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If there's a golf teacher privy to Ben Hogan's secret, it would be him...


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Not only is he privy with it...he has actually won with it... (Edit: He is aka Fats here on WRX...)

 

http://www.ajc.com/s...to-1444666.html

 

Larry Mowry turns to teaching after senior golf career

 

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Larry Mowry affirms that there are good golf instructors in metro Atlanta. But how many went head-to-head with legends Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in a tournament and won?

 

Mowry recently began giving lessons at the Lanier Golf Club driving range. His new resume as a teacher has a list of credentials that includes winning the 1989 Senior PGA Championship. He also won the 1987 Senior Pepsi Challenge, at Horseshoe Bend Country Club in Roswell, with a closing-round 66 to defeat playing partners Palmer and Player. Mowry also has more than 100 mini-tour victories to his credit.

 

"I'm not going to say I'm better than anybody else, but I'm good," the 75-year-old Mowry said. "I've actually won tournaments. For some reason, I see that as an advantage. I can actually say I've had to hit a shot when it really mattered, and if I flub it, I look like a jerk."

 

A career in golf afforded Mowry a modest retirement in the Atlanta area for more than 20 years. However, the recent financial crisis and the economic aftermath pushed him back to the game to supplement his income. He has found a passion for sharing his knowledge of the golf swing with amateurs.

 

Mowry began working with two golfers to implement his system. It's part Ben Hogan fundamentals, as passed down to Mowry from Hall of Famer Tommy Bolt, and his own work analyzing golf swings and other teaching methods. Much of his simplified approach revolves around an amateur's right elbow position being too far from the body during the down swing. It's a fault he sees in most golfers that cost them proper ball striking and power at impact.

 

A lesson with Mowry can last up to an hour and 45 minutes, part of which is spent collecting video. Mowry will send an unlisted link of the swing via YouTube complete with commentary that includes positive reinforcement and necessary corrections. A free refresher lesson follows after some time to reinforce the adjustments.

 

"They've worked on it, we've discussed it via e-mail, then they come back and show me what they are doing," Mowry said. "That one thing has really put people across the finish line."

 

Mowry has even used video via the Internet to give a lesson to someone in the Philippines. Lessons are by appointment only, and Mowry can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

 

Perhaps the biggest key in instruction is making sure the golfer sees immediate success following a lesson. For the average golfer, the sport is not near the top of life's priority list, according to Mowry, and the golfer wants to see reasonable improvement.

 

"I've been to at least a half-dozen golf instructors and spent a lot of money on it," said Tom Gandolfi, one of Mowry's first students. "The thing that had been the most frustrating for me was every time I went to a golf instructor I left worse than I came. ... What has been different with Larry is every time I come to see him I leave playing better than when I got here. For me, that's instant gratification, and it's really what the game is about.

 

"I don't do this for a living. I wish that I could. I don't. And I need to enjoy it. He has helped me enjoy the game a lot more, which is worth every bit of the time I put into it."

 

Mowry, who never won an official PGA Tour event, won five times on the Senior (now Champions) Tour. He still plays one event, the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah with partner Bruce Devlin. The pair finished eighth in the Demaret Division of the event in April at 13 under par.

 

While he will always cherish his major title at the Senior PGA, the memories of that day on the 18th green at Horseshoe Bend Country Club are the fondest of Mowry's golf career.

 

"I've got Gary Player and Arnold Palmer with their chins down on their chests putting out to get out of my way," Mowry said. "I elbowed my caddie and said 'Can you believe this?' It was like dunking over Wilt Chamberlain or striking out Babe Ruth or knocking out Joe Louis."

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[quote name='Siteseer2' timestamp='1344783159' post='5454604']
He's passionate and knowledgeable...and a good guy [color=#0000CD]who doesnt BS around[/color]. I think ALOT of Fats....fwiw
[/quote]

My favorite part in blue. If the OP had mentioned Fats, I would have known who he was talkn bout. I would go see him if he was closer.

AC

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[quote name='AlexCzervic' timestamp='1344779219' post='5454282']
I have no idea if this guy is a good teacher. I would just like to say that I have had lessons from a PGA tour winner that were terrible. Lessons from a couple Nationwide washouts that were terrible. The best lessons I ever had were from a self taught range rat currently playing Division one.

