Ben Hogan Trophy

As promised here are some more photos of the amazing trophy presented to the winner Dave Schultz and Colt Knost of the inaugural Ben Hogan Invitational in Fort Worth last month. The detail in the crystal is quite fine and duplicates the original casting very well.

The Ben Hogan Foundation is in the process of creating some new castings in bronze as well. The first photo is from an exhibit at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth where the original casting was shown to the public. Ben Hogan felt so strongly about the importance of a good grip on the golf club that he dedicated 17 pages in his book, 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf''. We should should take note of this precision when we put our hands on the golf club. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods use an interlocking grip while the rest of their grip fundaments are the same as presented by Mr. Hogan.

There is a nice video clip on YouTube showing an older Mr. Hogan demonstrating the key points in setting his grip into place as well as some of the actual feelings he gets when its properly done.

Ben Hogan Foundation Charity White Hot Gala

The charity gala was a huge success for the Ben Hogan Foundation and the Henry House charities. The Foundation is building a Ben Hogan Learning Center in Fort Worth, similar in concept to the Tiger Woods Learning Center in California. It will be located at the local municipal golf complex that already serves approximately 10,000 kids in their First Tee Program. The Foundation also supports the First Tee Program.

We were one of the Gold Sponsors for the event. They ran a slide show of the sponsors in photo #1. Next is one of the floral arrangements using original Ben Hogan golf clubs from the 60's as part of the display. Next is one of the ice sculptures that served as a table. David Feherty was there with his wit and stories about Tiger Woods and one of our severely injured service men who was a star at a recent Tour event when he met Tiger. The two paintings are on 6 foot canvases. They were painted on the spot as the artist spun them around on their mountings to creat likenesses of Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan. A shot of the crowd pouring over the silent auction items and finally the Proprietor of JanKris Winery from California who launched Ben Hogan Label wine selections, Merlot, Chardonet, and a Cabernet. All very good and well spoken of in wine circles. My choice was the Merlot!

Ben Hogan Invitational Golf Tournament - Winner David Schultz

Last week The Ben Hogan Foundation and The Henry House Foundation hosted the 1st Annual Ben Hogan Invitational Tournament at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth Texas. The winner was Dave Schultz, a local prodigy that is currently 21st on the Nationwide Tour's money list. He and his partner Colt Knost put down a 9 under par round at the championship venue on a windy day that was just plain perfect. The galleries were treated to the antics of 8 tour professionals who enjoyed a fun round of golf while continually blasting each other with trash talk. PGA Tour champions Rory Sabbatini was a great instigator as was Harrison Frazar who sported a pair of shiny irridescent bronze golf shoes. Mark Brooks, past PGA Champion, held his own both on the course and with trading barbs.

The Invitational raised funds for The Ben Hogan Foundation that sponsors various charities in the Fort Worth area including The First Tee Program, Folds of Honor, Camp Bronco, and the Cook County Medical Center. The Ben Hogan Foundation plans to build the first Ben Hogan Learning Center in Fort Worth at the Rockwood Municipal Golf Course Complex. Already, a new practice area has been established that includes a large grass tee as well as mats, a putting green and deep sand bunker area. Also, a nine hole junior course is operational. The site of the building has already been marked off and a large rendering is displayed on an outdoor sign located next to the site. Contributions can be made at their website, www.BenHoganFoundation.org. I will upload some images in a later post.

Now, look at the prize trophy. It was made from an actual cast of Ben Hogan hands holding onto a golf club. The details are perfect and the professionals were simply playing for this coveted trophy. The respect for Mr. Hogan was evident throughout the event and especially when talking about winning this trophy. I took multiple photos of the 8 pounds of crystal in order to preserve the moment and be able to later do a detailed study of Mr. Hogan's grip. I will post that study here at a later date.

Also, on Sunday night before the tournament the two Foundations held a wonderful 'White Hot Gala' event. I'll share some of my photos of that event later. Everything was in white including everyone's attire for the eventing. The big suprise was watching 3 large (6'x6') paintings completed in the space of a half hour and later auctioned off to happy attendees.

