What Is The Origin Of The Term "Hogan's Alley"?

[EmperorPenguin]

I am hearing different accounts of the origin of the term "Hogan's Alley." There are golfers who say that Hogan's Alley was named after Ben Hogan, who first suggested mowing a walking strip from the teeing ground to the fairway to help minimize the gook on spikes. Others claim Hogan's Alley was nicknamed for Riviera GC because of Ben Hogan's three wins there. Yet there are others who are quick to correct that Hogan's Alley was named for Colonial GC because Ben won five times there. An interesting account was for Ben Hogan's only British Open ("The Open Championship") in 1953 at Carnoustie: the first hole has a bunker left of center and a boundary all along the right, and for the best angle to the green the ball should challenge the boundary and finish between the bunker and OB; Ben's tee shot finished at that spot for all four days, hence "Hogan's Alley." Which one is right?

[cardoustie]

6th hole at Carnoustie... OB left and hideous bunkers right ... tough hole on a crazy tough course

[gsea33]

Everybody would go right of the bunker . Hogan everyday put the ball between the bunker and ob and shorten the hole. The iceman actually aimed at ob and faded into the "alley". Pure magic the man was all time best imo.

[birly-shirly]

I've heard it applied to both riviera and the 6th at Carnoustie. Riviera would have come first, but the Carnoustie one is authentic too. Could have been multiple Alleys, like Tiger's Spittoon.

[Subsonic]

When I hear the term Hogan's Alley...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogan's_Alley_(FBI)

 

Maybe the name originated with the comic strip as well and became a term used in society.

[BIG STU]

6th hole at Carnoustie... OB left and hideous bunkers right ... tough hole on a crazy tough course

I guess that is why it is called "Carnasty"

[BIG STU]

I am hearing different accounts of the origin of the term "Hogan's Alley." There are golfers who say that Hogan's Alley was named after Ben Hogan, who first suggested mowing a walking strip from the teeing ground to the fairway to help minimize the gook on spikes. Others claim Hogan's Alley was nicknamed for Riviera GC because of Ben Hogan's three wins there. Yet there are others who are quick to correct that Hogan's Alley was named for Colonial GC because Ben won five times there. An interesting account was for Ben Hogan's only British Open ("The Open Championship") in 1953 at Carnoustie: the first hole has a bunker left of center and a boundary all along the right, and for the best angle to the green the ball should challenge the boundary and finish between the bunker and OB; Ben's tee shot finished at that spot for all four days, hence "Hogan's Alley." Which one is right?

I had always heard it having to do with Riviera that he played that course so well that it was "right up his alley" or as they say today "the course just really fits my eye".

[gsea33]

Rivera is called Hogan's alley because he played the course so well as Stu said. 6th at Carnasty was named Hogan's alley because of how he played the hole when he won the open. In 2003 Carnality had a 50th anny for that open and officially renamed no. 6 Hogan's Alley.

[EmperorPenguin]

Here is a flyover of the sixth hole at Carnoustie.

 

[Blade Junkie]

I actually think the second shot is more intimidating on the 6th at Carnoustie ... OB left, Burn on the right, narrowing to the target landing area ...the Burn is not in play for the drive, just the OB and the bunkers LOL. And the bunkers are genuine hazards. No way you're banging something 200 yards out of one of those little buggers. 50 yards and be grateful :)

 

Just a great hole !

[Chip Out Sideways]

The Carnoustie story is the original derivation of the term. It has of course been applied elsewhere but that strip of land on the 6th at Carnoustie was the original.

 

Carnoustie is a great test of golf but I canot warm to it. In my view, like the town it is in, it is an ugly course. It just does not appeal to my eye.

[Thayneil]

The Carnoustie story is the original derivation of the term. It has of course been applied elsewhere but that strip of land on the 6th at Carnoustie was the original.

 

Carnoustie is a great test of golf but I canot warm to it. In my view, like the town it is in, it is an ugly course. It just does not appeal to my eye.

