What was Hogan’s Secret

Here is what Hogan’s Peers thought his secret was…

Ben Hogan’s comments on “the Secret:”

"I have a secret. It is easy to see, if I tell you to where to look. The secret, is as old as hickory shafts - and just as obsolete. It gives the ball a slight fade from left to right, takes 1 stroke a round off my score. It was like learning to play golf all over again,"

Ben Hogan’s Peers on “The Secret:”

1953 PGA Championship winner Walter Burkemo:

“At the top of the back swing Hogan drops his hands. This pulls his right elbow close in to his side, fattens the arc of the down swing, produces a controlled fade.”

Claude Harmon (one of Ben Hogan's close friends):

“His left hip leads. His body does not turn, it just slides forward, At the moment of impact Hogan's left hip, wrists and hands are well ahead of the ball.”

George Fazio:  

“The secret rests in Hogan's shoulders. They stay almost level all through the back swing, enable him to obtain a wheel-like arc with his club, arms and shoulders acting as a spoke in the wheel. Remindful of old-timer Harry Vardon, Hogan dips his left shoulder, but slightly at the top of his swing.”

Sam Snead: 

“The secret could be in Hogan's hands. They never cross.”

But Snead also went on to say…

"Anybody can say he has a secret If he won't tell what it is. Watch out for this (speaking of Hogan) guy. He slings more bull than anybody else in the business."

Unnamed Pro:

“Hogan’s secret is in his hula-like pivot.”

Міke Turnesa:

“It is an open face club when Hogan addresses the ball.”

Gene Sarazen:

"It's pronation. It is a roll of the wrists during the backswing, which opens the face of the club. Scottish pros taught it 40 years ago.”

“However, The real secret is Hogan's intelligence. He has it up here (tapping his head).”

Hogan’s Advice to Ben Crenshaw:

One day on the range a young Ben Crenshaw asked Ben Hogan how he kept a 5 iron under the wind. Hogan seemed to ignore him for a while and then quipped:

“I try to hit it on the second grove.”

Hogan’s Advice to Gary Player:

Gary Player once asked Ben Hogan about where he thought his hands should be in the backswing.

Ben Hogan: “What clubs are you using now?

Gary Player: “Dunlop.”

Ben Hogan: “Then call Mr. Dunlop.”

Hogan’s Demand for Perfection:

Hogan always demanded perfection. He demanded it from himself & his equipment. As the President of the Ben Hogan Golf Company he once scrapped an entire batch of iron heads because they did not meet his standards. His golf balls were no different. Prior to a U.S. Open he received a shipment of several dozen balls. Hogan pulled out a magnifying glass and inspected every single golf ball. He kept a few and sent the rest back with a note.

“Some of these balls have a little too much paint in the dimples.”

Hogan’s Attention to Detail

Hogan wasn’t just meticulous with his swing or his equipment, he was meticulous in his preparation. Here are two short quotes of Hogan’s preparation for his year of 1953 and what became the Triple Crown.

1953 US Open at Oakmont

One unnamed professional remarked prior to the playing of the 1953 US Open at Oakmont.

“Hogan has spent a lot of time out here studying this course. On the morning of the first round there wasn't a square yard of fairway, a trap, or a green that Ben didn't know by heart. You can bet that Ben won’t find himself in any strange spots.”

1953 Open at Carnoustie

A couple of weeks later an unnamed Scot had been following Ben Hogan around Carnoustie as Hogan prepared for the 1953 Open Championship:

“He knows more about this place than I do and I've been playing here for 40 years."

Did Hogan Have a Secret?

Let’s close this newsletter with the opinion of Al Waltrous, former Tour Professional and Head Professional at Oakland Hills in 1953:

“He does something none of the others do. I know roughly what it is but I can't explain it so it'll make sense and I couldn't teach it if I tried, but I'm trying it on myself and even at my age it's a great help. Hogan's secret adds tremendous distance and accounts for the fact that Hogan gets better nearly every round on those rugged 72 hole grinds under pressure.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. If you enjoyed it please consider sharing it with your friends and family. If you disliked it please consider sharing it with your enemies.

Until next time…

Yours in Golf History,

Connor T. Lewis