Opinion & Analysis
My journey to swing like Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan humbly said in an interview that he wanted to give back to the game much more than he subtracted, and he left behind two books: Power Golf and Five Lessons.
When I think about what Mr. Hogan left behind, I’m reminded of the Greek myth about Theseus who entered the labyrinth to slay the Minotaur. Theseus faced a second challenge that was just as daunting: How would he find his way out of the maze if he succeeded in slaying the Minotaur? Well, it turns out all he needed was a spool of thread. He tied the thread to the entrance of the maze and unspooled it as he ventured into the darkness. Thus, he was able to accomplish his goal, and eventually find his way out of the labyrinth. Like Theseus in the labyrinth, Ben Hogan left us these books to help us on our way. All we have to do is follow the thread of the hero path.
As I look back over the past few years, I have to laugh because I’ve never been as good at golf as I wanted to be. I’m sure many people could say the same thing. I started playing when I was 8 years old, and today I’m 47. I was willing to work on my game and I spent a lot of money on clubs and lessons, but I did not get better. My average score was in the high 80s. I often shot in the 90s, and I sometimes shot in the 100s. The worst score I can recall was 126.
Then one fine day, I was in the checkout line at a golf store and saw Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons on a rack by the cash register. I bought that book, and it changed my life. Around the same time, I got a Flip video camera and I saw my swing for the first time in decades. Well, suffice to say, I didn’t look like Ben Hogan. I realized I needed to improve my swing, and Mr. Hogan’s books gave me a path to follow. Over the course of the next five years, I would undertake the challenge of trying learn how to swing like Ben Hogan. Along the way I started a YouTube channel, and began rebuilding my swing and sharing my work with the world. Today, I have more than 9 million views on my channel and I can even shoot under par.
Taking on the challenge of trying to rebuild my golf swing in the manner of Ben Hogan probably sounds a little crazy. At first, it seemed like a preposterous goal. I had been a martial arts champion and professional ballet dancer in my past, however, and it was by studying Bruce Lee and Mikhail Baryshnikov that I was able to achieve a respectable level of mastery in each of those fields of study. So, I thought “How hard can it be?” Well, it was the most complicated of all of my pursuits due to the counter-intuitive nature of the golf swing.
It didn’t take long before I could make golf swings that bore some of the hallmarks of the Hogan golf swing. The first year, I flattened my backswing plane and I learned to use my body well enough to create a good amount of lag. My scores quickly improved and I achieved my initial goal of being able to break 80. In fact, I did it 14 times that first year! To be honest, that was all I wanted from my game at the time. I just wanted to be able to shoot in the 70s, and not feel like a buffoon when I stood on the first tee box. But the goal of mastering the Ben Hogan golf swing began to fester in the back of my mind, and being in my mid-40s, it seemed like an age-appropriate pursuit since my days of combat and theater were far behind me.
After some initial successes, the greatest challenge I faced moving forward in regards to learning how to swing like Mr. Hogan was how to use my lower body correctly. Years of playing the game with my weight too far forward had caused me to develop some bad habits that seemed impossible to break. I’m right handed, and as soon as I started my downswing, my right heel would immediately pop off of the ground. This led to early extension of my hips and my spine angle would rise through impact. These are common maladies in the world of golf, and it took me years before I could get “over the hump.” Mr. Hogan said many times that what really separates world-class players from everyone else is the use of the lower body.
I would spend years trying to overcome my early extension, and sometimes I convinced myself that it was just how my body worked. But then I learned about a teacher named Gregg McHatton in my area. I began taking lessons with Gregg, who was known for being an expert on Ben Hogan’s swing. Once I arrived, Gregg pointed out something that many folks on YouTube had also noticed. He told me I resembled Mr. Hogan until just before I released the club head. At that point, I would lose my angles and I looked like an average Joe. The truth is my swing was really just a poor imitation of Mr. Hogan at that point. I had to tackle my impact and release.
Gregg first helped me to understand what a proper impact position actually looked like. The first time he asked me to demonstrate what I thought the impact position should be, I was flummoxed. I didn’t really know. He wanted me to keep more flex in my knees through impact, especially my front leg, with my hips open and forward shaft lean. Gregg has an interesting way of teaching. It seems to me that he prefers not spilling his guts about everything right away, but he rather enjoys leading students down a pathway that causes them to have their own epiphanies. At least that was the case with me.
Gregg and I enjoyed a number of conversations about Ben Hogan and baseball, and I like to practice swinging a bat to feel my hips leading on the downswing. I’ve always had a tendency to overpower the golf club with my hands and arms, but the weight of a bat makes this harder to do. But it was after I took a look at pitching that helped me to really understand how to use my feet and legs better. Once I started to imagine feeling my back foot against the rubber, I realized how inefficient it was to allow my right heel to pop off of the ground. I knew I needed to use my leverage against the ground. This caused my lower body to work in a much more efficient manner, and also helped to deepen my hips and to stop me from early extending. By mimicking a sidearm/underhand throwing motion like Mr. Hogan showed in his book, I really started to feel how the swing builds from the ground up. Today, I have a consistent move that allows me hit the ball farther than I ever have before and my consistency has vastly improved.
We all know there is only one Ben Hogan, and his swing was one of a kind. Mr. Hogan was so modest he didn’t even believe his swing was the perfect swing to copy. But he did say the ultimate judge of the golf swing is the ball itself. I do not believe I will ever perfectly match Mr. Hogan’s swing, but I have received so much enjoyment just from the pursuit, not to mention the benefit from my tremendously improved golf game. I certainly hope to keep improving at this wonderful game, but judging from my ball flight I can say that I made it much farther along than I ever thought possible.
I’ve slain the Minotaur and lived to tell the tale.
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We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.
In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.
Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.
Placement Bets:
Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):
I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.
In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.
Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):
Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.
In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).
Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.
Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.
Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.
Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):
The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.
This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.
Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.
Top Nationalities:
Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):
I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.
This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.
Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):
While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.
He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.
Tournament Head-to-Heads:
Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa
JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).
Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.
Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark
I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.
Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.
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It’s been over nine months since we saw Brian Harman parlay a dominant performance at Royal Liverpool into a claret jug. After another major offseason filled with a feud between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, talks of a merger, and a multitude of questions regarding the future of the game, the golf world is desperate for all of the best players in the world to come together again for a major championship.
We return to Augusta National with excitement at a fever pitch. Scottie Scheffler has separated himself as the best player in the world heading into the Masters. At the moment, the 27-year-old seems to be an unstoppable force. However, questions about Scheffler’s up-and-down putter once again resurfaced as he missed multiple short putts at the Texas Children’s Houston Open including a 5’11” putt to force a playoff with Stephan Jaeger.
Additionally, a handful of the PGA Tour’s top players such as Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Will Zalatoris, Patrick Cantlay, Tommy Fleetwood and Jordan Spieth make their way to Augusta National with their current form in question.
Plenty of LIV golfers may be up to the task of conquering Augusta, but with so much time in between the last two majors, it’s not always easy to decipher how their games will stack up against Scheffler and co.
Last year, some important changes were made at Augusta National. The par-5 13th (Azalea) was lengthened by 35 yards and now measures 545 yards. Last year, Azalea played as the toughest of the four par 5s, and players averaged 4.74 for the week, which was down from 4.85 in 2022. However, eagles, birdies and bogeys were all up, so the lengthening achieved less pars, which equals more excitement.
Without further ado, let’s get into the course breakdown and analyze some important statistics for Augusta National.
Augusta National is now a 7,510-yard par-72 with lightning-fast Bentgrass greens. The course’s primary defenses are the contoured greens, swirling crosswinds, the topography of the course, which creates uneven lies and the small landing areas that golfers will need to hit to avoid tight run-off areas around the greens.
Past Winners at the Masters
- 2023: Jon Rahm (-12)
- 2022: Scottie Scheffler (-10)
- 2021: Hideki Matsuyama (-10)
- 2020: Dustin Johnson (-20)
- 2019: Tiger Woods (-13)
- 2018: Patrick Reed (-15)
- 2017: Sergio Garcia (-9)
- 2016: Danny Willett (-5)
- 2015: Jordan Spieth (-18)
- 2014: Bubba Watson (-8)
- 2013: Adam Scott (-9)
- 2012: Bubba Watson (-10)
- 2011: Charl Schwartzel (-14)
- 2010: Phil Mickelson (-16)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Augusta National
Let’s take a look at the six most important metrics at Augusta National and determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds. This should give us a good starting point for building out a betting card.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Approach is historically the most important statistic at Augusta National. The sloping, speedy greens and run-off areas create small landing spots that can be difficult to hit.
