Instruction
Learning from Ben Hogan’s pivot compression
As an instructor, I find every part of the golf swing interesting and certainly have my preferences when it comes to hand, arm and wrist action. However, there is one thing that stands out to me in the swings of many of the game’s greatest players – a pivot action that includes an initial lowering of the body towards the ground during the backswing and again in the first part of the downswing.
This action, which I call “pivot compression,” plays an important role in these players’ ability to deliver a superior strike on the ball. This very same action has often been misidentified by golf analysts and instructors on television as the dreaded “head drop” or “dip,” which they claim should be avoided. I have evidence of pivot compression to be present in over 100 swing analysis videos of tour players, past and present, many of which I have made freely available for anyone to view on my website.
My ideas around pivot compression started to form when I was in my late twenties. After an All-American collegiate career, I tried to play for a living, spending four years on the Space Coast mini-tour. My swing, which incorporated a driving of the legs and a bent-back “reverse c” finish began to take its toll on my lower spine. I advanced to the finals of Q-School in 1985, but wound up in the hospital in traction a week before the event. Needless to say, I didn’t make the cut, and my dream of playing the PGA Tour would never be realized as I could never practice as much as I needed to in order to get better. I did, however, begin to study the golf swing more closely, as I knew I needed to change the nature of my own body movement if I was going to be able to continue to play. My upright backswing and picturesque but highly stressful finish needed to become a more rounded motion that finished with my lower back less arched to reduce the strain put on my lower spine.
I knew that Hogan’s focus on the sidearm/underhand nature of the golf swing motion is was what I needed in my own swing. I studied this book, along with his other classic, Power Golf, in great detail. Soon, with this more rotational movement, I was able to start practicing and playing again, but it wasn’t until a friend showed me actual film of Hogan swinging that I had what I consider an epiphany regarding the way the hips and trunk moved in the swing. There was this great down the line view of Hogan hitting a long iron in the late 1940’s, and as I studied it I saw that a few interesting things were happening in his backswing relating to the lower body movement:
A) Hogan’s right hip went backward behind where it started. In other words, it got deeper, and it did so without his straightening the right knee.
B) His head went down at least 2-to-3 inches.
C) His spine increased angle as his head stayed out over the ball.
He now looked much more bent over, noticeably more than at address, as he compressed his body lower into the ground for power.
The lines drawn at the setup position are used to define starting points so that we can measure change and how things move in relation to the initial position.
Then, in the forward swing, more cool stuff happened.
D) Hogan’s hips stayed deep as they drove laterally to the left and opened. The lateral element was significant and obvious in all the video footage I had of Hogan from face-on.
E) His head stayed out over the ball.
F) He lowered another 2-to-3 inches from the start of the downswing to just before impact. As he passed by the point where his hips were once again square to the target (just after the left arm reached parallel to the ground in the downswing) they were well further back, or deeper, than they were at address.
G) When he hit the ball, his right arm had oodles of room to get in front of his right hip and he was way more bent over than when he initially addressed the ball.
This all leads to the impact position, where we can see that:
H) His head remains lowered and out over the ball.
I) His hips are still much deeper than at address.
J) The right elbow is in front of the right hip.
K) The club is returned perfectly to the shaft plane created at address.
And in the swing finish:
L) Hogan’s head has moved up and away from both impact position and address position (this will take stress away from the lower back).
M) The hips stayed “in the box” that was defined at address.
Hogan is considered by most to be the best striker of the golf ball in the history of the game. It is my opinion that he hit his peak in 1949, winning 12 out of 16 events, just before he and his wife got hit by a bus in Texas. Except for the injuries he sustained, which kept him from practicing the way he was accustomed and limited his playing schedule, I believe that Hogan would have won many more majors and would have amassed a record that no one could ever touch, not even the great Jack Nicklaus.
I should note from experience that mastering pivot compression will require more than just good information. Golf is a sport, and the swing is a physical activity that will be best achieved if you are in the best condition possible. And, of course, it is going to require practice. I had a spinal fusion 30 years ago, which makes it extra difficult for me to execute what I see almost all of the best players do with their legs, hips and upper trunk during the swing. To overcome my physical limitations, I have a disciplined workout regimen to help attain the strength and endurance necessary to last through the duration of a tournament.
