Old Man Par Golf

My Golf Story – Learning the Vardon Overlapping Grip With Ben Hogan

2026-06-03T11:29:40Z

Ben Hogan Helps Me Learn the Vardon Overlapping Grip

A Rainy Day of No Golf Got My Game Going From a Hacker to a Golfer With Hope

The following is an excerpt from my book titled, “Golf Champions of Olden Time Lesson Tee – The Grip”:

I grew up in Ohio and as a kid my main thing was playing baseball. I was not very good at it, I kept the bench warm. Somewhere in there I started hitting golf balls in the front yard using a wedge from my dad’s set of golf clubs. Dad noticed that, so he got his baseball-inept son a beginner’s set of golf clubs. Man, was I happy to have a set of golf clubs for my own. Thanks dad! The set was made up of a driver, 3 wood, the 3, 5, 7, and 9 irons, and a weird J. C. Goosie putter. I couldn’t hit the driver at all, I could hit the 3 wood off a tee, but not off the ground. The 3 and 5 irons never came out of the bag because they were impossible for me, I used the 7 and 9 irons for all the shots after the 3 wood tee shot. The J. C. Goosie putter usually hit the ball at least three times on each green. I loved that first set of golf clubs. Dad encouraged me to play, explaining that golf takes time to learn. He would take me out often to play nine-hole rounds at the nearest public golf course and we had a lot of fun. I couldn’t imagine ever hitting a tee shot as far as my dad could. I was terrible at golf and my dad tried to help me, but I couldn’t hit a good shot. I loved golf, but I was having no success at it.

I’d swat the ball as hard as I could, trying to hit a shot as far as my dad, but usually spraying my shots wildly into the rough, woods, pond or creek, and then I’d try not to step on a snake as I stomped off to track down the wayward pellet. I’d keep giving the golf ball more and more swats until it eventually ended up on the green where my overused J. C. Goosie putter would go to work. After I holed out, I’d try to remember all my stokes on the hole. There were a lot of strokes to count. It was fun, but also frustrating. I had no idea at all of the fundamentals of golf, no idea of what a good golf swing does or looks like.

My Dad.

When I was 14, my dad took me on a golf trip to Pompano Beach, Florida. Now I was a bit older, taller, and stronger. I was at least hitting the ball in the air most of the time and getting more distance, but I was still hitting my golf shots all over creation. The places my golf ball ended up had me watching out for snakes. I learned that Florida snakes might be poisonous, I never had to worry about venomous vipers in Ohio! I decided that I wanted to make the high school golf team during that Florida trip. But there was a problem, my scores were not good enough to get me on the golf team. On the plus side, I had another year before I was eligible to try out for the golf team, I had time to get better.

I was inconsistent. A good round… then a bad round… another bad round… then a so-so round. I was lost at golf, I didn’t have an understanding of what I had to do to hit good shots time and time again. My scores were usually in the mid 90s, my absolute best score was an 89. My high school had a good golf team. The best player shot in the 70s, he could sometimes shoot in the 60s! To make the high school golf team, I needed to regularly shoot in the low 80s. That seemed like a far-fetched dream and I needed to improve. I was trying everything I could to keep my scores in the low 90s. My “thrash and flail” golf swing was not exactly what works on the golf course. It did work well for hammering nasty snakes. After many golf rounds of our Florida golf trip, my scores were getting worse instead of better. My dream of making the high school golf team was fading away. Then, one day it rained so hard that playing golf was impossible. That frustrated me because I wanted to get better at golf by playing as much as I could. Sitting on the couch in the vacation condo watching the Three Stooges on TV was not going to help.

That day of all rain and no golf was the best thing for my golf game. My improvement at golf began that day, a day when I did not hit a single golf ball.

Ben Hogan Five Lessons

My dad had brought along a golf instruction book on the trip. It was a book that he liked to refer to, and it was an excellent golf instruction book. The book was: “Five Lessons – The Modern Fundamentals of Golf ” by Ben Hogan. The book was there on the coffee table in front of the couch as I watched the Three Stooges. During a commercial, curiosity got the best of me. I picked up Hogan’s book and began to look at the illustrations, then I started to read the text. Hmm… this looks like good stuff. Who is this Hogan guy anyways? I turned the TV off. Goodbye Moe, Larry, and Curly. Hello, Ben Hogan.

My understanding of what makes up a good golf swing, as Ben Hogan wrote, “A CORRECT, POWERFUL, REPEATING SWING” began at the moment I opened Hogan’s book. Reading Ben Hogan’s book taught me what the fundamentals of a good golf swing were. I understood then what makes up a good golf swing, even if I couldn’t make a good swing. Specifically, the grip, stance and posture, backswing, and downswing parts of a golf swing had to be correctly learned. I had to practice so I could build a correct, powerful, and repeating golf swing the best I could. My golf education and my golf game both began when I opened Ben Hogan’s book that rainy day in Florida.

