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.

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