While I have never been able to practice as much as I would like, the combination of applying pivot compression and physical conditioning to my golf has allowed me to return to competitive play as a PGA Professional, including qualifying and playing in nine major championships along with a victory in the 2001 PGA Professional National Championship. Today, I am teaching students of all levels to use Pivot Compression to become better ball strikers.
Next up: Six Steps to Pivot Compression
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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moco
Aug 22, 2016 at 9:51 am
very good- weight on balls of feet & knees over balls of feet (at address), right hip turns deeper than in the address position. Weight compresses into inside right heel. downswing- crunch into that right inside heel (preserves the lag) while turning the core up and around. I’d just be careful about lowering the head, it’s got to move up and around in downswing (don’t hang back).
peter
Jan 3, 2016 at 12:42 am
Wayne with all the lowering these great players do is the reason they do not hit the ball heavy due to shaft lean and the clearing of the lower body?
thx peter
Joseph quaranto
Oct 11, 2015 at 8:26 pm
Would like to hear from you how you move the club up and down. In all my studies the best info is from Greg Mchatton who learned it from Homer Kelly. Kelly and Hogan started at opposite ends of the learning spectrum (mechanics from feel or feel from mchanics) but both arrived at same ball striking perfection. What do you think?
Jones
Mar 27, 2014 at 10:40 pm
Loved the article – good articulation of proper use of lower body, and great analysis of Hogan’s swing in context of that analytic framework. We are eagerly awaiting the next article “Six Steps to Pivot Compression” – when can we expect that?
RAT
Jan 26, 2014 at 9:59 pm
This is good stuff, keep it up!
Carter bonsey
Jan 22, 2014 at 9:17 pm
Excellent analysis. Incidentally, I have been drilling on this for the last three months. I setup with my butt three inches from a half wall but try to touch it with my butt at the top of the bs and maintain contact through to just after impact. This really forces one to stay deep and lower vertical swing plane.
Peter
Dec 15, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Wayne I appreciate your analysis and your humor (…the travel guide “a shrine to Miller in his basement”, best yet!).
I was wondering, do you have a tip for someone who has trouble getting their hips open along with straightening up at impact.
thx
Phil
Dec 14, 2013 at 3:53 am
Point ‘C’ describes the change in angle of Hogan’spine; however the line drawn in the photo is not where his spine is at that point in time (more a line from hip to shoulder)
Jack Gallagher
Aug 23, 2016 at 3:53 pm
True, but if you drew a line from Hogan’s belt buckle at that moment up through the middle of his chest toward his neck/chin, that line would be his spine angle at that time and would be pretty much parallel to line that starts from ‘A’ and goes up to ‘C’. So that Line up to ‘C’ still makes the point, and is simply showing/emphasizing that his spine angle does not “stay the same as it was at address” – which has been a constant in most golf instruction. Instead, his spine angle does something unexpected, becoming more tipped than at address.
HB
Dec 11, 2013 at 10:18 pm
I was watching one of the Australian tour events, and noticed a right-handed Aussie who’s pre-shot routine involved setting up with the blade of his club just to the left of (and behind) the ball and then, just before he began his backswing, it looked like he bent forward to move the blade of his club fully behind the ball. Liking his quick action, I tested this routine on the range and began ripping it dead straight.
Best I can figure out, I got my head my over the ball without my weight going out on to my toes — in short, I am very balanced and getting through the ball better.
I haven’t been able to study this article close enought to see if what I am doing is consistent with what has been outlined. But, I am intrigued — something popped.
FYI, I have always played with a grip close to Hogan’s — I fought a hook when I was young and read just the portion of Hogan’s fundamentals concerning the grip. (I wasn’t much into swing analysis at the time.)
James E. Duh
Dec 11, 2013 at 8:59 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwL4Dus2Vb0
Dear Mr. Defrancesco: Youtube video “Golf – Ernie Els – How to build a classic swing” I was so impressed how still Mr. Els head stays throughout his golf swing as this video shows. I have view many of your and others analysis of swings and as you state, majority of players lower the head in backswing and then lower it further in downswing. the video’s show this clearly. I remember that Jack Nicklaus first teacher, Mr. Grout, use to hold Jack’s hair to keep him from moving is head. Do you think this still head helped Mr. Nicklaus and Mr. Els be so consistent over their careers? Thanks again for all your great video’s Jim
Kujan
Dec 11, 2013 at 6:16 pm
It does make sense that the golfers’ head will be lower given that he’s pushing his hips forward.
jeff rhyne
Dec 7, 2013 at 3:14 pm
Hi Wayne, I enjoy your various pieces.