More to come!

Ben Hogan on the Ed Sullivan Show

I just found this terrific old clip that was posted on YouTube a few weeks ago. It is from the Ed Sullivan Show that originally broadcast in the 1950's and 60's. I actually watched this show when it was originally shown but was not a big golf fan at that time. I was just a kid then.

Hogan beats on Ed Sullivan a little by doing an impersonation of Sullivan's golf swing. It is very funny and shows a side of Hogan that was never really appreciated by the public or the golf writers of his time. This was a comedian Ben Hogan, a role he enjoyed with his close friends.

Also, and another really great part of this is a swing drill Hogan used and demonstrates here. It is similar to the one shown in the 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' and is a good way to get rhythm and a sense of what a good golf swing should feel like before all the technical swing thoughts jump into it.

This is the URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr-b7OsZjF0

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 Collection Swing Revealed Interactive Software

We at McTee's Champions LLC have received so much praise for The Swing Revealed Interactive Software that is part of the package for the 'Ben Hogan Collection' 3 DVD set (plus software CD) that we wanted to share some information about it. The software has been called 'brilliant' and 'magnificant' by a consumers that purchased the product.

Often, the purchaser has watched the 'Legacy DVD' and the two instructional DVD's (Swing Revealed 1 & 2) and installed the software on their Windows based computers much later. To their suprise they really enjoyed using the software as it allows them select any of the 4 swings demonstrated by Ben Hogan and choose either: 1) slow motion 2) continuous repetition 3) frame by frame 4) full screen - with a right click on the screen. They can even back up frame by frame and then go forward again. The four swings include a face on view of a 3 wood from 1949 when Hogan was at his absolute best, a down the line view of a mid iron, a right hip pocket back view of a short iron, and face on view that is slightly angled back from the target (the last 3 swings are from the 1967 Masters practice area).

The continuous replay mode is simply mesmerizing. The slow motion and frame by frame advance views really gives the viewer a good look at what Ben Hogan did with his golf swing. There are some differences between the swing in 1949 and 1967 due to his age and long term effects of the accident he had in 1949.

In our next production the Five Lessons DVD we will expand on the software component. This project is still in pre-production and in discussion with potential sponsors for funding and applications.

As always, keep them in the fairway.

Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan

Tiger's winning percentage is just plain hard to believe. He is better than the rest of the field but does not win all of them. No one does, never did, and never will. The broadcast fellows on the Golf Channel, NBC Sports and CBS Sports and print journalists from Golf World, Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golfweek and others keep very good statistics on Tiger and the data is stunning. It really is history in the making and we are fortunate to be living in such a great chapter of the game.

I did a little math myself just to see what Ben Hogan's winning percentage was during his prime years between 1945 and 1949 before being derailed by the accident with the Greyhound Bus. Hogan's golf swing and golf instruction books help to describe how he dit it. The video clips in 'The Ben Hogan Collection' 3 dvd set and interactive software shows you what he did.

1945 - 5 wins in 18 starts = 27.8%

1946 - 13 wins in 32 starts = 40.6%

1947 - 7 wins in 25 starts = 28%

1948 - 11 wins in 25 starts = 44%

1949 - 2 wins in 4 starts = 50%

Total - 38 wins in 104 starts = 36.5%

During those years he had to bead Sam Snead, Jimmy Demaret, and other top notch players of the time. Pretty impressive stats. And we don't even have to address his fairways hit and greens in regulation stats. Tiger and others only wish they could come close on a regular basis in tournament play. Hogan not only 'owned his swing' he also 'owned' the flight of the ball and what the ball did after it landed.