AC
[/quote]

This multiple winner has lineage from Hogan himself thru Tommy Bolt...a must try for Hoganites...lol

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[quote name='ej002' timestamp='1344869416' post='5461082']
[quote name='chrisgilly09' timestamp='1344818666' post='5457906']
Dug it up, that was someone else...my bad HG101 :sorry:


On a different note, Fats has been wonderful to us to leave some clues over the years, good sense of humor too
[/quote]

No you are right, H101 is SvS-whatever...same person... kind of weird.
[/quote]

I see some bitterness in there...

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I had a lesson once from the late Harvie Ward, who also played golf with Hogan and Nelson, including a famous match at Cypress Point. Anyway, I don't think there was any magic secret piece of advice there. He just told me to work hard, play a fade, and take one side of the course out of play. Harvie told me that Hogan liked to play with him because they both played left to right.

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I think the sec[quote name='pinehurst' timestamp='1344949030' post='5468396']
I had a lesson once from the late Harvie Ward, who also played golf with Hogan and Nelson, including a famous match at Cypress Point. Anyway, I don't think there was any magic secret piece of advice there. He just told me to work hard, play a fade, and take one side of the course out of play. Harvie told me that Hogan liked to play with him because they both played left to right.
[/quote]

I think the "secret", if there's a secret, is how to know and pick-up EVERYTHING that made Hogan's swing tick, and getting them all to WORK TOGETHER. How to implement them in an actual swing. First, knowing the mechanics, and second, how to apply the mechanics. Of all the Hogan disciples/students, I think Tommy Bolt is the CLOSEST. And Mr. Bolt gave unlimited access to Mr. Mowry. I think this is the closest you can get to pick on the brains of Mr. Hogan...and later actually use it and win..multiple times...ain't that great?

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[quote name='eightiron' timestamp='1345386510' post='5498022']
Fats will not disclose the real secret ,since there is a curse attached to it , think about it guys , can you think of any who have been taken due to the curse
[/quote]

Interesting, are you saying that hogan was the Robert Johnson of the golfing world? I wonder if he also found his secret during an unholy encounter at some cross road in mississippi. Could be that the same wood that made that guitar was also used to make golf clubs by a craftsman of the satanic sort?

So the question is...would you be willing to give your soul to swing like that? Pray that you take time in answering this question.

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[quote name='dairic' timestamp='1345398374' post='5498706']
[quote name='eightiron' timestamp='1345386510' post='5498022']
Fats will not disclose the real secret ,since there is a curse attached to it , think about it guys , can you think of any who have been taken due to the curse
[/quote]

Interesting, are you saying that hogan was the Robert Johnson of the golfing world? I wonder if he also found his secret during an unholy encounter at some cross road in mississippi. Could be that the same wood that made that guitar was also used to make golf clubs by a craftsman of the satanic sort?

So the question is...would you be willing to give your soul to swing like that? Pray that you take time in answering this question.
[/quote]

We'll all be saved in the end anyway right? I would! Big, high knucklefade rocket! BOOM!

Wishon 919 THI 11* 0.5* Open
Wishon 929 HS 14.5*, 19* 0.5 Open
Wishon 775HS 22*, 25*
Wishon 5, 6 560 MC 7-PW MMC MB
Wishon 54, 59 Micro-Groove HM
All shafts are S2S Stepless Steel Wishon

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Sure thing, AC. Hogan knew that golf, as much of life, was experiential and required practical effort, not magic. He wasn't the kind of guy to go around correcting people who did not understand his words, or could not make sense of them. He was sought after, gave generously, and has the mistaken impression of being a recluse through many of the legends. I think he simply valued his privacy, enjoyed the practice, and gave when those working as hard as he was were receptive to hearing his thoughts and suggestions.

But be assured that in September 1947 at Colonial Hogan discovered some real swing keys that worked very quickly, "like a charm" in his words. He discovered these things by putting his mind to his problems. They worked under pressure for him. They lightened his burden of playing competitive golf, and he went on a tear through the circuit from then until the car crash. Then he rebuilt himself focused on the things that worked, adapted around his new physical impairments, and had the greatest seasons of his golfing life, while being in some serious phyiscal pain. That's mental fortitude.

