The Complete Hogan will help you have more fun smashing the golf ball

We all love to smash the golf ball.  Some folks do it with better swings than others and the result is a great big thrill from hitting hit far and under control.  This book, The Complete Hogan, simply shows you how Ben Hogan hit the golf ball with power and precision.  There are plenty of photos to show details of his swing and exceptional analysis by Jim McLean to help direct your attention to the details.  Its one of those must haves for your golf library. 

Announcing 'The Complete Hogan' by Jim McLean

The new 'The Complete Hogan' by Jim McLean from Wiley and Sons is now available in Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, etc.  The hard copy is terrific and it is also available for digital downloads on the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook.  The instruction emphasis is descriptive of Mr. Hogan's prime swing motion from the late 1940's when he was winning everything and called Mr. Golf by the press.  There is well over 100 photos taken as stills from actual film from that time period.  Its the best swing photo sequencing of Mr. Hogan's classic legendary swing.  It took over two hears from concept to completion of the work. 

Anyone who has ever swung a golf club will enjoy this photo sequence analysis of Ben Hogan's golf swing.  Whether its wishful thinking, nastalgia, or part of an effort to improve a golf swing I think the book will provide lasting benefits, enjoyment, and appreciation.

This is the cover and back cover slides.  It should be on the shelves in bookstores by now and can be downloaded digitally at any time.

New Ben Hogan golf swing on YouTube posted

I just posted a video clip from the 'Ben Hogan Collection' archives to YouTube. Mr. Hogan is practicing in front a group of admirers prior to a tournament. The view is from behind Mr. Hogan and he is using his driver. A great viewpoint for golf professionsl on the PGA Tour (e.g., Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, etc.) and amateur golfers to learn from. Mr. Hogan almost always hit the fairways and greens even in the demanding course setups of the US Open he won.

Here is the YouTube link:

Golf Swing Fundamentals for Tiger Woods: See Ben Hogan

I am really stumped. For the life of me I cannot see why our golf announcers/writers/teaching professionals simple defy common sense about golf swing fundamentals as demonstrated by Ben Hogan. Too often I hear or read that Hogan was the best ball striker ever. Ask Butch Harmon. Ask Gary Player. Ask Jim McLean. Ask Tiger Woods.

Then, in the same sentence/breath I hear or read that a golfer cannot copy his swing; his grip and his 'secret' would only work for him and would only 'confuse' a golfer and/or simply create a really big slice. The fact is that Hogan went from a very strong grip in the evolution of his swing to a more neutral grip and finally into a weak grip that he used to hit his power fade. A shot that went left to right only a few yards and started off on line.

It should be relatively easy. There is new technology in the instructional arena. There is a perfect model. There is video analysis. There is biomechanical analysis and instant feedback. There are excellent instructors that advertise that they teach the 'Hogan' swing. There are motivated students of the golf swing who are willing to put in long hours of practice and dig it out of the dirt for themselves. There is video. There are excellent instructional books from Ben Hogan himself, 'Power Golf' and 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf'. There are detailed photo swing sequences.

So, the question is where and who has an exact replica copy of Ben Hogan's golf swing? If you have it or see it, let me know!

Hogan Swing from 'The Ben Hogan Collection' on YouTube

I have seen many of the swing clips we used in 'The Ben Hogan Collection' set appear in YouTube.com over the past couple of years. We produced the dvd in order for all golfers to enjoy Mr. Hogan's swing. Here is a link to one of the postings that actually did some justice to our original and copyrighted production.

This posting does not condone the illegality of the postings on YouTube of copyrighted material.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNgMNK3CtWU

Check it out. It is a really good sequence of swings by the legendary Mr. Hogan.

Ben Hogan Golf Schools

I recently spoke with Charlie Ricks, the guiding force behind the new Ben Hogan Golf Schools. The concept is similar to the previous ESPN golf schools where there are various school types at cities around the country. These include a 3 hour introductory course to a several day school. The curriculum evolves around Ben Hogan's 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' and should be a terrific way for golfers to get a practical instructional setting to learn and practice the fundamentals.

