? I still don’t know if Hogan actually found an actual golf swing secret, or just figured out a way to make his own ‘hook� prone swing disappear when he did not need it. Heck there are some folks who think Hogan never really discovered anything, but was only goading his competitors in to thinking too much about their own swings. I think it was Byron Nelson who told how Hogan developed his severe hooking problem. It was when they were both caddies. The caddies at the course would bet their pocket change to see who could hit the ball the farthest. Hogan learned that by hooking the ball he could out distance his competition most of the time, winning what ever money was in the pool. Being from a poor back ground, this money was needed a lot more than a straighter ball flight. Of course once his hooking golf swing was engrained into his muscle memory it would prove to be problem that almost made him leave the game of golf for good. Of you yourself will have to decide to believe this story or not believe it.

In 1947 Hogan told the golfing world that he had found “the secret� to the golf swing. What he did not tell the golfing world was what “the secret� really was. Of course after winning 7 or 8 more majors after his “the secret� declaration, the golfing world had no reason to disbelieve he had not found “the secret�. In 1955 Hogan sold his essay on “the secret� to Life Magazine. The amount he was paid is suspect, but the sum of $25,000.00 keeps coming up in various other books I have read on the man.

In short what he said he did was he weakened his grip, . On the back swing he would pronate, which would fan the clubface open during his back swing. At the top he would cup his wrist. Pronation is the art of rolling the wrist, left over right, during the back swing. The art of pronating, Hogan himself has given much credit to some of the old Scottish pros who were teaching the golf swing. Now for Hogan to make his pronating back swing work, he wrote that he had to add two other factors into his swing. One was his grip. One was he moved his left hand a little more to the left around the shaft. Instructors now days call this move “weakening the grip�, or maybe call it a neutral grip. . You know instead two or more left hand knuckles showing at address, only show one, or two left hand knuckles. The second was the cocking of the left wrist, during his back swing, which gave him his cupped wrist at the top. Now days, instructors say this is a bad thing, and the left wrist should be flat at the top. But for Hogan this, made his swing hook proof, while giving him a consistent high fading shot that for him was easier to control. He also goes on to say in the article that he only used his “secret� anywhere from 60% to 90% of the time. It just depended on what tournament he was playing at, and what the course lay out was. On some courses he still needed to use his hook/draw swing -. So I suppose you could say that Hogan just learned to adjust his swing to work the ball better."

[Redys]

I completely disagree with this flat wrist theory.Having a flat wrist at the top is an unnatural wrist hinging.Cup is natural..Why so many great ball strikers Had a cupped wrist?

Stand at address remove lower hand and hinge your wrist,What happens?It cups,which is the natural way for your wrist joints to operate.

Now, hinge it with a flat wrist--In order to get a flat wrist,you have to hinge with club going rearward..Totally not natural..

[piramirra]

I agree with you Harry, I am unclear why Hogan is memorialized like he is. It is a good story and certainly he had a great swing, but people have taken it to extremes. Personally I like Snead's swing better but to each his own.

[Joircarm]

Curt Sampson's Hogan biography is an excellent read. Gives some insight into the guy. He was not Mr. Sunshine, but treated those loyal to him very well in most cases.

Sampson's book The Masters is also another winner.

Kevin

[CiccoineFed]

If I remember correctly, Hogan describes (in his book, Five lessons) his weak grip as an adjustment necessary for him, because he was a hooker. He also mentions that ideally a golfer would need no or few adjustments. So the weak grip may be his secret, but probably isn't a secret that anyone can use.

Here's a secret: How about practicing more than anyone else?? And stir in some talent also!