In 1995 I decided that I wanted to leave the” business World” and become a professional golfer. I wanted one man to lead me. That man was Ben Hogan. I hand wrote him a 20 page letter. Mr. Hogan responded with a beautiful letter. I will always love Ben Hogan!
What an amazing story buddy just read this. ...hope your golf is still going well for you. ..👌👌👌 Like you I'm a massive Mr Hogan fan even though I'm only 38 I've got all his books etc and literally watched all his U Tube vids what a legend in all aspects of his life ....just the whole never give in attitude and what you put in you generally get back out don't you think. ....been asked this question alot by fellow friends and people in general conversations in the golfing world what do I think and believe was Mr Hogans so called secret and I generally believe he found something that obviously worked for him to erase that hook that he occasionally had but I really do believe his legendary secret was just practising obviously you need to practice the right drills etc but in time he knew so much about the golf swing and the mechanics that go with this that then for him it was just honing in on muscle memory so it became second nature to him. ...
When I was in my late 20's I played in a Pro Am in Branson Mo. , it was John Daly's first professional win, he was playing in the group just in front of my group. I was paired with a pro from New Orleans, he told me that my swing was as close to Ben Hogan swing that he had ever seen. At the time I hardly knew who Ben Hogan was, it didn't take me long to find out and I have been a big fan ever since. What a great story you posted. Thanks for sharing
Yeh me too mine was a 25 page letter his reply was a little less engaging quote” spend more time on the range than the keyboard “ that was in November 2021 so I have framed it on the wall as my inspiration.
In my opinion, Ben is the greatest golfer there’s ever been, and would have had many more than the 9 majors he won. If you consider that his career was interrupted by World War 2 and the catastrophic injuries he suffered from that car accident, and being told that he would never walk again, he still managed to win 6 more majors afterwards. He only played The Open Championship ONCE, which he won in 1953 (his 3rd consecutive Major that year) and unfortunately could not complete the true Grand Slam due to the PGA being played at the same time as The Open. Ben also only managed to play the US PGA Championship 3 times in 18 years, mainly due to his injuries preventing him. He was pretty much a small guy (5 ft 8in, 66kg) and he was still considered by many as the best ballstriker ever, with the most beautiful, rhythmic and fluid golf swing. Legend forever.
Yes! From '48 through '53 he played in 41 PGA and one R&A event. He won 21 PGA and the Open. That's 22 wins in 42 events and 8 were majors including back to back US Opens and the magical '53 season of 5 for 5 with 3 majors. THE most dominant golfer of all time. Hogan won 21 % of the 300 PGA events entered (almost a virtual tie with Tiger). He was either first, second or third 45% of the time of the PGA events he entered. He was in the top 10 - 76% of the time. He was in the top 25 - 92% of the time. He only missed five cuts out of 300 PGA events and withdrew only twice.
Interesting interview, especially to hear the great man talking about the love of practicing the short game when he is so well known for the prowess of his ball-striking. Out of respect for Mr Hogan, would love to see this reedited to get the audio and visual aligned.
I knew tough things, and everyday I improved was a great day” What great life advice! When times are tough, just keep going! Thank you Mr. Hogan for everything you have added to the game of golf!
Ben Hogan...the definition of legend...a golf swing will never be studied more than Hogan's...70 years later when ppl want to learn how to play golf they read or watch Ben Hogan's instruction...he did more to advance the enjoyment and understanding of the swing than any human in golf history has or ever will...he had an incredibly difficult start to life with his father's suicide, absolute poverty, a miserable financial start to his pro career etc. and rose from the caddy yards to become the greatest ball striker in the history of the game with sheer work ethic and passion. RIP Mr. Hogan
Ben Hogan is the GREATEST GOLFER of all time. He had to miss so much time due to World War II, Accident and the fact that it was impossible for players to play all the majors due to schedule etc. You cannot measure the worth of a golfer by majors if all the majors were not in play back in the days.
@@blujay9191You could argue that the British Open wasn’t really a major, in the modern sense, until Ben Hogan went and played it, and Arnold Palmer made it a “must play” for the best American golfers.
Mr. Hogan, you and your book is the only reason I can play to a 5 handicap. My swing looks like shit compared to yours and always will. You are an inspiration to all.
In all the Tiger hoopla recently and before that Jack Nicklaus, the non-tv era Ben Hogan's achievements are often overlooked. After his accident Ben had great difficulty playing tournament golf. He was in a great deal of pain so he limited his schedule. From 1950-1953 Hogan entered 9 majors and won 6. In 1953 he was 3 for 3, unable to make it to the PGA due to a conflict with the British Open. From 1940-1956 he finished in the top 10 in 31/32 majors. This is, without a doubt, the greatest run in golfing history, even surpassing Byron Nelson's record of consecutive tournament wins IMO. Had Ben been healthy his entire life I'm sure he'd be considered the GOAT.
He was actually 33/34 from 1939 to 1956. That includes the '39 PGA & the 1942 Hale America National Open which was the substitute for the cancelled Open due to WW2 in which there was local & sectional qualifying & Hogan after winning it received a medal that looked just like his other ones. From 1940 to 1947 he finished top 5 in 12 straight modern majors & the next highest streak is still just 7.
Ben was a guy who rarely, if ever, made mistakes on the golf course. Tiger makes quite a few each round; granted, he can recover from them in dramatic and amazing fashion--but Ben never really had to. There was an exhibition match Ben played with Sam Snead in 1964 at Champions Club in Houston (about 7000 yards), and Ben hit EVERY fairway and EVERY green that day. Not many people (including Tiger) can do that these days.
