Ben Hogan Course Management Ideas

During the research phase of producing 'The Ben Hogan Collection 3DVD set and Interactive Software we found numerous pieces of the Ben Hogan strategy on playing tournament golf. While there were many more that Mr. Hogan used these were some of the best and most significant. I hope it helps you lower your golf score. These along with viewing the golf swing fundamentals demonstrated by Mr. Hogan in 'The Collection' should result in better golf.


Hogan’s Course Management Concepts

1. Hogan would practice the shots that would be found on the course he was to play including areas off the fairway and in the rough.

2. Hogan would only hit those shots on a course that he had already practiced and not try miracle shots or shots he had not planned for in advance.

3. Hogan would avoid caffeine before a round as it excited his nerves too much to maintain a calm and methodical demeanor.

4. Added an extra spike to his right shoe to help push off his right side on the downswing. The shoes were made by the Maxwell Shoe Company in England.

5. “You never fight your eye when you look at a hole. If it looks one way, play it that way. Don’t make a big deal out of an easy shot.”

6. It’s a black and white thing. If it looks like it falls left to right, let it go left to right; if it looks like it falls right to left, let it go right to left.”

7. On a dogleg right, you don’t try to hook it, on a dogleg left don’t try to fade it.”

8. “When you practice try to find a situation to fit the shot you’re trying to practice

9. If the pin is on the right hand side of the green, the shot goes from left to right.

10. If the pin is in the left, it goes right to left.

11. If the pin is in the front, it goes in high.

12. If the pin is in the back, it comes in lower.

13. Always drop down a club when in doubt, go to a seven if it’s between a 7 or 8 iron.

14. Hogan would simply block off the past shots, good or bad, on the course by envisioning a wall following him down the fairway. The only thing he was concerned with was what was in front of the wall, the present, the current and next shot, not the shot he just hit or anything before it during a round.

For more information on 'The Collection' go to www.BenHoganCollection.com. For more information on Classic Golf Brands and their subscription Classic Wine Program go to www.ClassicGolfBrands.com.

Also, we will be sending out the Request for Proposals (RFP) next week for the production of the new instructional golf dvd, 'Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' by Ben Hogan with Herbert Warren Wind and Anthony Ravielli.