Reason for Hogan's foot setup?

[ASUslacker]

Just read Hogan's five lessons and the most interesting thing was his setup. I can see why having the ball in the same spot (just off his left heel) but why change the right foot so much with each club. Wedge right foot is in front of left, middel iron both are the same and with a driver right foot is well behind (from DTL view) Anyone know why this works or maybe doesnt work? Anyone actually use this?

[Harmonious]

I just read that section again.  Since the short irons swings are shorter, there is less time to get over onto his left side.  To make up for that, Hogan moved his right foot forward and opened his stance, to ensure he didn't stay on his back foot.  The actual ball position remained the same distance from his left foot for all clubs.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Hogan's book came out at about the end of the time when almost every golf book said to do that.

In Short Cuts to Better Golf , (1949), Johnny Revolta explained the right foot thing like this, reflecting the way the game was played in an earlier time:

"For the short shots the feet were relatively close together, the ball was played near the feet, and most of the work was done by the arms and hands."

In several paragraphs following, Revolta essentially says that you play the right foot in back of the left to get a more inside-out swing thus a slight draw or hook on the ball. He also mentions that as you draw the right foot back, you get a flatter swing and more power.

I'm not sure if that is what Hogan was getting at in Five Lessons , but he certainly has to have been influenced by that thinking, since his entire career was spent in the era when players did that.

SCtBG is easily available and is interesting to read to see how golf was taught half a century ago.

[ASUslacker]

Interesting so even the great Hogan was stealing ideas =).

I thought it was interesting because most people say Hogan's swing was anti-hook and that driver set-up was definitely a draw set-up.

I like reading golf books so i'll have to give Johnny's a look.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by ASUslacker

Interesting so even the great Hogan was stealing ideas =).

I thought it was interesting because most people say Hogan's swing was anti-hook and that driver set-up was definitely a draw set-up.

I like reading golf books so i'll have to give Johnny's a look.

You should read Hogan's book.  You'll see how he eliminated hooks.

[Phil Ben Graeme]

On page 45 lesson 2 ,stance and posture section,the diagram of the incorrect stance explaining right foot at a 45 or so degree angle will cause errors.Yet Hogan  at address with a driver at the 1967 masters practice narrated by Clem darracott explains and shows hogan moving his " right foot backwards from  the target line and moves his toe of his right foot to the right away from the target this accommodates  a wider and fuller hip turn to generate more power"