My golf instructor is a hogan deciple as i call it, his swing is exactly like hogans, and hes been teaching me hogans swing for about a year. Now, he said today my swing had really improved.
I was having lunch with this very wealthy older man. The restaurant had a salad bar and when we sat down to eat our salads he realized the dressing was ketchup instead of French. The owner was embarrassed that an employee had accidentally put the ketchup in with the salad dressing. This gentleman refused to let the salad go to waste and proceeded to eat the entire salad with ketchup on it. I was kind of in disbelief. He looked at me and said “growing up poor is the best thing that ever happened to me, anything I get to eat now taste like success”
Hard to imagine how good this guy was. That old technology which went nowhere compared with today's, small sweet spots, that was real golf, not the driver - wedge stuff we see today. He was a marvel. Course record after course record in pressure cooker moments.
I love how humble he was and he really should have given himself more credit for his achievements.I wish that he could still be here to teach us more b/c he is the best swinger the game has ever known.I feel as though if every golfer who wants to truly be a great golfer should study his book and read it thoroughly and take every line in it to heart because he is really my idol and i hope to be on the pga tour one day from practicing like he did and really getting to know the game better
This man said in 1983 "the players today I believe are better than we were". Mr. Hogan.......at age 53, on a 7100 yard golf course, with butter knives, balata ball, and persimmon woods.......you smoked every fairway and hit every green in a match against Sam Snead. You hit every shot in the book on command and made it look simple. No sir.........they were NOT better......because it CAN'T get any better lol.
A true golf legend. Best ball striker ever. His accuracy was tremendous, nearly winding up in his divots from the previous round the day before. His reputation as "The Ice Man" with the press of his day was probably because he was shy individual and liked his privacy.
I read the Hogan book of his life that came out a couple of years ago - For me he was the greatest player ever. His name is alive today through his 2 books the latter is the bible of golf instruction - a real inspiration, dedicated to his craft with hours upon hours of practice. One of the real golf stars who is still with us through all the film and other material on his life - no one will ever go through all that he did on the journey to a career that is still with the golfing world today.
Tiger was taught the basics of golf from his dad, who learned the basics of golf by reading hogans book. Hogan inspired tigers dad -- without it, tiger never would have watched his dad play when he was a kid. That book is gospel for us golfers. What tiger has done is phenominal, but hogan paved the way.
An inspiration to those who ENJOY working hard to achieve what they dream of.......look no further than this great man as the ultimate example. My Golfing Hero.
A few weeks ago I bought a set of 2002 Ben Hogan Apex Edge Pro forged irons, 5-E, that was on eBay. When they came in I was immediately impressed by their quality. I took the 7 iron out to my local course and gave it a go. The feel was so smooth, they had good distance, and it's so obviously quality! I now have a Ben Hogan 52° and 56° wedges, and i have my eye on a 60° wedge as well. They just don't make clubs like this anymore! Mr. Hogan was a stickler for quality, and his philosophy continues on. It's no wonder Mr. Hogan liked forged clubs. He forged his championship game himself from his admittedly poor golf game with endless hours of practice. Pros and amateurs alike are forever indebted to him.
I wish that I could watch that 1960 U.S. Open. I've seen parts of the 1966, 1967 and 1974 U.S. Opens on ESPN Classic, though I haven't watched that channel for a while. I believe that Palmer, Nicklaus, Hogan, Casper and Snead were all on the leader board in that 1960 U.S. Open.
What an absolute legend of a man and golfer... really does prove to the world what hard work and sheer determination does for someone wanting to achieve there dreams and goals hey ......I'm such a massive Mr Hogan fan even though I'm only 38 yrs of age I'm just in awe of this great man as a man and golfer .....I've really studied this man and honestly believe he's the best ball striker and course manager of all time. ..also as the years go on he's really a mythical person now even to the younger generation of players wheather there amateurs or tour pros people are so intrigued of this great man. ....and I don't blame them one bit ....I remember reading an article on the question years ago comparing Mr Hogan to Jack Nicklaus and I can't 100% remember who this was ...but he literally answered this question straight away ....and I know it was a tour pro who has been a multi major winner, stated that's easy for me to answer I've personally seen Nicklaus watch and study Hogan many times even when Nicklaus was winning majors practically every year. ..but I've never seen Hogan watch or admire Nicklaus ,subject closed. ...it was just the way he stated this with such authority and belief etc What I would do to go back in time to see Mr Hogan in his prime
Every word Hogan talks about golf the world should listen. Man hurts knowing this man is no longer with us. Everytime I pick up a club, i remember Mr Hogan.
If Jack had had the same upbringing (Jack actually had a very comfortable middle class upbringing) would he have been as good as he was? would he even have been as good as Hogan? Maybe it all made Ben tougher, but it had to have slowed his development as a golfer (didn't win a major until in his 30s) while Jack's early tuition gave him a huge head start, and multiple major wins by the time he was 25. What an amazing golfer and person Ben Hogan was.
Well said there buddy 👌 do definitely believe though due to Mr Hogans hard upbringing at times especially being in the same room as his father when Ben was just 5-6 yrs of age witnessed his father commit suicide by shooting himself gave him a never quit attitude regardless of how slim the future looks .....also like Mr Hogan stated his biggest and most cherished thing belonging to him was his name therefore without no excuse he never gave in or allowed himself to be in the limelight for any negative situation. ... He really is an amazing person and golfer and like mentioned his nearly fatal car accident also being in the war at his prime can only imagine what his record could of been hey WHAT EVER HAPPENS HE WILL ALWAYS BE A LEGEND OF THE GAME
This man reminds me of what is great about America. How many people or golfers you think he inspired? Countless. I am middle-aged, but if I could give advice to younger people, this is what I would share. Take it on, kids, and kick some ass. Don't you dare accept "welfare" or hand-outs, make it on you own and be proud in the end.
