Ben Hogan's Secret Fundamental Tips for #Golf

When an advance copy of Ben Hogan's Secret Fundamental came to me via snail mail, my husband, an avid player, snagged it for himself.

Uncovering golf tips from a legend who was one of the best technicians of the game can always help those who want to learn.

My better half took some of Hogan's "secrets" to the range and, when he returned, acknowledged that this book helped him through some of his rough moments.

That being said, it was my turn to read golf tips offered by the great Ben Hogan, written by direct protege, Larry Miller, and to learn a few secrets to take to the course with me.

What is Ben Hogan's well-guarded "Secret"?

According to Miller, some of the best golfers in the world had their own opinions; Sam Snead said, "hands never cross" and Harvey Penick, in his "Little Red Book" touches upon the secret, basic geometry of right angles and parallel lines which Hogan used to create his "perfect golf swing". This new book, in my opinion, is NOT for beginners, unless, of course, that newbie has the fundamental knowledge of the golf swing and can put these tips into practice.

In this Golf for Beginners Podcast, we help break down Ben Hogan's secret into simpler terms.

How Ben Hogan Created Power

Hogan was not a big man and created a tremendous amount of lag but there were other factors which were present in his golf swing. "The Hawk" had a very consistent golf swing, kept his swing on track, considered geometry in relation to his hands, knees and position and had perfect acceleration and speed through to impact. 

Putting Ben Hogan's Secret Fundamental to Work for You

Ben Hogan once said, "Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing."

Read the book with Hogan's quote in mind, considering the scientific aspect behind the golf swing.

There are some really good golf tips within this book, starting from the basics and moving deep within the geometric framework of your body in correlation to the golf club. A few thoughts to consider when swinging away involve:

- Starting from a completely neutral address position

- Keeping the triangle intact from your shoulders at takeaway until the shaft of the club is horizontal

- Keeping your golf club on the line in which it began.

Ben Hogan was also terrific with keeping his focus / concentration and course management, to such a degree that, when you turn to page 123, Miller states, "Implementing this section is a guaranteed way to lower your scores even if you ignore the rest of the book."

From Hogan's strategic way of mapping the golf course to walking the course backward and the value of "pin high", just reading this section starts the average golfer thinking of ways to better visualize shots, approaches and how to avoid trouble.

One drill which was regularly used by Tiger Woods and Johnny Miller is called the "Nine Shots Drill", where you practice hitting different trajectory shots - draws, straight shots and fades.

"With each club you are hitting nine different shots," mentions the author. The idea behind this drill is to gain confidence in your ability to use each club in a different way - the more shots in your bag, the more comfortable you are when in a particular situation using the idea of "I can do this!"

Watch as Johnny Miller on this YouTube.com video explains the Nine Shots Drill.

Ben Hogan's Secret Fundamentals book should be added to your "must-reads" list if you are ready to attack your golf game and take it to the next level. I am personally going to re-read sections of this book and take parts from it that I need help with, mostly to improve my course management skills.

Which Ben Hogan Golf Tips Do You Use? Post your comments in this golf blog and tag @Golf4Beginners on Twitter with your responses.