Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

Although there are already a lot of other reviews about ben hogan's five lessons I thought it would be wrong for me not to put my experiences in here.As a bit of background I am a novice golfer. I played 3 or 4 rounds a few years ago, and bought a beginners club set (ben sayers m7 fire) and went round a few times with some of the lads at work. I was enjoying myself but hitting very inconsistently. Hooks and slices were very very common and the best I did was hit par once, and that was with a really good putt. Probably a fluke back then.I started playing again a few months ago with a change of job that is giving me a lot of free time. I picked up a few golf magazines and looked through the tips and guide sections but they were all over the place with diagrams and captions I wasn't taking much in from them. I decided to do a search on golf books on amazon and the most recommended was ben hogan's five lessons, so I took a small chance and ordered it. I suggest everyone who has had a similar experience to myself so far do the same and buy this book.The book arrived and I read it over 2 nights. There are a handful of sections, starting with grip and finishing with your downswing. It is written in a very good order, bringing the information through in a solid structure. The writing style is not modern, but not old fashioned either. It feels more like what ben would say if he was standing in front of you giving you a real life instruction. The diagrams are hand drawn and very clear, and everything has lots of diagrams to show you in every possible way what you need to do.There is also a section at the back but a quick round up of what he has taught you. I particularly like the fact that he explains the swing plane in a nice simple way.What the book doesn't include: anything on club choice or hitting of different surfaces e.g. rough or sand. This is just the basic fundamentals of a good golf swings.So where am I after a month of following the instruction in this book? well I have hit around 500 balls on the range, with various clubs, and played one round yesterday. I scored about 20 shots better than I would have previously, and only lost on match play by 2 holes, where I would have lost every hole. I scored my first ever birdie on a par 3. My shots are much more consistent and I would say that 80% of the time go where I want. Although I do miss hit or just miss the other 20% I can feel in my swing where I went wrong and what not to do next time. I can now play a round without feeling embarrassed slicing tee shots into woods and I am not losing balls anymore. Water hazards do not make my wallet cringe. I am getting good height rather than hitting the ball low across the floor.I cannot recommend this book any more. It is number 1 and in my opinion will never be replaced. The fundamentals here will give me a lifetime of enjoyable golf.

21st century technology with youtube, internet articles, help videos etc. . . you would think it would be easy to find a simple broken down instruction to give you the start you need in when carrying out golf. Everything now is made to look so complicated and advanced, cut the crap i just want to hit the ball consistantly and break 80. I dont want to be able to hit a par 4 green 330 yards away with back spin, with my lob wedge!!I have been playing golf now for a few years, i am 26 with a handicap of 18 so no Rory Mcilroy. I have read about this book and finally got a copy through two days ago.Never before has the FUNDAMENTALS been made so clear and concise that i was able to read the book with my clubs and see where i was going wrong. Hogan quickly starts by saying its easy to pick a club up and swing it at a ball. Sometimes you would hit the ball pretty well! false hope. Hogan explains that the fundamentals he gives. Hands over the starting blocks for a CONSISTANT and good swing. (He spent 20/30 years tring to find what he writes in this book so dont let yourself follow his footsteps) Think how many times you have been playing well then suddenly you absolutely duff one. You look at the ground, swing the club a few times as if you know what the hell just happened.Having a good fundamental basis is what i have been lacking. Instruction into DO THIS and it will achieve this. DO THIS and it will cause this. This book does that!! It gives you the key elements of a sport which is so in depth its sickening.Dont spend 20 years trying to learn how to swing a club. Get this book and start loving the sport that little bit more. I cant imagine any normal person would read this article so i imagine you have already been bitten by the golfing bug.If you are fairly new to golf, maybe had a few lessons. Get this book, you will not look back. It will give you clear instruction as to how you are supoose to grip it, swing it and rip it. I imagine most experienced golfers already have a copy of this book and would give a similar review.Ignore all this scientific crap breaking the swing down into 50 different points. Stick to the fundamentals first and then work your way up.See you on the course!

If you struggle with irons and have a left miss and low ball flight buy this book now.I've always been decent with driver, excellent with wedges and average 2 putts per hole, but my irons have always been awful. My main misses where fat shots, hooks and my ball flight has always been low.I brought this book after trying every YouTube video going and getting worse with my irons. Someone pointed me in the direction of Ben Hogan because I was one of the unusual high handicap golfers who have a natural draw which turns to a hook.I read the book twice, had 4 promising range sessions with a much tighter dispersion and then played a par 3 round. I shaved 18 strokes and was below my usual standard with short game. I left about 5 or six shots on the course with bad chipping.The difference in my irons was unreal. I kept pace with a 2 handicap I play with. He was astounded.

Simply brilliant instruction book; completely invaluable.Written by one of the absolute greats and illustrated beautifully.Simple, easy to follow fundamentals you can return to time and time again.I bought this book in 1986 and have referred to it ever since;It's the only book Ive ever recommended to friends who have taken up the game - because it helps you feel what a good, repeatable, simple swing feels like.It makes practise a pleasure.The 5 fundamentals of grip, stance, backswing and forward swing are perfectly described.I have never read another golf instruction book nor had a single lesson in my life - I have been down as low as a 3 handicap and still now play to 10 in my mid 50s.A must and totally indispencable.

Best book to read before having any lessons gives you all the basics you need to know