The scorecard is background music when it comes to retelling the story of the epic 1956 battle ben hogan and byron nelson waged against ken venturi and harvie ward. His nine career professional major championships tie him with gary player for fourth alltime, trailing only. An lpga player looks back on an amazing friendship and lessons she learned fromgolfs greatest legend. The strength of this book is the biographies of the four participants in the match byron nelson, ben hogan, ken venturi and harvey ward and the history of professional golf in the mid20th century. Ben hogan at his desk discusses his golf equipment brand.
Golf and broadcasting legend ken venturi talks about his friendship with ben hogan in this missed cut from feherty, on golf channel. Ken venturi analysis of ben hogans swing single axis. Ken venturi interview by david feherety kennys hogan stories. He used the 1954 model ben hogan personal blades for the rest of his life. Frank chirkinian the late cbs producer and i were having lunch at colonial one day when ben hogan stopped by our table. Kenneth paul venturi may 15, 1931 may 17, 20 was an american professional golfer and golf broadcaster.
In the first powerofthree golf book a whole chapter is dedicated to ben hogans swing and its biomechanical makeup. In a 1983 interview on cbs with ken venturi, hogan was describing his 11month recovery from the accident when he said, finally, i got to where i could play a little bit. My take on the analysis is that hogan had a flawed golf swing and made it work thru repition. The modern fundamentals of golf, and power golf, and more on. Jacque hogan towery told me in a telephone interview that she finished the book to honor her late husband, for whom the brothers hogan was a. Whether venturi is right or not, i wonder if hogans book is. When the players reached the famous 235yard, par3, 16th hole, the professionals were still clinging to their oneshot lead. Coleman shows up, all rightwith ben hogan and byron nelson, the. This is from venturis book learning better golf from the champions.
Ben hogan, byron nelson and sam snead were born 100 years ago. Hogan and venturi matched birdies on the par3, 15th. Healthy golf ben hogan ben hogan drdom golf window. William ben hogan august, 1912 july 25, 1997 was an american professional golfer who is generally considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. I had read about this interview, but had never seen or read excerpts from it, so i was very interested to watch and read what he had to say. Crosby told stories that are in his new book about ben hogan and how he traveled to tournaments by. An lpga player looks back on an amazing friendship and lessons she learned fromgolfs greatest legend tschetter, kris, eubanks, steve on.
Venturi told sports illustrated he practiced as much as 10 hours per day, without stopping for lunch, to repair his swing and confidence. A detailed analysis of the revolutionary putting method of golf legend ben hogan. Hogan written by the caddy hogan used at his personal club shady oaks. Byron nelson and ben hogan perhaps past their primes by a little but still the most formidable pros in the game versus ken venturi and harvie ward the preeminent amateurs in golf when. The video of ben hogan, filmed in 1953, was provided by the cano family through billy martin. When i interviewed ken venturi for a forthcoming feature in virginia golfer magazine, we talked first about his victory at the 1964 u. I got that tidbit from the book afternoons with mr.
At the bottom of this page you will be able to click on links that will briefly. Open at congressional, the signature performance of his playing career, but venturi is a natural, irrepressible storyteller, and the interview strayed into his memories of the masters. Byron was a good teacher, ben could tell you what he was feeling venturi told hogan he wasnt doing what he described in his book with is elbowswho else could have done that. Amateur champion harvie ward and upandcoming star ken venturi. William ben hogan august, 1912 july 25, 1997 was an american professional golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Hogan is notable for his profound influence on golf swing theory and his legendary ballstriking ability. It has been cited in multiple books on the 64time pga tour winner. Ben hogan at the colonial and talking to ken venturi. Born within six months of two other acknowledged golf greats of the 20th century, sam snead and byron nelson, hogan is. In an interview with golf digests bob verdi in 1999, palmer said he resented how hogan barely acknowledged him.
