Friday, February 20, 2009
Secret of Ben Hogan and Henny Bogan
Ben Hogan was in the news quite a bit over the years after he turned professional in 1930 and joined the pro tour around 1932. The first reference to Henny Bogan in printed or written material traces back to at least as early as 1936 and is attributable to Hogan himself. His employees gave Hogan a nameplate for his desk that stated simply "Henny Bogan". He often signed notes or letters or answered the telephome by referring to himself as Henny Bogan. Was this just a comical or lighthearted attempt at humor, simply a play on his name?
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“Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.” Ben Hogan
ReplyDeleteThat is an accurate quote and you are on the right track, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with Henny Bogan. Or does it? what do you think Hogan actually mean't by that statement?
ReplyDeleteThat statment was made in "Power Golf" on page XIII. I believe he was making an assessment of the "measures long esteemed to be of paramount importance in the golf swing..." (From page 17 of "Five Lessons")
ReplyDeleteI think this is evidence along the lines of corroborating Johnny Miller's comment that Hogan often spoke in parables at times, making specific comments that had a specific meaning if looked at from the standpoint of Hogan's technique. I believe this particular statement by Hogan is significant and it refers to tendencies that cause people to go wayward with their golf swings. For instance, the tendency to use the outside, vice the inside muscles, the fact that a natural feeling grip is likely fundamentally unsound, the urge to hurry the swing by straightening the arms at the ball or to hit at the ball, as opposed to through the ball, with the arms straightening past impact, the over the top move that feels so natural, yet is totally wrong. I address a number of other of these natural but wrong tendencies in my book.
ReplyDeleteI believe this statement is actually a lament by Hogan, expressing or confirming the fact that he spent almost 8 years or more on the wrong track to solve his hook problem by following what seemed to be natual means, only to discover that he needed the opposite remedy.