There is pure competitive drive out of relative privilege, too. Jack had it. Jack was never poor, and I never saw someone accuse jack of overpracticing, but he showed up for competition just like arnie. Lee was tough like Hogan, tough background, self made. It takes all kinds. Kids today in golf come from more grooming, but a lot of them have the right attitude to win early on, and don't have the jitters I remember guys having just 25 years ago.
The best to ever Play the game - Lost 4 years in WWll Army Airforce pilot & a Year after the bus almost killed him. After the accident, he only played 5-6 tournaments a year & won most of them.
No one has had a great of a year(1953) as the Greatest of all time Ben Hogan .. Not even Tiger Woods who as it turns out is a sorry SOB ... has had a better year than the great Hogan, nobody. Hogan will always the greatest of all times. Master, US OPEN, British Open Champion all in the same year.
Mastiff is right...1) Ben drove the ball MUCH straighter than Tiger, and was still one of the longer hitters in his day. 2) Ben's irons were far more consistent and accurate. Ben never had a hole-in-one, because as he put it he was always aiming to leave himself an 8-foot, straight uphill birdie putt...and he frequently did just that. And 3) he knew exactly where to play every shot, and would put the ball there almost without fail. You almost never saw Ben leave himself a hard shot to play.
His tires had been robbed in Oakland, but he finally found a ride to the tournament “I forget who it was.“ In the situation he was in, I sure as hell would remember the name of the guy who made sure that I got to the tournament on time. he remembered every other tiny detail, but that he couldn’t remember.
You have to remember that back in Hogan's time it really wasn't worth going to play in Britain and the PGA was match play. You had to play at least double the rounds of golf that it took to play it at medal play. So Hogan really only played 2 majors on a consistent basis after the accident. Plus Hogan missed nearly 4 years of majors during WWII when he was coming into his prime. He won 9 majors in 7 years time.
One of my personal golfing maxims is that whenever you get into a discussion on who is the greatest golfer, you have to let results speak for themselves. Following this, Nicklaus must be regarded as the greatest, or so I always thought. But then there is Hogan. Father killed himself when Ben was 10, grew up in the depression with nothing and taught himself to play. He was so poor as a young tour pro he once played a 4 round tourney on a 20 cent bag of oranges. And yet, he beat the world.
If Hogan came back from the grave and saw how pampered and spoiled the guys on the PGA Tour are these days, he'd punch somebody. Not that every Tour player is that way...but so many of them have this weird sense of entitlement. Let's face it: The old-timers were just better. Seriously...are you really gonna put a Hunter Mahan or a Geoff Ogilvy up against Hogan? Or against Trevino? Or Snead? Come on, it's not even fair.
He had to, and I say that as someone physically his size (but obviously without his ability to do it the same every single time). Hogan's swing was a godsend to us small guys who need to hit a ball straight and control distance because we're not going to hit a wedge on every hole. I do miss the style of golf they played with low ball flight and fairway woods, there was an elegance to the striking that doesn't exist now.
That comment about being able to take "tough things" because he was tough, is absolutely right. The kids of today are spoilt shitless, and when a problem comes along, they cant resolve it. Tiger has the same attitude as Hogan, and that's why he is the best golfer in the world...end of !
Tiger isn't influenced or impressed by Jordan's class. He is impressed by his competitiveness and drive. Tiger has said he likes talking to Micheal because he is one of few people he can relate to that has the same kind of drive and competitiveness that he does.
The more I learn about him and all the eras of the game, he separates himself further and further from EVERYONE ELSE. Between 1941 and 1956 he finished in the top ten AND UNDER 290 in 12 straight US Open attempts (on 12 different courses). This despite the streak being interrupted twice (by WW2 military service and of course, the 1949 accident). The next longest streak by anyone else, 5. A lot easier to break 290 during last 40 years than it was during the first half of the last century. To put this amazing feat into perspective consider the following: In the 1970 Open Nicklaus, Palmer and Player all failed to break 300! AND Woods has failed to break 290 in FOUR Opens during his contemporary pro career. Oh and BTW, players were not allowed to clean the ball on the green until 1960.
Hogan like Snead and many other big winners was a great "streaky putter' during his prime ('41-'49) which because of his incomparable & consistent tee to green game allowed him to win so often. He only had to putt really well in 1 or 2 rnds per event to win because his other rnds were still good enough. He did become a more solid putter after the accident ('51- '53) partly due to advice from Jack Burke Jr.
You realize his father commited suicide when Ben was 10 years old, right? And that Ben then had to go to work to support the family at that age? He earned everything he ever did. If he ever played a round golf, it was with his own money that he had to work hard to earn. Nothing was ever given to him. And to come back after a near-fatal car crash and win like he did in the years following is something few professionals in any sport have ever done.
This is not Tiger's fault by any means, and I don't want to take anything away from him, because he is one hell of a golfer. The immediate competition is just not as good. A good indicator is the final leaderboard--in Ben and Jack's periods there were a lot of the same names in the top 10, consistently--Casper, Player, Palmer, Mangrum, Weiskopf, Miller, Watson...today it's quite varied. How is it that the #2 player in the world finds ways to repeatedly finish T25 or miss cuts?
