I took up golf at 13 years old and only learned by myself through Ben Hogan's first book. Got down to a 2 handicap within 5 years. I think he was right and I watched Moe Norman play 9 holes at our golf course in Elmira Ontario. He was amazing!
Excellent instruction Dan. I'm a new subscriber and this is some of the very best instruction. You explain things well but concisely and challenge some of the concepts that others don't seem to properly understand but go along with.
Excellent video Dan and very well explained. That drawing of the elbow position at address has led so many of us down the wrong path. Well done keep up the good work.
This video is right on. I tried it today and had the best ball striking and longest drives of the season. My drives were really good, this video really helped me. Now, if I could only chip n putt!!
I found the video to be incredibly useful in terms of squaring the clubface at impact. Having the lead elbow facing the lead hip at address makes that more difficult, even if I pronate my forearm to produce a strong (3 knuckle) grip. By allowing my upper arm to internally rotate at address, placing my elbow more facing the target, I found a draw much easier to hit. Thanks Dan!
Don't know if your channel is still active, but thanks for that tip. You just solved my very real problem of getting my left arm to work correctly! I had been trying to emulate the illustration, with the left elbow turned in to my hip, and it was playing hobb with my swing.
Very useful, I worked on keeping my elbows together and definitely got more shaft lean, increased distance and lower ball flight with a much shorter swing
I’ve read his book for the 3rd time. And yes. I lose balls sometimes to the right only because I don’t let the hips start the downswing. Which he states should come first then the shoulders and arms. Just this alone won’t work, but it is a base fundamental strategy he has that helped me 25%. The way I read that part of his book is like this. Elbows close together and pointed at the hips. Left elbow left hip. Right elbow right hip.
Unbelievably true. Amazing you figured that out. I have been making that mistake sometimes and my right elbow flared out during the backswing causing the problems you stated. I couldn't figure out the cause. Thankyou
Thanks Dan. Very useful information and an area I have been tweaking at the driving range this week. This clarifies the approach I need. Interesting videos all round as I am also an admirer of Mr Hogan. Any view on the cupped wrist v flat wrist in backswing?
With a really strong grip my elbow points somewhere towards target. I changed last time out to left elbow pointing more down and into my body at address. not only did it weaken my grip a little but I also felt as if I could get a flat left wrist into impact. everyone is different so id say its a case of matching this to your swing. It stopped my fat shots and finally hit some solid irons.
I recently tried to implement the Hogan approach of the elbows down at address. I hit some good shots occasionally but mostly very inconsistent. I'm anxious to follow your advice and see if I can see some improvement.
excellent vid and highlights how hogan's book was mis-interpreted by many, the Great golf teach John Jacobs said Hogan's book kept him in work with 000's of players who came to him after reading the book and then wondering why they were hitting it in the cabbages, if you literally set up as described in the book its as if you are in a straight jacket, yet look how Hogan is 'loose' (albeit a disciplined loose in his swing when seen swinging !!!
I prefer to keep the left elbow open in setup so I do not rotate my my arm/club to quickly inside my hands. An other advantage is that it forces my torso to move along from the start of the backswing. If you point the left elbow away it is easy to start the backswing arms only. I do acknowledge that most good golfers do point the elbow to the target but then again good golfers have a very good understanding what needs to happen in the backswing.
This is what I'm starting to feel aswell. I'm struggling really with an inside takeaway and across the line at the top. For me the open elbows help me with the one piece takeaway.
@@diego81990 Nice, keep in mind that you do need the upperarm to rotate in the final part of the backswing and release it in the follow through. According to Dan that is not possible but I have no issues doing that. The elbow is just subject to upperarm rotation so you can rotate an open elbow position. You basically close the open elbow at the top. Keep the shoulder area relaxed and connected to the torso, meaning don't lift the shoulder.
Sorry to disagree with you; but, the drawing of Ben Hogan arms together with elbows pointing at both hips was intentional. When you look at Mr Hogan after he swings a pitching wedge up to a 9 iron you see his left elbow clearly pointing towards his hips Even after completing his driver when he relaxes his left elbow drops to his left hip. Mr Hogan said that the top of the swing start with the knees and hip; whereas his friend slamming Sammy disagreed and said the swing starts with the last two fingers of the middle left hand. Both were correct because of their very different style of setting up the swing. Hogan's used his fast hips in order to hit the ball perfectly with his controversial set up that is demonstrated with the drawing of his arms in 5 lessons. I use his technique and it serves me well. Thanks for reading.
