Important technique developed to deal with disappointment. Hogan described how he walked the golf course imagining an enormous impenetrable wall following right behind him.
"Worst Ball" competition
Opposite to the scramble format, played individually. Each player hits two balls off the tee and picking the worst outcome. Then you hit two balls from that point, pick the worst shot and hit two more. Once on the green, you must make two putts in a row for the shot to count. "If you can score even par playing worst ball", Hogan said, "you're ready for tournament golf."
Different shots, same swing
Never alter your swing mechanics in order to hit a draw or fade. Hit different shot shapes simply by adjusting your stance while keeping the clubface square to the target line.
Understanding centrifugal forceInstruction: With an old practice club, address an imaginary ball with only your right hand, perform a 3/4 backswing, then swing and release the club into the air. "If you load the right elbow on the way down and let the lower body lead into the hitting area properly, centrifugal force releases the club straight ahead as you continue turning around your spine, toward the target."
The missing link to Hogan's "secret"
Combination of the a "weak" right-handed grip (for righties) and an inward turning of the left arm towards the left hip during the downswing. if you train it properly—the turning of the left elbow toward the left hip will automatically square up the clubface at impact.
Key factors to Hogan's teachings
- Swing in unison - By keeping the arms close, setting the elbows inward allows the arms to work together as a single unit.
- Practice is critical to success - Tour players from Hogan's era didn't practice like they do today. Hogan defined the importance of practice, found success and everyone followed. He said, "If you work hard and long enough, you can't help but achieve some degree of success."
- Pre-shot and setup routine - Hogan found that a repeatable swingmust be based on a repeatable setup procedure. He found it essential to keep the entire body in a state of relaxed activation during the setup and throughout the entire swing.
- Hips activate the downswing - "If the average golfer will only start his downswing with his hips, what a world of difference this will make in his swing and his shots, not to mention his score."
Final quote by Sam Snead
"Good positions do not produce good swings. A good swing produces good positions with lots of motion"
