Ben Hogan Swing Revealed CD Software

I had posted this demo film clip to Facebook awhile back and it was well received.  It shows some of the features of the software CD showing different views for four swings by Ben Hogan showcasing his fundamentals.  The time frame includes 1948 as well as 1967.  The swings are a bit different as a result of the accident and aging but the grace and power of his fundamentally correct swing are all there.  The user can view each in a frame by frame mode with reverse ability, continuous loop on a selection, and a slow motion mode.  Otherwise, it automatically cycles through the sections after showing a repetition of five for each swing.  It is available on Amazon and titled 'The Swing Interactive Software - Ben Hogan (CD-ROM)' at a sale price of $6.95.  It installs easily in a couple of minutes on all Windows based computers (not Apple iOS) systems.

I turn this on and watch it regularly and I'll bet you will too.  Have fun with it!

Ben Hogan's Masters Tournament Gift - 1965

Ben Hogan received this gift from the Masters Tournament in 1965.  It must have been a tradition for the tournament host to give various gifts each year.  This one looks like a tope measure, a pair of pliers, and a little hatchet.  I wonder if Mr. Hogan ever used them around the house.  This was part of a display by the his family at Shady Oaks Country Club, site of the Ben Hogan Invitational, a yearly even held in September each year and benefitting the Ben Hogan Foundation and the Henry House Charities.  Look them up, they deserve support for the wonderful things they are doing in Fort Worth.

I took the picture and you can see some of my shadow on the glass case.  It was a great day for the tournament at Shady.  Colonial Country Club is also close by and the clubhouse has a terrific new exhibit about Mr. Hogan. 

WWW.BenHoganFoundation.org.

Ben Hogan Locker

I took this photo a couple of years ago when visiting the Golf House Museum at the USGA.  Its part of the Ben Hogan Exhibit.  They have expanded the museum to add a large Arnold Palmer exhibit as well.  I would guess that someday there will be a Jack Nicklaus Exhibit as well as a Tiger Woods Exhibit.  The clubs in the photo are tournament used by Mr. Hogan and the wardrobe was donated by the Hogan family.

March Magic

March is such a great month.  Spring breaks for the kids from school and the mini vacations with the younger ones and the huge parties for the older ones.  March Madness NCAA basketball and the NIT to mix sports viewing with tournament golf and even NASCAR events.  A lot of sport on TV and in our local venues in Florida.  Grapefruit league baseball gives us a chance to see the stars up close during spring training and its a lot easier to get an autograph.  The weather can be unpredictable but if lucky you can enjoy the outdoors. 

And getting in the mood for the Masters Tournament.

Getting ready for the spring and summer golf instructional season at Doral. 

The 5 Lessons, Modern Fundamentals of Golf projects (iPad and tablet apps and the iPhone and mobile phone apps) are taking off in the marketplace as well as the new book,'The Complete Hogan'.  The Ben Hogan Collection 3 DVD box set is still a hot seller.  I guess I have been busier than I realized.

Here are some open questions:

And where in the heck is Peyton Manning today?  Where will he play?

When will Tiger win again? 

Will the Miami Dolphins finally get a top notch quarterback?

Will the Miami Marlins fix the parking problem at the new stadium?

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. 

Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons iPad and Tablet app

Here is Ben Hogan's backswing as shown in the 5 Lessons application.  For the life of me I don't know why so many golfers listen to TV golf announcers instead of golf teaching professional instructors.  I am certain most would agree that the fundamentals and the drawings Hogan introduced in 1957 are still valid and a terrific standard to accomplish.  It makes golf FUN to hit the ball better. 

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.

Ben Hogan - Circa 1968

I thought I would share this video clip of Mr. Hogan on the practice tee from around 1968. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJVzLZU_R_c&feature=player_detailpage

It really shows how smooth and effortless his swing was almost 20 years after the accident when he was well into his 50's.  This was what his instructional books, 'Power Golf' and 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' were all about.

Happy Holidays!

Motion Capture Shoot for the 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' by Ben Hogan new Wii game and dvd

It finally happened!  The motion capture session last week was completed in Michigan, during a blizzard, with outstanding golf swing models and professional golfers Jared Isaacs and Maiya Tanaka.  Here is a link from the local Michigan CBS affiliate that came by the studio to film part of the events of the week.   The Detroit Free press sportswriter came by and also did a fine article on the proceedings. 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2010/12/16/ben-hogan-golf-game-made-in-troy-royal-oak/

The shoot was directed by a fantastic directer, Mark Soderwall, who brought a wealth of experience to the project from his previous work with Atari, EA Sports, and Lucas Films.  What a great professional.  I know the production is in great hands. 