Sure, you can say he just dig it out of the dirt and stop there... or you can put your mind to solving your own problems and forget all about Hogan.

But I also believe firmly that there was a real secret, the thing that worked like a charm, which Hogan discovered, and I know Larry is privileged to be in the lineage of those ( - those dedicated hard working journeymen like Tommy Bolt- ) with whom this knowledge has been shared.

But even if you're lucky enough to learn from Larry, he'll be the first to tell you that Hogan was also right about this: the physical part is only 30% of the game, the other 70% is mental.

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Also, I couldn't agree more about the mental being 70%, but I don't think you can build the mental until you have confidence in "a" swing. It's only then, that mental aspect starts to turn in your favor.

I remember reading a Byron quote about how until he locked in his fundementals, his mental side didn't start to develop into what eventually was one of the best golf minds of all time. The astonishing thing about Nelson was that he found his "best" swing far quicker than most. He even said that once he decided that was "his" swing, he never changed it again. I think that's important too, more so than the "perfect" swing...take your time developing your swing, but know that with every change in your mechanics, your confidence, or your mental - takes a step back, it has to since it's not familiar to you.

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[quote name='drewspin' timestamp='1345730766' post='5521178']
Sure thing, AC. Hogan knew that golf, as much of life, was experiential and required practical effort, not magic. He wasn't the kind of guy to go around correcting people who did not understand his words, or could not make sense of them. He was sought after, gave generously, and has the mistaken impression of being a recluse through many of the legends. I think he simply valued his privacy, enjoyed the practice, and gave when those working as hard as he was were receptive to hearing his thoughts and suggestions.

But be assured that in September 1947 at Colonial Hogan discovered some real swing keys that worked very quickly, "like a charm" in his words. He discovered these things by putting his mind to his problems. They worked under pressure for him. They lightened his burden of playing competitive golf, and he went on a tear through the circuit from then until the car crash. Then he rebuilt himself focused on the things that worked, adapted around his new physical impairments, and had the greatest seasons of his golfing life, while being in some serious phyiscal pain. That's mental fortitude.

Sure, you can say he just dig it out of the dirt and stop there... or you can put your mind to solving your own problems and forget all about Hogan.

But I also believe firmly that there was a real secret, the thing that worked like a charm, which Hogan discovered, and I know Larry is privileged to be in the lineage of those ( - those dedicated hard working journeymen like Tommy Bolt- ) with whom this knowledge has been shared.

But even if you're lucky enough to learn from Larry, he'll be the first to tell you that Hogan was also right about this: the physical part is only 30% of the game, the other 70% is mental.
[/quote]

Again, Tommy Bolt is the closest of them all to Hogan. If there's someone where ALL the secrets were told, that would be Bolt. Mr. Larry Mowry is in turn very close to and learned a lot from Mr. Bolt. Mr. Arnold Palmer learned from Mr. Bolt as well I believe....hence the Mr. Palmer pic shown by Drew?

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Palmer was a tremendous putter, and, although Hogan called him Boy and told him he didn't belong at Augusta after seeing his swing and (lack of) control, Palmer was a workin' man, to the core.

Anyway, the way I see it, Palmer hits some great positions through the ball, even though his grip surely cost him in the control dept.

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  • 1 month later...

I'm a noob round these parts but I had the opportunity to bump into one of Larry's students on another site and he suggested I check it out over here. I'm a pro and I wanted to give some extreme love to Larry, he is honestly as for real as for real can ever get if you care about old skool at all and doesn't need some shlub like me to say so but I'm doing it anyway so neener neener.

I had the privilege of meeting Larry once in I think it was '04 & what I personally like is that like all proper pros really should he doesn't do dogma or position stuff like so many instructors and players seem to be obsessed with, he teaches principles and efficient dynamic motion which is the hallmark of ALL the best players and strikers in the history of the game. Dude gets it, no surprise considering who he learned from so there's my two cents for what its worth, I know he hangs out here and y'all are lucky to have him big time, not nearly enough Larry Mowry's out there, never have been.

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