Ben Hogan’s first lesson in his book was about the grip and he explained it beautifully. There were wonderful drawings by Anthony Ravielli which left no doubt about what a good golf grip looks like. Hogan’s opening sentence in the first chapter was, “GOOD GOLF BEGINS WITH A GOOD GRIP.” Later in the chapter Hogan spoke about how Harry Vardon, a golf champion of olden times, popularized an overlapping grip that became the standard. Ben Hogan used the Vardon Overlapping Grip and it is the most common grip used by amateur and professional golfers. As I read that first lesson, I knew it was time to throw away the golf grip I’d devised for myself and instead learn to have a good and correct golf grip.

Ben Hogan in New York City after he won the Triple Crown.

I began making and practicing the Vardon Overlapping Grip that Ben Hogan taught in his book. I practiced all the fundamentals of the golf swing as explained by Ben Hogan in “Five Lessons – The Modern Fundamentals of Golf .” The new grip made a world of difference. With my hands making a good grip on the golf club, I was able to swing the golf club a lot closer to the way it is supposed to be swung. My hands worked together in unison as one, but each hand was able to perform its own unique role in the swing. I was now releasing the clubhead through the ball with the correct cocking and uncocking of my wrists, I gained power and accuracy.

It took time and effort, but over the next year my golf scores began to lower. They went from the 90s to the high and mid 80s, then as I sharpened my golf game more by following Ben Hogan’s lessons, my scores were consistently in the mid and low 80s. I was even threatening to shoot in the 70s, but I wasn’t quite there yet. My golf scores weren’t falling as fast as I wanted, but I was making progress. I was becoming a golfer who could swing a golf club with authority, and not look like a madman trying to pound a snake into the ground. Golf was becoming a whole lot more fun. I was looking forward to trying out for my high school’s golf team.

During try-outs for the high school golf team I caught fire one day and shot a one over par 37 for 9 holes, and my other scores were in the low 40s. I made my high school’s golf team! I became a starter my sophomore year after I defeated a senior in a match for the #4 man position, then I worked my way up to #2 man. I averaged 40 strokes a round in our 9 hole matches and would sometimes shoot in the high 30s in a match.

My junior year I was the #2 man on the high school golf team. I played behind a senior who shot regularly in the 70s and sometimes in the 60s for 18 holes. He later played in amateur tournaments with success, and then became a PGA club professional. He was the better golfer, but when I was on my game and he was a bit off his, I could give him a scare with my scores. I averaged 38 for 9 holes this season.

My senior year I was #1 man on the golf team from beginning to end and I captained the team to a 24-4 record. I averaged 37 strokes a round this year and I advanced to District competition in my state after shooting a 76 (+4) in Sectional competition.

That isn’t an amazing story of golf accomplishment or ability, but for me, a guy who once couldn’t find a fairway or a green, it was like I had won the United States Open. I had learned to play golf like I’d dreamed of, and I enjoyed three years of being a starter on my high school golf team.

My point is that I improved my golf game and it began with learning a good golf grip. You can learn a good golf grip and improve your golf game too.

Golf has provided me with great enjoyment and satisfaction as I have continued to learn, practice, play, and improve the best I can. My grip has not changed since I made it a habit after learning the Vardon Overlapping Grip from Ben Hogan’s book when I was 14. I have a good golf grip thanks to Harry Vardon and Ben Hogan. How do I know that I have a good golf grip? I know this because I was fortunate enough to have an unexpected and impromptu lesson from Herman Keiser at his driving range in Copley, Ohio.

You may not be familiar with Herman Keiser, but he played on the PGA Tour and competed against Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and other golfers of their era. Keiser was a good player on the PGA tour, he won tournaments and a highlight of his career was when he was a member of the 1947 United States Ryder Cup Team.

One hot and humid summer day I was the only one beating balls at Keiser’s Driving Range. Mr. Keiser must have been very bored because he wandered out of the pro shop to watch me. I was surprised, maybe he only wanted to see how many more golf balls I had left to hit before he could close up and go home. After some time, during which I felt the weight of his stare and was becoming more and more nervous, and developing all kinds of strange and odd moves and twitches in my swing, he strolls over and says, “Young fella, you have a good swing, but hey, let me show you something.”

Mr. Keiser said my divots were too deep because I was breaking my wrists too soon on the backswing, then he got me to make shallower divots after some tips. My shots were flying farther and straighter after my unexpected and impromptu golf lesson from Herman Keiser.