Last year, Jon Rahm ranked 6th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. Overall, five of the past seven winners at Augusta have ranked in the top 6 in the category. Distance helps, but Augusta National is a second-shot golf course.
Total Strokes Gained: Approach in past 24 rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.30)
- Corey Conners (+0.99)
- Shane Lowry (+0.88)
- Tony Finau (+0.85)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.85)
Course History
More so than any other course on TOUR, familiarity with Augusta National is crucial. Only one player has ever won the Masters on their first try — Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. Meanwhile, there are 17 golfers in history who have multiple green jackets.
In most cases, the Masters champion has shown some good form at Augusta in the past. Prior to Scottie Scheffler’s 2022 victory, he finished T19 and T18 in his first two trips to the course. Prior to 2023, Rahm had finished in the top-10 of four of his six starts at The Masters.
Total Strokes Gained: Total at Augusta National in past 36 rounds (per round, minimum eight rounds):
- Will Zalatoris (+2.91)
- Jon Rahm (+2.28)
- Jordan Spieth (+2.22)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.22)
- Dustin Johnson (+2.01)
- Rory McIlroy (+2.00)
- Hideki Matsuyama (+1.90)
- Justin Rose (+1.85)
- Rickie Fowler (+1.72)
- Russell Henley (+1.60)
Par 4 Scoring Average
Since plenty of players can reach the par 5s at Augusta in two, par-4 scoring becomes more important. The golfer who separates themselves on the par 4s will be able to gain ground on the field.
Par 4 Scoring Average in past 24 rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+3.88)
- Chris Kirk (+3.92)
- Jordan Spieth (+3.93)
- Peter Malnati (+3.93)
- Xander Schauffele (+3.93)
Strokes Gained: Around the Green
Golfers with a solid short game tend to fare well at Augusta National. The run-off areas are treacherous, and players will often be scrambling to get up and down.
The majority of players who have won at Augusta National have a great short game and have shown consistent ability to get up and down from tough spots.
Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green in past 24 rounds:
- Hideki Matsuyama (+0.71)
- Scottie Scheffler (+0.66)
- Patrick Reed (+0.61)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.53)
- Lucas Glover (+0.51)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Augusta National is most definitely a second shot golf course. Golfers can get away with a missed fairway here and there, however, it’s important that the misses with driver aren’t too wide of the target or there is serious trouble to be had.
Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee in past 24 rounds:
- Bryson DeChambeau (+1.04)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.85)
- Scottie Scheffler (+0.84)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.71)
- Ludvig Aberg (+0.68)
Strokes Gained Putting: Fast Bentgrass
The USGA calculates that, on average, the greens at Augusta National are the fastest greens in the country. Three-putting is fairly common at Augusta and golfers must be able to combat the speed of the greens with effective lag putting.
Total Strokes Gained: Putting on Fast Bentgrass in past 24 rounds:
- Justin Rose (+1.43)
- Sahith Theegala (+0.97)
- Min Woo Lee (+0.88)
- Cameron Smith (+0.70)
- Patrick Reed (+0.70)
Statistical Model
Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the six key statistical categories previously discussed.
These rankings are comprised of SG: App (25%); Course History (16%); Par 4 Scoring Average (10%); SG: Putting on Fast Bentgrass (16%); SG: OTT (16%). and SG: ARG (16%).
Last year, Jon Rahm ranked first in this model
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Tony Finau
- Justin Thomas
- Shane Lowry
- Will Zalatoris
- Corey Conners
- Si Woo Kim
- Rory McIlroy
- Stephan Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Chris Kirk
- Keegan Bradley
- Wyndham Clark
- Sahith Theegala
- Russell Henley
- Collin Morikawa
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Patrick Reed
My 2023 Pick:
Jon Rahm (+950) (FanDuel)
A few months ago, I never thought that I’d be able to say that Rahm would be going slightly under the radar heading into the 2023 Masters. It’s not that Rahm has done anything wrong, but both Scheffler and McIlroy have undoubtedly surpassed him as the scorching hot, super-elite, top of the market betting favorite category.
Since his win at Riviera, the Spaniard has finished 39th at Bay Hill, withdrew at The Players Championship, and failed to get out of the group stage at the WGC Dell Match Play. On the other hand, Scheffler won The PLAYERS Championship and McIlroy finished third at the WGC Dell Match Play.
Rahm has made six starts at The Masters and has come in the top-10 in four of them. The 28-year-old has incredible power off the tee, a requirement at Augusta which always plays longer than the scorecard indicates. He’s also incredible around the greens and ranks third in the field in Strokes Gained: Short Game, which is a combination of around the green play and putting, in his past 24 rounds.
As we’ve seen over the years at The Masters, having the ability to chip and putt your way out of difficult situations is a fundamental aspect of getting it done at Augusta National.
While Scheffler has made a strong case to be viewed as the world’s best player, I still believe that title belongs to Rahm. This will be the year Rahmbo joins the ranks of Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal, and Sergio Garcia as natives of Spain to don a green jacket.
2024 The Masters Picks
Brooks Koepka +2500 (DraftKings)
In order to win the 2024 Masters, a player will have to go toe-to-toe with Scottie Scheffler, who’s hitting the ball as anyone in golf over the last two seasons. When building a betting card this week, it’s important for me to choose players that I believe can stare Scheffler down on the weekend at Augusta National. Brooks Koepka fits that bill.
Koepka’s lackluster performance at LIV Miami is concerning, but he’s the type of player who can turn it on quickly during the week of a major championship. Although I’d have preferred, he played well last week, I’ll take the odds discount we got as a result of his most recent results.
Prior to LIV Miami, Koepka appeared to be in solid form. He finished in the top twelve in four of five starts on LIV this season. When it comes to the five-time major champion, it’s well known that he has another gear for major championships. Everything he’s done both in the off-season and during the LIV season is to gear up for the year’s first major at Augusta National.
In his past five starts at Augusta National, the 33-year-old has three top-7 finishes, including two runners-up. The two years when he played poorly (2019 and 2020) were when he was nowhere near 100% healthy. All signs point to Brooks being in a great place physically as we enter major season.
Last year, Koepka was the 36 and 54-hole leader prior to letting the green jacket slip away to Jon Rahm. He used the result as a springboard to win his 5th major at Oak Hill at the PGA Championship.
Brooks enters the week looking to get one step closer to achieving the career grand slam and golf fans would be foolish to rule him out.
Joaquin Niemann +2800 (BetRivers)
Full disclosure, I bet Niemann the second he was invited to The Masters back in February at +8000. Although the odds have shortened dramatically since then, I can’t pretend that the Chilean isn’t one of the players who has a real chance to win the 2024 Masters.
While I was speaking with Niemann back in March, he told me how much he loves Augusta National.
“Yeah, it’s a place that I love. I’ve been playing good golf. Especially last year, I wasn’t playing my best golf, and I had a good week there and made triple on 11 that kind of killed me a little bit.
I feel like I’m getting more ready and more prepared every time. My game is getting better too. I know that I’m playing good enough to be in that situation that I can have a chance to win the Masters and it’s all about how I react to that situation.
So yeah, I’m going to prepare myself to be ready for that situation if it happens and I can fight for the title on the Sunday which would be awesome.”
As Niemann alluded to, the Chilean was able to have his best career finishes at The Masters (T16) despite not being in the best form. This year, Niemann comes into the week playing better golf than anyone in the world with the exception of Scottie Scheffler. The 25-year-old has won three times since December and has shown the world why he was regarded as one of the games future stars since he was a teenager.
Historically speaking, Joaco’s win at Riviera a few years back seems to be an indicator of potential success at Augusta National. Fourteen players have won at both historic courses including Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Ben Hogan.
Niemann has all the shots to be successful at Augusta National. His low stingers will come in handy on plenty of holes down the stretch and he can work it both ways, playing the high draw or the low fade. He also putts best on Bentgrass greens and likes them fast. Whether PGA Tour or LIV, talent will always reign supreme, and I’ll always bet on that talent.
Cameron Smith (+4000) (FanDuel)
Cameron Smith is another player who we should get an odds discount on based off of the results at LIV Miami. Smith was forced to withdraw prior to the second round due to food poisoning. In my opinion, the number has drifted to a place where I’d consider it a “bet the number” play on the talent.
Smith is a contender for the green jacket anytime he tees it up at Augusta National. The Australian absolutely loves the golf course and has four top-10 finishes in his last six trips to the golf course. In both 2020 and 2022, Smith had a real chance of winning The Masters and came up just short, finishing T2 and T3 in those two tries. In his past 36 rounds, he ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total per round at Augusta.
