Ben Hogans Letter Lessons

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 51

At the completion of the swing, the body angles have been released.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 52

In the letter we read, “The basis of a good sound swing is correct leg work and
body position. The center of gravity of the body must stay in one place
throughout the swing. That is, if a line is drawn through the nose or head to
the ground, the head must stay in that position throughout the swing.
Difficult you say, impossible, ridiculous you say.

Why look how Babe Ruth leaned into the ball when he hit it. Pictures of the
Babe verify the fact that he did use his legs with tremendous effect and his
head remained in one place throughout his murderous assault of the baseball
and golf ball.”

Ben Hogan studied the swings of many baseball players, as well as golfers.
The letter states the the lessons being explained within were passed on to Ben
Hogan from Walter Hagen who was both a baseball player and golf

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 53

professional. We also read in the letter a comparison between Babe Ruth's
baseball swing and the action being described in the letter.

When I look at Ben Hogan’s golf swing and compare it to the Babe's baseball
swing I notice some remarkable similarities. For instance, when viewed from
behind we can see some specific characteristics that I feel are very important to
point out.

A golfer has a similar motion as a hitter in baseball.

Note the pressure inside the right groin area. Note the pivot and the forearms.

It is clear that both men load into their rear leg. They also have a stable
platform with the lower body, and that allows them to use their legs
effectively. There is also a noticeable counter action with the hips, and it occurs
before the transition is completed.

In Babe Ruth's case he even presets the action to some degree. One, it helps
establish the proper sequence of events in the forward swing. Two,it is an
essential part of the body motions that utilizes a steady head position.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 54

A Steady Head Works With Concentric Circles

In this lesson we will be talking about concentric circles and how they work
with the body pivot and keep the head steady.

Mr. Hogan said that if you control the hips you control the shoulders. He
wanted the hips to have a concentric turn.

If you were looking down over the top of me and looking straight down I
would assume my correct address with the feet aimed at the target and the
hips and shoulders open to the target due to the bending in more of the right
knee.

Concentric Circles - Inner Circle Controls Outer Circle

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 55

I believe Mr. Hogan wanted everybody's head position over the right groin
area. Al Barkow received a personal lesson from Mr. Hogan at Shady Oaks
golf course and Mr. Hogan placed his head in this position.

He asked Mr. Hogan "what is the secret" and Mister Hogan commanded him
to take a stance and then moved his head to this exact position.

I spoke with Mr. Barkow and quizzed on this topic and he said that there was
no tilt in the head but a horizontal movement so as he would see the ball with
his left eye.

That is so important because it set's up the area of the body where you will be
building up pressure if you have a correct backswing.

Refer to the Popsicle/Cigarette Drill that helps you place your head in the
correct position and helps you with your alignment and your backswing and
downswing.

A steady head is not a concrete head placement. Everything moves into the
beautiful Hogan Finish.. I believe that it is the correct usage of centrifugal and
centripetal forces in the golf swing. Mr. Hogan utilized centripetal force
coming back into the ball in his downswing and his follow through to his
finish.

This is motion back into center. I will be talking about left thumb pressure and
how the left arm should be placed on the body at address and how it will be
breaking back into the left side rib cage in the downswing.

The example of what a roller coaster ride would be compared to a ferris wheel
should be underscored here. Mr. Hogan had a inside loop figure 8 swing. It
was dynamic and created tremendous leverage using his body position and
his utilization of ground forces.

The awareness of how the tops of the forearms are up to the sky and with the
use of the left side pressure of the left thumb, the golfer is pushing the club
into his downswing positions. A tremendous use of the club shaft will occur

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 56

on the other side of the golf ball. The bringing the club back into his body and
the use of rotation in his body will create a tremendous smash of the golf ball.

Mr. Hogan talked about the second knuckle joint of his right hand on the
George Coleman Home Video that is on the internet. He says that this part of
the hand is pushing towards the target.

It's not a pulling down with the last 3 fingers and creating a rounded ferris
wheel swing. It was a inside loop figure 8 motion that brought the club back
into the ball where he was on balance and could use all of his right side. Mr.
Hogan never ran out of his right arm. He did not block or brace his left side
and flip the club in.

Everything was setup at address and the utilization of where to place his head.
The placement of his head allowed his spine to be straight from the back view.
His hip line and shoulder line was parallel. His pivot was between his
shoulder blades.