During the lesson, Mr. Keiser looked at my grip and he said I had a good grip, that I should never change it. He asked where I learned my grip and I told him from Hogan’s book. Herman then said, “That’s good, Hogan beat everybody.” By my logic, I figure that through Herman Keiser’s approval of my grip, I have Ben Hogan’s approval of my golf grip since they were friends and fellow competitors. Then, maybe through Hogan, Harry Vardon himself would say I have a good golf grip since Hogan used Vardon’s grip. I have never changed my golf grip.

Oh, earlier when I wrote about Herman Keiser’s PGA golf career I forgot to mention something. You see, Herman Keiser had this green jacket. The green jacket Herman Keiser had fit him perfectly and it was the exact kind of green jacket given to the winner of The Masters tournament.

Sometimes Ben Hogan did not beat everybody.

Herman Keiser won The Masters in 1946. Ben Hogan finished second.

Mr. Keiser has left us now. I am forever grateful to him for the memory of that golf lesson.

In my book, “Golf Champions of Olden Time Lesson Tee – The Grip”, you’ll learn a good golf grip from golf champions of olden times. A grip that Herman Keiser, Ben Hogan, and Harry Vardon would approve of.

The post My Golf Story – Learning the Vardon Overlapping Grip With Ben Hogan first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

65 Quotes By and About Golfer Ben Hogan

2024-12-03T13:22:50Z

An Iron Man of Golf

Ben Hogan, was born on August 13, 1912, in Dublin, Texas and he is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Ben Hogan had exceptional skill, strong determination, and he made an amazing comeback to the top of golf after a car accident nearly killed him.

His Struggling Years and Professional Success

Ben Hogan turned professional in 1929 and spent years paying his dues and sharpening his golf skills. Hogan dug his game out of the dirt with hard work. He worked as a club pro and competed in tournaments. Hogan’s breakthrough came in 1940 when he won the Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.

A 1940s Golf Force

The 1940s were a magical time for Hogan. He became a dominant force on the PGA Tour. Hogan captured many titles, including the U.S. Open in 1948, the PGA Championship in 1946 and 1948, and the Vardon Trophy three times. Ben Hogan’s precise ball-striking, strategic genius, and great concentration made him a formidable golfer.

His Near-Fatal Automobile Accident and a Miraculous Comeback

In 1949, Hogan’s life nearly ended in a severe car accident when a bus crossed the center line of a foggy road and hit his Cadillac head-on. At the last moment before impact, Ben dove to the right to shield his wife Valerie who was sitting in the front passenger seat. The move probably saved his life too as the steering wheel was thrust into the driver’s seat, it would have killed him outright. Valerie had only minor injuries. Hogan suffered life-threatening injuries and doctors questioned if he would ever walk again. Playing golf at its highest level once more seemed to be an impossibility for Hogan. The doctors shortchanged Ben Hogan’s indomitable spirit and ability to work relentlessly toward a goal. Ben Hogan wanted to return to golf. After months of grueling rehabilitation to regain his strength and stamina, Hogan returned to professional golf in 1950.

Hogan’s 1953 Triple Crown

Ben Hogan in New York City after he won the Triple Crown.

Hogan’s comeback to professional golf’s top after the automobile accident was nothing short of miraculous. In 1953, he won three major championships including the Masters, U.S. Open, and the British Open. This was called the Triple Crown. Ben Hogan, nicknamed “The Hawk,” had become one of golf’s all-time greats. Ben Hogan set a standard in golf and his legacy remains. Ben Hogan passed away on July 25, 1997.

Here are 65 Quotes by and about Ben Hogan:

#1. “When I play with him, he talks to me on every green. He turns to me and says, ‘You’re away.'” – Jimmy Demaret,

#2. “Golf is not a game of good shots. It’s a game of bad shots.” – Ben Hogan

#3. “I always outworked everybody. Work never bothered me like it bothers some people.” – Ben Hogan

#4. “There isn’t enough daylight in any one day to practice all the shots you need to.” – Ben Hogan

#5. “Every day that I missed practicing takes me one day longer to be good.” – Ben Hogan

#6. “Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.” – Ben Hogan

#7. “I hate a hook. It nauseates me. I could vomit when I see one. It’s like a rattlesnake in your pocket.” – Ben Hogan

#8. “You never fight your eye when you look at a hole. If it looks one way, play it that way. Don’t make a big deal out of an easy shot.” – Ben Hogan

#9. “For myself and other serious golfers, there is an undeniable beauty in the way a fine player sets his hands on the club.” – Ben Hogan

#10. “I play with friends, but we don’t play friendly games.” – Ben Hogan

#11. “Relax? How can anybody relax and play golf? You have to grip the club don’t you?” – Ben Hogan

#12. “There are no shortcuts in the quest for perfection.” – Ben Hogan

#13. “People have always been telling me what I can’t do. I guess I have wanted to show them. That’s been one of my driving forces all my life.” – Ben Hogan, after winning the 1951 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills. It was the longest U.S. Open course up to that time.

