Customer Reviews

Fundamentals Of Hogan

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book clearly deserves more than five stars. It will be an essential resource on the full golf swing for all top-flight pros, instructors, and average golfers who dream of breaking 80.

My best score on a championship 18 hole course is 83. So I am part of the prime market for this book. I will share with you what I learned from the book in my quest for a slightly lower score.

David Leadbetter is one of our most talented teaching pros. If you are like me, you are accustomed to seeing him on television so his ideas will seem familiar.

Mr. Leadbetter had a great resource to start with. This book is an update of Ben Hogan's famous book: Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf that was originally published as five articles in Sports Illustrated in 1957. The book, illustrated with drawings by Anthony Rivielli, has been a primary resource for those who wanted to understand the pure ball-striking ability of Ben Hogan. And Mr. Leadbetter was much aided by the recent discovery of the photographs taken by Mr. Rivielli, upon which the drawings were based. Eighty-five new photographs of Ben Hogan are included, which were mostly designed to be illustrative of the material in Five Lessons. So, if all you got were the new photographs, you would be way ahead of where anyone has been before now.

The first part of each of the sections in the book (The Hands, Addressing the Ball, Backswing, Downswing, and Summary and Concluding Thoughts) is there to summarize Mr. Hogan's original message, along with the proper illustrations and captions.

In the second part of the section, Mr. Leadbetter goes on to describe why Mr. Hogan achieved the results he did with his approach, and what some of the problems are that that approach could present for other players. This section was fascinating. Mr. Hogan had a tendency to hit wild hook shots, and many of his adjustments were to open the club face in order to make solid contact. He had several unusual physical characteristics, including very large and strong hands and arms that presented special opportunities and challenges. This discussion basically contradicts Mr. Hogan's advice in many areas, and points out places where Mr. Hogan's demonstrations of his own style were inaccurate versus what shows in films from the same era.

Finally, Mr. Leadbetter takes what the average golfer can use from Mr. Hogan, and adds other elements that are complementary. You will find this material the most familiar to you. It is well done though, because it addresses ways to compensate for current weaknesses in your game.

My own lessons from reading the book related to developing a much better understanding the objective one is looking for from a good grip, more ways to adjust the grip than I had ever dreamed of, helpful ideas about how to take the grip properly, how stance affects timing and club head direction, and mental concepts to use in creating better timing and coordination. I think I learned more about these mechanics as variables than I had learned in 24 years of playing the game (and taking more than a few lessons). There is also a lot of good material in here about how to practice, and the value of watching videos of your swing. Most importantly, the book reinforced what I am doing right and made me sensitive to what I need to work on.

By the way, breaking 80 requires being as good a putter and short game player as you possibly can be. For those subjects, you need Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible and Dave Pelz's Putting Bible (you can read my reviews of each on Amazon.com). Those will get you under 80 faster than this book will . . . because there are so many more short game shots for average golfers than full swing shots.

The main weakness of the book is that Mr. Leadbetter does like to provide lots of detail. Usually, this is helpful. Sometimes, his material for average golfers is a little confusing to me. You may understand it just fine, but I cannot accurately anticipate your reaction.

After you finish reading this wonderful book, I urge you to select one aspect of your full swing where you could benefit from a change. Then use the ideas and methods here to start to make that change. After you are successful, pick a second area and continue the process. Now you have the makings of a true Ben Hogan approach, because that's exactly what he did.

Hit 'em straight and long!

