Hogan's famous shot at Merion in 1950?

[Brian_Gracely]

I was just re-reading Hogan's "Five Lessons, The Modern Fundamentals of Golf", and in The Fundamentals section (page 13) Hogan makes this statement, "....I needed to hit an elusive, well-trapped, slightly plateaued green from about 200 yards out.  There are easier shots in golf.  I went with a two-iron and played what was in my honest judgment one of the best shots of my last round..."

This is from a paperback version, but I'm not sure of the printing date.  So my questions:

1) Did Hogan actually hit a one-iron at Merion in 1950?
2) How could such a fundamental fact be incorrectly stated and missed in all the proof-readings?
3) Do other people's copy have this same error?

Sorry to go off-topic for the DG.

[bakerg]

Yep, it was definately a one iron.  

There is a story that when Hogan was questioned about the mistake in the book that he replied that he knew it was wrong and wasn't going to change anything about the book since he had made so much money off the book.  He figured don't fix what ain't broken.  

Don't know if that is true but I have heard it a couple of times.  

[Dan Kelly]

And what would our pros be hitting there now?

5-iron?

Too bad old Ben didn't have a Fitness Trailer.

[Brian_Gracely]

bakerg -

So they had no concept of a reprint or 2nd edition back in the 50s and 60s?  I'm curious....was the shot not immortilized right away, or did the editor have no clue?  

[TEPaul]

Bakerg:

That's not the real story. The real story is Hogan asked his caddie for the 2 iron but by mistake his caddie gave him the 1 iron. Thank God it worked out like it did and so his caddie obviously figured why even bother to mention it!

[allysmith]

The photo poster produced by the HOGAN company shows a 1 iron. What an amazing shot under such extreme pressure.

Dan Kelly asks if it would be a five iron today.

What a stupid statement. The tee would have been further back, the green faster. It was not today and the equipment decided the shot. Bugger all to do with fitness trailers, steroids, carbon shafts, lack of fun, boring shots blah blah blah PGAtour 2003.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Dan, I would guess the pros are now hitting 9-or W into 18 these days.  

Hogan was struggling on his damaged legs and got almost none of his drive.

[TEPaul]

If they plan to use the new-new back tee at Merion's 18th I don't think too many will be hitting any 9 irons or wedges into that green.

[stovepipe]

Brian.
      Who said this..  When in a lightning storm, all you have to do is to walk down the fairway with your 1 iron pointing toward's the sky, because "not even God can hit a 1 iron"  

So Hogan definetly hit 2 iron.

[Erich Jr.]

Bakerg is dead right.  It was a mistake in the book and Hogan didn't want to change anything in the book because it sold so well.  

As for Stovey, it was One iron and that quote was from Merry Mex.  Trust me there are a few people out there that can hit a one iron.  Hell, there is even a Chubby guy from Arkansas that can hit a 0 iron pretty well too.

[Robert_Walker]

The Picture is better than the shot.
Peskin created the perfect composition. Every time I see it, I see more elements that frame Hogan.
I have heard that he used a 50mm (normal) lens to make the shot.

[Scratch_Nathan]

I've read that Hogan made room in his bag for a 1-iron at Merion by leaving the 7-iron out of the bag.  The famous quote from BH was "there are no 7-iron shots at Merion."

Insane.  

SN

[noonan]