#14. “I’m glad that I brought this course, this monster, to its knees.” – Ben Hogan, after winning the 1951 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills.

#15. “Thank you. How did you do?” – Ben Hogan after being congratulated for winning the 1951 U.S. Open by runner-up Clayton Heafner.

#16. “Why don’t you aim more to the right?” – Ben Hogan, after being asked by a golfer about why so many of the golfer’s shots go left.

#17. “You only hit a straight ball by accident. The ball is going to move right or left every time you hit it, so you had better make it go one way or the other.” – Ben Hogan

#18. “I have never achieved what I thought was success. Golf to me is a business, a livelihood in doing the thing that I like to do. I don’t like the glamour. I just like the game.” – Ben Hogan

#19. “This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win.” – Ben Hogan

#20. “Placing the ball in the right position for the next shot is 80-percent of winning golf.” – Ben Hogan

#21. “You have to give careful thought to every shot. Every shot sets up what you are going to do next. Every shot has to be placed correctly. Don’t ever just hit a shot without thinking it through.” – Ben Hogan

#22. “I dreamed I made 17 holes-in-one, and on the 18th hole I lipped the cup and I was madder than hell.” – Ben Hogan

#23. “A good round of golf is if you can hit about three shots that turnout exactly as you planned them.” – Ben Hogan

#24. “The ultimate judge of your swing is the flight of the ball.” – Ben Hogan

#25. “The most important shot in golf is the next one.” – Ben Hogan

#26. “For what Hogan meant, it’s the old story: For those who know golf, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation is possible.” – Sportswriter Jim Murray

#27. “He was the greatest player I ever played with. If he could putt 25 percent as well as Palmer could, he would have won 50 more tournaments. Don’t forget that he made all the putts he had to make to win his nine majors.” – Tommy Bolt

#28. “Hogan plays one game and the rest of us play another.” – Dave Marr

#29. “He was a cold, detached artisan on the course, likened by some observers to an undertaker weaving a shroud of defeat for his adversaries.” – Writer Will Grimsley

#30. “He looks at you like a landlord asking for next month’s rent.” – Anonymous

#31. “The three things I fear most in golf are lightning, Ben Hogan and a downhill putt.” – Sam Snead

#32. “As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.” – Ben Hogan

#33. “The most important shot in golf is the next one.” – Ben Hogan

#34. “Every day that you don’t practice is one day longer before you achieve greatness.” – Ben Hogan

#35. “This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win.” – Ben Hogan

#36. “The greatest pleasure is obtained by improving.” – Ben Hogan

#37. “If you can’t outplay them, outwork them.” – Ben Hogan

#38. “Your name is the most important thing you own. Don’t ever do anything to disgrace or cheapen it.” – Ben Hogan

#39. “Golf is 20 percent talent and 80 percent management.” – Ben Hogan

#40. “There are no shortcuts in the quest for perfection.” – Ben Hogan

#41. “May thy ball lie in green pastures, and not in still waters.” – Ben Hogan

#42. “The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight.” – Ben Hogan

#43. “Hitting a golf ball and putting have nothing in common. They’re two different games. You work all your life to perfect a repeating swing that will get you to the greens, and then you have to try to do something that is totally unrelated. There shouldn’t be any cups, just flag sticks. And then the man who hit the most fairways and greens and got closest to the pins would be the tournament winner.” – Ben Hogan

#44. “I liked to win, but more than anything, I loved to play the way I wanted to play” – Ben Hogan

#45. “I never played a round when I didn’t learn something new about the game.” – Ben Hogan

#46. “I have really enjoyed every minute I have spent in golf- above all, the many wonderful friends I have made. I have loved playing the game and practicing it. Whether my schedule for the following day called for a tournament round or merely a trip to the practice tee, the prospect that there was going to be golf in it made me feel privileged and extremely happy, and I couldn’t wait for the sun to come up the next morning so that I could get out on the course again.” – Ben Hogan

#46. “A shot that goes in the cup is pure luck, but a shot to within two feet of the flag is skill.” – Ben Hogan

#47. “The average golfer’s problem is not so much the lack of ability as it is lack of knowledge about what he should be doing.” – Ben Hogan

#48. “The ultimate judge of your swing is the flight of the ball.” – Ben Hogan

#49. “When you see an opportunity, you practice and work, at least from sunup to sundown.” – Ben Hogan

