Hogan

By: Curt Sampson

Narrated by: Tom Parker

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

Ben Hogan was the hero no one knew. No one knew what drove him to practice until his hands bled. No one knew what private demons built the high walls that surrounded him. No one was even sure how he hit a golf ball with such godlike precision. He built a legend and a mystique that captivates golfers still.

The components of this mystique were easy to see: a silent, almost eerie concentration that intimidated his opponents, a presence any politician or actor would envy, and an ability to hit a ball so squarely it sizzled as it left his club. Accomplishment was another part of his aura. Ben Hogan won four U.S. Opens in six years, three of them after a near-fatal head-on automobile collision with a bus. His injuries limited him to six tournaments in 1953, but he won five of them, three of them majors. It was arguably the greatest year ever in the history of professional golf.

Magazines placed his face on their covers, New York City gave him a ticker-tape parade, and Hollywood made a movie of his life. Yet even in the midst of all this acclaim, myth distorted and obscured Ben Hogan. Here at last is the Hogan no reader has ever encountered. From the poverty and suicidal death of his father that scarred him as a youth, to the failure and conflict that stalked him into middle age, Hogan is the rare sports book that transcends the genre.

Combining interviews with Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, and scores of other golf professionals, as well as insights from Hogan¿s friends and business associates, Hogan traces the life of an amazing man and tells an unforgettable story.

©1996 Curt Sampson (P)1998 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews

"A superb and insightful portrait of the most elusive and complex champion in golf history." (Golf Digest)

Hogan (unabridged)

I love the game of golf. I am now hooked on Curt Sampsons books. I began with "Hogan" and am now moving on with his other books. This book is a mini history of that era of the game of golf. I will now be reading more on the subject after learning about one of golfs greatest, Ben Hogan.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

A Ben Hogan Essential

This is my favorite book - period! I have listened to this book at least 50 times and each time I get new insight into what made Ben Hogan tick. This book will inspire you to play better golf!

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

very good

well read and fast moving. enjoyable. if you like golf and find Hogan interesting you will really like this audio-book.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Hogan will always be the BEST!

I had always known about the Hogan mystique. But now. thanks to the brilliant storytelling of Sampson, I feel like I lived there and saw it first hand.

Sampson tells the story of one of golf's all time greats beautifully. Anyone who loves golf and appreciates it's majesty should get this book.

Wonderful Book.

Any additional comments?

I loved the book and it's what I would give any child or friend to listen to in hopes some of this mans character would influence them in some way or just a good read. He wasn't perfect at all of course, but he did some great things and combined courage with character to bring us a legend not only in the game of golf but in life as well.
In an accident, hit by a bus and would die, to never walk again, to 16 months later wining the U.S. Open! I wish I had half the courage he did and the book simply inspires me to be a better man.

Excellent

Great story of a true golf legend. If you love the game, I see no way you will not enjoy this audiobook.

Examines Hogan the man and myth

Any additional comments?

This is a very good book for any golf fan. A great book for anyone interested in golf history. And a total must have for any Hogan fan.

Great book about Hogan

I would recommend this book to all who have a love for golf and for those who like a good story about hard work and good old fashion determination.

Superb biography of a golfing legend

I had little to no knowledge about Ben Hogan before giving this book a try. I'm relatively new to golf, with a few games here or there throughout my life. So I read the reviews on this book and went with the advise.

This book opened my eyes to a man who I had no clue about just a few months ago and actually only knew his name, not the person. If there's a better biography of this man out there, I'd say it's met it's match. The narrator Tom Parker (Grover Gardner or what other names he goes by) did an excellent job and once again, made the book even more interesting with his soft tone.

While reading the book I found myself bookmarking certain moments periodically. One being the description of Hogan's practice habits, another was how he and the game of golf meshed so well and why. This related so well to me and explained why I decided to take up the sport when I couldn't find the words to describe my new found hobby. Other golf books out there tend to be just a little too technical and get ahead of themselves. This one does not, and is a very easy read (listen.)

At first, and with most audiobooks I use my credits on, I was hesitant to get this biography. It wasn't long enough (hours wise) to justify spending my credit was one of the reasons. However, by the end of the introduction to the book, I was hooked like Ben Hogan's ball strike path. Highly recommend this book to anyone, with or without golf knowledge. You can thank me later...