The website is www.BenHoganGolfSchools.com.

I hope to attend one when they are in Florida.

New Ben Hogan Collection Store Web Site

The internet is a great vehicle for information and shopping. Sometimes the glitches and complications in the system are troublesome.

We had to set up a new website store domaine name. The new internet address is:

www.BenHoganCollection.net.

In the long run this new site will be more cost effective along with our home website that does provide information about the 'Collection' The movement from one to another will be seamless. Right now simply try our new site if you want see what it looks like. We are adding items to this site on a regular basis. Currently, it has the 'The Ben Hogan Collection' 3 DVD set, the Swing Revealed Interactive Software CD, and the coffee table book 'Ben Hogan, The Man Behind the Mystique'. Soon, other books, memorabilia and photos, apparel and some equipment and swing improvement items will be added.

Ben Hogan's 30's record, Tiger Woods 30's future

When Ben Hogan was in his 30's immediately after WWII he became Mr. Golf. He was winning almost every tournament he entered during this prime time of his career. Hogan is mostly remembered for his comeback from the horrible accident with a Greyhound bus in 1949 and his incredible majors run in 1953.

According to Hogan himself he was a better overall player after the war. The Ben Hogan Collection dvd set highlights some film taken during this period that shows that remarkable golf swing. The film came from the Alex Morrison portfolio of films and photos owned by McTee's Champions LLC. Golfers can see and learn from watching Hogan at his peak in these unique films. No other dvd set on the market has these films.

Tiger Woods is now entering that same period in his life as a professional golfer where Hogan was in the late 40's. With the credentials and records Tiger brings to this period of time one can surely expect some really terrific golf from him. Records will fall or be totally smashed. Tiger should finally shoot his 59 or better in competition. Hopefully he has taken it upon himself to continue his quest for a better swing, one that keeps him in the fairways and yields more birdies. Tiger has a great short game and is the best putter I have seen on tour. He will be putting for more birdies and eagles if he can approach the greens from the fairways and not the rough. Maybe he could learn to swing more like Hogan? What a nightmare it would be for competitors if Tiger could hit all 14 fairways most rounds like Hogan used to.

I wish Tiger all the best. Hogan would be proud of his dedication and perserverence to the grand game of golf.

Tom McCarthy

Ben Hogan - Long Drive Contest Winner

Another amazing bit of golf swing lore comes to us from the 1952 Masters Tournament. Ben Hogan who was known for his excellent ball striking and course management expertise is also the winner of the long drive contest at this Masters. Hogan often won long driving contests in his earlier years on tour against all takers during exhibitions prior to tournaments but this was the grand stage at the Masters!

Hogan's flawless technique translates into both distance and accuracy. I really do recommend that new golfers and established players study Mr. Hogan's golf swing and try to emulate the fundamentals of the swing as he displayed them on film. The analysis provided by Jim McLean in 'The Ben Hogan Collection" is the best to date and far surpasses what has been published in various golf books on the subject. You can see Hogan and learn from Hogan by viewing the dvd's as they are programmed to give the golfer the best instructional presentation available. There are repetitive clips, various angles presented, and detailed guidance on what to look for and use in the golf swing from McLean.

Hogan hit it straight and liked to use the fade as his go to finesse shot. He could also drive it past other professionals on tour on a regular basis. Golfers should be learning Hogan's techniques, not trying to figure out what some of the modern swing gurus are selling. Even the pros seem to fall for this nonsense. Its a good thing they can putt and chip or their scores would be like the rest of us amateurs.

Tiger Woods is constantly trying to improve his swing and my hunch is it will look different when he gets back on tour after rehab. I am also confident it will look more like Hogan's!

