


This is the classic 2:1 ratio of shoulder-to-hip turn that creates tension between the upper and lower body.
#BEN HOGAN SWING SEQUENCE FULL#
Let's examine three key components of Hogan's swing that modern pros emulate – and how you can work these moves into your game.Īt the top of his backswing, Hogan's shoulders had rotated a full 90° to the target line, while his hips were at no more than 45°. To this day, golf's best players want to be like Ben. Like his musical counterparts, he elevated an existing form to a new level through his singular genius. Just as Dylan wasn't the first great songwriter, nor Aretha the originator of soul singing, Hogan didn't invent the modern golf swing.
#BEN HOGAN SWING SEQUENCE PRO#
Whether they realize it or not, every pro owes something to Hogan. So, too, do little pieces of Hogan appear in the swings of pros who, on the surface, bear him no resemblance. To draw another musical parallel, think about how traces of the Beatles' style – a bouncy piano break or intricate harmonies – show up in the songs of bands from vastly different genres. It's hard to argue with the results: Dufner followed a runner-up finish at the 2011 PGA Championship with two wins in the first half of 2012, establishing himself as one of the game's steadiest performers.ĭufner may wear Hogan's influence on his logoed sleeve, but he's hardly alone. Dufner has studied “Bantam Ben” with the zeal of a scholar and deliberately modeled his own swing on Hogan's. The mercurial rise of late-bloomer Jason Dufner brought renewed attention to Hogan's revolutionary approach. It's hard to imagine a time when it won't be. While equipment has changed dramatically since Hogan's 1940s and '50s heyday, his swing remains as relevant as ever. They don't analyze Hogan's moves for nostalgia's sake, either.

Specific elements of Hogan's technique – the powerful downswing lag, the tucked right elbow, the bowed left wrist at impact– are still studied by golf instructors and tour professionals. Simply put, Hogan created the template for the modern golf swing. Just as Bob Dylan influenced generations of songwriters and Aretha Franklin's voice spawned legions of throaty imitators, Ben Hogan's golf swing continues to shape the methods of modern pros.