#50. “Control is the main thing, and the tee shot is the most important shot in golf. You’ve got to hit the fairway before you have a good chance of putting the ball close to the pin. You can be the greatest iron player in the world, but if you’re in the boondocks it won’t do you any good.” – Ben Hogan

#51. “All other things being equal, greens break to the west.” – Ben Hogan

#52. “If a man can shoot 10 birdies, there’s no reason why he can’t shoot 18. Why can’t you birdie every hole on the course?” – Ben Hogan

#53. “There is no similarity between golf and putting; they are two different games, one played in the air, and the other on the ground. – Ben Hogan

#54. “Shoot a lower score than everybody else.” – Ben Hogan

#55. “This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win.” – Ben Hogan

#56. “Like most professional golfers, I have a tendency to remember my poor shots a shade more vividly than the good ones.” – Ben Hogan

#57. “Certainly, if you can’t manage your game, you can’t play tournament golf. You continually have to ask yourself what club to play, where to aim it, whether to accept a safe par or to try to go for a birdie. You can’t play every hole the same way. I never could.” – Ben Hogan

#58. “If the Masters offered no money at all, I would be here trying just as hard.” – Ben Hogan

#59. “Hit the ball up to the hole… You meet a better class of people up there.” – Ben Hogan

#60. “Golf was my life. I didn’t want to give it up. So I went to work!” – Ben Hogan

#61. “Selecting a stroke is like selecting a wife. To each his own.” – Ben Hogan

#62. “There’s no set time or schedule for developing one’s skills as a professional golfer, and it certainly doesn’t come overnight. It’s a muscle-memory exercise that comes over time.” – Ben Hogan

#63. “You only hit a straight ball by accident. The ball is going to move right or left every time you hit it, so you had better make it go one way or the other.” – Ben Hogan

#64. “You hear stories about me beating my brains out practising, but the truth is, I was enjoying myself. I couldn’t wait to get up in the morning, so I could hit balls. When I’m hitting the ball where I want, hard and crisply, it’s a joy that very few people experience. When I practiced, I practiced to get it right.” – Ben Hogan

#65.“Good golf begins with a good grip.” – Ben Hogan

My Book:

Golf Champions of Olden Times Lesson Tee – The Grip

In my book golf champions of the past instruct you on how to have a good grip on the golf club. Old time champions of golf like Harry Vardon, J. H. Taylor, James Braid, James M. Barnes, and others give you their instruction of having a good and correct golf grip.

* Preview And Have A Look Inside Golf Champions Of Olden Times Lesson Tee – The Grip *

In Golf Champions Of Olden Times Lesson Tee – The Grip past golf champions who were major tournament winners, PGA Tour winners, and members of the World Golf Hall of Fame will teach you the the Vardon Overlapping Grip and its variations. These golfers of olden times were the best players of golf during their time. Learn how to have a correct and good golf grip from them.

Get Golf Champions Of Olden Times Lesson Tee – The Grip Paperback or Kindle Edition now!

The post 65 Quotes By and About Golfer Ben Hogan first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

Golfer James Braid – Won The Open Championship 5 Times

2022-11-09T16:36:18Z

A Five-Time Champion Golfer of the Year: Golfer James Braid

Golfer James Braid

James Braid is a member of the Great Triumvirate along with Harry Vardon and John Henry Taylor. Braid was born on February 6, 1870, at Earlsferry, Fife, Scotland and he passed away on November 27, 1950, in London, England. Braid is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

James Braid won the Open Championship (the British Open) five times, although he got a slower start on winning this championship than Vardon and Taylor. By the time Braid won his first Open Championship in 1901, the other two members of the Great Triumvirate had already won three apiece.

Scotsman Braid was a tall and strong man who hit the golf ball considerably longer distances as compared to his fellow competitors. It was his putting that held him back from winning the Open Championship. That changed when he found a putter that seemed to have magic in it for him. With the putter change, Braid’s putts began finding the bottom of the cup. Championship wins soon followed.

After the 1900 Open Championship, James Braid gave up on his wooden-headed putter when he discovered a putter with an aluminum head. This putter felt good to him. His new aluminum-headed putter effectively (Or magically!) made the cup larger for Braid as he gained more confidence in his putting skill. Braid’s putts began to drop more and more consistently and now he became a dominant championship golfer. Rival John Henry Taylor said, and perhaps to his chagrin, after Braid began using the aluminum-headed putter, “I have yet to meet the player who could hole the 10-yard putts with greater regularity.”

