When I first read “Five Lessons,” I was enthralled. I had read instructional articles in magazines for many years, but Hogan’s book was the first time I’d been exposed to the sum of the golf swing’s elements. “Five Modern Lessons” gives both the big picture, and the most minute of details.
But unless you possess Hogan’s physical traits, you shouldn’t try to swing the club like him. To know why, read David Leadbetter’s “The Fundamentals of Hogan,” which examines “Five Lessons” through a modern lens. Leadbetter quotes Hogan:
“I hope that these lessons will serve as a body of knowledge that will lead to further advances in our understanding of the golf swing. Every year we learn a little more about golf. Each new chunk of valid knowledge paves the way to greater knowledge. Golf is like medicine and the other fields of science in this respect.”
Leadbetter observes: “Many golfers who use ‘Five Lessons,’ have tried to copy his moves to the nth degree…They tried to reproduce his swing by adopting a weak grip, which for most golfers reduces power. They tied their arms together and kept them stuck so close together throughout the swing that they appeared wrapped in a wet suit…Many people became frustrated when they chose to follow Hogan’s advice slavishly, without taking into account their idiosyncrasies.”
By “idiosyncrasies,” Leadbetter is referring to body type (Hogan had long arms and a small chest), hand-eye coordination, athletic ability, and the amount of time available for practice.
Ben Hogan swing sequence
Characteristics of Ben Hogan’s Golf Swing
• His head dips in the backswing and then goes lower in the downswing
• Swings on a flat plane
• Swings past parallel at the top
• Legs move forward while the club is still moving backward
• Big forward movement of the hips
Compare Ben Hogan’s Golf Swing To:
• Bobby Jones (flat plane, deep hand position)
• Rickie Fowler (change of direction)
• Tony Lema, Sergio Garcia (lag)
• Paula Creamer, Lee Trevino, Peter Thomson, Rory McIlroy, Johnny Miller, Tiger Woods (head dip)
Ben Hogan Golf Swing Video Vault
There are dozens of Hogan videos available online, and many are excellent. Here’s a sampling.
Hogan explains the start of the downswing:
Todd Dugan analyzes Hogan’s swing:
Wayne DeFrancesco breaks down Hogan’s swing:
The evolution of Ben Hogan’s grip:
Hogan, driver, down the line:
Hogan, 4 Iron, down the line:
Hogan, wedge, down the line:
Products That Might Interest You
• Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf
• The Fundamentals of Hogan
• The Secret of Hogan’s Swing
• Power Golf, by Ben Hogan
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