In my previous article, I discussed some of the mysteries and history surrounding Ben Hogan’s swing. Jim McLean made an observation that Hogan was actually hiding a lot of small things. Many have tried to understand Hogan’s hooking issues by studying his swing. Although it might seem obvious that Hogan didn’t hook because Ben Hogan was his hooker, there are many reasons why Hogan hooked.
Many golfers who know his story will be familiar with the fact that Hogan struggled with hooks and spent much of his childhood fighting them. However, the question of Ben Hogan’s swing and what caused it to become a hook isn’t often asked or even discussed in an analysis of his swing. The subtle or implied issue is that a hook is a symptom of a problem and not something to fix per se, for instance like a faulty grip or an improper swing path or a faulty weight and balance distribution. While it is well-known that Hogan suffered from a hooking issue, it is very rare that that problem is resolved to determine the cause and why Hogan did not address it more before 1946.
Hogan’s ability to hook the ball was due to the way he started the swing that allowed him hit the ball further when he was playing with other caddys at Glen Garden Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas during the 1920s. This is most likely 1924-1927. For nickels, the caddy’s would hit balls at holes.
Although the winner was awarded money, the loser had to collect all the balls for the next round. Hogan, who was smaller and younger than all the others caddy’s, couldn’t hit the ball as far. He was trying to do two things at the same time. One was fighting for his position in the hierarchy to sell newspapers and the other was working with caddy’s to learn how to golf. He combined the two to devise a golf action that would enable him to hit the ball farther and farther as he matured. This action is similar to throwing a punch. The arms move in synchronization with the rotation of hips. His timing was probably a key factor in his success. He wanted his right arm to launch as fast as possible so that it could follow the action on the right hip. As he later described in his books, he staged the action off the hip like a thrower.
This was, however, not the case. “cartoony hay maker”The image of Hogan being wrapped behind his head, like a baseball pitcher is common. Hogan was able to punch with his hands like a boxer jab, or a punch that is propelled from the hip. Although it might not seem obvious, Hogan timing his actions off the hip indicates that all of the components are rotating strongly to the left from impact. Without any form of swing compensation the arms, shoulders and hands are forced to work left or close through the ball. This action has the obvious drawback of a running hook. However, this shot is perfect for Texas’s dry fairway conditions. Hogan probably worked hard on his golf swing during that time, just as much as he did all his life. He also earned a reputation for being a relentless ball striker.
This basic behavior was so deeply ingrained that it would not be easy to alter. He struggled with hook problems from 1938 to 1946. Then he found a solution. His solution was pronation. “secret”In an article published in Life Magazine, August 8, 1955. To solve this problem, he used pronation to improve his swing. A close inspection of his swing shows that he maintained the connection between his hips & his arm swing all through his career.
However, if pronation is his true secret then how come there has been such a constant debate about this matter for more than 50 years? Hogan frequently implied that his swing was made by him. “hook proof”By erecting a massive wall on the left side, he felt he could not move beyond it. Pronation was a way for him to save a stroke, but it could have been more in the sense of consistency and confidence.
It is possible that his secret was pronation. However, it can be difficult to reconcile some of Hogan’s statements with the truth. Many believe that Hogan’s secret was a combination of small things. The shafts were extremely stiff and the grips too large. Hogan also placed his hands on top of the clubs in extremely weak grip positions. His grip was very tight. “Vs”His grip was pointed straight at his chin.
He stated that pronation was used in conjunction with all the other components of his swing and setup. Although this may seem to be logical, after he proved that he did indeed find a cure for his hook, he stated that he actually began to improve his golf game in 1946, when he stopped trying to perfect every little thing. Hogan discovered that excessive detail and over-attention to details was impossible. As long as fundamental swing principles are sound, it is unnecessary.
Hogan believed that mastery of fundamentals is enough to play great golf. His Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf was met with some skeptical. Many people who attempted his simple instruction failed to stop themselves from cutting the ball poorly despite their best efforts. Many others found the inside swing action to be a contributing factor in their tendency to hook and catch the ball. Some others were still puzzled at the inconsistency of Hogan’s pronation secret. The plane had a slightly different back swing path than the one used to hit the ball.
Hogan’s swing problem was solved by pronation. After 1946, Hogan never experienced the hooking issue again. Is there something Hogan discovered that made it possible to strike the ball with no fear of hitting the ball? It is up to us to speculate on the theories of others who believed there might be more. His secret seems to have been a combination of many little details that were applied to his swing. Pronation could be the last element to allow him to hit the ball well.