You are absolutely correct. You can not mix swing techniques, this teacher rotates his left arm on the contrary Hogan did not! So he has no idea of what Hogan did, has no idea of Hogan’s techniques and three tries to explain what Hogan did adjusting it to how he swings , this is so misleading, and people who do not know how to swing or understand how it works fall for it as you see in the comments.
Excellent lesson! I've always been a Ben Hogan adherent but could never get the arm positioning correct at address, in that I couldn't get consistent strike and direction. Watched the video yesterday, went out to practice today and the difference was incredible1many thanks indeed! What about the rest of the Ben Hogan stance - moving the right foot back or forward in relation to club length?
Great video (again) Dan, thx for them all... I have one question... Is there a practise sequence that you can recommend.... like first get your legs correct, then shoulders etc. etc. what part is most important to start with, what comes next etc. etc.? Thx again. Kim
Great instruction... I truly believe that is precisely the key to compressing the ball consistently. I think it is the main reason why I have been struggling with my consistency. I also always struggled trying to practice 9 to 3 drills... maintaining elbow distance resolves that. So it's not about tucking in the elbows, it's about keeping them together, very different.
Fantastic. Dan's video can save multitudes of golfers the pain of becoming inveterate slicers, just because they had previously decided to take Mr. Hogan's recommendations about the elbows as "gospel" truth.
Thanks for the tip. I'm looking at hogans swing and it looks like he leads with his right elbow easily because of his flexibility in his right arm, similar to a baseball pitchers right arm. I have wide shoulders and not very flexible so it's hard to keep my elbows together.
So, are you advocating a strong grip in order to get the lead elbow pointing away from the target? I work on keeping my elbows close throughout the swing and occasionally I absolutely crush the ball. I think that I sometimes used a strong grip and it put my lead elbow in the position you've described. From now on that setup will be a key checkpoint.
Man I’m so glad you clarified this. I’ve looked at the picture in Ben’s book a million times and tried doing it like that and felt so unnatural. This helps ease the mind!!
Dan, It seems to me that setting the left arm with a certain amount of external rotation allows the arm a range of motion that supports the necessary internal rotation. If my left arm is already internally rotated (left elbow pointing to the target) then where does it rotate to on the back swing? All of this can be accomplished with any kind of grip you choose given that the wrist/hand/forearm can move independently of the upper arm. A great startup move is to dorsiflex the right wrist from a position where both arms are externally rotated to begin with; this move causes the left arm to internally rotate quite naturally. Of course Hogan did not do any of that!
I've been studying Ben Hogan for about 4 years and that elbow position is truly a swing killer....It's been said that Hogan's own swing got derailed after writing this book and I firmly beleive that the elbow issue coupled with overactive early hip rotation did him in...A lot of his teachings are actually compensations for his hook tendency from an overly inside path....I think he locked out the front elbow to make up for that path. So if you have that path, his techniques leave you with a weak push followed by a hook when you try to fix it! Your video goes right to the root of the problem...Well done!
Im always confused when I see you perform a backswing.To me it looks like when you start to set your wrists it would be a move that sets the face open, but I can see that it doesnt. I watched other channels like Cogorno or AMG and they do the backswing different. Not sure if you will understand what I mean, but to me it looks like you get the clubhead inside of your hands when you do your backswing, Ive heard thats a big no no. Love to see a video about this. If you can understand what I mean. haha. Love your channel.
WTF Dan!! Nobody explained this before! Also about you long/short thumb! Thank you so much. I never watched you before because you look a lot like Gordon Ramsey. Sorry. My mistake.
That Hogan picture is misleading. I relied on it for years. Jimmy Ballard is big on elbows down but his student Roco Mediate does so without the arms close together.
I think that foolish arms wrapped drawing in 5 Lessons is perhaps, meant to suggest a feeling or a sensation rather than a set position which Hogan never utilized.
Im sure people swing like that but those are not golfers those are the people that play 5 times if that a year.And if they do play don't play behind them!
Hogan's intention is described in his own words besides the drawing "both elbows must be pointing to the hips" so either both hogan and the illustrator were wrong or you are wrong. I would like to think you are right... But it is hard to go against Mr. Hogan in anything really...
I hear you. I do too. Keeping the elbows together really works for me to be straight but doing it the way he proposes doesn't. However, my daughter (a very good golfer) she does it like Hogan and works for her very well. She is more flexible.