Since the game the book is about took place in 1956, i wasnt even born yet so i never saw any of the players play. Advice from the legendary ballstriker that ran in golf digest through the years. In 1954 he began using the clubs manufactured in his own fort worth factory under the ben hogan company banner. The commentary on the play in the match itself is engaging, but i found the attempts to describe the topography of cypress point lacking. Ben hogan survived a brutal crash to make history, but it robbed him of even greater glory. Ben hogan was exhausted when he finally hoisted the claret jug for the only time in his legendary career. See all books authored by ben hogan, including ben hogans five lessons. Interview with james cramer at kemper insurance open in potomac, maryland, june 3, 2000. Getting his start at san franciscos harding park golf course, venturi. Share ken venturi quotations about golf, fathers and giving. Venturi played some of his his best golf at the masters, and forged some. Ben hogan survived a brutal crash to make history, but it robbed him of even. Remembering ken venturis role in arnold palmers first.
In a career shortened by injuries, he won 14 events on the pga tour including a major, the u. But of course i knew who ben hogan, byron nelson and ken venturi were. Ive known and been taught by byron and ben hogan and was very close to great players like gene sarazen and bobby jones and francis ouimet. In a 1983 interview on cbs with ken venturi, hogan was describing his 11. Ben hogans legacy lives on at colonial country club pga tour. Open is one of my strongest memories of tv sports viewing. Ben was known for taking his putter back to his hotel room. Ward and ken venturi and two professionals ben hogan and byron nelson. After becoming a star, he went through a horrendous slump in the early 1960s. Advanced ball striking view topic ken venturi interview.
To celebrate the centennial, looks at their legacies, beginning with an insight into their relationships with each other. Ben hogans legacy lives on at colonial country club. Ben hogan 1 open, 4 us opens, 2 masters, 2 uspga, 2 ryder cups, 3 x ryder cup captain 1912 1997. In 1964, ken venturi stunned himself and his detractors at congressional. Ken venturi on friendship with ben hogan golf channel. Venturi, who was taught by byron nelson and mentored by ben hogan, took a. It has been cited in multiple books on the 64time pga tour winner, including hogan by curt. Ken venturi interview by david feherety kennys hogan stories duration. Why he feels sorry for rich kids how he was a terrible player. The day the game of golf changed forever by mark frost. Ken venturi interview of hogan golf talk the sand trap. The match pitted two legendary professionals against the two best amateurs in the world. Open, hogan said 30 years later in a cbs interview with ken venturi. New book, the brothers hogan a mustread for ben hogan fans.
Red cross golf matches during the 1918 spanish flu pandemic. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Multiple courses lay claim to the title of hogans alley, but few can rival the role that colonial country club played in the legends career. Venturis victory at congressional country club cemented my love for golf and the open, which i have watched every year since. Nelson as the old gentleman who would open the masters with a ceremonial first drive. Watching ken venturi stagger through heat exhaustion and dehydration to win the 1964 u. Arnold palmer is still miffed at how ben hogan talked down to him. One is presented to the male college golfer of the year. In a 1983 interview on cbs with ken venturi, hogan was describing his. The pga tours developmental tour, later called the nationwide tour and tour, was originally named the ben hogan tour when it was founded in 1990. Ken venturi interview with ben hogan 1983 multiple. Ben hogans five lessons is a great book for any golfer to read regardless of experience.
Since venturi was a close friend of hogan and played a lot of golf with him, his analyisis is intresting and suprisingly negative. Ken venturi, one of the best golfers of the 1950s and 1960s, practiced voraciously and unrelentingly. If timing is everything, then ken venturi really did have it all. Arnold palmer is still miffed at how ben hogan talked down. While i adored arnold palmer, venturi and his heroic victory made him one of my favorite golfers. The book contains text, still pictures, and video with commentary by ron saathoff, ed sehl, and randy joyner. A detailed analysis of the revolutionary putting method of golf legend ben hogan andrisani, john, hood, greg on. Im not sure of the source, but it may be the cbs interview conducted by ken venturi in the early 1980s. If you can spare seven and a half minutes, ill point you to a great slice of golf history, a rare oncamera interview with ben hogan. I was sent a link to this interview between ken venturi when he worked for cbs and ben hogan. But the steam bath over the final 36 holes made it such an ordeal he hardly remembers it. Venturi, who passed away friday at the age of 82, had links to ben hogan and byron nelson, taught the likes of tom watson and john cook, and was friends with frank. Ken was still announcing golf on tv when i was younger and i knew mr. In this book, ben hogan goes into depth about all the mechanics of the golf swing and how to instantly improve your score by making a few key adjustments.
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