Hogan won the British Open in 1953

Ben Hogan did not know how important winning the British Open Championship would be to his legacy all those years he did not play at that prestigious venue. Somehow he missed the boat on that piece of golf history that was successfully dominated by Bobby Jones in his career. Its really too bad. In the twenty plus years of his competitive career he only played once, and won. Hogan's nine majors count might have been much greater if he had made the Open Championship a priority as the modern era tour professionals do. The best of the best on the PGA Tour define their careers and their chances of entering the World Golf Hall of Fame partially by how many major they won. My guess is Hogan would have won at least one or two more to add to his 'major total'. What if he had dominated like Peter Thompson or Old/Young Tom Morris?

If not for the war, the accident rehab year and the subsequent shortened schedule for the next decade who knows who Tiger Woods might be chasing and Jack Nicklaus as well in his career prime.

We can only wonder. But, Hogan's legacy is stellar and in tact for all players to enjoy and chat about after their own day's adventures on the golf course.

Tiger Woods Should Play in the Inaugural Ben Hogan Invitational

The photo above is from a swing sequence taken back in the late 1940's. I am not sure of the venue and it could have been from an exhibition that Ben Hogan participated in during that time period. Hogan played in quite a few exhibitions for corporate outings and local fund raising events without seeking a lot of attention for these charitable contributions of his time and fame. Professional golfers today, both Tour players and members of the PGA, do the same thing with a lot of good publicity attached to the events.

I know this is wishful thinking. But it would make for an outstanding story. I would love to see Tiger play at the inaugural Ben Hogan Invitational Tournament in September at Shady Oaks CC in Fort Worth. It just seems to really fit well when I do a simple gut check on the idea. Tiger just recently attached his participation to an event his fellow professional and friend Notah Begay has for his charity. It is really wonderful to see generosity from those players.

The event is for charity and supports several organizations including The First Tee, The Ben Hogan Foundation, and Henry House. Again, the value of golf in our communities goes well beyond recreation and entertainment as the PGA Tour tournaments and local fund raising golf events throughout the country provides much needed support for important charities.

The prize for the professionals is a crystal trophy of Mr. Hogan's hands holding a golf club. The trophy will be one of a kind as it is the first event. I would bet on Tiger to win. His golf swing is getting better and he would have a lot of fun playing the Shady Oaks Championship Course where Mr. Hogan played in his later years.

Maybe Mark Steinberg of IMG will see this and whisper in Tiger's ear.... or maybe Tiger will hear of it some other way and want to play. If there was just a little room on his busy schedule!

Ben Hogan Video - New

It seems that the easiest way, and the least expensive way to show some of the rare video clips we have stored of Ben Hogan swinging a golf club is to upload them to YouTube and link them back to my this URL Some of the ones I will eventually publush here are part of 'The Ben Hogan Collection' 3 DVD set while others were not included and not available anywhere else.

Also, as a reminder we had to change our Ben Hogan Collection website Store Front domaine name due to technical difficulties. It is now at :

http://www.benhogancollection.net/.

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 pre-accident golf swing

Ben Hogan claimed his golf swing was better before his injuries from the near fatal collision with a Greyhound bus in 1949. After he recovered from those injuries his swing changed in a subtle manner but he knew the difference.

In a terrific article by Jaime Diaz and corollary article by Jim McLean in the June 2009 issue of Golf Digest, The US Open Preview Section this piece of golf history is discussed in detail. The conclusion from the analysis supports Hogan's perspective.

The Ben Hogan Collection provided the film clips from which the still shots were produced by Golf Digest. The layout is lacking as the photos are much too small to help support the points McLean makes in his article. The photos should have been larger.

So, for Hogan fans and those players working on their golf swings, the swing model to use would be from Hogan's post WWII years prior to the accident. You can see this swing in The Ben Hogan Collection dvd set and software.

Professional Tour Players Swings, Any Ben Hogan Swingalikes?

Naturally having a standard for the golf swing as golden as Ben Hogan's leaves a TV viewer of the top players on the various professional tours sometimes making comparisons of their techniques and compliance with swing fundamentals. In 'The Five Lessons, the Modern Fundamentals of Golf' Hogan laid out some of the most critical of the fundamentals in an instructional style, aided by writer Herbert Warren Wind and illustrator Anthony Ravielli.