In order to be successful at Augusta National, players must be creative around the greens and be shot makers who have plenty of ways to get around the golf course. Cam has all the shots required to be successful at the course at his touch around the greens will continue to serve him well in his hopes for a green jacket.
Smith is arguably the best putter in the world and has the capability to win a golf tournament on and around the greens. He’s already taken down Rory McIlroy at the home of golf on his way to a claret jug and is one of the few players who can stare down any of the world’s top golfers on the back nine at Augusta National.
Justin Thomas +4000 (FanDuel)
With how he’s been playing since his 2022 PGA Championship win, you may be shocked to see the name “Justin Thomas” in this preview. However, JT has drifted to a place on the odds board where I believe it’s worth taking a shot on the talent of a two-time major champion in his prime.
It’s not all bad for Thomas this season. He finished T6 at the signature Pebble Beach event, T12 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T12 at the signature Arnold Palmer Invitational. In his last 24 rounds, JT ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 14th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 29th in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bentgrass greens.
Despite missing the cut last season, Thomas has played pretty well at Augusta National. He ranks 13th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds at the course. He finished T4 in 2020, T21 in 2021 and T8 in 2022.
I believe the 2024 edition of The Masters is completely wide open. The past few years has been frustrating for Thomas fans, but I believe his peak form may be a bit closer than people realize.
Sergio Garcia +12000 (FanDuel)
Earlier this season, Garcia dueled with Joaquin Niemann before finally losing on the fourth playoff hole late into the night. Despite the loss, the 44-year-old seemed to gain confidence in his game. The results that followed weren’t spectacular, but in terms of his ball striking he’s shown some flashes of vintage Sergio.
At LIV Miami last week, Garcia played well on a massive golf course, losing in a playoff to Dean Burmester. He continued pumped the ball into the fairway and hit massive iron shot after massive iron shot. He also used a refurbished Scotty Cameron that he used in the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah. The putter served him incredibly well until he missed a short putt on the 18th hole to win the event. Overall, he gained 7.1 strokes putting at Doral.
Sergio Garcia is once again headed to Augusta National with a chip on his shoulder. Of course, having a chip on the shoulder is nothing new for the fiery Spaniard, but this year, the 2017 Masters Champion will arrive at Augusta with his game clicking on all cylinders.
Sergio winning a second green jacket is seemingly an almost impossible feat, but magical things tend to happen on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National.
Adam Scott +11000 (FanDuel)
Betting Adam Scott over the past handful of years has been a Masters staple for me, and like many traditions, has been a hard one for me to let go of.
Last week, Scott finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open in a windy and difficult week. I believe the wind will be a major factor this week at Augusta National, and the more difficult the tournament plays, the more I favor Scott. Scott also ranks 5th in his past 24 rounds on Strokes Gained: Putting on Fast Bentgrass and has the short game these days that could help him contend in a major.
Since his win in 2013, Scott’s history at The Masters has been spotty. He has some poor finishes alongside a T9 in 2017 and a T18 in 2019. He’s been playing some solid golf this season, finishing T8 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T19 at the Genesis Invitational.
(All photos in piece belong to LIV Golf)
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Since 2013, I have created a filtering process to help determine the players who are most likely to win the green jacket based on criteria that have strongly predictive outcomes to success at Augusta. The list of players that can win at Augusta is usually filtered down to 20-24 players and in that time I have correctly shortlisted every Masters champion.
This includes last year’s winner, Jon Rahm. Even though Rahm essentially walked away with the green jack and did not make it very close, there were some close calls on top of the leaderboard as I had filtered out Phil Mickelson (t-2nd) and Patrick Reed (t-4th) as the LIV Tour is still behind on providing advanced analytics for their tour. Russell Henley was also filtered out and finished t-4th, five strokes from Rahm’s winning score of 276.
If you’re watching at home, the “critical holes” that will likely determine the top finishers will be holes No. 7, 8, 11 and 13. The 11th hole is projected to be the most critical of holes as over the past five Masters the top players have gained nearly a 1.5 strokes for the tournament on that hole alone.
Just like last year’s column I will get the LIV Tour players I’ve filtered out of the way. Since LIV Tour does not provide ShotLink or Trackman data, it’s more of a guessing game as to how certain LIV Tour golfers are playing. I did utilize recent performance as well as performance at Mayakoba and Doral as they were two former PGA Tour courses that have some semblance of crossover to playing Augusta.
Phil Mickelson
Thorbjorn Olesen
Charl Schwartzel
Cameron Smith
Bubba Watson
Admittedly Cameron Smith and Phil Mickelson are hard to leave out, but both have not played well as of late.
Next, I filtered out the amateurs and all first-time professional attendees. The Masters has only been won three times by a first-time attendee: Fuzzy Zoeller was the last to win in 1979. Prior to Zoeller though, it was Horton Smith in the inaugural event in 1934 followed by Gene Sarazen in 1935
Ludvig Aberg
Akshay Bhatia
Wyndham Clark
Eric Cole
Santiago de la Fuente (a)
Nick Dunlap
Austin Eckroat
Stewart Hagestad (a)
Ryo Hisatsune
Lee Hodges
Nicolai Hojgaard
Stephan Jaeger
Jake Knapp
Christo Lamprecht (a)
Peter Malnati
Denny McCarthy
Grayson Murray
Matthieu Pavon
Adam Schenk
Neal Shipley (a)
Jasper Stubbs (a)
Out of the first time invitees the data likes Ludvig Aberg and Eric Cole to play the best at Augusta National.
I also filter out old Masters champions that I do not believe can get into contention anymore.
Fred Couples
Jose Maria Olazabal
Vijay Singh
Mike Weir
Tiger Woods
Recency has a strong predictive value for player performance and missing the cut in the event in the prior week greatly reduces the likelihood of winning the following week compared to players that miss the cut, take a week off, and then play the following week. Therefore I filter out all players that missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open last week.
Byeong Hun An
Harris English
Rickie Fowler
Ryan Fox
Zach Johnson
Tom Kim
Erik van Rooyen
Camilo Villegas
I will also filter out the players that have never made the cut at the Masters:
Kurt Kitayama
Adrian Meronk
A Tradition Unlike Any Other…
Augusta National has traditionally favored longer hitters and even moreso in the past 20 years of the event. Of course there has been exceptions as in 2007 the short hitting Zach Johnson ended up winning the event.
Critics of my filtering system point out Johnson’s victory as a case for short hitters being able to win at Augusta, but they neglect the fact that Johnson’s victory came in historically low temperatures in the 40’s with wind gusts reaching 35 mph. That made the par-5’s almost unreachable in two shots and the course stressed wedge play and short game around the green where Zach had a sizable advantage.
It is projected to rain early on Thursday and then the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm for the rest of the week. It depends on how quickly the course dries up, but if it does dry out fairly quickly that will give the longer hitters the advantage as they will be able to reach certain par-5’s in two shots that the shorter hitters cannot reach if they don’t hit a quality tee shot and there may be par-5’s that some of the long hitters can reach in two shots with a short iron. Therefore I will filter out the following players due to a lack of distance off the tee:
Corey Conners
Lucas Glover
Emiliano Grillo
Brian Harman
Si Woo Kim
Chris Kirk
Shane Lowry
Colin Morikawa
JT Poston
Justin Rose
Sepp Straka
Out of these players the data likes Lowry and Morikawa the most. Both have good history at Augusta and they both just narrowly missed the distance benchmark set in the filter and both are excellent long iron players.
Last year I created a new formula to better determine ball height as Augusta has historically not taken too kindly to a low ball flight. Out of the 5 players filtered out for low ball flight using the new formula the best finish was only t-29th by Si Woo Kim. This year I’ve filtered out the following players.
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Sungjae Im
Luke List
Joaquin Niemann
Justin Thomas
Every year I filter out the poor performers on approach shots from 175-225 yards as Augusta National puts a lot of stress on those shots. Last year I filtered out nine players and three of them missed the cut with only Jordan Spieth finishing in the top-15 (t-4th) as the rest of the players were never a threat.
Here are the golfers I’m filtering out due to poor play from 175-225 yards:
Patrick Cantlay
Cameron Davis
Jason Day
Tommy Fleetwood
Russell Henley
Max Homa
Rory McIlroy
Jordan Spieth
Nick Taylor
Rory had a nice outing at the Valero Texas Open and hit his irons better there, but appears to be struggling with a leftward miss. Other than that, Rory still has the game to win his first green jacket. Henley is usually one of the better iron players on Tour, but he has struggled this season from 175-225 yards and is a short hitter anyway.