Three and a half years ago I had the immense good fortune to act as an agent in the sale of the entire contents of the estate of the late Anthony Ravielli. He was the pre eminent golf illustrator of the second half of the 20th Century. I was able to see a vast amount of original drawings and paintings by Ravielli. But what struck me more was the photography. There were literally thousands of vintage photos, as well as negatives, taken by Ravielli, as well as many other famous photographers. I decided to buy the photographs, negatives, and with them all rights to anything that was done by Ravielli. The most interesting items were a group of vintage prints of Hogan in his dress whites, and I also found a group of B+W negatives, which were the original negatives for the vintage prints in the lot. I really was just considering them as old photographs, and was going to reproduce some for sale in print form. In my many hours, actually days, of going through this lot, and studying the images, I noticed a very small B+W print of Hogan with his hands on his hips looking directly at the camera. I knew it looked like one of the illustrations within The Five Lessons. I found the image in the book, and upon close examination, found it to be identical. And furthermore, each image within the famous Five Lessons was actually directly based on the negatives which I had bought. I can't describe the feeling that went through me when I realized what I had found. I am an avid golfer, and always knew about the Five Lessons by Ben Hogan. But, in my dealing with the Ravielli lot, I learned much more. As I read the Fundamentals of Hogan by David Leadbetter, I am still struck by seeing all the photos laid out in proper order, and examined and critiqued by the leading instructor of our time. This book is a great combination of two of the most insightful, and analytical minds in golf. Careful reading will provide the reader with detailed knowledge of what does, and does not occur during a proper golf swing. And, you have to love those photos.

In addition to the many details in the other reviews, I have a few brief points.

THE best aspect of this book are the black and white photos of Hogan that did NOT inspire the graphics in his book, Five Lessons. I remember reading Five Lessons as a teenager and taking Hogan's pointers very literally. The points about ball position (keeping the ball in one place, but adjusting your feet as you change clubs) and the insides of your arms pointing skyward really threw my game for a loop as a teenager. Watching the latter day pros and their technique (where they did NOT follow these points), however, made me realize that either Hogan had an incredibly unique swing or what he was teaching in his book just didn't make much sense today. As Leadbetter points out in his commentary, and as the new photos confirm (the ones taken when Hogan was actually swinging at/addressing the ball--NOT the ones where he stood still and displayed what he "thought" he was doing) Hogan didn't adhere to all of his "lessons"! It was very comforting to finally learn the truth about what Hogan was actually trying to portray in his book as explained by Leadbetter (thank you David!). If you are serious about improving your game, upon reading this and some careful review and study (the text can be a bit laborious at times) you should glean at least a few tidbits that will help you. What helped me the most (besides finally seeing the real photos) were the points about a shorter backswing (mine tended to get too long--like Daly's) and having equal grip pressure in both of your hands (I tended to let my right hand get loose).

All in all an excellent book that helps marry older and modern fundamentals of golf. Plus the vintage photos of Hogan make it a great coffe table book.

Great instructional piece. Leadbetter adds a great deal to the original Hogan work. His ability to explain why certain things worked for Hogan, but may not produce similar results for different types of golfers is of great import. A MUST have for any student of the game.

I really enjoyed this book, which I read in tandem with the original Ben Hogan "Fundamentals", which this book is based upon. David Lebetter offers excellent commentary on how and why certain elements of Hogan's technique worked best for Hogan, and why and how these fundamentals might or might not work well for others. Seeing the photos from which the original line drawings were done is both interesting and illuminating. I believe that reading the two books together, which I did chapter by chapter (first reading Hogan, then reading Ledbetter) adds substantially to the reader's understanding and appreciation of both books. Some have commented that the Ledbetter book is too dense or technical, but I found that, for anymore really wanting to understand the dynamics of grip, set-up and swing, these two books are especially illuminating and helpful.

This a fantastic book for pictures of Hogan demonstrating his swing techniques taken for the illustrations in the "Five Lessons". Leadbetter makes a very detailed analysis of Hogan's swing and some interesting observations between what Hogan said in his book and how he actually swung. A must for every Hogan fan.
However, as soon as Leadbetter starts giving his own "My Views", watch out. In "The Plane Truth for Golfers", Jim Hardy differentiates between the one plane (Hogan, Snead) and the two plane (Leadbetter). All of Leadbetter views on how to improve on Hogan's swing are two plane ideas which Hardy points out are disastrous for the one plane swing. Read Five Lessons and this book for Hogan's swing and forget all the sections labelled "My Views" or you will be swinging the golf club like David Leadbetter, not like Ben Hogan!
5 stars for Ben Hogan; 3 stars for David Leadbetter.