Who has the most Hoganesque swing on each tour? Beats me. There are some candidates that we hear about from the PGA Tour and the golf analysts that lead us through the broadcasts on the Golf Channel and the network coverage. Chad Campbell comes to mind. So does Trevor Immelman. Also, Jonathan Byrd. Who else? Well how about tall and lanky amateur Danny Lee? Very nice swing according to Bob Toski who saw it in person at the Masters this year when he was up there with Ken Duke for practice rounds.

There some teaching professionals that also sport Hoganesque swings. First on the list would be Jim McLean. Jim demonstrates his swing in his instructional dvds. V.J. Trolio has a very close action to Hogan's. You can see his on YouTube.

You can see quite a bit of Ben Hogan in 'The Ben Hogan Collection' dvd set. It fully meets its purpose of providing extensive film footage of Mr. Hogan hitting various shots with different clubs and demonstrating his wonderful golf swing.

I am sure there are many more pros and amateurs that have Hogan like swings. I wonder who they are!



Tom

Ben Hogan Video Clip - Ben Hogan Collection

From our library at McTee's Champions, 'The Ben Hogan Collection' I found a video clip of Mr. Hogan hitting a shot. Its from a new angle and venue so it probably has not been seen before except for those folks that were in audience at the time. The best thing about it is that the angle shows the action of the right leg and hip in Mr. Hogan's swing. It is a very strong move away from the ball on the back swing that sets up his tremendous swing through the ball.

Maybe its a view that will click with some folks and help them improve their swing. A lot of people learn a good golf swing by imitating someone else who has a good swing. I can think of no better model than Ben Hogan. Here it is! Enjoy the show.
Tom

Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons DVD Celebrity Host

It takes a long time and a fair measure of patience to produce a DVD that technically sound and has international interest in the golf world. We have completed most of the elements of a promotional/sponsor package for the 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan'.

The process of finding a celebrity host has begun. Wouldn't it be great to have someone like Justin Timberlake take the role of celebrity host. Timberlake is passionate about the game is a serious golfer who understands the game and its history. He hosted the fall PGA Tourn event last year (Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open) and he is going to be a player at this summer's US Open Challenge at Bethpage Black promoted by the USGA. I really think he would enjoy working with a classic project like the 5 Lessons that has such long term relevance in the golf world. Everybody likes him and his 'creds' in golf and the broader entertainment world is growing.

McTee's Champions and Platinum Studios in LA have partnered to produce this classic dvd. Platinum Studios is famous for its library of over 5000 comic book titles and its work with several major studios to produce 'Men in Black' brand, 'Witchblade', 'Atlantis Rising' , 'Cowboys and Aliens', 'Unique', 'Dead of Night', WOWIO website library, and other projects currently being filmed. Their website is at http://www.platinumstudios.com/.

To do this dvd properly with the technical elements of computer generated graphics in three dimensions and motion capture technology plus live filming at sites such as Riviera Country Club, Colonial Country Club, and Shady Oaks CC requires great producers, scripting, and scheduling. Its expensive but worth it. Ben Hogan's legacy on golf swing instruction, his championship record, his life values will all be displayed for audiences young and old in a very entertaining and informative way. The final cost for the dvd will be less than a dozen mid price golf balls! Promotional efforts will link the 'Ben Hogan Collection' 3 dvd set and its interactive software with the 5 Lessons in various ways. (http://www.thebenhogancollection.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/).

The project is licensed by the Ben Hogan Estate and will provide support to the Ben Hogan Foundation.