Well, if that's the only thing you know about Hogan, you should read up on him. Believe me, you'll be impressed. Your position on Tiger is a little skewed, and it's not your fault--the media and sports announcers shove it down everyone's throat that Tiger is the greatest ever...which causes some to forget just how good guys like Ben Hogan were.
Tiger can't control a ball the way Hogan could. Lots of erratic ball-striking with Tiger. Tiger DOES have an amazing mind, however, which is his biggest asset and the reason he wins so much. Lots of people have had better swings than Tiger, though. Ben Hogan was one of them--and he had the same mental toughness. If Ben were alive and in his prime today, we probably wouldn't know who Tiger is. Ben won somewhere around 60 tournaments in his own right, against very tough competition.
times changes,eras changes,but a champion or a legend never does,in any circumstances,he will always act same,however tough they r,tiger has come back from slump 4 times,Hogan was also great and would have outdriven many guys wid modern clubs,but its mental toughness which matters n d situations which r different, like maybe if Hogan played in this era,he would have been distracted wid all these luxuries and madhouse where there is no peace of mind coZ of fast lifestyle.
Ben hogan isnt overrated, Hogan was better than tiger and if he had the same advantages as that big baby tiger, than he could had been considered the best of all time. Hagen, Hogan, Snead, and Jones kick Tigers ass!
I never said he was the greatest ever, although he very well could be. But now we get into the issue of competition. I believe there are lots of good golfers out there right now on the Tour, but not very many *great* ones, meaning ones who could beat Tiger head-to-head. Lots of guys who have better swings and basically hit the ball better than Tiger...but they fold when having to face him. In the eras of Ben Hogan, Palmer, and Nicklaus, there was a strong contingent of players who could win.
Per sniveling little rich kids, not only don't most know what a tough day is, but will cry affluenza to avoid consequences. Instead of affluenza, if they were afflicted with Hogan-itis, the world would be a much better place.
Poor is a difficult life; socialism is the end of life. Let great individuals such as Ben Hogan remind us that we are not born equal, but only in America can you overcome.
The formula is as simple as 1-2-3: 1. Tiger Woods needs five championships to pass Jack Nicklaus for all-time wins in major golf tournaments. 2. Ben Hogan won five majors after driving head-on into a Greyhound bus. 3. All Woods needs to do to pass Nicklaus is drive head-on into a Greyhound bus.
The Gods were thrilled when Ben passed because they had the company of someone superior to their vacuous selves. Poverty,simplicity, focussed work/play. Watched his dad shoot himself ; he turned out better than good Lots of players have more athletic talent, but this 5’7” 10 stone squirt showed ‘em how. Hopefully the genuine passion in those eyes makes up for his natural reticence
Is it really necessary to compare the two? If Tiger had played during Hogan's era, the game would'nt have been the same for him. I want to see tiger attempt to hit a wooden headed, 200cc driver, but I also want to see Ben Hogan chip in on the 16th hole of the masters to win. Two different eras, two different players. Get over it. It's like trying to compare George Washington to Abraham Lincoln. Can't we all just leave it that both are great players and characters, no matter what the stats say.
In 1995 I decided that I wanted to leave the” business World” and become a professional golfer. I wanted one man to lead me. That man was Ben Hogan. I hand wrote him a 20 page letter. Mr. Hogan responded with a beautiful letter. I will always love Ben Hogan!
What an amazing story buddy just read this. ...hope your golf is still going well for you. ..👌👌👌
Like you I'm a massive Mr Hogan fan even though I'm only 38 I've got all his books etc and literally watched all his U Tube vids what a legend in all aspects of his life ....just the whole never give in attitude and what you put in you generally get back out don't you think. ....been asked this question alot by fellow friends and people in general conversations in the golfing world what do I think and believe was Mr Hogans so called secret and I generally believe he found something that obviously worked for him to erase that hook that he occasionally had but I really do believe his legendary secret was just practising obviously you need to practice the right drills etc but in time he knew so much about the golf swing and the mechanics that go with this that then for him it was just honing in on muscle memory so it became second nature to him. ...
Beautiful my friend! I hope you made it. I want to do it now!
When I was in my late 20's I played in a Pro Am in Branson Mo. , it was John Daly's first professional win, he was playing in the group just in front of my group. I was paired with a pro from New Orleans, he told me that my swing was as close to Ben Hogan swing that he had ever seen. At the time I hardly knew who Ben Hogan was, it didn't take me long to find out and I have been a big fan ever since. What a great story you posted. Thanks for sharing
That’s honestly awesome. Would love to see his response if you would share!
Yeh me too mine was a 25 page letter his reply was a little less engaging quote” spend more time on the range than the keyboard “ that was in November 2021 so I have framed it on the wall as my inspiration.
Such a humble man. He not only acknowledged his hardships, he embraced them for the fortitude they gave him. And what a golf swing..
Waited a long time to see this. I think it's the 1983 CBS interview with Ken venturi. Hogan would not let anyone else interview him. Thank you.
“Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for an extraordinary destiny.” -C.S. Lewis
Amen.
Thanks for posting this. Ben Hogan is one of my personal heroes.
In my opinion, Ben is the greatest golfer there’s ever been, and would have had many more than the 9 majors he won. If you consider that his career was interrupted by World War 2 and the catastrophic injuries he suffered from that car accident, and being told that he would never walk again, he still managed to win 6 more majors afterwards. He only played The Open Championship ONCE, which he won in 1953 (his 3rd consecutive Major that year) and unfortunately could not complete the true Grand Slam due to the PGA being played at the same time as The Open. Ben also only managed to play the US PGA Championship 3 times in 18 years, mainly due to his injuries preventing him.