I will also filter out Danny Willett as he is coming off injury and making his comeback at the Masters.
That leaves the 22 players that can win the Masters:
Keegan Bradley (150/1)
Sam Burns (60/1)
Bryson DeChambeau (25/1)
Tony Finau (50/1)
Sergio Garcia (100/1)
Adam Hadwin (175/1)
Tyrrell Hatton (80/1)
Viktor Hovland (35/1)
Dustin Johnson (40/1)
Brooks Koepka (16/1)
Min Woo Lee (70/1)
Hideki Matsuyama (20/1)
Taylor Moore (300/1)
Jon Rahm (12/1)
Patrick Reed (80/1)
Xander Schauffele (18/1)
Scottie Scheffler (4/1)
Adam Scott (100/1)
Sahith Theegala (50/1)
Gary Woodland (250/1)
Cameron Young (50/1)
Will Zalatoris (35/1)
Here’s my personal top-10 picks:
Keegan Bradley (150/1)
Sam Burns (60/1)
Bryson DeChambeau (35/1)
Tony Finau (50/1)
Viktor Hovland (35/1)
Dustin Johnson (40/1)
Hideki Matsuyama (20/1)
Jon Rahm (12/1)
Xander Schauffele (18/1)
Scottie Scheffler (4/1)
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Jun 8, 2016 at 1:59 pm
I can’t believe how much negativity is being displayed over some communicating their golf swing change using his translation of Ben Hogan’s thoughts from his books.
If you don’t like his thoughts, don’t read his articles, view his YouTube channel or buy his DVD.
People (internet trolls) are just sad nowadays.
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Jun 8, 2016 at 12:53 pm
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http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1345684-hemmorhoids-and-golf/page__pid__13717720#entry13717720
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Jun 8, 2016 at 11:38 am
HEY DAT SLICEFIXER DUDE AND THE HOGAN WANNABEE ISNTCLOSEBEE SHOULD WHIP ON DOWN TO THAT SWEATSHIRT THIEF DD FOR SOME OF MY INFO.
DD IS GOOD FOR PUNCH ELBOW AND THE GOON HERE WOULD BE BETTER OFF AND MIGHT BEGIN TO CARRY IT 220 YARDS.
Dana
Jun 8, 2016 at 7:54 pm
It’s really sad that you have to air our dirty laundry on the internet. I will send you the $40 for the sweatshirt, but please please let me back in the program! I need to learn to CP from elbow plane with a pitch elbow. That guy Gankis is stealing all of my students!
lord vader
Jun 9, 2016 at 1:08 am
You clown, what use is a CP pattern for you? All you do is get steep and swing left and gas bag on about MORAD CP being wipey with too much ball spin.
News flash dude, you have LOFT issues and can’t shift out whilst getting on the elbow plane early enough or is that being captain obvious!
Dana
Jun 9, 2016 at 1:14 pm
Maybe you should film yourself hitting another 120-yard 7 iron?
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Jun 9, 2016 at 2:55 pm
How short would you like my shorts to be? I know you love my hairy legs…..
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And you like my luscious pecs. . .
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Jun 7, 2016 at 10:28 am
I think a match between Scheinbloom, Iteachsnooker and Cristo would settle the issue.
3 snake oil salesmen ferreting around in the scrub on every hole looking for their balls!
Slicefixer
Jun 7, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Hey dude, I could take them all. Their best ball versus my worst ball and it will be obvious who the real Hogan guru is.
And throw that other clown Mike Maves into the ring, I will have him for dessert.
MAC O
Jun 8, 2016 at 12:02 pm
DUDE YOU STOLE MY ORIGINAL MORAD INFO ALONG WITH THAT PENCIL NECK JOHN F ERICKSON.
WHAT YOU BOTH HAVEN’T HAD IS AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT IN THE 26 YEARS SINCE.
I PUT THE LEVEL LEFT AND SHOULDER TURN IN THE TRASH BIN 25 YEARS AGO.
Tim
Jun 5, 2016 at 11:37 pm
No one is ever going to look just like Hogan. Using Hogan’s principles to create a Hogan ball flight is what it’s all about. I’m very impressed by the progress Cristo made by focusing on Hogan, and his ball flight speaks for itself. So only listen to or buy from Cristo if you want his ball flight. What’s more important to you anyway, how his swing looks, his pga status, or the ball flight?
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 6, 2016 at 8:36 am
Like the duck hooks and block cuts into the trees every other hole when he played with the other hack Devore?
Christo Garcia
Jun 6, 2016 at 9:38 am
Generally, I don’t respond to baseless criticisms like this but I will in this case because it is a “teaching moment.” Out of hundreds of videos on YouTube that show me working very hard to improve my game to the point that I have now shot 2 under on 18 holes twice, all you can focus on is a poor round I had while I was going through the most recent swing changes. These changes I made are what gave me the greatest breakthroughs of my journey, in fact I have not gone through any major changes in 2016. If someone wants to overhaul their swing, you will have to face the fact that you might be taking a few steps backwards at times. During my years studying Judo and Jui-Jitsu at the Florida School of Judo under Black Belt Hall of Fame member, Ed Maley, I was only submitted 4 times out of hundreds of sparring matches. Yet, those 4 losses were the most important. You do not learn anything new if you are not pushed to the limit. I can tell by your hater attitude that you are unaccomplished, not only in golf but in life as evidenced by your personal attacks on myself and my friend who I played against. This accomplishes nothing for you except give you a brief moment of satisfaction while you try and hide from your painful and obvious inadequacies. Please, let me know where I can find your body of work on the game of golf if I am incorrect. I’m sure your fragile ego will have to respond with some sort of personal retort against me. I don’t know you, so why do I care? I care about golf, and my friends – not you. So, the test will be if you can read this response to your flippant insult against me and another fast growing YouTube star (Be Better Golf), who is willing to share his game warts and all with the public in the hopes of helping other golfers get better. If you can read this and let it sink in without lashing out, I’ll be slightly impressed. If you can’t, I’ll be laughing very hard at you while feeling very sorry for what you have live with when you look in the mirror.
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 7, 2016 at 8:12 am
All I saw was 2 separate 9 hole matches where neither of you broke 45 on short goat tracks. I doubt whether you’d break 100 on a tour set up course so why would anyone want your ball flight?
Christo Garcia
Jun 7, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Haha! Just as I thought. You’ve spammed my article with numerous negative posts and you don’t know a thing about my channel or my game. What a nice life. BTW – where can I see your swing or your work in the game of golf, Hotshot?
TCJ
Jun 14, 2016 at 11:33 am
So, your “body” of work consists of “studying” a book by a true legend of golf, and now conveying those techniques as some evolution of your design in exchange for money? Some might call that plagiarism…
Nohacks
Feb 18, 2019 at 3:04 pm
Lol what a hack, stay away with your cringe buddy Brendan
hater
Jun 8, 2016 at 2:14 am
” I was only submitted 4 times out of hundreds of sparring matches. Yet, those 4 losses were the most important. Yet, those 4 losses were the most important.”
That is true so you should be tapping out every single class. If you aren’t tapping you either have too much ego and shitty training partners or in a shitty environment with meat heads you don’t trust. If you are owning your training partners, take the opportunity to try some more advanced techniques. There are things that will get you tapped out during your first 20 attempts before you finally get it. If you are afraid to fail, you will never get to the 21st time when you nail it. You also need to put yourself in near-submission situations to practice escapes and learn how close to the edge you can go. If you only tapped 4 times, you missed out on a lot of jiujitsu.
Christo Garcia
Jun 9, 2016 at 6:32 pm
In the mid-90’s that was the best competition in town. Today, when I train with Eddie Bravo I tap all the time because the talent there is stellar. Also, golf is my focus now.
surewin73
Jun 8, 2016 at 2:01 pm
Keep doing what you are doing, Cristo.
Tim
Jun 6, 2016 at 2:28 pm
No, like the ones that start at 0:45 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De7QvPIpQDI
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Ray Bennett
Jun 4, 2016 at 11:44 pm
The only thing I got out of Five Lessons was confusion. Some of the swing fundamentals that Hogan described in his book were not what he did. Examples are his grip and setup. His grip was much weaker than the book. He didn’t externally rotate his shoulders as in the book but had his left elbow at the target and his right shoulder rotated inwards (giving him freedom to externally rotate it during the backswing). Before Hogan, swing plane wasn’t an issue. His comments on plane are very confusing, especially when it is subjected to 3D analysis. It does raise the issue of who wrote the book – Hogan or Wind? Did Hogan leave notes for Wind to put into words and Wind placed his own perceptions of what he thought Hogan meant. Doing doesn’t necessarily mean knowing how we do automatic/habitual movements. Tiger is a perfect example.