He had a backswing and a downswing and then a definite set of the left foot
that was electric because his spine alignment did not have a kink in it at the
top of where his back of his head was and shoulders. Everything was there to
utilize the concentric circles.

The usage of a hitch hike rotating the thumb release does not occur with
action. Again it is the left side pressure of both left thumb and right thumb
that allowed everything to become square earlier and then he could just
release the club without it closing. Picture yourself hitting yourself with a pie.
Mr. Hogan controlled what his arms were doing. Again remember that both of
the tops of his forearms were up and he did not crossover his arms or break
down.

Your will feel centrifugal forces coming down but when you turn in front of
the body with the club you will be feeling and using centripetal forces. So get
your setup correctly, put your head as was instructed by Mr. Hogan and
utilize the concentric turn.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 57

We are talking the movement of the right side now. Right Hip goes back, right
shoulder goes back, right arm goes back, club goes back. For the downswing
you just reverse it. The left side will respond in the opposite fashion. You
swing back and thru. That is concentric circles and a steady head.

The Golf Swing From Behind.
The Cigarette Drill With A Popsicle Stick

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 58

Ben Hogan 1953 – Swing From Behind

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 59

Ben Hogan 1953 - Pepe Cano Film - Back View
Billy Martin's Ben Hogan's Golf Swing Analysis - Angled Behind Golfer

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 60

The Shadow Drill

In the letter Mr. Hogan suggests a shadow drill This drill ties in nicely Letter
Lesson H for a steady head position

Mr. Hogan tells us to take a golf club and take a stance and have the sun cast a
shadow in front of you a fairly long one. Take a golf swing taking it back with
a left knee moving towards the right knee. If you do this correctly the hands
do not have to move at all and the golf club will move at least 5 to 6 feet back
in the backswing without using the hands at all.

“To verify the correctness of this, take a short club and make this move with a
light behind you so that it casts a shadow (a fairly long one). Note the
position of your head when you address the ball.”

“Take the club back by moving the left knee toward the rt knee and sagging
the left side in slightly (no movement of the hands or arms is necessary if the
legs are worked correctly in conjunction with sagging slightly of the left
side)”

“Doing this correctly will move the club head at least six feet away from the
ball without moving the hands or arms in relation and the shadow cast by
your head will still be in exactly the same spot.”

The Shadow Drill

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 61

The Popsicle/Cigarette Drill

Put a popsicle stick or maybe even a long golf tee in the left side of your
mouth. Sight down the sighted line where you want the initial ball flight to
occur.

Move your head horizontally over to the right groin area. Take a backswing
and have your left shoulder move around and underneath the stick. You
noticed I did not say under. It is under but your arm but you will be swinging

Drill Tips Have the stick on the left side of your face. When looking
down the ball flight line sight over the stick. On the downswing move
the right shoulder underneath the stick. Release your body angles to
full balanced finish with club shaft behind your neck with weight on
the outside of left heel.

Cigarette Popsicle Drill

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 62

Ben Hogan's Cigarette Holder Golf Swing

Ben Hogan Pepe Cano Angled Front - Cigarette Holder Swing
Billy Martin's Ben Hogan's Swing Analysis Cigarette Swing

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 63

Letter Lesson O
One Piece Handless Takeaway

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 64

Letter Lesson O-One Piece Handless Takeaway

Key Concept 2 -The Concentric Circles

Key Concept 2 -The hips or the inner circle controls the shoulders or
the outer circle. The left knee moving towards the right knee gives the
club momentum and a handless takeaway.

“Left Knee moves toward right knee. Left shoulder drops about 1 inch which
moves the club 6 feet automatically without using the hands at all.”

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 65

Swing the club back with the left knee taking control and move to the right
leg. Right knee still points to the ball. It feels like a little sway back, BUT you
are dropping your left side at the same time which keeps you centered and
ready to make powerful controlled swing at the ball.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 66

The body bends and bows on the backswing and downswing. This is the
concentric circles concept. It should feel like the belly button or belt buckle is
the farthest thing away from the target. This makes the shoulders turn
correctly due to the correct hip movement.

You will know if you had made a correct movement away from the ball if you
feel pressure in the right groin area. A line drawn from the nose or my left eye
has not moved in the swing.

