David7
Well-known member
What’s crazy is my stance is just like his (regarding the feet) and I didn’t even know that’s how he did it. I discovered it through trial and error.
Ben Hogan's Five Lessons
how do you trial and error reading a book?
just joking man. I use his stance setup also, but not so much the incremental change for each iron. I go by feel, swing path and target line. I do close my stance for driver.
I read the book years ago, but mine was more or less trial and error also.
I had to get around my fat body so I preopened my hips.
and it fit my swing methodology to a tee. pun intended
David7
Well-known member
I haven’t read the book but I would like to!how do you trial and error reading a book?
just joking man. I use his stance setup also, but not so much the incremental change for each iron. I go by feel, swing path and target line. I do close my stance for driver.
I read the book years ago, but mine was more or less trial and error also.
I had to get around my fat body so I preopened my hips.
There is so much in his book that I read it each year and find it helpful after 45 years of doing so. Pay attention to his section on the grip as it might be the the gold standard for how to grip the club.
Wantacigar
Active member
The way the stance is illustrated he had a slightly open stance with short irons to almost closed stance with driver. I've actually adopted an open stance for all my clubs. Helped me shallow my clubs, correct swing path and be able to clear my left hip (righty). I've tried a closed stance with the driver but it was either really good or really bad. Hogan's book was useful for a few things but not the end all be all.
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Incredible to me how many people will spend hours working on their swing and tinkering and then you ask them about their grip and they don't know anything. I'm like if you're hitting it hard but pushing or pulling it consistently you should at least try strengthening or weakening your grip before making more wholesale swing changes. Address alignment and grip positioning can really make a huge difference and they basically involve no swing work.
When I wanted to "cement' the open fully rotated finish, I super exaggerated the open stance.......as a drill.
Allowed me to feel all the essentials for a proper finish. I use his stance also.
With the driver and closed stance, think "control the low spot of your swing". about 5-8" before ball.
It's been the most reliable way to use the driver for me.
No it isn't the "be all end all". After all, it's called the "Fundamentals"!
David7
Well-known member
Just ordered this now, should be arriving on Monday for my birthday. I can’t afford lessons right now so I’m hoping this will help my ball striking.
If you struggle with a hook it can be great. If you don't it might be real bad, it was for me.
David7
Well-known member
I heard someone else say the same, maybe I should cancel the order. I don’t hook, I slice. Or top, but never hook.
There are some fundamentals in the book that will be helped to anyone, but Hogan hooked the ball and changed his grip to a weaker style to prevent him from closing the club face. A big portion of amateur golfers have the opposite problem and leave the face open.
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It’s still a good read for any golfer.
It's a worthwhile read for anyone learning, in my opinion. Just stuff to try to see if it helps, maybe not taken as gospel. Little Red Book and Tiger Wood's How I Play Golf have probably helped my swing more but nothing is a silver bullet. I read Little Red Book 3 times over 3 years before I actually understood a feel for his "Magic Move"
In my mid forties when I returned to golf after being away for 25+ years I purchased a copy of Hogan’s Five Lessons and found it invaluable. Over many years using the teachings in the book as a guide I built a golf game that eventually got me to low single digit HC.
I almost wore that copy out re-reading such that I bought another copy probably 15 years ago. I now don’t follow everything to a “T” any longer as the body with age doesn’t move the same way as a younger man but it certainly provided the foundation for someone with almost zero golf knowledge.
A close, younger friend I work with ended up with my copy of the most recent version and has been using as a guide to improve his game such that he is a very fine player.
I almost wore that copy out re-reading such that I bought another copy probably 15 years ago. I now don’t follow everything to a “T” any longer as the body with age doesn’t move the same way as a younger man but it certainly provided the foundation for someone with almost zero golf knowledge.
A close, younger friend I work with ended up with my copy of the most recent version and has been using as a guide to improve his game such that he is a very fine player.
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you can’t deny what Hogan accomplished.But also can’t deny that feel isn’t real.Im thinking these older books had more feel than what they were actually doing in their swings.You could line up 20
People who always claim they know what Ben Hogan’s secret was.And each one would have a different feel or intent than the other guy.Im the type of guy who wants exact documented flight;pressure weight;body tracking numbers of the actual Ben Hogan confirming what was written.Without that it would be a casual read for me.Why I never believed in the Loch Ness monster either. Hahaha
People who always claim they know what Ben Hogan’s secret was.And each one would have a different feel or intent than the other guy.Im the type of guy who wants exact documented flight;pressure weight;body tracking numbers of the actual Ben Hogan confirming what was written.Without that it would be a casual read for me.Why I never believed in the Loch Ness monster either. Hahaha
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I used the Hogan book as the basis for my swing when I was learning to play as a young man. 50+ years later, that swing still serves me well. No one method works for everyone but having good fundamentals is the basis for playing better. You could certainly do a lot worse than following what the book is teaching.
Curious as to why that suggestion ?
razaar
Well-known member
When Hogan hit the ball on normal swings his hands were level with his front foot. The reason because he drove his forearms at his target and held off the release of the wrists in the later stage of the downswing. His pivot technique allowed him to do this while maintaining his central swing hub (centre point in his upper sternum).
His publication is aimed at those golfers trying to break 80. It is not about his own technique, but about how he would teach a player to improve his score.
The lesson on impact where he he writes about supination of the left wrist through and past impact with the drawing has confused golf instructors since the book was published. Supination is palm up which closes the clubface.
In his own swing he supinated early in his downswing ( because his clubface was open to the swing plane in excess of 90*). By impact he had squared the clubface to the swing plane and his wrist had shifted from supination to flexion with the wrist bone ahead of the hands. The same as what we see in elite swings and on tour today.
razaar
Well-known member
You're welcome. I failed to mention that supination, pronation, clockwise & counter-clockwise rotations of the forearms is reversed when the arms move upwards. Supination of the left wrist becomes palm down at the top of the backswing.Thanks for explanation , appreciate your contribution.
I've never met a serious player who hasn't closely examined Hogan's body of work, and it's filled with goodies. Here's one example, the book doesn't specifically mention forearm rotation through the strike, and this is an area where some can get their wires crossed, but not him.
RecGolfer
Well-known member
Being able to hit the ball off the ground when it is that far forward is beyond the athletic capabilities of many recreational golfers.
razaar
Well-known member
You have got to be kidding.
The illustration of the release on page 102 in my copy of the book is counterclockwise rotation of the forearm. InHogan's own swing the left palm was facing down not facing upwards as the hands lifted past the ball.
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