He was pretty much a small guy (5 ft 8in, 66kg) and he was still considered by many as the best ballstriker ever, with the most beautiful, rhythmic and fluid golf swing. Legend forever.
Yes! From '48 through '53 he played in 41 PGA and one R&A event. He won 21 PGA and the Open. That's 22 wins in 42 events and 8 were majors including back to back US Opens and the magical '53 season of 5 for 5 with 3 majors. THE most dominant golfer of all time. Hogan won 21 % of the 300 PGA events entered (almost a virtual tie with Tiger). He was either first, second or third 45% of the time of the PGA events he entered. He was in the top 10 - 76% of the time. He was in the top 25 - 92% of the time. He only missed five cuts out of 300 PGA events and withdrew only twice.
@@rodneychristian9834 .. I heard an interview with Jack where they asked him who the best ball strikers were. Two names. Hogan, Trevino.
Interesting interview, especially to hear the great man talking about the love of practicing the short game when he is so well known for the prowess of his ball-striking. Out of respect for Mr Hogan, would love to see this reedited to get the audio and visual aligned.
The only man I ever idolized- I was 12 years old. I could see the strength and greatness of the man.
Thank you for posting such a rare interview. A gem indeed!
I wish someone would post the unedited interview, with Ken Venturi asking each question and Ben Hogan answering each-beginning to end!
MWolverine1969 yes, very frustrating when they would cut out the video explanation of what he had just said.
th-cam.com/video/FrPXWe0jFS8/w-d-xo.html
I dont think this young generation really understand how hard working and amazing ben hogan was
I knew tough things, and everyday I improved was a great day”
What great life advice! When times are tough, just keep going! Thank you Mr. Hogan for everything you have added to the game of golf!
Thanks for putting this up on the great Ben Hogan! Gives you an insight into the man.
Ben Hogan...the definition of legend...a golf swing will never be studied more than Hogan's...70 years later when ppl want to learn how to play golf they read or watch Ben Hogan's instruction...he did more to advance the enjoyment and understanding of the swing than any human in golf history has or ever will...he had an incredibly difficult start to life with his father's suicide, absolute poverty, a miserable financial start to his pro career etc. and rose from the caddy yards to become the greatest ball striker in the history of the game with sheer work ethic and passion. RIP Mr. Hogan
Ben Hogan is the GREATEST GOLFER of all time. He had to miss so much time due to World War II, Accident and the fact that it was impossible for players to play all the majors due to schedule etc. You cannot measure the worth of a golfer by majors if all the majors were not in play back in the days.
RipleyGQ Excellent comment! 🏌🏾♂️⛳️🏆Hogan ! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Considering what top tier professional golf has become it's hard to imagine that the majors would have scheduling conflicts.
@@blujay9191You could argue that the British Open wasn’t really a major, in the modern sense, until Ben Hogan went and played it, and Arnold Palmer made it a “must play” for the best American golfers.
Mr. Hogan, you and your book is the only reason I can play to a 5 handicap. My swing looks like shit compared to yours and always will. You are an inspiration to all.
In all the Tiger hoopla recently and before that Jack Nicklaus, the non-tv era Ben Hogan's achievements are often overlooked. After his accident Ben had great difficulty playing tournament golf. He was in a great deal of pain so he limited his schedule. From 1950-1953 Hogan entered 9 majors and won 6. In 1953 he was 3 for 3, unable to make it to the PGA due to a conflict with the British Open. From 1940-1956 he finished in the top 10 in 31/32 majors. This is, without a doubt, the greatest run in golfing history, even surpassing Byron Nelson's record of consecutive tournament wins IMO. Had Ben been healthy his entire life I'm sure he'd be considered the GOAT.
He was actually 33/34 from 1939 to 1956. That includes the '39 PGA & the 1942 Hale America National Open which was the substitute for the cancelled Open due to WW2 in which there was local & sectional qualifying & Hogan after winning it received a medal that looked just like his other ones. From 1940 to 1947 he finished top 5 in 12 straight modern majors & the next highest streak is still just 7.
Ben was a guy who rarely, if ever, made mistakes on the golf course. Tiger makes quite a few each round; granted, he can recover from them in dramatic and amazing fashion--but Ben never really had to. There was an exhibition match Ben played with Sam Snead in 1964 at Champions Club in Houston (about 7000 yards), and Ben hit EVERY fairway and EVERY green that day. Not many people (including Tiger) can do that these days.
What a man ben was... absolute inspiration!!!
Wish there were more of these video clips.
No drugs! And other Debaucheries! What a role model! Success through hard work and grit!
My golf instructor is a hogan deciple as i call it, his swing is exactly like hogans, and hes been teaching me hogans swing for about a year. Now, he said today my swing had really improved.
I was having lunch with this very wealthy older man. The restaurant had a salad bar and when we sat down to eat our salads he realized the dressing was ketchup instead of French. The owner was embarrassed that an employee had accidentally put the ketchup in with the salad dressing. This gentleman refused to let the salad go to waste and proceeded to eat the entire salad with ketchup on it. I was kind of in disbelief. He looked at me and said “growing up poor is the best thing that ever happened to me, anything I get to eat now taste like success”
That's a great story and comment!
Hard to imagine how good this guy was. That old technology which went nowhere compared with today's, small sweet spots, that was real golf, not the driver - wedge stuff we see today. He was a marvel. Course record after course record in pressure cooker moments.
No one will ever tell a story as accurately or as clearly as the one who experienced it.
Many thanks, already seen Follow the Sun many times. Will get the books you mentioned.