Something that went unsaid in your article, and I know that space constraints sometimes limit what can be written, but would you like to comment on shaft lean at impact?
I’ve read on many occasions that Hogan, by de-lofting the club, would turn a 7 iron into a 6 iron, for instance. Knowing a little about geometry, wouldn’t it be really difficult to de-loft a club (having the handle of the club in front of the clubhead at impact) without lowering your body? Tiger has a similar move in that he really gets down to the ball.
Just an observation,
thanks for the great articles,
Jeff
wayne defrancesco
Dec 8, 2013 at 5:45 pm
Jeff: Not every great player has lowered, but every great player has forward shaft lean when hitting the ball off the ground. I will say, however, that the vast majority of great players lower at some point in their swing, which by itself can be viewed as proof that lowering is desirable. If you watch Jason Day you will see him maintain his height fairly exactly throughout the swing all the way to impact. He is a rarity, though. Lowering properly by adding posture from the midsection and keeping your head out over the ball creates space for the right arm and elbow to drive in front of the right hip which in turn helps the hands to reach a point even with the ball when the shaft is still angled 90 degrees to the ground. From this point forward shaft lean is guaranteed. If you look at data from 3D analysis and launch monitors you will find that the average amount of shaft lean for tour players with a 7 iron is somewhere around 6-8 degrees. I read recently that Trackman studies of Tour players pitching from around the green off fairway height grass showed an average forward shaft lean of 15 degrees, which would indicate that the ability to lean the shaft has more to do with feel of the club dragging against the hands and being led by the body (meaning that the player has good sequence with the lower body leading the upper in the downswing. I would also say that lowering in the backswing is an indication that the player is loading into the ground, and that further lowering in transition is an indication that the player is using the ground to drive the weight from under the right foot over to the left. That said, I think the article I posted demonstrates why lowering is a good thing to incorporate into your swing and certainly helps in the ability to forward lean the shaft at impact.
Bill Simons
Dec 6, 2013 at 8:47 pm
Wayne,
You mention”… disciplined workout regimen to help attain the strength and endurance…”. What body area(s) do you target in your workouts that allow you to continue this “down move” in your own swing?
Thank you.
wayne defrancesco
Dec 8, 2013 at 5:53 pm
I consider overall strength and fitness to be the goal of any athlete, and so I work out all parts of my body. I happen to have had a spinal fusion (2 levels, lower back) back in 1986, so it is extremely difficult for me to accomplish what I talk about in the article and what I see in the swings that I like the most. Apart from adding strength to my entire body I feel like the legs and midsection are crucial to achieving high level pivot action. I like to take a weighted club (I use the Momentus 3 lb. short club and the 9 lb. extra heavy club) and watch myself in a mirror make slow motion segmented movements that exaggerate what I am trying to do, after which I take a junior club (short and light) and make full motion, full speed swings trying to incorporate the same feelings.
Andrew Cooper
Dec 6, 2013 at 6:54 am
Thanks Wayne, good article. No doubt Hogan (and Woods,, Trevino e.t.c.) lowered through the swing. But could you explain why they did this? What are they gaining by compressing into the ground?
Hogan started from an upright posture, before lowering, and lowering again to impact. Could he simply of started from a less upright posture and achieved a similar impact position? I’d be interested to here your thoughts.
wayne defrancesco
Dec 8, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Good point. I used to tell students that your choice is to stand more upright and then lower, or bend over more and try to maintain that position throughout the swing. Experience has shown me, however, that normal players who bend a lot in the set up almost always tend to raise up during the swing, which is a destructive fault to say the least. Most great players who bend over a lot at address still lower during the swing (Tiger is the best example) but we are talking about athleticism that is well beyond what your average player possesses. I encourage players to have a moderate amount of bend at address and then to load into the ground in the backswing, and then add to that loading in order to drive off the inside of the right foot to start the forward swing, which induces more lowering. If you watch baseball pitchers and infielders you see that lowering in a throwing motion (Hogan was clear about his feeling that the overall motion of the golf swing was comparable to a combination of sidearm and underhand throwing) is an athletic move that is as “natural” as just about anything you do in a golf swing, another reason why labeling it a fault is so ridiculous.