You have inadequate knowledge of what Hogan was saying in his book. Page 48 read it carefully. You basically don't know what Hogan was on about. I don't think you have worked on Hogan physically to truly understand what happens with the upper arms/triceps/pressure. A lot of surmising going on in this clip. Hogan will be turning in his grave :-(
hogans book 5 lessons can RUIN YOU AS A GOLFER, MANY FOLKS OVER THE YEARS THAT READ THE BOOK ALL SAY THE SAME THING it will kill your golf game. even hogan did not do what he suggest in his book....................................
I found this to be anatomically correct for myself and very helpful. Thanks Dan
I've watched hundreds & hundreds of Golf videos...I can not recall anyone addressing this issue with the lead elbow in the past! Great job!
I took up golf at 13 years old and only learned by myself through Ben Hogan's first book. Got down to a 2 handicap within 5 years. I think he was right and I watched Moe Norman play 9 holes at our golf course in Elmira Ontario. He was amazing!
Tried this on the course today AMAZING RESULTS THANKS SO MUCH
These videos explain the mechanics of the golf swing excellently. The best I have come across. Well done Dan!
Haven’t seen anyone else point out the potential trap in the “keep the elbows together” mantra. Brilliant - thank you so much.
Excellent instruction Dan.
I'm a new subscriber and this is some of the very best instruction.
You explain things well but concisely and challenge some of the concepts that others don't seem to properly understand but go along with.
Excellent video Dan and very well explained. That drawing of the elbow position at address has led so many of us down the wrong path. Well done keep up the good work.
This tip really helped me square up the club face for much more consistent straight shots
This video is right on. I tried it today and had the best ball striking and longest drives of the season. My drives were really good, this video really helped me. Now, if I could only chip n putt!!
I found the video to be incredibly useful in terms of squaring the clubface at impact. Having the lead elbow facing the lead hip at address makes that more difficult, even if I pronate my forearm to produce a strong (3 knuckle) grip. By allowing my upper arm to internally rotate at address, placing my elbow more facing the target, I found a draw much easier to hit. Thanks Dan!
Great lesson I think we all misunderstood Mr Hogans tips so this makes things clearer many thanks.
Don't know if your channel is still active, but thanks for that tip.
You just solved my very real problem of getting my left arm to work correctly! I had been trying to emulate the illustration, with the left elbow turned in to my hip, and it was playing hobb with my swing.
Very useful, I worked on keeping my elbows together and definitely got more shaft lean, increased distance and lower ball flight with a much shorter swing
Always worried about that Hogan lead elbow. Thanks for clear explanation Dan
Absolutely excellent!! Thanks for this great video.
I’ve read his book for the 3rd time. And yes. I lose balls sometimes to the right only because I don’t let the hips start the downswing. Which he states should come first then the shoulders and arms. Just this alone won’t work, but it is a base fundamental strategy he has that helped me 25%. The way I read that part of his book is like this.
Elbows close together and pointed at the hips. Left elbow left hip. Right elbow right hip.
Makes sense, I will try it out this weekend, thanks for a very informative video. I definitely have both my inner elbows pointing up.
Great eye opener! I might be doing that! I reads Hogan book!! Going to take some swing and play with this!! 👍🏻
That's a very good - well explained elbow video/ on the proper swinging of club. Thank you very much.
Can't believe i've been doing this wrong all this time. This video was an eye opener Dan. Thanks.
Unbelievably true. Amazing you figured that out. I have been making that mistake sometimes and my right elbow flared out during the backswing causing the problems you stated. I couldn't figure out the cause. Thankyou
Thanks Dan. Very useful information and an area I have been tweaking at the driving range this week. This clarifies the approach I need. Interesting videos all round as I am also an admirer of Mr Hogan. Any view on the cupped wrist v flat wrist in backswing?
With a really strong grip my elbow points somewhere towards target. I changed last time out to left elbow pointing more down and into my body at address. not only did it weaken my grip a little but I also felt as if I could get a flat left wrist into impact. everyone is different so id say its a case of matching this to your swing. It stopped my fat shots and finally hit some solid irons.
I recently tried to implement the Hogan approach of the elbows down at address. I hit some good shots occasionally but mostly very inconsistent. I'm anxious to follow your advice and see if I can see some improvement.
excellent vid and highlights how hogan's book was mis-interpreted by many, the Great golf teach John Jacobs said Hogan's book kept him in work with 000's of players who came to him after reading the book and then wondering why they were hitting it in the cabbages, if you literally set up as described in the book its as if you are in a straight jacket, yet look how Hogan is 'loose' (albeit a disciplined loose in his swing when seen swinging !!!