I love how humble he was and he really should have given himself more credit for his achievements.I wish that he could still be here to teach us more b/c he is the best swinger the game has ever known.I feel as though if every golfer who wants to truly be a great golfer should study his book and read it thoroughly and take every line in it to heart because he is really my idol and i hope to be on the pga tour one day from practicing like he did and really getting to know the game better
Thanks excellent interview!!!! Hogan 🏌🏾♂️🏆⛳️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Great video.
Would love to see even more of the interview.
Thanks for posting this video.
This man said in 1983 "the players today I believe are better than we were".
Mr. Hogan.......at age 53, on a 7100 yard golf course, with butter knives, balata ball, and persimmon woods.......you smoked every fairway and hit every green in a match against Sam Snead. You hit every shot in the book on command and made it look simple. No sir.........they were NOT better......because it CAN'T get any better lol.
What I get from this is a very vulnerable man--despite his flinty reputation--that worked like a dog to defeat his demons.
A true golf legend. Best ball striker ever. His accuracy was tremendous, nearly winding up in his divots from the previous round the day before.
His reputation as "The Ice Man" with the press of his day was probably because he was shy individual and liked his privacy.
I read the Hogan book of his life that came out a couple of years ago - For me he was the greatest player ever. His name is alive today through his 2 books the latter is the bible of golf instruction - a real inspiration, dedicated to his craft with hours upon hours of practice. One of the real golf stars who is still with us through all the film and other material on his life - no one will ever go through all that he did on the journey to a career that is still with the golfing world today.
Tiger was taught the basics of golf from his dad, who learned the basics of golf by reading hogans book. Hogan inspired tigers dad -- without it, tiger never would have watched his dad play when he was a kid. That book is gospel for us golfers. What tiger has done is phenominal, but hogan paved the way.
An inspiration to those who ENJOY working hard to achieve what they dream of.......look no further than this great man as the ultimate example. My Golfing Hero.
Ben Hogan was always my favorite pro golfer and the best in my opinion.
Hard work and passion = Ben Hogan
A few weeks ago I bought a set of 2002 Ben Hogan Apex Edge Pro forged irons, 5-E, that was on eBay. When they came in I was immediately impressed by their quality. I took the 7 iron out to my local course and gave it a go. The feel was so smooth, they had good distance, and it's so obviously quality! I now have a Ben Hogan 52° and 56° wedges, and i have my eye on a 60° wedge as well. They just don't make clubs like this anymore! Mr. Hogan was a stickler for quality, and his philosophy continues on.
It's no wonder Mr. Hogan liked forged clubs. He forged his championship game himself from his admittedly poor golf game with endless hours of practice. Pros and amateurs alike are forever indebted to him.
I wish that I could watch that 1960 U.S. Open. I've seen parts of the 1966, 1967 and 1974 U.S. Opens on ESPN Classic, though I haven't watched that channel for a while. I believe that Palmer, Nicklaus, Hogan, Casper and Snead were all on the leader board in that 1960 U.S. Open.
Definitely a classic. Fleck and Player were up there as well.
What an absolute legend of a man and golfer... really does prove to the world what hard work and sheer determination does for someone wanting to achieve there dreams and goals hey ......I'm such a massive Mr Hogan fan even though I'm only 38 yrs of age I'm just in awe of this great man as a man and golfer .....I've really studied this man and honestly believe he's the best ball striker and course manager of all time. ..also as the years go on he's really a mythical person now even to the younger generation of players wheather there amateurs or tour pros people are so intrigued of this great man. ....and I don't blame them one bit ....I remember reading an article on the question years ago comparing Mr Hogan to Jack Nicklaus and I can't 100% remember who this was ...but he literally answered this question straight away ....and I know it was a tour pro who has been a multi major winner, stated that's easy for me to answer I've personally seen Nicklaus watch and study Hogan many times even when Nicklaus was winning majors practically every year. ..but I've never seen Hogan watch or admire Nicklaus ,subject closed. ...it was just the way he stated this with such authority and belief etc
What I would do to go back in time to see Mr Hogan in his prime
That was at the Colonial. You can hear the jets at Lockheed.
A true inspiration and a gifted legend. Absolutely the best ever!
At the end of the interview, about what shot is he speaking? His shot to number 17 at the 1960 U.S. Open?
Every word Hogan talks about golf the world should listen. Man hurts knowing this man is no longer with us. Everytime I pick up a club, i remember Mr Hogan.
I wonder if the full interview exists anywhere?
Mark Frost, in his book "The Match", writes that Nelson once gave Hogan a ride to the golf course after his car had been jacked...
If Jack had had the same upbringing (Jack actually had a very comfortable middle class upbringing) would he have been as good as he was? would he even have been as good as Hogan? Maybe it all made Ben tougher, but it had to have slowed his development as a golfer (didn't win a major until in his 30s) while Jack's early tuition gave him a huge head start, and multiple major wins by the time he was 25. What an amazing golfer and person Ben Hogan was.
Well said there buddy 👌 do definitely believe though due to Mr Hogans hard upbringing at times especially being in the same room as his father when Ben was just 5-6 yrs of age witnessed his father commit suicide by shooting himself gave him a never quit attitude regardless of how slim the future looks .....also like Mr Hogan stated his biggest and most cherished thing belonging to him was his name therefore without no excuse he never gave in or allowed himself to be in the limelight for any negative situation. ...