My advice is to forget copying Hogan’s swing because he never revealed the hidden movements that made his swing unique. Looking at your swing – you are not even close to Hogan because you are copying this movements you can see, not the movements that he was conscious of making that caused the macro movements.
Tl
Jun 5, 2016 at 2:54 am
This guy Christo doesn’t care about any of that stuff. He just wants to get famous and make a quick buck from sheep that will pay him to reveal what he’s done on DVDs he’s selling. Don’t take him seriously.
Dan Plan
Jun 5, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Hmmmm.Sounds like he will have tons in common with all other online instructors than
Dan Iteach Golf
Jun 2, 2016 at 6:11 pm
I wear my DC engraved belt buckle for a reason bucko.Ever been slapped by a 4 foot 8 midget in the solar plexes?Keep up this Hogan stuff and I will midget slap you
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 2, 2016 at 2:01 pm
Cristo how come you are humping a goat mid downswing? Look at the peak of the cap in reference to the background and your spine is losing its inclination relative to the ground. Hogan didn’t do that.
Christo Garcia
Jun 2, 2016 at 11:10 pm
If you will notice in frame 1 my cap is 2-3 inches above the background pole. In frame 2 you will notice my cap has compressed down to meet the pole so I am increasing my spine angle without losing my hip depth.
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 3, 2016 at 2:49 am
I noticed that but just because you are lowering doesn’t mean it’s from the spine angle increasing or adding inclination, your lowering is coming from below your spine whilst your spine is losing inclination.
That’s a long ways from what Hogan did.
Hater
Jun 3, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Wow, another fake Monte. I now see why Christo deletes the negative comments from his videos. I thought he was being a baby but this is ridiculous.
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 4, 2016 at 8:19 am
This Monte knows more though, isn’t that obvious or are you blind like Cristo and can’t see the peak of the cap reversing away from the ball and losing his spine inclination!
John
Jun 1, 2016 at 3:46 pm
FWIW… From me, personally, I’m not sending any hate. Maybe others are but I want to be clear that my comments are simply about whether Christo’s swing is like Hogan’s and whether I think he has the ability to teach it to others. I’m not riled up and have no hateful intentions. But I think that if he’s going to claim he learned to swing like Hogan (again, it’s a title he used, not my words) and claim that he can teach others to do the same (again, that’s what his web site says, not my words) I think it’s fair if someone points out to the people looking for advice where he’s mistaken before they spend their money. No hate intended. He said that people don’t know anything about his work and, since I have seen his work, it should be expected that I might give my opinion. In fact, until he got personally snide with me, I had said that I would enjoy this conversation with him over a pint in a very friendly way. He said he enjoys a healthy debate but hasn’t really brought a healthy debate to the conversation yet. He hasn’t offered up a counter-point to my assertion that he doesn’t swing like Hogan. And he hasn’t refuted my claim of his inability to teach with any evidence other than to say that he has a lot of followers. I’m trying to be professional and respectful, very open to a “healthy debate” and definitely not getting riled up with any hate.
John
Jun 1, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Interesting. In fact, I’ve even defended him in a few comments when I thought he was wrongfully attacked/accused. But, alright. If it comes across that way, I’ll make a note of it.
John
Jun 1, 2016 at 10:05 pm
Again, I haven’t bashed him. I’m indifferent to him, personally, and just pointing out objectively what I see.
John
Jun 2, 2016 at 3:37 pm
Uhh….Ya. You’re contributions to this discussion have added a lot of value. Thanks.
BL
Jun 1, 2016 at 1:50 pm
The enhanced ball-striking sound effect on the before and after video are overly excessive.
Swing looks nice though.
Johnny
Jun 1, 2016 at 7:10 am
Cristo how many strokes would it take you to get around the course in a US OPEN? More or less than a 100?
I don’t see a single aspect in your swing that resembles Ben Hogan, wait yeah that hat but it looked way better on Hogan’s head as he was a good looking man with blue eyes!
Carl
Jun 1, 2016 at 10:58 am
You know Ben Hogan did a screen test in Hollywood back in the day but I get the picture.
Hogan is like Han Solo and Cristo is Jabba the Hutt in golf swing and looks!
oikos1
Jun 1, 2016 at 12:06 am
Hey Christo, remember that one time on the range not so long ago when you were swinging like a hack and “Dave” came along to give you a “few pointers”, since the last time he saw you, and much of it rooted in his love of Nicklaus. How much of that have you incorporated into the “Hogan Code”?
Christo Garcia
Jun 1, 2016 at 12:24 am
Dave was a Class A PGA teaching pro in Florida and he played on the mini tours as well. He really taught me some interesting things about leverage and helping people fix multiple problems without overloading their mind with too many swing thoughts. He’s as crazy about Nicklaus as I am about Ben Hogan, but Dave actually got to work with Jack on the range a few times. He said Jack hit it farther than anyone back in the day. Very cool!
oikos1
Jun 1, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Thanks for the reply. What I’m asking is it appeared that you had lost something in your swing yet you make the claim of the “Hogan Code” and how you learned to swing like Ben Hogan, even asking for money to fund a book, so it seemed odd that you would go to a Nicklaus guy to find a fix. Are you mixing and matching methods?
Christo Garcia
Jun 1, 2016 at 9:25 pm
What happened was I was working on my Hogan swing, and Dave was getting off of work and wanted to watch me hit. He had some suggestions and he’s such a great character I filmed it because I thought it’d be a good video.
oikos1
Jun 2, 2016 at 11:38 pm
Good video? It’s great video! From what I gather, the people want more “Dave”.
Leon
May 31, 2016 at 11:05 am
Lots of mixed comments. Sure you guys don’t mind my 2 cents:
For all the videos, books and information from Mr. Garcia, whether you like them or not, they are commercial products from Mr. Garcia. It’s your decision to buy them or not. But just like Mr. Hogan said: “Dig it out of dirt”. There is no secret, no technical short path, or any holy grail that can help you play better in a short period. The only way is the 10000 hours rule that requires you to keep practicing, keep thinking, keep educating, keep experimenting and keep playing. You will get better for sure. Nothing else applies.
For the fort worth hogan irons, I have played all of them, the performance and quality are just as good as any brand on the market. The feel is ok (their blade feels a tough firm), but nothing special. The old hogan blade irons feel more pure and soft. Again, everyone has different swing and personal preference, you need to try different equipment head and shaft combination to get the sweet gear that makes you smile
Wit
May 31, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Yeah, like somebody said, this fake dude is trying to make a quick buck with somebody else’s ideas.
Titleistfann
May 31, 2016 at 9:36 am
Good for you Christo- we all want to improve and find ‘the secret for OUR OWN swing’
Simple is best I believe and emulating Hogan is fantastic, I’m chasing anything right now so will also look at the Hogan book based on this.
Hogan said he wanted to give back more than he subtracted, a fantastic sentiment.
As you are emulating him in looks and style maybe you could do similar in a smaller way, for example stating what ‘secret’ you took from his teachings as it could be very subjective with each reader possibly?
To go from a max handidap player to breaking par is wonderful and I applaud you. What’s your handidap now if you dont mind me asking?
John
May 31, 2016 at 4:09 pm
I know you asked Christo but I thought I’d just say that I don’t believe he’s ever claimed to know the great secret. I saw another comment in here about “the secret” but in my viewing of his videos, I don’t recall him ever saying he knew what it was. He’s been studying Hogan’s swing and working on emulating it but I don’t believe he would even try to imply that he knows Hogan’s “secret”.
BTW… From what I understand, the only reference Hogan made to any secret was much later in his life when he said that the thing he never shared with anyone was that he wanted to feel his left wrist cupped at the top of his back swing. And since he said it, I guess it’s no longer a secret. I’m no Hogan historian so maybe there’s another reference since that time that he made to some other secret that people are referring to??
Brian
Jun 1, 2016 at 3:11 am
I believe you are correct, the left wrist cup or “little twist” at the top of his backswing. Tom Bertrand explains and demonstrates this in his video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPW8g63DdYM
I learned to flatten my L wrist at the top of the swing to open the face and counteract a draw or hook – it is something similar to Hogan’s little twist, and I wonder if this was Hogan’s way of countering a draw which he hated.
