Golf legend Ben Hogan...

Did he really use black magic?

Golf legend Ben Hogan was one of the best golfers of all time, if not the best. He is also pretty much revered as the father of the modern swing. He also introduced the term 'swing practice', being the VJ Singh of his era.

This small Texan was a modest 5’ 7” and weighed in at 140 lbs (64 kilos) but wowed his followers in his early career with his uncanny length.

His nicknames, ‘The Hawk’ and ‘The Wee Ice Man’ perfectly captured his steely-eyed determination and a magical aura he was renowned to have possessed.

In the book, ‘Golf in the Kingdom’ (Michael Murphy), Shivas Irons recalls following him during his participation in the U.S. Open in 1955 and speaks of him as one of the people who knew.

Yes he knew some of life’s secret mysteries and created a spellbinding aura, which would encapsulate everyone around him. During that championship, Hogan had built such a strong aura that he managed to pass on some of his magic to onlookers.

Jack Fleck, who took the title in that play-off against Hogan, is quoted as saying before it that he had discovered Hogan’s secret.

Thinking back, Shivas reported that he could see this happening and said, “His (Hogan’s) ‘inner body and command of true gravity’ had emanated directly to the younger Fleck and enabled him to win.”

Michael Murphy believes that Shivas himself also received some of this magic on that day and had very possibly passed it on to the author.

Shivas Irons has a “List of people who knew", and I would like to add the following candidates,

Michael Murphy, Shivas Irons, Timothy Gallwey, Jack Nicklaus and, with all the modesty in the world, myself Sandy MacDuff.

Link to homepage from 'legend Ben Hogan'.

Link to 'golf legend' from 'legend Ben Hogan'.