A note on the Ben Hogan Foundation. It has worked the past year on the inaugural Ben Hogan Invitational Golf Tournament in Fort Worh Texas. Its going to be an annual event with Shady Oaks CC hosting the first tournament. The Ben Hogan Learning Center will benefit from the event which is being assisted by the Henry House Foundation. The date is September 20, 2009. Professionals and amateurs are welcome with a four ball stroke play format. It should be terrific and a chance to play Ben Hogan's home course. (http://www.benhoganfoundation.org/ and http://www.henryhousefoundation.com/). There is also a big gala event called 'The White Hot Night' the night of the 20th celebrating the tournament kickoff.

Also, Colonial CC is hosting 'The Ben Hogan Award' sponsored by Chesapeake Energy on Friday May 22, 2009 and supported by The Ben Hogan Foundation. This prestigious award is given annually to the top collegiate male golfer. Last year Ken Venturi was the master of ceremonies and this year CBS golf analyst Jim Nantz will take the podium. The winner of The Ben Hogan Award is announced at the dinner who receives an exemption into the 2010 Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Rickie Fowler from Oklahoma was last year's winner.

I hope to go to both events somehow, someway!

Should you need some additional information you can contact me via email at mcctee@aol.com.

Tom

Danny Lee, US Amateur Champion, Johnny Walker Classic Winner

Wow!
Danny Lee is a model for amateur players. He has won the US Amatuer, won a professional tour event as an amateur, and will delay turning professional and making a livelihood to play in The Masters as an amateur. Could he possibly win The Masters as an amateur? It is possible! All amateurs, good or lousy, should really cheer for him at the Masters.

I will be there this year, first time, on the Tuesday practice round. I will be watching Danny Lee as well as many of the other players that I really admire, especially Tiger Woods.

Lee's golf swing is looking good. He is tall and thin with a tremendous amount of flexibility. What I have seen so far clearly incorporates Hogan's fundamentals. Lee has great confidence in his swing as he should at this point. He will only get better. Watch out tour professionals everywhere, there is a new fast gun in town. Keep an eye on this fellow's play and career.

Hurray for the amateur!

Welcome back Tiger Woods! Wonder how you improved your swing?

I am really looking forward to seeing Tiger Woods play again on the PGA Tour and throughout the world. He personifies much of what is great about golf and sports in general. As a fan, I hope he remains a gentleman.

I am wondering what is post injury, post rehab, post swing change swing looks like. My guess is that it will be improved and more closely resemble Ben Hogan's swing action. The trouble with the left knee was written on the wall with that violent snap he used to use to give himself some extra leverege on the downswing through the ball. Hogan did it with a sustained increase in speed as he worked through the ball with a bent left knee that facilitated this type of right side release. Two ways of skinning the cat with one being more consistent and pure. I don't bet much but... let's see what Tiger is going to do with that left knee and right side.

The funny thing is that Tiger is much close to using this action when hitting his irons! There was a big difference in those two swings, the driver and iron swings. Not sure if it was just psychological or a just a difference in effort that resulted in the difference. He has so much strength at 6'1" I believe he could still whip the club through the ball using the Hogan action versus trying to brute it through the ball with his standard driver action.

I do hope he changes. It will save his knee from reinjury. And we will get to watch Tiger play more often over the 50 years.

Trevor Immelman, Masters Champion, Hogan-like Swing?

I recently watched the broadcast from Riviera Country Club, fondly called Hogan's Alley due to all those victories he achieved there in his prime. Trevor Immelman, the Masters Champion was struggling with his swing/tempo/feel and proceeded to take several practice swings before making his approach shot to the green.

The practice swings were truly excellent and fully reminded me of Ben Hogan's swing action. Then, Trevor took a swing at the ball. This was not the same swing at all. The ball landed on the green but he was not happy with the result nor was he happy with the cell phone going off during his swing.

I was really amazed at how different the two swings were. The practice swings were somewhat flatter than his ball striking swing. The more upright swing would have required some manipulation to get his plane back down to where he could approach the ball from an inside attack angle. His 'Hogan' practice swing looked much better and should have produced a better strike on the ball. I just wonder out loud if he does this on purpose.

Trevor Immelman will be in the match play championship this week and I do hope he does well.