Tom McCarthy

Ben Hogan

The production of the new dvd 'Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' is moving along. The producer is in Fort Worth doing site research for upcoming filming at historic sites such as the Colonial Country Club, Shady Oaks Country Club, and the home of Ben and Valerie Hogan. Discussion with supporters and potential sponsors is ongoing. Hopefully, Mr. Hogan will be attired in some of the stunning new Ben Hogan Apparel. The clothing is classic, sharp and breaks new ground in sports performance apparel technology. The golf equipment will of course be from The Ben Hogan Company (http://www.benhogan.com/), owned by Callaway Golf.

According to golf historians Anthony Ravielli photographed Ben Hogan in Fort Worth to provide the documentation he needed to create the line drawing artwork found in the Five Lessons. Some of the original photos and negatives were sold on Ebay a few years ago. Also, some were used as images in David Leadbetter's book on Hogan's golf swing.

All the artwork and photos from Anthony Ravielli are now owned by Classic Sports Brands of New York (http://www.classicsportsbrands.com/). The portfolio is being preserved in tack along with Mr. Ravielli's studio. Select items will be incorporated into the new dvd production of the Five Lessons. Selection of a lead production company is almost complete with proposals under review.

This new modern production will incorporate the Ravielli drawings and artwork, photos and film of Mr. Hogan, and the new technologies of motion capture and high definition 2D and 3D computer graphics to create an entertaining and informative instructional program. The full capabilities of these new technologies and the outstanding artwork from Ravielli, the instruction content on golf fundamentals from Ben Hogan, and the poetic writing style of newly inducted World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Herbert Warren Wind are included in the pre-production plans.

Fort Worth is the 'Home of Hogan'. Friends and supporters of the new Ben Hogan Foundation have committed to several significant projects as part of their goals. One such project is the establishment and funding of a new Ben Hogan Learning Center in Fort Worth. Details of this project and other committments can be found at the organizations website, http://www.benhoganfoundation.org/. Donations to the foundation can be made throught this site or through Ebay. In addition, another donation solution for Ebay sellers is to identify the foundation as their charity of choice when listing new products for sale. A portion of the sale is then automatically sent to the foundation. Another option is to directly make a donation through the Ebay and Paypal systems. The Foundation has already started to receive donations through this option.

The Ben Hogan Collection website (http://www.benhogancollection.com/) is changing a bit. Some of the items that were listed have been sold out (towels, stand bags, golf balls) with no restocking seen in the future. Sales of The Ben Hogan Collection 3dvd Pack with software cd are contuing along with the coffee table photo book 'The Man Behind the Mystique'. Ben Hogan caps, visors, and new iron sets are still available but in limited supply. Coming soon to the site are Hogan's instructional book, 'Five Lessons' and 'The Secret Behind Ben Hogan's Golf Swing' among other titles.

Ben Hogan Collection stories

One of the best stories I heard about Ben Hogan had to do with his mastery of the pitching wedge. We are well aware that he could hit all 18 greens and hit all the fairways in a typical round. We are also aware thanks to HBO that Mr. Hogan's wedge shot in 1960 at the US Open came up short by 3 feet and ended up in the water, costing him the Championship.

But this is a better story, one that dares to be tested. Jody Vasquez in his book, 'Afternoons with Mr. Hogan' told this story about how Mr. Hogan could make his ball spin back uphill on the green. During practice sessions tended to by Vasquez he would watch Mr. Hogan practice from behind the green, down the slope of a green that sloped away from him. He would hit a crisp wedge shot up and towards the hole and make the ball back up - uphill! Vasquez said that he had never to this day seen anybody do that.

In fact, he told the story to Nick Faldo who promptly tried to match this feat. He tried and failed, repeatedly.

Ah, the Mystique lives on. I wonder who wll try to match this shot? Could Phil Mickelson do it? After all, he is the master of the present day wedge, showing off with Dave Pelz on one occasion on film and on another hitting a wedge that went backwards from where he was aiming at back on to the green. Pretty cool stuff.

