How did Hogan keep his balance standing so far away from the ball?

[Strikeb4ck]

Also question about foot alignment.

I feel like I'm getting close to a Hogan-esque swing, my transition feels good, the plane feels correct, I'm just having one major problem though.

At no point in the swing do I really feel balanced. If I stand far enough away from the ball to really clear my hips and subsequently my arms through the ball, I always fall forward around the end of backswing/start of downswing because if not I don't feel as if I'll hit the ball. My body pushes me forwards/down and I end up coming over the top and across, resulting in a slice.

If I try to nullify this by standing closer to the ball, not only does it feel awkward, but I don't have any space to clear my hips and end up pushing, even push-slicing it.

What did Hogan do to stand balanced throughout the swing despite standing a fair distance off of the ball?

-------------------------------

Also, while I'm at it...One more question. When I address the ball, I try to make my feet line up to the parallel line of the clubface, without having my right foot (I'm lefty) flared out. Once I feel aligned, I move my left foot back and flare out the right foot. Should I only flare out the right foot and leave the left as be (it seems very easy to come across the ball like this, and slice). Or should I move the left back, right up, then flare the right? How do you all, or how did Hogan, do it?

[svsvincenzo]

[quote name='Strikeb4ck' timestamp='1337709922' post='4959084']
I feel like I'm getting close to a Hogan-esque swing, my transition feels good, the plane feels correct, I'm just having one major problem though.

At no point in the swing do I really feel balanced. If I stand far enough away from the ball to really clear my hips and subsequently my arms through the ball, I always fall forward around the end of backswing/start of downswing because if not I don't feel as if I'll hit the ball. My body pushes me forwards/down and I end up coming over the top and across, resulting in a slice.

If I try to nullify this by standing closer to the ball, not only does it feel awkward, but I don't have any space to clear my hips and end up pushing, even push-slicing it.

What did Hogan do to stand balanced throughout the swing despite standing a fair distance off of the ball?

-------------------------------

Also, while I'm at it...One more question. When I address the ball, I try to make my feet line up to the parallel line of the clubface, without having my right foot (I'm lefty) flared out. Once I feel aligned, I move my left foot back and flare out the right foot. Should I only flare out the right foot and leave the left as be (it seems very easy to come across the ball like this, and slice). Or should I move the left back, right up, then flare the right? How do you all, or how did Hogan, do it?
[/quote]


How far or close you are to the ball depends entirely on your L(ead) hand grip...

What's the fuss on the foot movements? Just flare the L foot and square or open up a bit or pull back a bit the R(ear) foot depending on your desired length of your swing and desired clubhead path at impact...

[Timanator]

I think Hogan was able to keep the balance with a wider stance. If you look at the modern players, Hogan has a very wide stance compared to most of them.

[svsvincenzo]

[quote name='Timanator' timestamp='1339000480' post='5041362']
I think Hogan was able to keep the balance with a wider stance. If you look at the modern players, Hogan has a very wide stance compared to most of them.
[/quote]

How about the front to back balance?

[MizunoJoe]

Seems well balanced with the driver by standing up fairly straight and pulling the right foot back from the target line. Also, he looks short waisted with a large rear, so center of gravity is lower.

[svsvincenzo]

[quote name='MizunoJoe' timestamp='1339077799' post='5046492']
Seems well balanced with the driver by standing up fairly straight and pulling the right foot back from the target line. Also, he looks short waisted with a large rear, so center of gravity is lower.
[/quote]

But he bends over to the targetline more once he takes it away. How does he keep the balance at the same time keeping the bent over spine angle all throughout?

[itsjappo]

i think having his weight on his heels help keeping his balance, specially when he had his hands a bit away from ball at address. combine this with no swaying, you are really not moving that much to lose any kind of balance. simply just turning back and through towards the target. as far a the feet flaring out goes in the swing motion, it varies on your body limitations. if you need more of a "deeper turn" in backwing, then flare out back foot. if you need more of "clearing space" of your leading hips at impact, then flaring forward foot is good. the foot positions also depends on what club you are using and what shot your are trying to produce.

