Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf [Hardcover]

Ben Hogan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 1, 1990

You can shoot in the 70's!

Ben Hogan has long believed that any golfer with average coordination can learn to break 80 if he applies himself intelligently -- and here, with Herbert Warren Wind, and artist Anthony Ravielli, he tells you, step by step, just how to go about it.

The greatest golfer of our generation has distilled his experience as teacher, player, and observer of golf into a series of richly illustrated "visual instructions" that not only can improve your game and lower your score, but also can help you get even more fun out of what many people already think is the most enjoyable game in the world.

Each chapter, each tested "fundamental" is explained and demonstrated with amazing detail and clarity. It's as though the master himself were right there at your elbow, giving you a personal lesson with the same thought and care that has gone into his lifetime of golf.

The Modern Fundamentals of Golf is no instant and easy shortcut. There is none. But with Ben Hogan as your pro, you can master these basic movements very quickly. And then you can go on to develop a correct, powerful swing that will repeat. As Ben Hogan says, it's only then that you'll "discover golf for the first time."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Ben Hogan's premise in this 1957 classic is driven home in bold letters: "THE AVERAGE GOLFER IS ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF BUILDING A REPEATING SWING AND BREAKING 80." Religions are founded on less, and Hogan's detailed analyses and illustrated demonstrations of grip, stance, posture, and the two basic components of the swing make up a sacred book. Though its very simplicity seems dated, this is the tome of technique that should serve as the foundation of every golf library. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

Jim Fogerty Professional, Sunset Country Club, St. Louis Most articles on golf deal only in theory, but Ben is to be congratulated on probably the most practical series on golf instruction ever written.

Timothy E. Sick Calgary After reading the first two articles, I had a 73 for the first time in my life, and hadn't played for six months before that.

Frank Sadler Professional, Bellingham Country Club, Bellingham, Washington It's the first time words and illustrations have made golfing technique absolutely clear. I'm applying the lessons to my teaching program here and highly recommending them to my pupils. I'd say it's the greatest instruction series of all time. Women are particularly keen on it. It'll make a lot of new golfers -- good golfers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671723014
• ISBN-13: 978-0671723019
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 0.5 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (361 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Reference
  • #7 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Golf
  • #23 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 140 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless Instruction from a Master July 14, 2000

By J. Hardy IV

Format:Paperback

This excellent teaching device found me at the right time, having mysteriously started struggling with my takeaway and back swing [right elbow flying out at the top!]. I poured through it in a night to search for the secret cure and I found it. I can't believe it took me 18 years of golf to discover this book. This really should be in every beginner's bag, to get his or her mechanics and fundamentals together, as well as any long time golfer who occasionally 'loses' it. It's quite a testament to its staying power to note that there are no reviews of less than five stars for this wonderful manual [my rating will be no different]. Hogan boils down the game to one important aspect, striking the ball. Grip, stance, setup, back swing, downswing are all meticulously verbally described, and then highlighted by amazingly detailed and accurate drawings. Written as a series of SI articles in the 50's, the teaching voice has lost none of its punch over the ensuing years. The gods are in the details, and I noted immediately in the setup section things I was doing to hinder the chain-reaction of his preferred swing. Left foot out a quarter turn, hmm, that's new but makes sense, elbows at hipbone at address, and arms very close to chest to allow the right elbow to fold properly. That's what I needed. His description and the images of the glass / back swing / downswing plane will provide appropriate visual clues during practice. I found his discussion of the waggle and supination of left hand on follow through also quite interesting. I've purchased copies of this for my long-time golfer mother and my girlfriend who's just taking up the game, hopefully they'll enjoy it as much as I did, and we can discuss Hogan's straightforward instruction with a common background understanding.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You Won't Have to Buy Anything Else to Improve Your Golf September 8, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Forget all the other gimmicks you see on television infomercials; the super drivers, wedges, trouble clubs, fairway woods, videos, swing trainers, etc. Also, don't pay any attention to the lessons presented monthly in the two leading golf magazines. They're often in conflict with each other and give you too many things to think about during the swing. If you really want to improve your golf, buy this book.

Written by one of golf's greatest players and clearest thinkers on the mechanics of the golf swing, this book will, in simple and concise language and wonderfully detailed drawings, improve your game. My belief is, someone who has trouble breaking 100 will be able to get to 90 in short order. Anyone who shoots bogey golf (90) will be able to work him or herself into the low 80's. And if you're like me, in the 7 to 10 handicap range, the book presents a number checks on the grip, stance, and swing plane so that if your game does occasionally go awry, you'll soon be back in the groove. Mr. Hogan was correct. Anyone who is reasonably coordinated and applies the principles detailed in this book, should be able to build a repeating swing and break 80 on a consistant basis.

I had to smile as I read some of the other reviews of this book. Like many of the other reviewers, I too have had to repurchase this book a number of times because of the difficulty in getting the book back from those I've loaned it to. Other than getting a lesson from a top flight teaching pro, this book will do more to improve your game than anything else that's on the market.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The authoritave book on the basics February 6, 2001

By Rod Allison

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a kid I took a few lessons from a top notch instructor, and I always found it helpful to think back and swing the way he taught me. Now in my early 40's, after years of infrequent play and bad advice, I lost my game. I read Hogan's book, and realized that it was the Hogan method - grip, stance, everything - that I was taught as a kid. This book was a godsend.

Hogan doesn't just tell you what to do, he explains why. He shows how to make the basic REPEATING swing that can be used with ALL clubs, driver through PW. This makes the game so simple. You can use this book to quickly learn the correct swing, and confidently hit a good shot every time because you know you are doing it the right way. This lets you think less and less about swinging mechanics and more and more about strategy, and the game becomes immensely more pleasurable.

Put this book and a 9 iron by your bedstand, practice as you read it, and you will find youurself hitting with more confidence and consistency after the first chapter.