 

its a great test for the Open,but playing it regulary would do your head in

 

not an easy hole on the course

[BIG STU]

Thanks for posting the link. I did that hole and the whole flyover of the course. I can see why true links golf is meant to be played "on the ground" as the Europeans say. I have also watched Opens on TV from Carnoustie and have seen them putting from 50 yards or more from off the green. No wonder they call the place "Carnasty". I can see me hitting a lot of 1 iron stingers from the proper tees of course

 

Last week we played a course down here that I had not played in 10 or 12 years. It is links style but was not set up to be played properly. I guess they had over seeded and the grass was long in the fairways and extremely wet and we had not had rain in 2 or 3 weeks You could not get any roll with a stinger shot. It was wet around the greens so you could not run a ball up to the green. The greens were hard as concrete and no high hit shot would hold. in fact they were so hard I hit a few spinner wedges and 8 irons and never made a ball mark. We were also behind two groups of drunks that would not let anyone through and no ranger in sight. In fact we let the group behind us through because they said they could speed them up. Nope did not happen. We quit on 16 and will not go there again as long as the Founders Group owns that course. The Founders group is the Chinese group that owns 21 courses here including my former home course for 16 years. Since they have came in those courses and golf in general has went to hell in a hand basket here on the Grand Strand. I have already moved my membership to another course not affiliated with that group.

[HoganApexBlades]

Thanks for posting the link. I did that hole and the whole flyover of the course. I can see why true links golf is meant to be played "on the ground" as the Europeans say. I have also watched Opens on TV from Carnoustie and have seen them putting from 50 yards or more from off the green. No wonder they call the place "Carnasty". I can see me hitting a lot of 1 iron stingers from the proper tees of course

 

Last week we played a course down here that I had not played in 10 or 12 years. It is links style but was not set up to be played properly. I guess they had over seeded and the grass was long in the fairways and extremely wet and we had not had rain in 2 or 3 weeks You could not get any roll with a stinger shot. It was wet around the greens so you could not run a ball up to the green. The greens were hard as concrete and no high hit shot would hold. in fact they were so hard I hit a few spinner wedges and 8 irons and never made a ball mark. We were also behind two groups of drunks that would not let anyone through and no ranger in sight. In fact we let the group behind us through because they said they could speed them up. Nope did not happen. We quit on 16 and will not go there again as long as the Founders Group owns that course. The Founders group is the Chinese group that owns 21 courses here including my former home course for 16 years. Since they have came in those courses and golf in general has went to hell in a hand basket here on the Grand Strand. I have already moved my membership to another course not affiliated with that group.

 

STU,

 

Good to see you bright and early this morning, RANTIN' & RAVIN'!!!

[BIG STU]

I am up WFO as usual in the early morning--- I ain't ranting and raving just stating the facts Jack---- If I was in rant mode I would have started and posted a whole thread about the Chinese ruining golf on the Grand Strand

[oldschoolrocker]

Maybe that would make for an interesting topic, perhaps not just the Chinese taking over course management, but, how things change in general when a favorite old course finds itself “under new management.”

We have a couple here in Chucktowne that have switched hands and one in particular that has me hot under the collar.

 

[sheldonjhacker]

Thanks for posting the link. I did that hole and the whole flyover of the course. I can see why true links golf is meant to be played "on the ground" as the Europeans say. I have also watched Opens on TV from Carnoustie and have seen them putting from 50 yards or more from off the green. No wonder they call the place "Carnasty". I can see me hitting a lot of 1 iron stingers from the proper tees of course

 

Last week we played a course down here that I had not played in 10 or 12 years. It is links style but was not set up to be played properly. I guess they had over seeded and the grass was long in the fairways and extremely wet and we had not had rain in 2 or 3 weeks You could not get any roll with a stinger shot. It was wet around the greens so you could not run a ball up to the green. The greens were hard as concrete and no high hit shot would hold. in fact they were so hard I hit a few spinner wedges and 8 irons and never made a ball mark. We were also behind two groups of drunks that would not let anyone through and no ranger in sight. In fact we let the group behind us through because they said they could speed them up. Nope did not happen. We quit on 16 and will not go there again as long as the Founders Group owns that course. The Founders group is the Chinese group that owns 21 courses here including my former home course for 16 years. Since they have came in those courses and golf in general has went to hell in a hand basket here on the Grand Strand. I have already moved my membership to another course not affiliated with that group.

 

STU,

 

Good to see you bright and early this morning, RANTIN' & RAVIN'!!!

 

Stu's description of that "round in HELL" gave me anxiety ! :black eye:

[cardoustie]

I will also say that hole 6 was the beginning of my epic breakdown when I played there. Such a good start ... all for bupkus