"Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf" by Ben Hogan

[Shenanigunz]

I was taught to play probably too young, back when I didn't take the game seriously. After taking last year off and STRUGGLING this year, someone from my league mentioned this book, and I picked it up. Instantly I remember being 8 and these same lessons being taught to me by my grandfather (all the ones I never cared to learn). A few tweaks to my grip and swing plane and I am hitting the ball way better overnight. 

[uitar9]

On 3/15/2017 at 9:49 PM, Jack Watson said:

Hogans fault is never emphasizing the importance of the swinging motion of the club.

a body book

 

I wonder if Hogan's assumption is that if the grip, takeaway, backswing and downswing conform to his theory, the club will look after itself.

I do like the fact, there is no electronica involved (other than the reference to moving pictures). For a hacker like me, AOA, spin rate make the basic task overly complicated for me.

I don't like to hear how great a teacher is in interpreting trackman data. For sure  its a great tool, but I don't need to know that data. I need to know how to move.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, uitar9 said:

I don't like to hear how great a teacher is in interpreting trackman data. For sure  its a great tool, but I don't need to know that data. I need to know how to move.

Launch monitor data is a tool.

It's also a tool I don't use except for better players very often, because most high handicappers don't need to know their exact AoA or path or whatever; it's obvious that it's not good and it's more obvious when they do it "better."

[uitar9]

Just finished 5 lessons for the first time. As another forumite mentioned, it's sort of a body book. Gonna start reading it and Power golf again. It works for me. Unison back swing, hip first downswing, shoulder under chin in the back swing-those items resonate with me and I'm gonna add those thoughts into my practice routine (of course, until another miracle comes around)

[GrandStranded]

I go back to this book occasionally, but have any of you ever read the book David Leadbetter wrote paying homage to "The 5 Lessons the Fundamentals of Hogan" titled "The Fundamentals of Hogan"? He discusses Hogan's views, and gives his take on them. He gives his advice on how to apply this to the average player, and then to become a 80 or better shooter. He does it in a very respectful way, including plenty of artwork, photos and text from Hogan's book. He adds drills, and more updated photos and drawings also. For some reason this has become my "golf bible". I find David's explanations and sometimes contrasting viewpoints easier to follow, plus I have the option of comparing them directly to Hogan's when they differ. It's the one book I go to whenever I feel I'm having a problem with my swing and it always seems to help get me back on track.  It's an easy read, and one I think fans of the original will enjoy.

[RWC]

I've owned this book for 20+ years. Re-reading it is part of my annual spring checklist for golf. It helps me focus on the essentials and it also get excited about the new season. Well worth the investment in time and money!

[Slim_Pivot]

So I read this for the first time about a year ago...is there a general consensus about the left knee in the backswing? He says that it moves only in and not down/towards the ball which causes the left foot to come up, but properly. I messed with this before and I think it did help to start the downswing and increased my clubhead speed. If I make this change it wouldn’t be until I solved other swing problems (a good while)...but just wondering what people generally thought 

[boogielicious]

2 hours ago, Slim_Pivot said:

So I read this for the first time about a year ago...is there a general consensus about the left knee in the backswing? He says that it moves only in and not down/towards the ball which causes the left foot to come up, but properly. I messed with this before and I think it did help to start the downswing and increased my clubhead speed. If I make this change it wouldn’t be until I solved other swing problems (a good while)...but just wondering what people generally thought 

There is no strict commonality for left knee action between good golf swings. Some have the knee go in and even down a little, some don't. These minor differences often confuse us because we see players we like doing things differently.

The important factors that they all do have in common are the 5 Simple Keys. Their heads remain relatively steady, weight is forward at impact, in-line impact (no flipping), diagonal swing path and face control. How you achieve these may be different than Hogan because you have a different body that he did. 

[iacas]

Good answer @boogielicious.

[Herkimer]

I'm not seeing many of today's golfers (under 30) swinging at all like Hogan did.  Are you?

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Herkimer said:

I'm not seeing many of today's golfers (under 30) swinging at all like Hogan did.  Are you?

I can't speak for anyone but me, but… that depends on just what you mean by "swinging like Hogan."

Hogan had all five keys, too. 😉

[Herkimer]

8 minutes ago, iacas said:

I can't speak for anyone but me, but… that depends on just what you mean by "swinging like Hogan."

Hogan had all five keys, too. 😉

One might say that Dufner swings like Hogan did, yes?  But I think the younger guys swing unlike Hogan. 

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, Herkimer said:

One might say that Dufner swings like Hogan did, yes?  But I think the younger guys swing unlike Hogan. 

Again… depends on what you mean.

Sorry, I'm not really gonna have an opinion here. Not sure of the point. Which doesn't mean it needs one.

[Herkimer]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

Again… depends on what you mean.

Sorry, I'm not really gonna have an opinion here. Not sure of the point. Which doesn't mean it needs one.

My point is that I don't think the younger PGA Tour golfers have read Hogan's Five Fundamentals, and, if they have, they haven't exactly followed the instruction.  Despite the fact that Greg Norman said that he learned to play golf by reading Jack's "Golf My Way," I don't think learning how to swing properly is best learned by reading how to do it.