I will show you in a hyperlink how this works. If you use the crosshand drill
just think about the right side going back. The left side will be moved properly
due to the crosshand grip.

Move your right hip back and then the right shoulder back and then the right
arm back and finally the club back. Look at yourself in a mirror and see that
your left arm is being managed by what you have just accomplished.

You do not want to lift your left arm. You want it contained in your golf swing.
Mr. Hogan would slip his hand under a student's left arm where it would be
touching his left side and he would say keep this here.

You will notice that the left arm will move across your chest and you will be
having a left arm that will be parallel to the ground. When you start your
downswing the viewing of your left hand will only show 1 knuckle because
you have moved properly into your downswing.

The order of movement would be reversed. After putting the left hell down to
the ground, the right hip would move forward, the right shoulder would
move forward, the right arm would move forward and the right hand would
move forward. The pivot is doing everything for you. It is all based on a inside
figure 8 shape of the golf swing. I will show you an give your pictures to
instill what I have just written to you. You can do it!

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 67

Right Hand Over Left – Concentric Circles – Hips Control
Shoulders

Put right hand over left and take a full golf swing back and through. The club
is pushed back by the left knee moving towards the right knee. The movement
of the golf club is straight back but in the inside and up until the left arm is
parallel to the ground. Put the left heel back to the ground and bring the club
down a little. Now have the golf club come around in front of you and then
inside and up to a Hogan finish withe the golf club in back of your neck

Keep arms and hands together as you push them back wiht the left knee
moving towards the right knee. Contain your left arm from rising up and have
it at the same height as your shoulders. See the 2nd photo.
Drop the arms down slightly and then move them to the inside and in front of
you. This is the crucial move. Now move to a balance Hogan finish with the
clubshaft parallel to the ground and just behind your head.
Note how the arms, elbows forearms shoulder joints and plane are all working
properly.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 68

It's Good To Be All Thumbs!

Outside of both thumbs but most importantly the left thumb. This will help
square the club up early coming down into the ball. If the clubface is wide
open and you are pulling like crazy with the last 3 fingers of the left hand you
will have to flip it with your hands and hook the hell out of it or you will block
the ball.
Demonstrating that the club shaft should lie right on top of my left arm. The
palm of the right hand controls the face of the club. You need both to have a
great golf swing.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 69

Ben Hogan 1953 - Pepe Cano Film - Front View
Billy Martin's Analysis of Mr. Hogan's Front View

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 70

One Piece Takeaway Drill

Dangle a soda straw from the left corner of your mouth and have it
aiming behind the ball. Look with your peripheral vision and have the
straw pointing at your sighted line which is where you want the ball to
start. Coming thru the ball feel the pressure on the LEFT SIDE of your
LEFT and RIGHT THUMBS moving in front of your and then to the
inside and then up to the Hogan Finish.

Shape Of Golf Swing - Right Hand Over Left Hand

Cross right hand over left hand. Have the back of the hands touching each
other. Monitor the tops of the forearms in this drill. You are going to perform a
inside figure 8 loop with your swing. It is subtle but it is there. It is a roller
coaster ride and not a ferrais wheel. Hang on!

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 71

As the club is taken back the left knee moves toward the RT knee and the left
side bends like a bow so that the weight comes to the inside of the ball of the
left foot, and the left heel comes off the ground about one inch.
At the top of the backswing, the belt buckle should feel like it is protruding
out farther than any part of the body or legs or feel like it. This will permit
the hips and shoulders to turn. It feels like the hips are moving to the right
but this is not so.
The Shape Of The Hogan Swing

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 72

Sagging the left side keeps the hips in one position and permits them to make
a true concentric turn, and as a consequence the shoulders turn correctly, and
the head stays in one place.”

As the letter states, “the sagging of the left side helps keep the hips turning in
one place that allows them to turn in a “true concentric turn.” This concept is
very consistent with Hogan's teachings.

After that I am going to present you with a drill I feel will help you
incorporate the movements of Ben Hogan and Babe Ruth in to your golf
swing.

We will call it the Step-Swing Drill. The Step-Swing Drill will be performed in
two stages. The first one stage emulates a baseball swing and is performed
without playing the ball.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 73

The Invisible Club Drill

Opposing your hands actually helps you get your grip. It gets a little cup in
the back of your left hand and sets both of the tops of your forearms facing up.
This will help you in the coming around the corner move on the downswing
when you have the club in front of you. At that point you want your forearms
aiming this way so as to push the club with your entire right side.

