The PGA championship switched over from match play in 1958 to its' present format (stroke play). That said, Hogan did not have an opportunity in 53' to win a calendar year slam as we know it today. Too bad, as I've always considered him to be the most talented and gifted shot-maker to ever play professional golf. His work ethic was legendary. His drive to be the best he could be on any given day is what separated him from his peers. I seriously doubt we will ever see his kind again as the money has "softened" today's players. It is sometimes sad to hear today's youth downplay the "old-timers" and how good were they really? Take it to the bank, there is no golfer playing today that comes close to this man's determination and resolve to simply be the best.
Here's the story on that picture. I was on the driving range warming up for the tournament and I shanked one badly. I slammed my club on the ground in disgust and it accidentally got out of my hands.
As I'm bending down to reach for the club I hear a man in a southern drawl say, "Pick up the club, son."
From a crouching position I looked up in the sky and there was Sam Snead.
I shuddered.
I thought, OMG, he's going to ball me out.
There were about a hundred people that could see this. And my behavior in throwing the club had been ugly. So I knew I deserved a good chewing out.
But instead, Snead said, "I'm going to teach you a lesson."
I was incredulous.
He asked me to take the club (it was a 9 iron), and swing back. Then he grabbed the club while I was holding the back swing and positioned it where he wanted it to be. It lifted my shoulders up and and had the club coming much more straight back than the turn I was used to making.
Once Snead got the club positioned where he liked it, he said, "Swing down, this is going to be a good shot."
I could see that there was a good sized crowd watching this, and I said to Sam, "How do you know it's going to be a good shot?" And he got a tiny bit annoyed and said, "Just swing down."
I swung down and it was the most beautiful golf shot I've ever hit. I never saw a ball I hit go so high. It was also dead straight, and longer than I had ever hit my 9 iron.
He worked with me for a couple of more swings and I hit them the same way.
Then he took the spot on the range next to me that was open. So when he was hitting I was behind him.
On one of my next shots, the ball looked more like how I normally hit a 9 iron. Not terrible, but not as high, long and straight as when Snead had positioned my back swing.
Without being able to see me swing, and without turning around to even look at me, Snead said, "You're laying off the club." He could diagnose exactly what was going on just by seeing the flight of my ball after I had hit it and it came into his view.
I tried to re-create the back swing again, but again my shot looked more like my normal 9 iron. And again, Snead said, "You're laying off the club."
I didn't quite understand what he meant by that. But I was not about to ask him do more for me than he had already done. I figured it was up to me to figure it out.
But I couldn't get back to that perfect swing.
After I was done on the range we took that photo together.
And when I was leaving the range one of the people watching came over to me and said, "You know that was a $500 lesson you got."
I've never been able to re-create the swing I had when I hit those few incredible shots when Sam Snead positioned my arms perfectly on my back swing and told me to swing down.
At least I know that for one moment I could hit the ball like a pro.
The PGA championship switched over from match play in 1958 to its' present format (stroke play). That said, Hogan did not have an opportunity in 53' to win a calendar year slam as we know it today. Too bad, as I've always considered him to be the most talented and gifted shot-maker to ever play professional golf. His work ethic was legendary. His drive to be the best he could be on any given day is what separated him from his peers. I seriously doubt we will ever see his kind again as the money has "softened" today's players. It is sometimes sad to hear today's youth downplay the "old-timers" and how good were they really? Take it to the bank, there is no golfer playing today that comes close to this man's determination and resolve to simply be the best.
Very well said. And I agree completely.
The pic with Sam Snead is awesome. Wow!!!
Thanks Greg!
Here's the story on that picture. I was on the driving range warming up for the tournament and I shanked one badly. I slammed my club on the ground in disgust and it accidentally got out of my hands.
As I'm bending down to reach for the club I hear a man in a southern drawl say, "Pick up the club, son."
From a crouching position I looked up in the sky and there was Sam Snead.
I shuddered.
I thought, OMG, he's going to ball me out.
There were about a hundred people that could see this. And my behavior in throwing the club had been ugly. So I knew I deserved a good chewing out.
But instead, Snead said, "I'm going to teach you a lesson."
I was incredulous.
He asked me to take the club (it was a 9 iron), and swing back. Then he grabbed the club while I was holding the back swing and positioned it where he wanted it to be. It lifted my shoulders up and and had the club coming much more straight back than the turn I was used to making.
Once Snead got the club positioned where he liked it, he said, "Swing down, this is going to be a good shot."
I could see that there was a good sized crowd watching this, and I said to Sam, "How do you know it's going to be a good shot?" And he got a tiny bit annoyed and said, "Just swing down."
I swung down and it was the most beautiful golf shot I've ever hit. I never saw a ball I hit go so high. It was also dead straight, and longer than I had ever hit my 9 iron.
He worked with me for a couple of more swings and I hit them the same way.
Then he took the spot on the range next to me that was open. So when he was hitting I was behind him.
On one of my next shots, the ball looked more like how I normally hit a 9 iron. Not terrible, but not as high, long and straight as when Snead had positioned my back swing.
Without being able to see me swing, and without turning around to even look at me, Snead said, "You're laying off the club." He could diagnose exactly what was going on just by seeing the flight of my ball after I had hit it and it came into his view.
I tried to re-create the back swing again, but again my shot looked more like my normal 9 iron. And again, Snead said, "You're laying off the club."
I didn't quite understand what he meant by that. But I was not about to ask him do more for me than he had already done. I figured it was up to me to figure it out.
But I couldn't get back to that perfect swing.
After I was done on the range we took that photo together.
And when I was leaving the range one of the people watching came over to me and said, "You know that was a $500 lesson you got."
I've never been able to re-create the swing I had when I hit those few incredible shots when Sam Snead positioned my arms perfectly on my back swing and told me to swing down.
At least I know that for one moment I could hit the ball like a pro.