BOOK EXCERPT

HOGAN by CURT SAMPSON.
1996, Broadway Books, Rutledge Hill Press. New York.

In 1954 Hogan accepted Life magazine's offer of ten thousand dollars for the Secret. The cover of its April 5 issue trumpeted "Ben Hogan's Secret: The Debate." The seven pros polled for the story came up with seven different answers. They sounded like a freshman philosophy class.
"The left hip leads," Harmon said.
"Level shoulders," George Fazio said.
"He opens the face of the club when he grips it," Mike Turnesa said.
Walter Burkemo: "He drops his hands at the top of the backswing."
Fred Gronauer: "It's his pivot."
Snead was dubious: "Anybody can say he's got a secret if he won't tell us what it is."
Gene Sarazen came closest to the mark. "He has it up here," he said, pointing to his head.


'It doesn't matter if you look like a beast before or after the hit, as long as you look like a beauty at the moment of impact.' Seve Ballesteros, Open Champion 1979, 1984, 1988. www.seveballesteros.com