Great and correct explanation of what Ben Hogan said. Send/ link this video to Saguto Golf. lol!
I prefer to keep the left elbow open in setup so I do not rotate my my arm/club to quickly inside my hands. An other advantage is that it forces my torso to move along from the start of the backswing. If you point the left elbow away it is easy to start the backswing arms only. I do acknowledge that most good golfers do point the elbow to the target but then again good golfers have a very good understanding what needs to happen in the backswing.
This is what I'm starting to feel aswell. I'm struggling really with an inside takeaway and across the line at the top. For me the open elbows help me with the one piece takeaway.
@@diego81990 Nice, keep in mind that you do need the upperarm to rotate in the final part of the backswing and release it in the follow through. According to Dan that is not possible but I have no issues doing that. The elbow is just subject to upperarm rotation so you can rotate an open elbow position. You basically close the open elbow at the top. Keep the shoulder area relaxed and connected to the torso, meaning don't lift the shoulder.
great video, this is my number 1 problem in my set up
Sorry to disagree with you; but, the drawing of Ben Hogan arms together with elbows pointing at both hips was intentional. When you look at Mr Hogan after he swings a pitching wedge up to a 9 iron you see his left elbow clearly pointing towards his hips Even after completing his driver when he relaxes his left elbow drops to his left hip. Mr Hogan said that the top of the swing start with the knees and hip; whereas his friend slamming Sammy disagreed and said the swing starts with the last two fingers of the middle left hand. Both were correct because of their very different style of setting up the swing. Hogan's used his fast hips in order to hit the ball perfectly with his controversial set up that is demonstrated with the drawing of his arms in 5 lessons. I use his technique and it serves me well. Thanks for reading.
Well said!! Hogan has always said elbows point to hips at address.
You are absolutely correct.
You can not mix swing techniques, this teacher rotates his left arm on the contrary Hogan did not! So he has no idea of what Hogan did, has no idea of Hogan’s techniques and three tries to explain what Hogan did adjusting it to how he swings , this is so misleading, and people who do not know how to swing or understand how it works fall for it as you see in the comments.
Excellent lesson! I've always been a Ben Hogan adherent but could never get the arm positioning correct at address, in that I couldn't get consistent strike and direction. Watched the video yesterday, went out to practice today and the difference was incredible1many thanks indeed! What about the rest of the Ben Hogan stance - moving the right foot back or forward in relation to club length?
Great video (again) Dan, thx for them all... I have one question... Is there a practise sequence that you can recommend.... like first get your legs correct, then shoulders etc. etc. what part is most important to start with, what comes next etc. etc.? Thx again. Kim
Great vid! Very useful to know
Great instruction... I truly believe that is precisely the key to compressing the ball consistently. I think it is the main reason why I have been struggling with my consistency. I also always struggled trying to practice 9 to 3 drills... maintaining elbow distance resolves that. So it's not about tucking in the elbows, it's about keeping them together, very different.
Fantastic. Dan's video can save multitudes of golfers the pain of becoming inveterate slicers, just because they had previously decided to take Mr. Hogan's recommendations about the elbows as "gospel" truth.
Thanks for the tip. I'm looking at hogans swing and it looks like he leads with his right elbow easily because of his flexibility in his right arm, similar to a baseball pitchers right arm. I have wide shoulders and not very flexible so it's hard to keep my elbows together.
Dustin Johnson is the extreme one,he keeps the elbows together all the way, never separate!
Thank you Dan! big help for sure. I just subscribed to your channel.
Taking THAT to the course with me tomorrow! 😀
Very very good point!
Very good info as always
i'm glad i came across this video
Iv solved the golf swing nobody seems to believe it could be done but I did it. It was extremely difficult.
Funny, I experience just the opposite. A closed left elbow blocks and the half open elbow rotates into my body.
So, are you advocating a strong grip in order to get the lead elbow pointing away from the target? I work on keeping my elbows close throughout the swing and occasionally I absolutely crush the ball. I think that I sometimes used a strong grip and it put my lead elbow in the position you've described. From now on that setup will be a key checkpoint.
Great video that was very interesting
Excellent - thanks
excellent. thank you very much sir
Great video it me an extra 19 yards and a nice draw. 100%
Man I’m so glad you clarified this. I’ve looked at the picture in Ben’s book a million times and tried doing it like that and felt so unnatural. This helps ease the mind!!