Peteholly
May 31, 2016 at 2:04 am
Is Christo doing anything to harm the legacy of Mr Hogan? I think not. In many ways he is introducing a lot of kids on You Tube to the great man. For that Mr Garcia deserves a pat on the back.
Ezra
May 31, 2016 at 12:08 pm
So true!
Wit
May 31, 2016 at 7:47 pm
He shouldn’t sell the ideas that aren’t his. All of his videos and stuff should be given out for free. That’s the problem.
Cornfused...
Jun 1, 2016 at 11:20 am
So a guy works hours and hours to uncover what he feels is a set of keys to swing better, spends his time working on those skills and then works to put all of that on film, and he should do all of this free of charge? First of all, he is not saying that he is even giving you Hogans swings, he is taking Hogan as a swing model and formulating a technique and teaching based on it. By this logic at least 75% of the coaching professionals in the world shouldn’t be charging people for their time to teach them the swing. Him trying to make a little money off of a lot of hours of hard work isn’t mean spirited or evil. His DVD is like 30 bucks, that might be the cheapest instructional DVD I’ve seen. And the BIG kicker? You don’t have to buy it.
These are his ideas he’s formed from hours of working with Hogan as a model. The problem here isn’t him monetizing it. The problem is overly entitled jerks like you trying to bring a guy down for his hard work. Get over yourself, for the sake of everyone here.
Wg
Jun 2, 2016 at 2:32 am
” The problem here isn’t him monetizing it.”
Er, yes it is. He’s not a PGA Professional, and has no license to teach and to take money off people for just some random personal experience he felt pounding balls in a way he felt that sort of was based on somebody else’s swing by recording it. That’s just as sick as some kid showing you how to spin hoolahoops in his backyard and asking you to pay him for the trick to do it his way.
“Get over yourself, for the sake of everyone here.”
Look in the mirror.
surewin73
Jun 8, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Being a PGA Pro or USGTF Pro should not be a the only qualification to teach someone about golf. I know plenty of certified pros who suck and many non-certified individuals are excellent teachers.
Most PGA teaching pros don’t even teach but run the golf shop at their facilities.
oikos1
May 30, 2016 at 11:18 pm
We know what Christo is doing. I’m most disappointed with the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company and Terry Khoehler. Here they are reviving the Hogan name and they put Christo as the front man. Pathetic. I still play Eidolon and Scor wedges but I will never touch the Fort Worth irons. Disgusting sell out and poor decision making at the top. What were you guys thinking?
BoJangles
May 31, 2016 at 12:52 am
Dont listen to this guy, I had a great experience with the new Ben Hogan Company and their clubs. They are a great group of guys that treat the customer great and the clubs are worth every penny!
oikos1
May 31, 2016 at 1:01 am
I had a great experience with Eidolon and Scor. You missed the point entirely.
Ezra
May 31, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Well, Christo has a lovely swing! And for me, golf is all about pleasure and style. And it should be the same for every amateur player.
Monte Scheinblumh
May 30, 2016 at 9:44 pm
I say leave Christo alone.Blame fakes and phonies like Dan Iteach golf.That idiot doesn’t know what is up or down.Buffoon to the highest degree
Christo Garcia
May 31, 2016 at 1:57 am
Thanks, Monte. I’m not sure if you’ve heard it but I’m a subscriber, student, and great fan of yours.
Rex
May 31, 2016 at 6:48 pm
I’ll bet my savings account there’s no way in he’ll that was Monte!
Tbone
Jun 1, 2016 at 12:24 pm
Clearly not Monte. This post should be deleted by the mods. What a tool.
Monte Sheinbum
Jun 1, 2016 at 1:35 pm
What a muppet!
BoJangles
May 30, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Thanks Christo for sharing. I know you understand all the haters are just idiots behind a keyboard.
Matt
May 30, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Can’t believe all the criticism. He’s found a way to improve his game, have more fun, and he’s trying to help people do the same. Good on him. So many people forget that the game is meant to be enjoyed.
Hater
May 30, 2016 at 4:13 pm
Are people criticizing him for trying to improve his game or trying to help people? No they are criticizing him for becoming another golf swing snake oil salesmen. Watch any recent video – its not about him getting better or helping anyone. It just an infomercial for his videos and clinics. I wouldn’t “hate” on him for asking for donations on his quest to get better but he has found the answer and will now sell it to you. There are enough false prophets out there with far better credentials than him. Make money if you can but don’t turn into the golf world’s equivalent of Kevin Trudeau in the process.
Faker
May 30, 2016 at 4:17 pm
Exactly. Just trying to sell Hogan’s idea without actually being Hogan. Why do we need this Christo guy? He should be offering his ideas for free, since they aren’t his. He’s just another wannabe faker Hollywood bloodsucker type preying on the poor golfers attempting to make money off of somebody else’s ideas and concepts. Horrible.
Stretch
May 30, 2016 at 11:34 am
Kudos Christo. I have studied Hogan’s swing for years and when the secret that he said would be obvious when looking at his swing actually is. Steve Wozniak is spot on about Hogan leaving out the key that brought the rest of the book together. It is pretty simple to teach his swing even though each player’s bio mechanical structure will make it look different yet the same.
oikos1
May 30, 2016 at 10:48 pm
That’s hilarious. Simple to teach his swing. The book is titled “Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf”. It was his thoughts interpreted and written by Herbert Warren Wind. Hogan built his swing from thousands of hours of practice. Good luck teaching that…
Alex
May 30, 2016 at 10:50 am
Funny thing the haters. I always respect anyone that goes from hacker to build a golf swing to play good golf. Especially because it is a journey that lets you grasp the intricacies of the golf swing. And if you take Ben Hogan as a role model, that’s a really wise decision. I’m sure this guy can teach golf better than the average instructor. He’s been through it. I’ve seen some of your vids, but not in depth. I promise I’ll pop in. Congrats man.
David
May 30, 2016 at 9:22 am
Ahhhhh good old golfwrx where everyone on here is on a scratch handicap. You guys make me laugh. Keep up the good work mate a great swing you have there f the haters.
Eric
May 30, 2016 at 2:07 am
Why all the hate? People are people. If he’s enjoying his journey, good for him. You don’t have to hang out with him. You don’t have to take his lessons. If you don’t want to watch his videos. Trolling him is pretty lame.
Alex Jackson
May 29, 2016 at 8:17 pm
Hogan’s “code” was his work ethic. His swing “code” would have been different if his body ended up growing to different proportions than it eventually did.
I don’t like that you say you’ve understood and figured out his swing. You haven’t. Hogan thought Snead was a superior swinger, but lacked the ethic or killer instinct. Hogan was a genius, incomparable. He was much more than his swing, which he felt would crumble and decay if he didn’t practice incessantly every day.
You can also bet Hogan’s swing would be different if he were playing today. He would have been forced to play a higher ball flight. I have no doubt he would have done this seamlessly, but it would have changed his swing.
What I’m saying is, the golf swing is more than a singular model. I hope you learn this if you keep teaching golfers to play golf.
Korean Slum Lord
May 29, 2016 at 7:01 pm
I think there should be a thread Christo v Haters. The haters should post a video of their swings to compare side by side with Christo. My swing is modeled after Tony Lema’s and not Hogan’s, so I don’t really care too much about his videos or blogs, but would love to see his Hogan style swing vs Haters Hogan swing.
John
May 30, 2016 at 12:43 am
Straw man. Nobody else here is saying that they can swing like Hogan, let alone a better Hogan swing. He’s the one saying he can swing like Hogan and can teach others the same. His YouTube videos have clearly demonstrated otherwise. What does anybody else’s swing have to do with this? Nothing. Like I said, if he’s going to make the claims he’s making, scrutiny should be expected and welcome.
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 1:38 pm
I enjoy healthy debates about the golf swing and what I’ve discovered. However, some folks don’t believe a former hack like me could offer anything to the game. I would say they do not know anything about my work. Here’s a third party opinion of my video The Hogan Code.
http://golfunfiltered.com/review-hogan-code-christo-garcia-2016-03-20
John
May 29, 2016 at 2:54 pm
A golf blogger with a double-digit handicap giving a review of your video doesn’t really tell us much. Personally, I’m not saying you don’t have anything to offer the game. But you are claiming to have learned Hogan’s “code” and now swing like him. You don’t. And you’re claiming you can teach it to others. You can’t. We’ve seen the videos you’ve made that demonstrate you don’t really know the swing well and we’ve seen the one you made attempting to teach a student. You got him in a worse impact position than where he started. Sharing your journey is great. Totally commendable and every entertaining! Nothing wrong with that at all. It’s when it’s more than sharing and when you’re making the claims you’re making about what you can teach people that you’ll get these “folks” chiming in for a “healthy debate”.
