Thanks Ben Hogan

My swing has been even more cr*ppy than ever the last few years from doing lots of theory and practice.

When I play every swing i make is different, at least too me, try this, try that etc.

Like last Sat. hitting ball so bad as usual, on 14th tee brain thinks "rotate left open in backswing".

Black dog low nasty pull smother struggles over bunker and finds left bushes.

Shoulders slump, knees sag, outbreath and sigh "Thanks Ben Hogan".

Happens a lot when i try what i think is a Ben Hogan thing, "Thanks Ben Hogan" will be my epitaph.

Golf would have been better without him, then my dad could not have bought his book in the 1960's and I wouldn't have read it at a young impessionable age.

In the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest they did not show one character because it was too distressing, he is the chap who shuffles around all day long shouting "get out my head Ben Hogan".

U gotta leave theory at the range and dance with who brung you on the course.

I can relate my man. Seems like every time I play I'm thinking of one or two little things to try. Amazing how that keeps you from playing to your true potential.

For example, I got so far off trying to figure out the "secret" or at least a better way to set the club in my hands that my rotation went to hell. Finally got to video myself and almost threw up!

So, back to the drawing board. One thing that stands out when watching all the greats: they control the swing with their core, the upper thighs, trunk and shoulders. Concentrating on the peripheral things like elbows and hands can lead to some bad habits. I've gotten back on track by just making sure I make a good, tight, repeatable turn.

You'd be amazed how much your good and bad swings are like each other other when you see them on video.

"You'd be amazed how much your good and bad swings are like each other other when you see them on video."
yeah i know that, it always looks the same even when i do things that are complete opposites.
i think video lies also.
anyhow i got a new idea, thank god its not something Mr. Hogan said.
my hips and legs have never worked EVER. if i try to work them its a complete mess of disconnected parts.
new idea i hope will make them work without working them.
i wonder if you could accidentally swing like Hogan if you'd never heard of him.

Pin are you depressed?

Completely miserable Tembolo. I was thinking of quitting my club menbership and golf altogether.
But I got a lot of feedback from folks all saying what a great idea, so I didn't.
I've taken up sewing!

Hang in there Pin! Swing a little left with some extension. You may pull but u won't hook (as bad!)

Pin how are you doing? How are the ladyboys?

[quote name='Pinsplitter59' timestamp='1407387769' post='9876923']
"You'd be amazed how much your good and bad swings are like each other other when you see them on video."
yeah i know that, it always looks the same even when i do things that are complete opposites.
i think video lies also.
anyhow i got a new idea, thank god its not something Mr. Hogan said.
my hips and legs have never worked EVER. if i try to work them its a complete mess of disconnected parts.
new idea i hope will make them work without working them.
i wonder if you could accidentally swing like Hogan if you'd never heard of him.
[/quote]

Could be there's an element of your game that you prob take for granted. Something you do well but only when you let go and let instinct take over. The rest of the times it's you likely making compensations to correct your last bad swing.
.

from doing that pic i posted in other post, last night i tried practicing MOVING my upper body back as the takeaway,
boy was that an effort, like shifting a bag of wheat and big mental change/effort to make myself do it.
has possibilities to help my swing i think.
anyhow (Tembolo be nice!) off to Thailand on Thursday for lots of range time.
might make this my progress thread or is that egress or backgress.

thought youze might be amused by my front verandah how she used to be before tidying up.
[attachment=2474331:IMG_1520w.jpg]

[quote name='Pinsplitter59' timestamp='1407187422' post='9856751']
My swing has been even more cr*ppy than ever the last few years from doing lots of theory and practice.
When I play every swing i make is different, at least too me, try this, try that etc.
Like last Sat. hitting ball so bad as usual, on 14th tee brain thinks "rotate left open in backswing".
Black dog low nasty pull smother struggles over bunker and finds left bushes.
Shoulders slump, knees sag, outbreath and sigh "Thanks Ben Hogan".
Happens a lot when i try what i think is a Ben Hogan thing, "Thanks Ben Hogan" will be my epitaph.
Golf would have been better without him, then my dad could not have bought his book in the 1960's and I wouldn't have read it at a young impessionable age.
In the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest they did not show one character because it was too distressing, he is the chap who shuffles around all day long shouting "get out my head Ben Hogan".
[/quote]

When I was around 20 years old I found something that worked amazingly well. It was just me practicing with a 5 iron and a driver 4 nights a week. I learned what worked to make the ball go straight, for me. Learned what made the ball hook (could never slice the ball back then).

I had this move so dialed in that the ball was always straight. Funny part is that I didnt play golf. Not one single round. Didnt even own clubs. Borrowed them from a friend of mine. I just went to the range for therapeutic reasons.

Then when I actually took the game up at 32 I bought Hogans book. Watched videos. Tried all these theories. None of them produced the same results as simply swinging UP on the ball with a wider base. May sound wrong, but it works for me, I know why it works, and Ill never be a pro so who cares what my swing looks like. Plus a high draw is pretty cool to watch.

Ahhh nice Jason, you are a self-realised Count Yogi (swinging up was his thing, Hollywood teacher to the Stars, 1930's i think) and ive done it myself at times and it does work. Its just not the feel i like or am looking for, in fact i think it is a solution for a narrow swing path, when you swing up you don't move forward thus you will stay behind the ball, a good way to hit the ball though, like an uppercut.
What i like is the feel of wide and having time and space in the swing.
Not what Thomas Hobbes said "and the golf swing of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (quote edited for relevance).

can't help myself now i have recovered pic upload allowance.
Ben Hogan relevant pic here because he (Peter Thomson) came equal 2nd to Hogan in 1953 Open Championship.
Weekend before last i went back to the old course at the Grampians (Victoria, Australia, named after Grampians mountains in Scotland) celebrating 50 years with a book launch and Peter Thomson attending because he played on the official opening day in 1967.
In the beginning there was no electricity, no sewerage and no water, the course was carved out of the wild mountain bushland by the members and volunteers.
Course was in very good condition but only holed 1 putt on the damn tricky sand greens (see in pic left side behind people).[attachment=2474709:DSC_2641w.jpg]

[quote name='Pinsplitter59' timestamp='1414386025' post='10356065']
Ahhh nice Jason, you are a self-realised Count Yogi (swinging up was his thing, Hollywood teacher to the Stars, 1930's i think) and ive done it myself at times and it does work. Its just not the feel i like or am looking for, in fact i think it is a solution for a narrow swing path, when you swing up you don't move forward thus you will stay behind the ball, a good way to hit the ball though, like an uppercut.
What i like is the feel of wide and having time and space in the swing.
Not what Thomas Hobbes said "and the golf swing of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (quote edited for relevance).
[/quote]

I dont think Id take me swinging UP literal. I was a chop down baseball swinger. The ability to get my back shoulder down and around is impossible....unless I exaggerate the motion of swinging up on a golf ball. It forces my legs to bump forward.

The wide base keeps me stable when I move my left shoulder over my right foot. Chest at that point is perpendicular to the target line and facing away from the target. I feel a stretch from my left glute, through my left lat, and all the way to my shoulder. It also keeps my hands in front and away from my body. From there I have all the room in the world to work my shouder/elbow down which for me feels like Im swinging UP. I do stay behind the ball well and I finish strong and balanced on my front foot.

EDIT: My point being is that book gives you so much crap to think about. When 1 or 2 simple things have ALWAYS worked for me. Just ignored them (when I began reading too much).