Throwback Thursday: Hero Hogan completes near-perfect comeback
The Background
Fresh off the back of one of the best years in his playing career Ben Hogan was looking forward to another great season in 1949.
The American finished top of the money list standings in 1948 after winning the US Open and PGA Championship to take his major haul up to three.
What was to follow was a disastrous start to his year…
The Scene
Hogan and his wife Valerie were travelling in thick fog in Texas and were involved in a head on collision with a Greyhound bus. Luckily, the American’s instinctive actions saved both himself and his wife.
Hogan threw himself over his wife in the passenger seat to protect but at the same time saved himself as the steering column pierced through his seat.
However, the 36 year old still suffered near fatal blood clots and suffered fractures to his pelvis, left ankle and his collar bone.
The Legacy
Doctors feared he would never walk again following the accident but Hogan left hospital within 59 days but would suffer from the accident for the rest of his life.
Remarkably he almost won on his return to golf in 1950 when he lost in a play-off to Sam Snead at the Los Angeles Open.
What was even more remarkable, however, was the fact Hogan went on to win the US Open that year at Merion and was also named Player of the Year in 1950.
Hogan also added another five majors to his collection following the US Open triumph meaning he won six out of nine after his near fatal accident.
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Matthew Beedle
Matthew has been playing golf since he was around 13 and took up the game at a local nine-hole municipal course with his friends before joining Pontefract & District Golf Club just over the hedge.
Still a member of Pontefract with a handicap of 3, he currently sits on the board of directors to help with digital and marketing initiatives in order to improve membership and visitor income.
Matthew graduated university with a First Class in Sports Journalism from Leeds Trinity University and has been working in the golf industry since graduating.
NCG’s social media & marketing manager, Matthew’s main job role is to increase website traffic to the National Club Golfer website via our email and social media channels as well as driving entries to grow our NCG Top 100s Tour events amongst other tasks.
Not one to change his equipment too often, Matthew currently plays the TaylorMade M2 driver which has lasted the test of time in his bag. Elsewhere, you’ll find him using the TaylorMade Stealth 2 three-wood with a Ping G425 Crossover 2-iron to aid his long game.
Through his 4-iron to Gap Wedge, Matthew uses the Ping i500 irons accompanied by Ping’s Glide 3.0 56-degree and 60-degree wedges.
Another club that has stood the test of time in his bag is a Nike Method Core MC-3i putter which has had to have the SuperStroke grip changed at least three times. Ball of choice is the Titleist ProV1.