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 4:01 pm
First, Adam Fonseca has thousands of followers and has played golf for over 20 years. He has devoted his life to this great game and it’s unfair to discount his opinion because he may not be as good as yourself. Many of the most important voices in golf are not scratch golfers. I am just like Adam. The general offerings and tips did not help me, nor did formal instruction. I’m very happy I could help him.
Second, I make it clear in the article that Mr. Hogan’s swing was “one of a kind.” I will never duplicate his swing but what I have focused on learning was how he leveraged the club. In doing so I have attracted correspondence from a number of pros on tours around the world. In addition, I am friends with Doug Sanders, Kris Tschetter, and Terry Koehler who all worked with Ben Hogan personally.
Lastly, it is only your opinion that I cannot teach. And, I will venture to guess that you are a golfer teacher in some regard due to your vehement distaste for my opinions. That is fine and I’m happy you are passionate about the game. I am a TV and film producer so I do appreciate the comment that my videos are entertaining.
Hit ’em long, and hit ’em straight!
John
May 30, 2016 at 9:37 am
My comment about the reviewer wasn’t intended to attack or insult him in any way. Stating a person’s handicap isn’t an insult – I have zero issue with anybody’s handicap – it’s a point of reference. You identified him as a way to establish credibility for what you’re offering and my point was simply that a double-digit handicap probably isn’t in the one others should be listening to when trying to decide who to learn golf from. Nothing derogatory intended at all. Just perspective.
Also, everyone has seen your video of what you taught that kid, Jonah. As well as your videos with Dave. With Jonah you completely misunderstood what needed to be fixed in his swing and ended up putting him in a worse impact position than he already was. And with Dave, you both demonstrate in those videos the lack of knowledge you have about the mechanics of the golf swing. You clearly have spent a lot of time swinging the club and studying others (Hogan especially) but you proved in those conversations that you don’t really understand swing mechanics. So my opinion on whether you can teach isn’t just an assumption. It comes from watching you try.
You say I have vehement distaste for your opinions. That’s absolutely not true. If we were sitting down over a pint, I’d be having this same conversation with you without any distaste at all – not from me, anyway – and it would be collegial and friendly. I have not personal issues with you and no distaste for you or your opinions. Like you said, you enjoy a healthy debate about the golf swing. So do I. And in a healthy debate, my point of view comes from the evidence that I have in front of me which, in this case, is all the videos you provide on your YouTube channel. If your comment about charging for the DVD’s was directed at me, it was off the mark. I never once said that you shouldn’t be able to do so. In fact, I said it’s commendable and entertaining so I have no idea why you even made that comment. I think you’re mistaking my disagreement with your abilities as a teaching professional with my opinion of you, personally. Don’t do that – they’re completely unrelated.
Christo Garcia
May 31, 2016 at 11:53 am
John, you disagree with me, with Golf Unfiltered, and now you insult my friend Dave, who was a Class A PGA Teaching Professional, and also a pro golfer in the 1970’s and 80’s. I guess we should all get out of the way and you rule the golf world. BTW – where can we follow your work? I’d love to see what you have contributed to this great game.
John
May 31, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Was that an insult to Dave? Saying that he demonstrated a lack of knowledge about the swing? If somebody told me the same thing, I don’t think I’d be insulted. Maybe because he’s a teaching professional, he finds the statement insulting. I suppose I can see that but I can’t apologize for him taking offense at it. I watched the video a couple of times and in it neither of you demonstrated a good knowledge of swing mechanics and you made contradictory statements about the swing. Also, my intent wasn’t to bring Dave into it but was to suggest that when you agreed with him in the video, it was more indication of your lack of knowledge of the swing. It really wasn’t intended to take a swipe at Dave but I can see how it did, indirectly.
And I don’t disagree with Golf Unfiltered. I simply said that using his review of your video isn’t really providing sufficient credibility. He doesn’t have enough knowledge of the swing to be an authoritative voice about that aspect of your video (he’s probably right about it being a high-quality production based on your other videos which are all very well made and entertaining, but not about the swing). You’re completely misconstruing what I’m saying and taking it as an attack against you and your friends. It’s not. Read my words at face value, rather than adding anything personal to them. There’s nothing in between the lines. I’m simply talking about your abilities as a teaching professional.
And the only place where I disagree with you is about that claim – that you can teach people to swing like Ben Hogan. I also don’t agree that you, yourself, can swing like him. I’ve watched your YouTube videos. And I guess there’s another thing you and I disagree about and that’s whether you improved Jonah’s swing. I assume you believe you have, since you put it up as an example. I think his impact position is actually worse. I’m not alone in that, by the way.
Finally, why would I have to put up anything for you to follow? I haven’t once made any claims about my own swing like you have. Nor have I made any claims that I can teach people to swing, let alone swing like Hogan. Those were all your claims so you should expect to be questioned on them and asked for the proof by people who would pay you money for this information. I, on the other hand, don’t have to offer any proof since I don’t have any claims to back up.
Christo Garcia
May 31, 2016 at 4:33 pm
I listened to Dave because I am respectful, unlike yourself. And, just as I suspected you’re all talk, with nothing to back it up.
Wit
May 31, 2016 at 7:53 pm
If you had any substance at all as a decent human being, you wouldn’t have to defend yourself here. You’ve been called out, and you know it. You are as fake as they come, and you know you should provide your videos for free, and that you shouldn’t be making money off of your attempt that making your swing better. You’re not a teacher, a PGA pro, or any of that. Why don’t you just leave Hogan alone. It’s obviously not working for you, because if it worked that well you’d be at least on some Tour by now. And that’s sick part – that you’re trying to make money off of it when you’ve achieved nothing, except to wave your hands around trying to get innocent people’s attention and making them believe that the secret is attainable. Go away
John
May 31, 2016 at 9:44 pm
What am I supposed to back up? You’re saying that I need YouTube followers like you have to “back it up”?? I’m not making any claims about my abilities or trying to get people to by my teaching aid – that’s your deal. What do I need to back up and how would I?
I really don’t think I’ve been disrespectful at all. I’ve been polite, professional, and respectful throughout this entire conversation. Just because I don’t agree that you and Dave are good teachers means I’m disrespectful?? I don’t agree at all. In fact, you saying that I’m “all talk” is beginning to get disrespectful. I haven’t been personal about this and you hadn’t either until now. I’ve only said that I reviewed your videos and don’t think that you swing like Hogan and that what you taught to Jonah was wrong. Please give me an example of where I was disrespectful.
P.S. I disagree with the comment made that your should provide free videos. That’s absurd and, like I said earlier, the work and quality you put in is commendable. Certainly you should be paid for that if people want it. Whether I think what you’re teaching is right and whether you should ask for money for it are completely separate things.
Golf Unfiltered
Jan 7, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Hey, Fonseca here. Can’t believe I’ve only stumbled upon this thread just now. At any rate, I can assure you I have a substantial knowledge of the golf swing, much like Christo. As any golfer would know, just because you know what to do on the course or in the swing doesn’t mean you score well. I recommend not assuming what I do or do not know when it comes to anything golf related. Or, as an alternative, assume I know more than you (because I probably do).
Car
May 29, 2016 at 5:18 pm
And trying to take money off innocent people’s hands with it. That’s the problem
The Truth
May 30, 2016 at 12:38 am
“Trying to make money off of innocent people” LOL. Nobody is holding a gun to their heads, they are seeking and purchasing advice from him voluntarily. Go back to your bureaocrat cubicle parasite.
Rac
May 30, 2016 at 2:58 am
Its says “trying to TAKE money off” not make. Go back to elementary school and learn to pay attention
Hacksaw Duggan
May 30, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Hey Poindexter go back to school. LOL. If it wasn’t for the profit motive, none of the freedoms and technologies that you enjoy today would exist. Learn some economics, oh yeah I forgot you’re a Liberal, you ignore reality.
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 6:43 pm
I’m disappointed that you would attack the reviewer personally by insulting his game – a low blow. How many golf writers, and bloggers are scratch players? I helped his game and that means a lot to me.