Championships came to Braid after he changed his putter. He went on to win the Open Championship in 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, and 1910. With this record, James Braid was the first golfer to be the Champion Golfer of the Year five times. Later, both Peter Thomson and Tom Watson accomplished the same record of winning the Open Championship five times. Thompson in 1965 and Watson in 1983.

After retiring from competitive professional golf, Braid became a golf course architect. He designed or contributed to the architecture of over 200 golf courses. His Championship course of Carnoustie in Scotland is probably Braid’s masterpiece. Carnoustie continues to challenge golfers in our time. Braid authored, “Advanced Golf, or, Hints and Instruction for Progressive Players” in 1911.

James Braid’s Golf Swing

James Braid Describes the Keys to His Grip

Perhaps your grip will improve by studying and using techniques of James Braid’s grip. Remember, Braid was a long hitter so following his grip tips may help you to increase your distance.

* “The left hand. – The left hand is well over the top of the shaft.”

* “The thumb is against the side of the shaft, not on top.”

* “My grip is very tight with all fingers.”

* “The right hand. – The club lies in the joint of the first finger of this hand.”

* The two first fingers grip the club.”

* “The little finger rides on the top of the first finger of the left hand.”

* “The thumb lies rather over the centre of the shaft.”

* “The left thumb is pressed against the side of the shaft by the right hand.”
Note: See Plate No. II.

* “The whole grip must not be so tight as to stiffen the muscles of the forearms.”

* “The reason for the overlapping of the little finger is to make the grip as one-handed as possible, and it insures both wrists working better together.”

Plate No. I Shows Braid’s grip at the top of his swing.

Plate No. I Shows Braid’s grip at the top of his swing.

Plate No. II shows the part of Braid’s right hand that presses on his left thumb.

Plate No. II shows the part of Braid’s right hand that presses on his left thumb.

Plate No. III has Braid’s right hand open somewhat so you can see the position of his left thumb and hand.

Plate No. III has Braid’s right hand open somewhat so you can see the position of his left thumb and hand.

My Personal Thoughts Regarding James Braid’s Grip

* Braid had his left thumb slightly right of the center of the shaft and his grip was tight in all the fingers. However, his grip was not so tight that it would “stiffen the muscles of the forearms.”

* Braid used the Vardon Overlapping grip. He said the purpose of the little finger of the right hand overlapping the index finger of the left hand was to “make the grip as one-handed as possible.” This is a hallmark of the Vardon Overlapping Grip. A good golf grip unites the hands so they work together as if one.

Source Note:
The quotes and images about James Braid’s grip are from the book: “Great Golfers,” by George Beldam with contributions by Harold H. Hilton, J. H. Taylor, James Braid, Alex Herd, and Harry Vardon. This book was published in 1904 and is now in the Public Domain.

The post Golfer James Braid – Won The Open Championship 5 Times first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

Harry Vardon Dominated Golf In The Hickory Shaft Era

2022-11-17T16:22:06Z

Harry Vardon – A Golf Champion of Olden Times

Born: May 9, 1870
Died: March 20, 1937

Harry Vardon is a golf champion of olden times who played in the era of hickory golf club shafts. He is one of the greatest golfers of all time. Vardon’s record speaks as proof of this, he won seven total major championships. Vardon won The Open (British Open) a record six times, and the United States Open once. Over his golfing career from 1896 to 1920, he won 41 other tournaments.

Harry Vardon

Golf has fortunately been blessed at different times with three great golfers who reigned superior to all others in their era. Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan dominated their era, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus their era. Harry Vardon, John Henry Taylor, and James Braid were the three dominating golfers of their time. Vardon, Ray, and Braid are called the Great Triumvirate. As an indicator of their golf prominence, all of these nine golfers are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Harry Vardon had an advantage over many of the golfers he competed against. His swing was modern, powerful, consistent, and accurate while some of his competitors perhaps had more unconventional, wilder, and unreliable swings as compared to Vardon’s. Harry Vardon had a golf swing with similar fundamentals common to today’s top golfers. These modern swing components are readily visible in Vardon’s swing. Vardon’s swing was smooth and upright, and he repeated it time after time. Harry Vardon was known as a shotmaker when the hickory shaft was the state of the art in golf technology, and while the gutta-percha golf ball transitioned to the rubber core golf ball.

Vardon was able to play shots depending on the demands of the golf course and the particular shot required. Vardon could play his shots either high or low, with a fade or a draw, or straight, and with all of his golf clubs. Other top golfers of Vardon’s era had these skills too, but Vardon excelled with his ability when he played at the top of his game. If Vardon could come back and play golf in our time, he would adapt his swing to our modern shafted clubs of steel or graphite and to our golf balls. Vardon had the mind of a golfing champion and it would lead him to success.