He really is an amazing person and golfer and like mentioned his nearly fatal car accident also being in the war at his prime can only imagine what his record could of been hey WHAT EVER HAPPENS HE WILL ALWAYS BE A LEGEND OF THE GAME
This is the entire interview portion from the film "A hardcase from Texas"
If there is anymore CBS has it.
I have it
This man reminds me of what is great about America. How many people or golfers you think he inspired? Countless. I am middle-aged, but if I could give advice to younger people, this is what I would share. Take it on, kids, and kick some ass. Don't you dare accept "welfare" or hand-outs, make it on you own and be proud in the end.
Best ball striker EVER.
There is pure competitive drive out of relative privilege, too. Jack had it. Jack was never poor, and I never saw someone accuse jack of overpracticing, but he showed up for competition just like arnie. Lee was tough like Hogan, tough background, self made. It takes all kinds. Kids today in golf come from more grooming, but a lot of them have the right attitude to win early on, and don't have the jitters I remember guys having just 25 years ago.
This dude is the man
The best to ever Play the game - Lost 4 years in WWll Army Airforce pilot & a Year after the bus almost killed him. After the accident, he only played 5-6 tournaments a year & won most of them.
practice,practice is the way to become good there no trick or gimmick around it.
@@leesale5083 calm down with your war and peace comments mate.emmbarasing.
why is it all chopped up?
Where can we see the entire unedited interview?
Does anyone know a source of the complete interview, including Venturi's comments?
No one has had a great of a year(1953) as the Greatest of all time Ben Hogan .. Not even Tiger Woods who as it turns out is a sorry SOB ... has had a better year than the great Hogan, nobody.
Hogan will always the greatest of all times. Master, US OPEN, British Open Champion all in the same year.
not true
yes!!!
Was it Byron Nelson who gave him a ride?.. or no
Greatness
The man was made of steel.
The One and only.
They don't make 'm like this anymore.
Mastiff is right...1) Ben drove the ball MUCH straighter than Tiger, and was still one of the longer hitters in his day. 2) Ben's irons were far more consistent and accurate. Ben never had a hole-in-one, because as he put it he was always aiming to leave himself an 8-foot, straight uphill birdie putt...and he frequently did just that. And 3) he knew exactly where to play every shot, and would put the ball there almost without fail. You almost never saw Ben leave himself a hard shot to play.
He had 2 aces during his time on the pga tour
When media ask Jack if tiger was a better ballstriker then ben hogan. He replied - no not even close
Ben Hogan and Ray Floyd= The Stare
There are two Ben Hogan Biographies, and they are both great reads. I recommend them to everybody
That is a completely outlandish statement.
His tires had been robbed in Oakland, but he finally found a ride to the tournament “I forget who it was.“ In the situation he was in, I sure as hell would remember the name of the guy who made sure that I got to the tournament on time. he remembered every other tiny detail, but that he couldn’t remember.
You have to remember that back in Hogan's time it really wasn't worth going to play in Britain and the PGA was match play. You had to play at least double the rounds of golf that it took to play it at medal play. So Hogan really only played 2 majors on a consistent basis after the accident. Plus Hogan missed nearly 4 years of majors during WWII when he was coming into his prime. He won 9 majors in 7 years time.
One of my personal golfing maxims is that whenever you get into a discussion on who is the greatest golfer, you have to let results speak for themselves. Following this, Nicklaus must be regarded as the greatest, or so I always thought.
But then there is Hogan. Father killed himself when Ben was 10, grew up in the depression with nothing and taught himself to play. He was so poor as a young tour pro he once played a 4 round tourney on a 20 cent bag of oranges. And yet, he beat the world.
BEN THE LEGEND
If Hogan came back from the grave and saw how pampered and spoiled the guys on the PGA Tour are these days, he'd punch somebody.
Not that every Tour player is that way...but so many of them have this weird sense of entitlement.
Let's face it: The old-timers were just better. Seriously...are you really gonna put a Hunter Mahan or a Geoff Ogilvy up against Hogan? Or against Trevino? Or Snead? Come on, it's not even fair.
Did Hogan ever write an autobiography???
Tiger Considers Hogan to be the best ball hitter ever
and Moe Norman
He had to, and I say that as someone physically his size (but obviously without his ability to do it the same every single time). Hogan's swing was a godsend to us small guys who need to hit a ball straight and control distance because we're not going to hit a wedge on every hole. I do miss the style of golf they played with low ball flight and fairway woods, there was an elegance to the striking that doesn't exist now.
That comment about being able to take "tough things" because he was tough, is absolutely right. The kids of today are spoilt shitless, and when a problem comes along, they cant resolve it. Tiger has the same attitude as Hogan, and that's why he is the best golfer in the world...end of !
Tiger isn't influenced or impressed by Jordan's class. He is impressed by his competitiveness and drive. Tiger has said he likes talking to Micheal because he is one of few people he can relate to that has the same kind of drive and competitiveness that he does.
Inspirational
The last thing that Ben did when he knew he was going to be in a horrible crash was jump over and protect his wife Valerie
I feel for the man..playing golf as a young man...he had it tough.
I guess it's all relative.
Such a stupid comment
Ya jack isn't close to him in ball striking, yet he won 73 tournaments and 18 majors...
The more I learn about him and all the eras of the game, he separates himself further and further from EVERYONE ELSE. Between 1941 and 1956 he finished in the top ten AND UNDER 290 in 12 straight US Open attempts (on 12 different courses). This despite the streak being interrupted twice (by WW2 military service and of course, the 1949 accident). The next longest streak by anyone else, 5. A lot easier to break 290 during last 40 years than it was during the first half of the last century. To put this amazing feat into perspective consider the following: In the 1970 Open Nicklaus, Palmer and Player all failed to break 300! AND Woods has failed to break 290 in FOUR Opens during his contemporary pro career. Oh and BTW, players were not allowed to clean the ball on the green until 1960.
