Former LPGA player Kris Tschetter shares her "Hawk" stories in new book, "Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew"

Ben Hogan was legendary for more than his golf swing. The “Hawk” also had a legendary cold personality that many people believe made him the most reclusive superstar in sports history.

The book “Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew” hopes to shed some new light on an old stereotype. Author Kris Tschetter, a former LPGA player, met Hogan at Shady Oaks Country Club in Texas as a college player and for 15 years, considered him a coach, mentor and friend. Upon joining the club, she was told to leave Mr. Hogan alone, but after many waves and hellos, he finally offered up a golf tip that broke the ice in their relationship.

She eventually charmed Hogan into playing the final nine-hole round of his life, a round she shared with three college friends. What a memory, huh? It’s probably the highlight of the book.

Her other stories touch on the underlying sadness in his life and the physical pain he endured from the car accident that almost took his life. She reveals how he helped her improve her game and sets the record straight on a few so-called “facts” about Mr. Hogan (the name she uses for him today). Is Hogan the recluse people recall or the loveable misunderstood legend that Tschetter witnessed? Maybe a bit of both.

“Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew,” released Oct. 14 by Gotham Books and co-written with Steve Eubanks, retails for $22.50.