Andrew Cooper
Dec 14, 2013 at 7:46 am
Many thanks for your reply.
Brian
Dec 5, 2013 at 12:30 pm
The best thing I ever did was read 5 lessons. The next best thing I did was ignore most advice given to me unless I found some value in it (I do what this article talks about pretty severely and was told it was a swing fault).
Secret is in the dirt. Only one person can dig in the dirt, and that is the guy with the blade…
Raymond Rapcavage
Dec 5, 2013 at 10:09 am
Absolutely an AWESOME piece by you Wayne…thanks ! You nailed all of the right stuff. Zach Johnson does a lot of what you are speaking and he calls his own swing a “pivot draw”. Yes Hogan went away from the draw but the motion is very similar.
Cheers
Raymond Rapcavage
President
The Golf Swing Shirt Company
reqq
Dec 4, 2013 at 9:21 am
He actually won more majors after his 1949 accident then before it.
wayne defrancesco
Dec 6, 2013 at 2:17 am
The accident just caused him to win way less majors in his career than he would have. I think Hogan had it figured out by 1949 (he was in the process of dominating the Tour)and I know he stated in an interview that he played better after the accident but he never hit it as good as before it. I figure that without the bus he wins 25 majors and is unrivaled as the greatest of all time.
Patrick
Dec 4, 2013 at 8:45 am
Mr. Hogan had it figured out and there isn’t a better swing to emulate… ask Dufner. Well done article.
Spengler
Dec 4, 2013 at 8:19 am
This is great.. Well done
naflack
Dec 4, 2013 at 3:18 am
it is amazing to watch hogan especially having for lack of a better term…”wasted” time trying to emulate him.
my natural swing which resembles that of annika couldnt be more polar opposite, at least in my opinion.
i remember thinking as i tried in vein to do it like hogan…”how in the world do people swing like this”? (lol)
to this day im glad a friend had the sense to tell me to be myself, those were dark days in my golfing journey.
wayne defrancesco
Dec 6, 2013 at 2:04 am
The key phrase in your comment is “do it like Hogan”. What you mean is that you want to “hit it like Hogan”. Or at least, that is what you should have been telling yourself. There is no reward for looking good in golf, even if it means looking like Ben Hogan or a more contemporary player, Adam Scott. I remember watching a guy on the mini-tour back in the 80’s who dressed up like Greg Norman and made his swing look eerily similar. It was like watching an impersonator. Of course, the guy sucked. When you asked “how in the world do people swing like this?”, the answer is that nobody does. Nobody swings like Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, or any other player. People only swing like themselves. You can study the movement and the positions and try to
copy what another player is doing, but when you try to incorporate that into your swing it will just look like you. The greatest example of this is Larry Nelson. He studied the book and taught himself to be a great player in a relatively short period of time, exactly what Hogan wanted to accomplish by writing the book. Nelson’s swing, although he probably felt like it was exactly what Hogan is talking about, never looked anything remotely like Hogan.
naflack
Dec 6, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Truth be told…
If I had it to do over, I’d have never read the book to begin with.
Branden
Dec 3, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Awesome article! I have seen video of my swing and I dip down like Mr. Hogan does in his backswing and follow through, which is something that I had been told by many people was poor fundamentals was to let the head and spine move towards the ball. So naturally, I had worked a bit to try and correct it, only to end up with very poor results. Thank you for this article and reaffirmation that I’m not going anything wrong by moving my body more into the ball.
wayne defrancesco
Dec 6, 2013 at 2:13 am
Unfortunately conventional wisdom says that lowering during the swing is bad and that the idea is to “maintain your posture” and to avoid “dipping”. This idea will eventually fall by the wayside as people begin to understand that the greatest players have nearly all lowered somewhere in their golf swings, some just going back and some just going forward, but many lower in both directions just like Hogan. Of course, it doesn’t help much to have TV announcers, who should know better, continue to sound off (especially about Tiger) about lowering in the swing, blaming it for every type of bad shot. It’s pretty ridiculous with the resource of having video of almost every great player since 1920 that people who should be doing their homework before they start spouting off about what is good and not good in a swing haven’t figured this out. I’m no genius, I just observe what’s in front of me and if I see a huge percentage of the best of all time doing the same thing it’s not a stretch to consider that a good thing to do.
R
Dec 3, 2013 at 2:58 pm
great article, well done