My Shot Don't tell anyone, but discovering what could be Hogan's secret is the key to my success

I can solve one mystery regarding Ben Hogan's secret: He didn't
tell it to me. No player will ever know for sure if he has
discovered what Hogan knew, but I have stumbled across something
that I think is somewhere in the ballpark.

Hogan's secret is in the grip, that much I know. Several years
ago I was practicing at Hogan's home course, Shady Oaks Country
Club in Fort Worth, when he approached me, stuck out his right
index finger and said, "Take ahold of that." I did, and he
grabbed my left hand, adjusted my grip and said, "Right there.
That's where you want it." My grip wasn't perfect, but I was on
the right track.

I have always gripped the club with a weak left hand, where the
club runs diagonally across the top of the palm and the thumb
points straight down the center of the shaft. About three months
ago I moved the shaft an eighth of an inch toward the middle of
my palm and made sure the club fit under the muscular pad in my
hand, just as Hogan illustrates in his book, Ben Hogan's Five
Lessons. The grip change really started to take effect while I
was practicing on the driving range on the morning of the first
round of last month's U.S. Senior Open. Suddenly I began to hit
a controlled fade about 90% of the time, as opposed to 10% of
the time.

I don't think I would have won the Open without that fade. On
the final hole of the tournament, I aimed down the left side of
the fairway and swung as hard as I could. The ball started down
the left side, faded about 15 yards to the middle and traveled
300 yards. With a two-shot lead and a lot of eyes watching, that
drive was the best tee shot I had hit the entire week.

Throughout my career I've tried to emulate Ben Hogan. I don't
know if I will ever find his secret, but I'll pursue it forever.

Dave Eichelberger, with $813,454, is ninth in Senior tour
earnings.

COLOR PHOTO: JACQUELINE DUVOISIN