Here is a review that I thought summed up my opinion of this book perfectly:

Reading David Leadbetter's book "The Fundamentals of Hogan" was a very frustrating experience for me. On the one hand, there are some excellent pictures, but on the other hand, Leadbetter doesn't teach Ben Hogan's fundamentals, and it shows.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that Leadbetter mentioned things about Ben Hogan's swing of which very few instructors are aware, including those who claim to teach Hogan Fundamentals, but then Leadbetter would blow it by always adding that Hogan was unique and that golfers should ignore what Hogan did and instead do it his (David Leadbetter's) way. It was as if Leadbetter were saying Hogan was wrong and that his way is better.
This is where Leadbetter's weakness shows with regard to Ben Hogan's fundamentals--he clearly doesn't understand the importance of the movements and how they fit together so tightly. The Hogan swing was essentially one motion from beginning to end, an accomplishment which no other golfer has been able to match! This is the true beauty of Ben Hogan's fundamentals--pure synergy with absolutely no wasted movement! David Leadbetter is throwing a monkey wrench into Ben Hogan's Fundamentals by adding pieces of his own swing theory that do not fit.
Let's face it, Hogan was the best ball striker and had the best swing of all time. He may have been a little more flexible than most and he certainly worked harder than anyone else, but as I see it, he had two legs, a torso, two arms, and a head. The fundamentals he applied to his swing were proven in major championships and they apply to all golfers possessing anything related to a typical human physique.
For a publisher wanting to sell the largest possible number of books, David Leadbetter was the obvious choice for a new book on Hogan. Combine the biggest name in golf instruction and the newly found photos used to create the illustrations in Ben Hogan's book Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals Of Golf and you're guaranteed to have a big seller. Unfortunately, focusing on dollars instead of being true to the subject doesn't do justice to Ben Hogan's fundamentals.
So, should you buy the book? If you have an interest in Hogan's fundamentals, definitely yes. The physical quality of the book is excellent and the pictures alone are worth the cost. Unfortunately, if you rely on David Leadbetter's words it won't do much to further your understanding of Ben Hogan's fundamentals.

For those are fans of Hogan's masterpiece the Five Fundemantals this book is a must. Leadbetter is able to explain in simpler terms what Hogan was getting at. Leadbetter also explains some of the fallicies in Hogan's earlier work. Hogan did not have the benfit of video tape so what he believed he was doing with his swing and what he was actually doing was different. Anyone who enjoyed or benefited from Hogan's original book should pick this up as a companion piece.

This is an indepth analysis and interpretation of Hogan's perspective of the golf swing by the best modern teacher alive today. Leadbetter's view clarifies and adjusts Hogan's teachings to modern times eloquently. This book is not for the faint of heart wishing to better understand the essential and detailed bio-mechanics of the golf swing. I would suggest his other books and/or DVD's to get started.

With respect, I disagree with Mr. Leadbetter's thoughts on Hogan's own hooking remedies, his grip changes and the "secret" cupping of the wrist to open the club face at the top. Early in Hogan's career he had an extremely long backswing, prompted by an extremely long hip turn. The result coming down was a very active lower body to compensate for a latent upper body. The club face would arrive from the outside and closed causing the snap-hook under pressure he hated. As his swing became more compact he was able to control it's action much better. D.L. touches on this but emphasizes the different grip and the wrist cupping as Hogan's "cure".

I also disagree with D.L.'s thoughts on moving the head back laterally with longer clubs. It's OK as long as it returns to the same position at address. Just another unnecessary variable IMHO. The head is the fulcrum of the swing. Keep it there.

Don't buy this thinking you'll find "lightening in a bottle". The golf swing takes study, focus and discipline to learn how to properly execute. As Hogan believed, anyone can break 80, even if they devote one-tenth the time he did to being one of the greatest students of the swing and players of all time.

First let me say that i don't think this is a great book to pick up if you are just begining your journey of learning how to play golf. Leadbetter definitly assumes that you know a little about golf. With that said, i learned alot by reading this book. The entire book gave me a wealth of knowledge to begin incorporating in my lessons. I learned alot through the pictures and assited guidance that Ledbetter incorporated into this book. The author tries to relay Hogan's ideals on the fundementals of golf and then the author tries to relay his opinions on how to do bring these into your gold game.

I started this book and realized that there was so much to this game that i had yet to learn, and that was only after the first chapter. This is definitly worth the read. It's a short book with a wealth of info and pictures to help you. Check it out.