I can't wait to give this a try on the range next time I am there
Good stuff Dan. Just found you on you tube.
Dan,
It seems to me that setting the left arm with a certain amount of external rotation allows the arm a range of motion that supports the necessary internal rotation. If my left arm is already internally rotated (left elbow pointing to the target) then where does it rotate to on the back swing? All of this can be accomplished with any kind of grip you choose given that the wrist/hand/forearm can move independently of the upper arm. A great startup move is to dorsiflex the right wrist from a position where both arms are externally rotated to begin with; this move causes the left arm to internally rotate quite naturally. Of course Hogan did not do any of that!
I shall use these tips on next golf game. Will let you know how I go in seven days time! :)
Great tip it worked!
Thank you 🙏🏼
Good man, thanks
I've been studying Ben Hogan for about 4 years and that elbow position is truly a swing killer....It's been said that Hogan's own swing got derailed after writing this book and I firmly beleive that the elbow issue coupled with overactive early hip rotation did him in...A lot of his teachings are actually compensations for his hook tendency from an overly inside path....I think he locked out the front elbow to make up for that path. So if you have that path, his techniques leave you with a weak push followed by a hook when you try to fix it! Your video goes right to the root of the problem...Well done!
Very sensible
wow i do this and hook many shots. i'm gonna see what this looks like tomorrow!!
Excelent!!!
Yes, I found the same issue with the left hand thing. I cannot duplicate that picture as it feels very uncomfortable., thanks
Im always confused when I see you perform a backswing.To me it looks like when you start to set your wrists it would be a move that sets the face open, but I can see that it doesnt. I watched other channels like Cogorno or AMG and they do the backswing different. Not sure if you will understand what I mean, but to me it looks like you get the clubhead inside of your hands when you do your backswing, Ive heard thats a big no no. Love to see a video about this. If you can understand what I mean. haha. Love your channel.
Bryson explained the same concept for his elbow position
Great video, very easy to understand. Explains where “Five Lessons” got a bit confusing. This makes so much more sense.
Very good explanation of the method but it does leave unanswered Hogan's instruction behind the meaning of keeping the elbows close together.
It's a great book and hogan is legend! But that illustration has caused many tossed clubs! Great vid!
You must be a very good golfer. Like a +8 handicap or something. Would love to meet you if you want you share the secret of golf one day. Congrats!
WTF Dan!! Nobody explained this before! Also about you long/short thumb! Thank you so much. I never watched you before because you look a lot like Gordon Ramsey. Sorry. My mistake.
You might want ot consider a compressor for your audio. It is whisper level.
🙏
It’s funny cause some people say to keep “the pockets “ of the elbows up or facing the camera and others say what you said ,
That Hogan picture is misleading. I relied on it for years. Jimmy Ballard is big on elbows down but his student Roco Mediate does so without the arms close together.
I didn’t get what you recommend we do that is correct
Me and Ben Hogan have very different swings.
How to do online lessons?
should work like a charm, that.
I wish I would have watched this video 3 years ago....
I think that foolish arms wrapped drawing in 5 Lessons is perhaps, meant to suggest a feeling or a sensation rather than a set position which Hogan never utilized.
Hogan also had a weak right hand.
He never kept he’s elbows together
Im sure people swing like that but those are not golfers those are the people that play 5 times if that a year.And if they do play don't play behind them!
Hogan's intention is described in his own words besides the drawing "both elbows must be pointing to the hips" so either both hogan and the illustrator were wrong or you are wrong. I would like to think you are right... But it is hard to go against Mr. Hogan in anything really...
I hear you. I do too. Keeping the elbows together really works for me to be straight but doing it the way he proposes doesn't. However, my daughter (a very good golfer) she does it like Hogan and works for her very well. She is more flexible.
You have inadequate knowledge of what Hogan was saying in his book. Page 48 read it carefully. You basically don't know what Hogan was on about. I don't think you have worked on Hogan physically to truly understand what happens with the upper arms/triceps/pressure. A lot of surmising going on in this clip. Hogan will be turning in his grave :-(
Wonder why golfers are so mixed up, this ua-cam.com/video/lfckFcF7Mbo/v-deo.html states the opposite so one is incorrect.
I'm disregarding this
hogans book 5 lessons can RUIN YOU AS A GOLFER, MANY FOLKS OVER THE YEARS THAT READ THE BOOK ALL SAY THE SAME THING it will kill your golf game. even hogan did not do what he suggest in his book....................................
Boring.
Thank you!