+Joe Schmoe The putting part is a myth. He was an excellent putter until a few years after the accident. Then he stopped winning.
Hogan like Snead and many other big winners was a great "streaky putter' during his prime ('41-'49) which because of his incomparable & consistent tee to green game allowed him to win so often. He only had to putt really well in 1 or 2 rnds per event to win because his other rnds were still good enough. He did become a more solid putter after the accident ('51- '53) partly due to advice from Jack Burke Jr.
What a personality - very impressive gentleman!
not
You realize his father commited suicide when Ben was 10 years old, right? And that Ben then had to go to work to support the family at that age?
He earned everything he ever did. If he ever played a round golf, it was with his own money that he had to work hard to earn. Nothing was ever given to him.
And to come back after a near-fatal car crash and win like he did in the years following is something few professionals in any sport have ever done.
Mr.Hogan is so right about rich kids.
I heard he was the greatest golfer that ever lived.
@@leesale5083 I guess he was one of the greatest of his generation.
He was. Period.
@@rickiedeesnutz7318 no golfer after him whether alive or dead has a better record?
@@RadicalforGod absolutely they do....but look what he went through.....I think he's the greatest not the money leader.
@@rickiedeesnutz7318 I’m sure what you’re talking about. You’re entitled to your opinion.
This is not Tiger's fault by any means, and I don't want to take anything away from him, because he is one hell of a golfer. The immediate competition is just not as good. A good indicator is the final leaderboard--in Ben and Jack's periods there were a lot of the same names in the top 10, consistently--Casper, Player, Palmer, Mangrum, Weiskopf, Miller, Watson...today it's quite varied. How is it that the #2 player in the world finds ways to repeatedly finish T25 or miss cuts?
Well, if that's the only thing you know about Hogan, you should read up on him. Believe me, you'll be impressed. Your position on Tiger is a little skewed, and it's not your fault--the media and sports announcers shove it down everyone's throat that Tiger is the greatest ever...which causes some to forget just how good guys like Ben Hogan were.
Tiger can't control a ball the way Hogan could. Lots of erratic ball-striking with Tiger. Tiger DOES have an amazing mind, however, which is his biggest asset and the reason he wins so much. Lots of people have had better swings than Tiger, though. Ben Hogan was one of them--and he had the same mental toughness. If Ben were alive and in his prime today, we probably wouldn't know who Tiger is. Ben won somewhere around 60 tournaments in his own right, against very tough competition.
times changes,eras changes,but a champion or a legend never does,in any circumstances,he will always act same,however tough they r,tiger has come back from slump 4 times,Hogan was also great and would have outdriven many guys wid modern clubs,but its mental toughness which matters n d situations which r different, like maybe if Hogan played in this era,he would have been distracted wid all these luxuries and madhouse where there is no peace of mind coZ of fast lifestyle.
You could tell that cat did not take any shit from anyone.
Ben hogan isnt overrated, Hogan was better than tiger and if he had the same advantages as that big baby tiger, than he could had been considered the best of all time. Hagen, Hogan, Snead, and Jones kick Tigers ass!
I never said he was the greatest ever, although he very well could be. But now we get into the issue of competition. I believe there are lots of good golfers out there right now on the Tour, but not very many *great* ones, meaning ones who could beat Tiger head-to-head. Lots of guys who have better swings and basically hit the ball better than Tiger...but they fold when having to face him. In the eras of Ben Hogan, Palmer, and Nicklaus, there was a strong contingent of players who could win.
@SuperBaconator69 very true , but it's so close a human eye can't distinguish a difference .
Per sniveling little rich kids, not only don't most know what a tough day is, but will cry affluenza to avoid consequences. Instead of affluenza, if they were afflicted with Hogan-itis, the world would be a much better place.
Poor is a difficult life; socialism is the end of life. Let great individuals such as Ben Hogan remind us that we are not born equal, but only in America can you overcome.
The formula is as simple as 1-2-3:
1. Tiger Woods needs five championships to pass Jack Nicklaus for all-time wins in major golf tournaments.
2. Ben Hogan won five majors after driving head-on into a Greyhound bus.
3. All Woods needs to do to pass Nicklaus is drive head-on into a Greyhound bus.
lol astute observation
He's trying.
awesome...you know your history
LOL...You mad Bro?....You keep drink'n that Kool-Aid.
He reversed his car off his drive into a fire hydrant whilst his Mrs was twatting it with a 3 iron 🤣
The Gods were thrilled when Ben passed because they had the company of someone superior to their vacuous selves.
Poverty,simplicity, focussed work/play. Watched his dad shoot himself ; he turned out better than good
Lots of players have more athletic talent, but this 5’7” 10 stone squirt showed ‘em how.
Hopefully the genuine passion in those eyes makes up for his natural reticence
paul, i love your choice of adjectives. Makes you sound quite intelligent!
Love ya Ben
Is it really necessary to compare the two? If Tiger had played during Hogan's era, the game would'nt have been the same for him. I want to see tiger attempt to hit a wooden headed, 200cc driver, but I also want to see Ben Hogan chip in on the 16th hole of the masters to win. Two different eras, two different players. Get over it. It's like trying to compare George Washington to Abraham Lincoln. Can't we all just leave it that both are great players and characters, no matter what the stats say.
EAK1996 agree 👌🏼😊🏆🏆🏌🏾♂️🏌🏾♂️