[lee36328]

[quote name='Strikeb4ck' timestamp='1337709922' post='4959084']
I feel like I'm getting close to a Hogan-esque swing, my transition feels good, the plane feels correct, I'm just having one major problem though.

At no point in the swing do I really feel balanced. If I stand far enough away from the ball to really clear my hips and subsequently my arms through the ball, [b][color=#ff0000]I always fall forward around the end of backswing/start of downswing[/color][/b] because if not I don't feel as if I'll hit the ball. My body pushes me forwards/down and I end up coming over the top and across, resulting in a slice.

If I try to nullify this by standing closer to the ball, not only does it feel awkward, but I don't have any space to clear my hips and end up pushing, even push-slicing it.

What did Hogan do to stand balanced throughout the swing despite standing a fair distance off of the ball?

-------------------------------
[/quote]

When I faced this issue, turned out my backswing was too high when compared to Hogan. Making the backswing flatter helped in my case.

You may want to check that your hands are as low and as deep as Hogan's at the top of the backswing. As we can see from his swing videos, he did not let the hands get above his shoulder plane at the top.

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='lee36328' timestamp='1339130733' post='5051184']
[quote name='Strikeb4ck' timestamp='1337709922' post='4959084']
I feel like I'm getting close to a Hogan-esque swing, my transition feels good, the plane feels correct, I'm just having one major problem though.

At no point in the swing do I really feel balanced. If I stand far enough away from the ball to really clear my hips and subsequently my arms through the ball, [b][color=#ff0000]I always fall forward around the end of backswing/start of downswing[/color][/b] because if not I don't feel as if I'll hit the ball. My body pushes me forwards/down and I end up coming over the top and across, resulting in a slice.

If I try to nullify this by standing closer to the ball, not only does it feel awkward, but I don't have any space to clear my hips and end up pushing, even push-slicing it.

What did Hogan do to stand balanced throughout the swing despite standing a fair distance off of the ball?

-------------------------------
[/quote]

When I faced this issue, turned out my backswing was too high when compared to Hogan. Making the backswing flatter helped in my case.

You may want to check that your hands are as low and as deep as Hogan's at the top of the backswing. As we can see from his swing videos, he did not let the hands get above his shoulder plane at the top.
[/quote]

yes sir good point. Low backswing and moving his butt back helped balance out him lowering and bending over more in the backswing.

He had a big butt.

[Timanator]

Damn, so summing this thread up:

Hogan ate bacon everyday and ended up with a stout rear end, allowing more stability to swing flat and around the keg like posterior.

Thats Hogan's real secret, and someone should write a book quick!

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='Timanator' timestamp='1339508458' post='5073892']
Damn, so summing this thread up:

Hogan ate bacon everyday and ended up with a stout rear end, allowing more stability to swing flat and around the keg like posterior.

Thats Hogan's real secret, and someone should write a book quick!
[/quote]


Bacon? That's just what you wrote. Who knows what his true secret for getting a big butt was. Probably hitting all those golf balls!

[Timanator]

Bogan loved bacon, and thats a known fact.

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='Timanator' timestamp='1339526803' post='5077506']
Bogan loved bacon, and thats a known fact.
[/quote]

maybe all the cardio he did with his wife?

[Timanator]

And thats how he got to play so much golf.

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='Timanator' timestamp='1339531091' post='5078186']
And thats how he got to play so much golf.
[/quote]

golf!

[tgreenwood11]

I've looked at a lot of Hogan film. I think he kept his balance because he kept his hips back throughout the swing and his upper body bent forward which provides a perfect counter balance action.

[svsvincenzo]

[quote name='tgreenwood11' timestamp='1339936075' post='5112660']
I've looked at a lot of Hogan film. I think he kept his balance because he kept his hips back throughout the swing and his upper body bent forward which provides a perfect counter balance action.
[/quote]

+1. Nice post.