Also, it helps to contain your left arm from getting higher than your shoulder
plane on your backswing. In other words it will stop you from raising your
arms up. I will round your backswing going back and help your left side move
properly in the backswing.

You do not want to think in terms of a ferris wheel shape going back in your
swing but a little inside figure 8 shape. The left side if not managed properly
will make it impossible for you to have a powerful and accurate downswing.
The left side is the culprit. You do not want to pump out the last 3 fingers of
your left hand going back or a fanning of the club. That will come later and
more naturally when you have gotten the club going back straight but to the
inside and then up a little. Your left shoulder joint will the pronate at that
point and the clubface will appear to open up.

That is all you should know about. Babe Ruth or any other baseball player
does not have a backswing. They are in the top of their baseball swings when
the ball is thrown to them. I actually believe that if you place the clubhead
further back from the ball as what Moe Norman did and Ben Hogan to a small
degree you will stop the left side from taking the club off plane.

The adherence of the upper left arm to the side of the left rib cage is a critical
factor in keeping the left arm down in the backswing. Mr. Hogan will tell all of
this students this. Don't worry about the elbows. If you bring them in front of
you tightly you will get the club going out in the backswing. You will have to
make a compensating move coming down. You more than likely will fan the
club open. All of this is a no no.

Note how I keep the left arm into the side of my body and helps the shape of

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 74

my swing. It rounds the shape beautifully. Don't don't be tense but train your
left arm to do this.

When I come around to where both of my palms are facing the target, I will
consciously think of where I want my right hand to work .That is my follow
through and finish. It will aide me in shot shaping.

I am crashing my left arm into my rib cage. If you see your swing from this
angle and at this point in your swing and you are not doing this, then you
have to rethink what you are doing. You are not using physics. You are not
using centrifugal and centripetal forces correctly. Your Inner and Outer circles
either are not there or you shot the club out in your backswing. Go back and
work on your left arm in your backswing.

From the down the line view you can see the bent back left wrist. You will
keep this cup up to the top of your swing and THEN WHEN you start down
with the left heel coming down you WILL HAVE A flat left wrist due to the
PRESSURE OF THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR THUMBS. I am making a big deal
of this because it is important.

This is how Mr. Hogan could swing such a heavy and stiff club. He knew
when he wanted to get the shaft of the club working and it was in front of the
ball. He did not want to keep it behind him. He would never get the club on
the ball properly.

When I talk about the electricity it means that I have kept my spine alignments
in tack and I am swinging around the door post. I want my right knee to hit
the ball a glancing blow which will keep the club coming from the inside. Do
not try to hit the ball directly. Hit it at a glancing blow with your knee. The
Hybrid Stance sets you up to do this.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 75

Note that I am hitting the ball with my right knee at a glancing blow. You
control the shaft of the club with your left arm going up to your shoulder joint
and the back of your left hand. I use the left side of my left thumb as my
downswing pressure.
I actually think of it before I take the club back. It works in conjunction with
the left knee moving to the right knee on the backswing Mr. Hogan controlled
the shaft of the club with his left hand and the clubface with his right hand.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 76

Mr. Hogan was known for his waggle. I believe what you see him doing is not
rehearsing just his downswing but the movement of his left arm and how it
would set at THE TOP OF HIS SWING. He did not rotate his shoulders with
his waggle. So what you see with his waggle is as if he was Babe Ruth at the
top of the baseball swing.

Mr. Hogan said that he was mostly concerned about the downswing. I believe
that if you contain your left arm properly going back and use the Hybrid
stance with the steady head that you are mostly working your right side of
your body.

Do you see what the palm of my left hand is doing? It is pushing back with the
left knee towards the right knee. The Golf swing is a PUSH PUSH.

It is a laying down inside figure 8 shape golf swing. Visualize how you would
throw a ball. You would not just swing it in a circle in front of your body. No
the arm makes this inside figure 8 shape. It is a natural way to use your right
side. The left side will make it terribly hard to use your right side if it is not
contained going back.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 77

Note how the top of my right forearm is aiming to the sky and my right knee
is firing at the ball at a glancing blow. Finish of palm of right hand is as if you
were hitting yourself with a cream pie.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 78

Letter Lesson G

The Proper Grip

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 79

Letter Lesson G-Proper Grip

Key Concept 3 – Changing Grip Changes Swing

When Mr. Hogan changed his grip to a weaker grip that was suggested
to him by his friend Henry Picard, it got him going onto the path of
correcting his dreaded hook.