Watching the beauty of golf shots on television

Other than actually feeling the sensation of hitting a really, really good golf shot with one's own hands and golfswing, watching a skilled player, whether an amateur or tour professional hit a great shot gives me that small moment in time where I can appreciate seeing the magic of a golf ball in flight, on a true trajectory, speeding towards its target.

No matter what, it is better watching it in person. Ask those golf fans that go to tournaments to cheer for a particular player and enjoy the shots they make on the course or even on the practice range. Watching this on television takes a distant second place.

The reality is I have to watch golf on TV most of the time as I cannot be at all tournaments all the time, even the local ones. I do go to all the local tournaments I can schedule permitting.

The producers of golf on television sometimes provide us with great viewing and most of the time they don't. I am not sure why. Frank Chirkinian had it right when producing for CBS by showing as much golf as you can within the limits of those sponsorship minutes for commercials. One should not talk over the action.

The best view of a golf shot, one that puts the viewer right there both visually and emotionally with the player is from behind the player and looking down the line towards the target as the ball is struck and launches into the sky towards its intended landing zone. This view can be on ground level, elevated, elevated at an angle or even elevated from the sponsor's blimp. Watching a shot from the green come up and land is fine. I like the close up of the ball on the green and where it lands and ends up. I really do not like watching shots hit from the tee or fairway from the viewing stand near the green.

It is a thing of beauty. At the Ben Hogan Collection website, one of the commercials we produced has a wonderful shot of Ben Hogan hitting to a bunkered green off into the distance. The swing is flawless, the strike pure, and you can see the flight of the ball as it rockets towards the green on its perfect trajectory. We have had many compliments on that shot over time. Within the collection there are some additional film clips of Mr. Hogan on the practice range at Augusta National that view him hitting golf shots from this similar angle, albiet from a further distance. The flight of the ball is seen over and over again. It is mesmerizing, let along entertaining.

I am not sure why this angle is not shown more. It really puts the viewer right there where they can appreciate the moment. One of the networks has a trajectory tracker that draws in the flight of the ball to give the viewer a graphic of its path. Its nice but contrived. I am sure that the camera can capture better than that in this day of high definition television. They did it in the late 40's with Mr. Hogan so why can't they give us thie view now? I know I would like to see a better view of the ball's trajectory.

There is a whole lot of new graphics and technology in place that the networks use to enhance our viewing experience. Some of it is just plain junk. A lot of it is pretty terrific. The fly overs of the various golf holes, the graphic representation of the green and its slopes and valleys, and even the dotted putting line. I do like the effect of the golf balls draining down the fall lines to give a real perspective of speed and curvature of the track of a rolling putt. However, about that dotted line. Award winning or not as the network claims, its nice to see what the player has to content with on slope and curvature but please eliminate it when the player is ready to strike his putt. When it stays in place it looks stupid, like a blue zipper.

Another reason golfers watch golf on television is to try to learn something from the pros that will help them improve their golf swing, lower their scores, hit the ball farther, and beat their buddies or competitors. We watch the golfers, we watch their preparation for a shot and listent to their discussions with their caddies. Way, way too often we have to listen to golf comentators who used to play competitively or in some cases never did go on and on about the shot and even critisize their play. Do we have to please with the networks to show more golf, more golfers hitting shots, and less dribble. The hype about the money list, the rankings, continued eligibility, the self promotion of the PGA Tour brand versus everything else except the Fedex Cup is really draining. It kills a telecast of a golf tournament, and championship, an enormous event for the local course and economy.

I do like to hear about the players especially if the piece has some journalistic quality to it and not just a 30 second interview at the end of a round that doesn't say anything, either from the player or the comentator. I do like to hear about newsworthy and interesting things that players do and that happens to them, and I do get bored about the boring stuff of life that even a tour pro has to do and endure.

Can more golf swings be shown? Yes, and with the great new slow motion technology available it really becomes a lesson for viewers. The viewing effect of slow motion photography is captivating when its about just about anything, especially a golf swing and club/ball dynamics. Wouldn't it be great if they showed more of these during the telecast for different players and different clubs. Wouldn't it be great if the networks could show similar effects for some of the legends of the game when they were in their prime. Slow motion works for viewers. Its a real benefit for us and I vote for more, more, more.

