Ben Hogan is remembered not just as the best golfer of the 1950s, but also as one of the all-time greats.
His CV includes 64 PGA Tour wins and nine majors, though his influence on the sport extended far beyond just those numbers.
Hogan changed the way people thought about the golf swing, earning praise from Gary Player, who once called him “the purest ball-striker ever.”
But even with all those accolades, there was another golfer from his era who caught Hogan’s eye – someone he thought had all-time potential.
The problem for this player was not talent. It was that he did not have the mental side of the game figured out enough to reach those heights.
Ben Hogan respected Sam Snead’s swing but not his mind
Hogan believed Sam Snead, though already a golfing legend, was capable of achieving even greater things.
“Hogan was convinced Sam had the finest swing of anyone who played the game,” claims golf historian James Dodson.
Snead still managed to win 82 PGA Tour titles and seven majors, though Hogan felt his course management held him back from winning more.
According to Curt Sampson, author of the “Hogan” biography, the nine-time major winner once said:
“Sam doesn’t know a damn thing about the golf swing.
“But he hits the ball better than anyone else. If he could have played golf with my brain, he would be the only name in the record book.”
Since we will never know what level of success Snead could have achieved with a more rational methodology, we must simply accept Hogan’s perspective on the matter.
Why Sam Snead’s putting stroke was banned by the USGA
On top of his unique golf swing, which Hogan praised, Snead also had a rather unorthodox putting style.
Snead putted croquet-style, standing behind the ball with the hole in front of him and making a forward motion instead of the traditional right-to-left stroke.
He gripped the putter with his right hand at the top and his left hand midway down, standing over the ball as if lining up a croquet shot.
Despite its effectiveness for him, this approach did not last. In 1968, long after Snead’s prime years, the USGA outlawed it from competitive play.
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