He knew that a change in the grip would change his swing. The left
side pressure on both of your thumbs is huge. Trust me! This made all
of the difference in my swing. I did not have to force the supination,
pronation or Mr. Hogan's bowed wrist. It was there with the slight
change in pressure and a cognitive understanding of what I was doing.

The picture on the next page will show you where Mr. Hogan placed his left
thumb. He told Kris Tschetter that the pressure on BOTH THUMBS is to the
left. This is a very important part of the golf swing. We all know that the last 3
fingers of the left hand has pressure UP on the golf club. You want to have
your wrists arched as in shooting a 45 caliber pistol to the ground.

When you incorporate both of these ideas into your grip you have set yourself
up for a one piece handless takeaway. This will also help you from simply
swinging a circle around yourself. When you do this you will pump out your
last 3 fingers of your left hand going back and get the golf club going in the
wrong direction. Note where Mr. Hogan has his thumb! It is on the left side of
the reminder!

A Proper Grip Explained

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 80

The Proper Grip Drill

The Proper Grip Shown

Extend right arm down in a arched position. It is like shooting a 45 pistol to
the ground. Put your right hand on first with your right arm in this fashion.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 81

This hand position will aide you in not hooking the ball!

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 82

Pressure on left thumb is to the left of the shaft. This is crucial for the
downswing positions. Feel as though that your left hand is on a steering
wheel. Try it with your car. Mr. Hogan said that the left hand is the steering or
direction and the right hand is the gas.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 83

The club runs through the palm of the left hand. By doing so you have a solid
bases to put pressure on the shaft of the club and not flip the clubhead.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 84

Both hands are joined together. Pressure on both thumbs are on the left side of
the grip. Use the right hand over left hand to get correct arm, forearm, hand
and wrist position.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 85

After assembling the proper grip visualize where you want to place your
Head in your address. Visualize your One piece takeaway backswing path.
Step up to the ball with your proper Grip and achieve your correct Address
and swing to a balanced eNding, the Hogan finish.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 86

Remember The Reminder

Reminder Grips At one time golfers installed a reminder cord under-
neath their grips to help them put their hands on automatically.

This helped Mr. Hogan fade the ball. It also put pressure points on the left side
of both of his thumbs. It helped him with his backswing and the downswing.
Ben Hogan's Reminder Grip

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 87

What The Thumbs Do In The Swing

Mr. Hogan wanted the left hand under and the right hand on top. The
thumb pressure of both thumbs has to be on the left side. You want the
body to help you square the club up and not flip it with your hands.

Let's talk about the hands. Hogan had a reminder grip. This was a wire that he
had running down the back side of his driver grip and it was on the right
hand side as you would look down at the grip. Some say it was at 5:00 others
say 5:30, anyway he had that installed there to have it more consistent in the
way he had the face of the club opened up. He always said that the golf club
was a hook instrument and that he hated the hook.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 88

This reminded him and helped him to get his hands on the club the same way.
He knew that if he changed his grip, even a small change would affect his golf
swing.
So I am going to have the cord that is in back of the grip to be running down
my knuckles of my left hand. Mr. Hogan wanted the left hand to be felt being
under and the right hand being on top.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 89

So let's do this. I am feeling the straight wire through the grip to be running
down the middle crease of the middle knuckle as you would see it if you
opened your hand up to view it.

Also, which is crucial, you want to feel left side pressure of both thumbs. Both
of the would have left side pressure going towards the target. I will put both
hands on the grip and show you when I raise the club up to the horizon that
the face is open.

Now, put the club down on the ground and get your hands arched as if in the
right hand that you had a pistol, a 45 that you are shooting right down at the
ground, not in front of you. Do this now.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 90

You can see very clearly that the reminder grip and the cognizant applying of
the left side pressure of both thumbs what it does to your swing.

So what does all of this do? We swing the club straight back, but to the inside.
Then up a little, you want your left arm at the same height as your right
shoulder, if you are viewing it from the down the line view. You do not have
to raise your left arm up.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 91

Then you bring it down a little, and then the crossover move happens to get
the club in front of you and through your impact positions, utilizing the
pressure on both sides of your thumbs on the left side and then inside and up
to your follow through. It is a inside figure 8 shaped swing.

