The story is part of the Ben Hogan legend: How focused was he on the golf course? How deep in concentration was he? So focused that he once failed to notice when a fellow-competitor made a hole-in-one.

The other golfer in Hogan's group stepped to the tee on a par-3 and knocked the ball right into the cup. The crowd went nuts. Hogan said nothing. Hogan then stepped to the tee and knocked his ball a foot from the cup.

"Nice shot," his fellow-competitor said. "Thanks," Hogan replied. "How was yours?"

That's one version of the story, anyway. There are multiple accounts floating around out there.

Great story, but did it really happen? It's based on an actual incident, and the true story is told in longtime LPGA Tour player Kris Tschetter's book, Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew.

Back in the early 1990s, Tschetter arranged for mental coach Dr. Bob Rotella to talk with Hogan at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth. Rotella asked Hogan about the story, and whether it was true.

The incident took place during the 1947 Masters, and the golfer who got the ace was Hogan's good friend Claude Harmon (who won the 1948 Masters and is Butch's dad). Hogan, as recounted by Tschetter, explained to Rotella what actually happened after Hogan holed out for birdie on Augusta's No. 12 following Harmon's ace: According to the story that Claude told thousands of times, and that his sons, Butch, Craig and Billy, continued to tell, Mr.

Hogan said, "Claude, I think that's the first time I've ever birdied that hole. What did you make?"

"Is it true?" Doc (Rotella) asked Mr. Hogan.

Mr. Hogan smiled. "I knew he'd made a one. I always felt it was my obligation as a golfer to watch my playing partner's ball," he said. "I never watched them swing, but I watched the ball. He knew I was just teasing him, but it did make a great story."

Then he added, tongue in cheek, "That's the sort of thing legends are made of."

Indeed.