I spent 3 1/2 days on site to help/assist the director on all things pertaining to Ben Hogan and provide intensive coaching to the golfers on matching subtle elements of Mr. Hogan's swing.  Jared is a long standing Master Instructor at the Jim McLean golf school at Doral in Miami, FL and was able to adjust his swing pattern to more close replicate the desired motions.  He achieved an excellent match that both I and Dave Kindred, the section President from Michigan's Southern PGA Section, were quite happy with. 

Maiya and Jared were terrific in their respective roles.  The director was able to elicit a wide array of golf movements for both on-course and off-course scenes for the Wii game and for the instructional dvd and interactive website.  They both were quite animated and their personalities will show through in the final product.  It was sure fun to watch.  Those reflective markers on their spandex suits glow quite nicely like light bulbs when taking flash photos!

Photos from the shoot will show up here on this blog in the near future as well as on our Facebook page.  Right now you can follow some of the threads on the current Facebook pages for the production company, Pixofactor.

Ben Hogan Swing Model Casting Call for 5 Lessons Project

Well we are finally at the beginning of the projection phase of the 'Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf' by Ben Hogan avatar project.  A schedule is now under development for the production activities and one of the first things we need to do is select a swing model for the motion capture shoot.  The location will be in California and should occur within about a month from now.  The shoot will take most of a day in the motion capture studio. 

We are looking for:

o Male: 5' 7" tall +/- 1" 150 lbs. +/- 10 lbs
o Age: 18 to 45 years old and very flexible
o Amateur or professional
o Able to demonstrate via video clip an 'exact' replica of Ben Hogan's golf swing circa 1947. Need two views, down the line and face on.
The golfer should contact me directly. If you want you can forward this contact information if you think someone would be interested.

My contact information is: mcctee@aol.com or by cell at 305-297-6276.

The data from the shoot will produce a 'wire frame' or 'bones model' showing the motion of the golf swing.  The data will later be supplemented with laid on CG artwork to perfectly resemble Ben Hogan circa 1940-1950.  This moving lifelike avatar will be the basis for the new Five Lessons DVD, interactive website, and Wii instructional golf application. 

Interview regarding the production story for The Ben Hogan Collection dvd set

This was just posted from an interview I had with David Wogan on www.SellBox.com. David is well known in the golf industry for his www.golfyellowpages.com directory.

The picture above is not David but a full size statue of Samuel Clemmons.  It looks like an interview so I thought it is appropriate.  The other fellow is me, just chatting and practicing my interview style.  The statue is located in a riverside park in Fort Worth Texas, just a stone's throw from Colonial Country Club, the site of this years Colonial Invitation PGA Tour event.  I do wish I was going to be there as in prior years.  It is a wonderful tournament, a great venue, and a tradition on tour that truly stands out. 

Here is the link. The history of the production process for 'The Ben Hogan Collection' is provided in the interview as well as some tips to others who want to produce media content.

http://www.sellbox.com/2010/04/tom-you-really-need-to-do-something-with-this/

Ben Hogan Life Magazine Photo Gallery from 1955 'Secret' Photo Shoot

Life Magazine has a great archive of photos from all aspects of life on this planet including some great shots of Ben Hogan. There are some out takes from the shoot they did for their August 8 article on Ben Hogan's secret that did not make it in the magazine. Browse their archives and see some really rare photos. I am sure they will be glad to sell copies to you if you are interested.

If you browse their archive you will find photos of Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, and other champions.

http://www.life.com/image/79157952/in-gallery/23641/golf-magazine-10-great-golf-pics

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:

Jackie Burke, Jr. talks about Ben Hogan

In our production of the 'Ben Hogan Collection' DVD set we had the opportunity to interview Jackie Burke, Jr. in early 2006 when he was down in Miami teaching with Jim McLean at Jim's golf school at Doral Golf Resort.

We did our filming in one of the conference rooms in the Doral main building. Mr. Burke told a lot of stories about Mr. Hogan and responded to a film we showed him taken at the 1967 Masters during a practice round. Mr. Burke, Gardner Dickinson, and Mr. Hogan were playing together and the film depicted their shots on several holes. It certainly brought back memories for Mr. Burke and quite a few interesting stories about Ben Hogan. These are included in the 'Legacy' dvd documentary that is part of the 'Collection'.

Mr. Burke is shown in the photos conducting instruction on putting for several of McLean's instructors at the Great White Course at Doral. It was a real treat for all of us and especially the instructors. I hope they all could appreciate the opportunity they had to hear what a great champion had to say about putting and the short game. He does not mince words that's for sure. Mr. Burke was one of the best putters on tour in the 1950's. He currently resides in Houston and continues to operate the Champions Golf Club there.

Also, during that week Mr. Burke went out on the course and demonstrated his remarkable golf skills even at the young age of 80+. He can still outdrive most amateurs as he striped drives over 250 yards on the course and practice area!

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 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.

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.

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.