Harry Vardon – British Pathe Video

Harry Vardon’s Overlapping Grip

Harry Vardon’s Overlapping Grip – Two Views

A legacy of Harry Vardon is the Vardon Overlapping Grip. In this grip, the little finger of the right hand lies on top of the index finger of the left hand for a right-handed golfer. This grip unites the two hands into one strong unit. The Vardon Overlapping Grip is like a single big hand on the club instead of either the right or left hand taking over the other and diminishing the effectiveness of the swing. Although Vardon was not the first to use this method of gripping the club, his golfing success popularized the grip. The Vardon Overlapping Grip or a close adaptation of it is used by most golfers today.

Harry Vardon’s Record:

Seven Major Championships

The Open Championship (British Open)
1896 – Muirfield
1898 – Prestwick Golf Club
1899 – Royal Saint George’s Golf Club
1903 – Prestwick Golf Club
1911 – Royal Saint George’s Golf Club
1914 – Prestwick Golf Club

The United States Open
1900 – Chicago Golf Club

Forty One Non-Major Tournament Wins

1896
Pau Golf Club Invitational
Cleveland Golf Club Professional Tournament

1897
Wallasey Golf Club Open
Southport Golf Club Open

1898
Royal Musselburgh
Prestwick Professional Event
Windermere Golf Club Invitational
Norbury Golf Club Invitational
Carnoustie Golf Club Professional Event
Earlsferry & Elie Golf Club Professional Event
Royal County Down Professional Event
Barton-on-Sea Invitational
Royal Lytham & St Annes Professional Tournament

1899
Great North Scotland Rail
Mid-Surrey Professional Event

1901
Mid-Surrey Professional Event
Glamorgan Golf Club Invitational

1902
Lord Dudley Invitational
Leeds Cup
Edzell Golf Club Open

1903
Richmond Golf Club Invitational
Enfield Golf Club Invitational
Western Gailes Golf Club Invitational

1904
Irvine Golf Club Open

1905
Montrose Golf Links Open

1906
Musselburgh Tournament
Tooting Bec Challenge

1907
Blackpool Park Golf Club Invitational

1908
Nice Country Club International
Costebelle Course Invitational

1909
St Andrews Tournament

1911
Tooting Bec Challenge
Bramshot Challenge
German Open

1912
Cooden Beach Golf Club Open
News of the World Match Play Championship

1913
PGA Southern Section
United States Open Qualifying

1914
PGA Southern Section
Cruden Bay Golf Club Professional Tournament

1920
Bramshot Invitational

Note: Harry Vardon was an international tournament golfer. Countries where he won include: France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Germany, and the United States of America.

“Relaxation, added to a few necessary fundamental principles, is the basis of this great game.”

…Harry Vardon

The post Harry Vardon Dominated Golf In The Hickory Shaft Era first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

Bobby Jones Quotes About Gripping the Golf Club

2022-11-17T16:24:49Z

Bobby Jones Quotes On the Golf Grip

Good golf begins with a good grip.

The only way you are connected with the golf club is by your grip. How you grip the club greatly influences your swing. A correct golf grip gives you the freedom to swing the golf club with the most power and precision that you possibly can. A bad golf grip will hurt your chances of making consistent good contact with the golf ball. In these quotes and the accompanying video, Bobby Jones explains how to correctly grip the golf club.

Bobby Jones in 1917.

“The left hand must be placed in a position of power, to some extent on the top of the shaft.
As I grip the club, I can see three knuckles of this hand as I look down upon it.” 1
…Bobby Jones

“The right hand approaches the shaft in this way, with palm to the front, and grips the shaft in the fingers.” 2
…Bobby Jones

“The grip must be positive, but never tense. The firmest pressure is exerted by the three smaller fingers of the left hand. The grip of the right hand is very light.” 3
…Bobby Jones
Note: The three smaller visible fingers Jones refers to in this quote were the last three fingers of the hand.

“The little finger of the right hand aids compactness by overlapping the index finger of the left, but the fingers twine around the shaft providing an ample spread to make manipulation of the clubhead easy.” 4
…Bobby Jones

“When addressing the ball, the player places his hands upon the club in a definite position, and in that position they must remain.” 5
…Bobby Jones

“A strained grip upon the club tenses the muscles in the forearms and tends to stiffen members that ought to be supple and active during the stroke; but the grip may be firm without introducing the least bit of rigidity in any part of the body.” 6
…Bobby Jones

“The right wrist and arm are the primary means of supplying speed and imparting force culminating at the ball. They should therefore remain relaxed throughout the stroke. Let us simply say that the left arm must keep the swing on track; the right hand must be responsible for timing and touch.” 7
…Bobby Jones