You do not have to pull hard with the last 3 fingers of your left hand, which
would block you coming down into the ball. The reminder grip and the left
side thumb pressure aides you in achieving the famous arched left wrist look
that Mr. Hogan had in his golf swing.

You do not have to force this position, it occurs do to a proper grip and
pressure with both of your thumbs. The pronation move is how your left arm
and shoulder moves going back in your swing. You need to have your inside
upper left arm firmly attached to your left rib cage, just under and left of your
left nipple.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 92

The roundness to your your left side going back will allow the natural rotation
of the left shoulder coming out towards the ball and the rotation naturally of
the left forearm, left hand and left wrist.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 93

I am feeling pressure in the left thumb on the crossover move. You can see
what I am talking about. this weaker grip will allow you to use your body
more, your legs and torso to bring the club around in front of you. You do not
want to pick the club up and cock your wrists and then try to pull the butt of
the golf club. You will have to flip your hands and rotate your forearms and
hands over and you will be hitting the ball everywhere but down the middle
of the fairway.

The knowing that the left hand is under and the right hand is on top is very
cardinal to your grasping what this does in your golf swing. It allows you to
square the club up earlier coming down into the ball and help you in
extending your arms out in your follow through and finish. Your arc will be
wider and stronger and you will be controlling the entire club and not flipping
your hands and clubface over or under.

Arched wrists, especially in the left hand will stop you from having your
hands to low in your setup and creating a cocking or a lifting of the arms and
hands in a too upright backswing. Then you have to reroute the club to have
any chance of hitting the ball solidly and accurately.

Hogan held the club in his right hand prior to getting both hands on the club
and then he got his left thumb on where he wanted and then he put his right
hand on top and fit it just perfectly to what he wanted to do with the golf club.
You should do likewise.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 94

Hogan's Cross Handed Grip – Shapes Swing

The Crosshanded grip tames your backswing. Get's you in concentric
circles!

Place your left hand lower than your right, do the opposite if you are left
handed.. This will accomplish a few things right off of the bat. One, it will stop
you from pumping out of the last 3 fingers of your left hand on your
backswing. What I mean by this is if you have the golf club in front of you
parallel to the ground and take mini swings you will see that you will roll the
clubface open by allowing your left hand to rotate too soon on the backswing.

Your are in deep do do my friend. The crosshand drill will allow two, the left
knee moving to work towards the right knee and getting the club moving in
the proper direction straight back BUT TO THE INSIDE. Go ahead and try it.

Do the crosshand grip and move the clubhead back as I have suggested. You
will notice that your entire left side is working out towards the ball but your
left hand is not be pumped out. You are on your way to swinging in concentric
circles.

Think of it this way. You have a small circle, (your hips) and a large circle the
shoulders, arms, hands and golf club. Mr. Hogans says that the hips control
the shoulders or the inner circle, the small circle controls the outer circle which
is the larger circle. your left arm around in front of you.

The crosshand drill will train you on how to use your left arm. But for now
accomplish the backswing in this manner and then have your right shoulder
go underneath the stick to the finish with the golf club behind you neck.

What The Cross Handed Grip Did

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 95

Letter Lesson A
A Correct Address

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 96

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 97

Letter Lesson A-Correct Address

Key Concept 4 – The Hybrid Stance

The Hybrid Stance – A Hybrid stance has the back of the heels aligned
to the sighted line and the shoulders and hips are open due to the bend-
ing in of the right knee.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 98

Head in horizontal position over right groin area sensing two targets, the
landing target and the sighted line target.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 99

What Is A Hybrid Stance?

Hybrid stance is the back of the heels going to the target and the shoul-
ders and hips are slightly open due to the right knee bent in more than
the left knee.

A view from above would show that the head is over the right groin area and
the golfer is in the middle of two circles. The inner circle is the hip turn and
the outer circle is the shoulders that would control the arms and club

.

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website

Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons 100

The head is placed horizontally over right groin area. This is what Mr. Hogan
showed Al Barkow in the back of Shady Oaks restaurant.
Hybrid Stance From The Back
Ben Hogan's Address - Hybrid Stance

©Copyright 2013 Billy Martin Ben Hogan's Letter Lessons Website