Overall I really do enjoy the Masters Tournament telecast by CBS. The tradition is there, the golf is there, and CBS puts its very best foot forward with their best talent, but very, very carefully. Thank you Augusta National members! I really do appreciate it. And, next spring, I get to walk the grounds on Tuesday of Masters week. Something I have waited so long to do and that I will always remember and tell my children and grandchildren.

Praise for Ben Hogan Collection

A while back we received this wonderful bit of praise for 'The Ben Hogan Collection' 3 dvd set and Interactive Software. It was unsolicited and was appreciated by all involved in the planning, production, and funding of the 'Collection'.


Please forward my congratulations to Jim for putting together The Ben Hogan Collection. The collection is by far the biggest bargain of information and price ever.
The guest speakers were all fabulous, a treasure. Your work finally puts to rest all of the silly "Hogan's Secret" claims by some rather lame teachers out there.
The way the DVDs are laid out, anything Mr. Hogan had to offer is right there to see. My favorite section is the "Y" factor as it also shows left shoulder and left elbow height as he reaches the back side/at/and a bit through the impact zone.

The Interactive EXE. file is a stroke of genius. Thanks for doing that.

Best Always,

Larry Mowry
1989 PGA Seniors Champion

Over the past couple of years we have received terrific reviews from golf publications. These can be seen in the media section at our website: www.BenHoganCollection.com.

It would be nice to hear from other satisfied customers.

We also have provided sample copies to quite a few tour players including the Callaway Tour Staff for both the PGA Tour and European Tour. I wonder how they liked being able to view Ben Hogan on the dvds and being able to control the swing speed with the software?

Please forward my congratulations to Jim for putting together The Ben Hogan Collection. The collection is by far the biggest bargain of information and price ever.
The guest speakers were all fabulous, a treasure. Your work finally puts to rest all of the silly "Hogan's Secret" claims by some rather lame teachers out there.
The way the DVDs are laid out, anything Mr. Hogan had to offer is right there to see. My favorite section is the "Y" factor as it also shows left shoulder and left elbow height as he reaches the back side/at/and a bit through the impact zone.

The Interactive EXE. file is a stroke of genius. Thanks for doing that.

Best Always,

Larry Mowry
1989 PGA Seniors Champion

Ben Hogan Collection Video Vault

The Ben Hogan Collection has a video vault on its website. The vault is open for inspection on a free two week trial basis before a reguest for payment of a subscription fee is sent to the customer. The vault is competing with YouTube for containing the most viewable film clip images of Mr. Hogan swinging various golf clubs in various settings from differerent years in his career. Many of the clips are also found the in the 3 DVD pack 'The Ben Hogan Collection' that includes the Swing Interactive Software that features Mr. Hogan.

Web traffic is consistent at the site and there are a significant number of customers of the vault that signed on over the past year since it went active on the website.

The idea of getting a site sponsorship has been discussed. The producers are open to turning the video vault into a free web service when sponsorship arrangements can be made allowing extensive enhancements to the content of the site. Contact should be made with the producer at sales@thebenhogancollection.com.

Currently the producers are in the pre-production phase of developing the new dvd from 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf', by Ben Hogan and Anthony Ravielli and Herbert Warren Wind. The 3D computer graphics to be employed in the production will include motion capture technology for a truly exciting, instructional, and entertaining experience. A Ben Hogan Avatar will be created that demonstrates Mr. Hogan's golf swing from unlimited points of view using Ravielli's pen and ink drawings as a basis for the renderings. Additional high definition art work on some renderings will make the various renderings truly life-like.

Mr. Hogan's Avatar will be able to show in detail his 'Secret' and all the fundamentals he describes in his book. Production will begin once a suitable production company is selected by the parent companies, Classic Sports Brands and McTee's Champions LLC.

More on these topics later.