Also, I make it clear that I will never look exactly like Mr. Hogan and I state that his swing was “one of a kind.” I have endeavored to learn how he leveraged the club and I’m satisfied that I am doing something similar. I am proud to be working with Doug Sanders, Kris Tschetter, and Terry Koehler at the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company since they all personally worked with Mr. Hogan.
You said that I am incapable of teaching others and yet I have over 9 million views and I’ve received thousands of personal notes of gratitude from golfers around the world. I am enjoying correspondence with a number of professionals on tours such as the European Tour and Asian Tour as well pros here in America.
I appreciate that you commend my videos and call them entertaining. I am an award-winning TV and film producer. Productions cost a lot of money, therefore, I do not feel there is anything wrong with charging for DVD’s that I’ve produced. You simply don’t have to buy them if you don’t want the content.
Above all, I wish you well with your game. Hit ’em long, and hit ’em straight!
John
Jun 1, 2016 at 9:23 am
BTW… Saying that Fonseca is a double-digit handicap is only an insult if you think it’s insulting to have a double-digit handicap. I don’t think a persons handicap is an insult. I think it might say something about their ability to evaluate a swing or someone’s ability to teach the swing but it’s not an insult to them. Why would you think it’s insulting and a low blow to refer to someone’s handicap???
Also, you absolutely do say that you swing like Ben Hogan. You have a video called “How I learned to swing like Hogan”. And your web site says “Learn to swing like Hogan”, as though you can teach people to swing like Hogan.
James Carlson
Jun 12, 2016 at 9:35 pm
This video was created to discuss con artists who rip off people with Cash to Gold schemes, but it still seems pretty appropriate and I feel like you’ll enjoy it nonetheless Christo!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=QQUg4XozVI8
mhendon
May 29, 2016 at 9:06 pm
I applaud you Christo keep up the good work.
farmer
May 29, 2016 at 12:54 pm
If a player dedicates 5+ years to improving their swing, with instruction, that player is going to get better. Has nothing to do with unlocking the Hogan “secret”, wearing pleated pants or the cap.
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 1:31 pm
I spent two years working with one of the most famous teachers in the world and it did not help me. I spent a lot of money on new golf clubs as well. However, focusing on the swing of Ben Hogan got me where I wanted. And, it’s true it had nothing to do with the cap or pleated pants. That just made it more fun!
Hogan & Garcia Fan
May 30, 2016 at 8:32 pm
I am a Ben Hogan fan. I’ve read his books and many others about his swing and the secret. The bottom line is he was spot on and so are you. I have watched your You Tube videos and what you have accomplished in swing development is tremendous. The motion is fluid, athletic and no doubt efficient. I applaud you and I continue to be encouraged to pursue swing perfection in spite of my limited abilities. Best wishes!
The Truth
May 29, 2016 at 10:03 am
2nd best golf swing on youtube behind Peter Finch. A close second though, beautiful swing.
John
May 29, 2016 at 11:10 am
You can’t be serious! You’re trying to be funny, right?
Blank
May 29, 2016 at 2:34 am
I met this guy and he’s a total jerk. So fake. Typical Hollywood-LA type who just wants to be famous, doesn’t really have time to talk to you in person, he just wants you to watch his videos on YouTube and subscribe and buy his stuff so he can get rich and just play hobby golf. Don’t feed the dude. He has a personality of a blank salesman
Zach
May 29, 2016 at 3:44 pm
I have met Christo in person a few times and he has never been anything but polite and gracious. I don’t believe you really met him. Our maybe you did and you’re just lying about him.
Eric Mcglashing
May 29, 2016 at 5:01 pm
I have not had the pleasure of meeting Christo in person. However I have sent him several emails and he has always taken the time to respond. No way I believe your nasty and obviously untrue comments. I imagine he is nothing but a true gentlemen.
Blank
May 29, 2016 at 5:22 pm
He promised to send me info on his stuff, I gave him me email and card, he was going to send me a sample disc and other materials on other projects he was working on and I never heard from his again – except that as he was leaving our cordial conversation he repeatedly said I should check his YouTube page, check the YouTube page. I actually initiated the conversation when I mentioned I had seen him on there and thought it could interesting, at which his ears perked up and is why we got into a conversation about it.
Not a nice man.
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 6:48 pm
Hello Blank. I would like to apologize if I misplaced your card or I did not follow up after you met me on the course. I run into many folks on the course that are nice enough to introduce themselves. I appreciate that you mentioned that our conversation was “cordial” and it seems that your are upset that I didn’t follow up with you. Well, I’m here now and if you would like to send me an email at [email protected] I will certainly write you back. My apologies.
Rac
May 30, 2016 at 3:00 am
You’re as fake all the actors and wannabes in L.A.
Really Rac?
May 30, 2016 at 8:36 pm
Sounds like you hold a grudge. You should forgive and try not to be so harsh.
M Smizzy
May 29, 2016 at 12:15 am
Took me 10. Sorry it took u so long.
Smizzy
cgasucks
May 28, 2016 at 10:34 pm
He is the real deal. I’ve been following Christo’s Youtube Channel for the past 4 years and see him break 80..and then 70 while gaining distance on his clubs..
oikos1
May 28, 2016 at 11:56 pm
Are you kidding? He’s posted two rounds with “Be Better Golf” and hasn’t broken 40+. He’s an average hack at best who can produce a good show…
ders
May 29, 2016 at 12:38 am
It would be fine if he was just a guy trying to learn and have fun. Breaking 80 or 70 one time would be considered a great success but thats not what its about anymore. He neglects to mention it in this article, but he has found the secret to the Hogan swing and will sell it to you for $50. If you want to be a teaching pro, there is an established career path to follow. If he has truly improved as much as he says he has, it won’t be that difficult.
Fake
May 29, 2016 at 11:52 am
Exactly. All this guy wants is money and he’ll sell you his secret. He is so totally fake.
Jake
May 28, 2016 at 9:08 pm
Not recommended for the average golfer who doesnt have the time to beat 1000 s of balls .Christo how many hours have you spent on the range working on your swing? Just to put things into reality 99 percent of golfers don t have the time to put in the hours so try for a more simple fix.Well done on your progress so far.
Christo Garcia
May 28, 2016 at 9:54 pm
I would usually hit a large bucket twice a week and play one round every couple of weeks. I put in a ton of time off the course studying, watching videos, and visualizing what I wanted to do.
M smizzy
May 28, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Awesome journey and video. Keep up the great journey. Just curious did u do any work/have issues with flexibility/mobility or/and do some strength training?
Thanks
smizzy
Christo Garcia
May 29, 2016 at 1:42 pm
Today I am actually working a great deal off the course on my strength and flexibility but through most of my work I avoided the gym. I gained a lot of length in my back swing by simply figuring out a slightly different way to turn that changed everything. I discuss that in my latest YouTube video.
Max
May 28, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Love the YouTube channel. Makes me want to go out and play. He has some fun videos on Miura and Hogan irons that are sure to be of interest to WRXers.
Steve Wozeniak
May 28, 2016 at 11:17 am
Your close Christo,
But you still have a wipe in your swing that can easily be fixed……first of all, go ahead and throw away Power Golf, Hogan understood that this book was garbage after he started working on the correct information with Sam Byrd a former Yankee and PGA Tour winner of over 20 events, 6 official. While still working with him he came out with his correct book, Power Golf, but he did not give it all to you, just ask Jackie Burke!!!! Let me know if you want to fix it…..keep working!!!
Steve Wozeniak PGA Director of Instruction
http://www.stevewozeniak.com
Dick Moser
May 28, 2016 at 12:36 pm
Steve, Is Hogan’s book “Five Lessons” ok? Since you did not think The book “Power Golf” was accurate, I was just wondering. Thanks!
Steve Wozeniak
May 28, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Yep sorry no way to edit a post on here…..
Power Golf – bad……He was dead at address and got worse from there!!!!
Five Lessons – great…..He learned how to set up correctly and how the arms and body work together correctly……
He just left a crucial part out, on purpose he was still competing in the 50’s and did not want to give it all away!!!!!
Brandon
May 28, 2016 at 9:46 pm
Which part was that?
oikos1
May 29, 2016 at 12:01 am
Well of course you would know the “Hogan Secret”. Why not just tell us? No way average hacks could replicate it anyway…
Christo Garcia
May 28, 2016 at 9:57 pm
Thank you, Mr. Wozeniak. I’d love to learn more! I’ll look you up on your website. Cheers!
Paul Scheuer
May 29, 2016 at 10:19 am
Oh boy.
http://www.stevewozeniak.com/2014/04/swinging-left-is-for-amateurs-2/