The Norwood – Hogan Connection
I was talking to my father just a day or so ago and I brought up the connection of either Norwood - Hogan or Hogan - Norwood as to how Ben Hogan grip and swing came into being. I have a picture from the Mid to late 1940's of Ben Hogan’s back swing and it is so Joe Norwood.
My father said it was Norwood - Hogan. Joe Norwood worked with Ben Hogan and his golf swing for three years off and on. My Grandfather told my father that for two years Ben would not listen as he wanted his own backswing and downswing but in the third year , as my Grandfather puts it; He finally started to listen.
My Father was with my Grandfather many times at The Los Angeles Country Club and from 1938 to 1942 he would talk to his father about the professional players who would come to Joe Norwood for golf instruction. Two of the main legends of Golf, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan were Joe Norwood regulars.
I've ready accounts about how Ben Hogan, overnight, came to some enlightened swing that propelled him to fame. Nothing comes overnight. Ben Hogan’s fame as a great golfer and one of the finest strikers of the ball remains his as he had the discipline to practice continuously but his swing didn't come to him overnight. Joe Norwood was in the picture just outside the cameras focus. He was like that. He was not one to claim the gift of glory for helping a professional player play better.
In the video he does talk about Ben Hogan’s left arm and how Ben Hogan spent two years strengthening the extensor muscles so as to have a perfectly straight left arm while swinging deep inside.
Ben Hogan’s grip, backswing and straight left arm are a result of him working with Joe Norwood and a lot of hard work.
I read an article where Mr. Woods said Ben Hogan was a better striker of the ball than he. No one is better at capturing the moment of victory than Mr. Woods.
|