“The grip of the left hand should be arranged so that the shaft lies diagonally across the palm but is held mainly by the fingers. At the position of address, the club should rest upon the middle joint of the index finger of the left hand, but the most positive part of the grip of this hand should be exerted by the two smaller fingers and the middle finger.” 8
…Bobby Jones

“A correct grip is a fundamental necessity in the golf swing. It might even be said to be the first necessity, for a person must take hold of the club before he can swing it, and he must hold it correctly before it becomes physically possible for him to swing it correctly.” 9
…Bobby Jones

Bobby Jones Explains The Golf Grip

Playing Lessons With a Master – Part 1 The Grip

Bobby Jones Quotes Sources:
1. Bobby Jones and Ben Crenshaw, Classic Instruction, p21;
2. Bobby Jones and Ben Crenshaw, Classic Instruction, p22;
3. Bobby Jones and Ben Crenshaw, Classic Instruction, p24;
4. Bobby Jones and Ben Crenshaw, Classic Instruction, p26;
5. Bobby Jones, On Golf, p6;
6. Bobby Jones, On Golf, p6;
7. Bobby Jones, On Golf, p6;
8. Bobby Jones, On Golf, p7;
9. Bobby Jones, On Golf, p8;

The post Bobby Jones Quotes About Gripping the Golf Club first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

The Golfer’s Creed by David R. Forgan

2022-11-17T16:28:10Z

The Golfer’s Creed by David R. Forgan

I’ve had the Golfer’s Creed by David R. Forgan framed and hanging on a wall for many years. From time to time I will pause and read it again. I don’t know how many times I have read the Golfer’s Creed. Each time I do read it, I’m reminded of why I’m a golfer. Golf is the greatest game.

Golfer’s Creed

It is a science-the study of a lifetime, in which
you may exhaust yourself but never your subject.

It is a contest, a duel or melee, calling for
courage, skill, strategy and self-control.

It is a test of temper, a trial of honor,
a revealer of character.

It affords the chance to play the man, and
act the gentleman.

It means going into God’s out-of-doors, getting close
to nature, fresh air, exercise, a sweeping away of the
mental cobwebs, genuine recreation of the tired tissues.

It is a cure for care-an antidote to worry.

It includes companionship with friends, social
intercourse, opportunity for courtesy, kindliness
and generosity to an opponent.

It promotes not only physical health but moral force.

–David R. Forgan
Scotland, 1899

The post The Golfer’s Creed by David R. Forgan first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.

Old Man Par

2022-11-17T16:31:28Z

Bobby Jones vs. Old Man Par

Bobby Jones, circa 1917.

Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. (Bobby Jones) met with disappointment early in his golf career. As a youngster and his early adulthood great golf accomplishments were expected of Bobby Jones. However, it took him seven years before he won a major championship. Jones was frustrated.

Bobby’s success in major tournaments started when he developed a philosophy for how to play golf. He learned to play against the golf course, to make it his main competition and not the other golfers he was competing against. Bobby Jones knew that his greatest competitor was Old Man Par.

Success followed with his new attitude of competing against Old Man Par. Overall he won thirteen major championships and he won all four of the major championships of golf in 1930. His 1930 major championship wins included the United States Open, The Open Championship (British Open), The United States Amateur, and the British Amateur. This achievement is called the Grand Slam of Golf.

After his Grand Slam year of 1930 Bobby Jones retired from competitive golf when he was only twenty-eight-years-old. Jones then helped to design and found the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia and he co-founded of the Masters Tournament.

The following Old Man Par quotes were collected from the book, Down The Fairway by Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. by my late father, Richard F. Allen. This website is named OldManParGolf.com because it is a good way to play the game of golf, compete against Old Man Par. It’s how my dad played golf and it’s how I play too. Read what Bobby Jones says about Old Man Par and see if his idea of how to play golf won’t help you.

“No man will ever have golf under his thumb. No round will ever be so good it could not have been better. Perhaps that is why golf is the greatest of games. You are not playing a human adversary; you are playing a game. You are playing Old Man Par.

“Old Man Par, the imperturbable economist! Make a friend and constant foe of him, and the other boys won’t be so rough on you.

“Old Man Par is a patient soul, who never shoots a birdie and never incurs a buzzard. And if you would travel the long route with him, you must be patient too.”
– Robert Tyre Jones, Jr.

Note: A “buzzard” is an old term for what we now call a double bogey.

Note: The modern day Grand Slam of Golf would be winning all four of the major tournaments (the Masters, the United States Open, the Open Championship (British Open), and the Professional Golfer’s Championship.) in the same year.

The post Old Man Par first appeared on Old Man Par Golf.