Jack Hoben was educated at East Linton and North Berwick Public School until the age of fourteen, when he was employed as a golf caddie on the West Links. His former teacher in North Berwick, Annie Owen, encouraged him to make the most of his education and sporting talent and Jack continued to exchange letters with her for many years after he had emigrated to join the ranks of the golf professional in America.

At the time of his marriage to an Irish girl, Jack changed his surname to Hobens. His home in New Jersey was often used as a stop over for many of his old school friends from North Berwick, while they searched for employment as golf professionals.

Hobens had an outstanding record in the U.S. Open, finishing in the top eleven in eight appearances.

Among them was James Souter who was appointed to the Tuxedo Park Golf Club in New York, James Kelly Thompson who was employed at Tampa in Florida, before moving to the Mohawk C.C at Schenectady in New York State and George Livingstone who spent a month as Hobens assistant, before being appointed professional at the Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville. Ben Sayers was indebted to Hobens for helping to organise his first visit to the States in 1914.

Jack Hobens had an outstanding record in the US. Open, finishing fourteenth in 1902, and never out of the top eleven in his next eight appearances. His best chance came in 1907, when he led the championship after the third round, only to close with a 12 over-par 85, and lose by seven.

During that tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, he holed his tee shot at the 147 yard, 10th to register the first US. Open hole-in-one. On 22nd June 1906, Hobens entered the Western Open at Homewood C.C in Illinois, his only appearance in this event, when he finished second to Alex Smith from Carnoustie. Jack Hobens took the early 36-hole lead by shooting 154, but Smith shot 75-74 on the final day to capture the title by three strokes. Willie Anderson and Fred McLeod from North Berwick tied for third place.

It was the practice during the week of the US. Open, for the professionals to take part in competitions organised by the host Club. In 1909 the Championship was played at Englewood Golf Club where Jack Hobens was the professional. On Tuesday Hobens won the mixed foursome event partnering Miss Julia R. Mix, the Metropolitan Champion, and on Wednesday Willie Anderson finished second in the best ball foursomes competition partnering amateur Mr. W.S. Stafford.

That year, Willie's brother Tom Anderson Jnr. entered the Championship from the Montclair Golf Club, and finished in 8th place. The winner was George Sargent , while Willie Anderson finished 4th; Jack Hobens 6th, and the defending champion Fred McLeod finished in 13th place.

In the qualifying rounds for the 1913 US Open at Brookline, Jack Hobens partnered Ted Ray and the New York Times reported that when they both launched towering tee shots over and past the elbow of the dogleg on Polo Field the crowd erupted in appreciation. The two men walked off down the first fairway trailed by the largest-gallery of the day ­ over a thousand people including the writer Bernard Darwin.

Jack Hobens was a founder member of the U.S. PGA.

On 17th January 1916, Rodman Wanamaker, a keen amateur golfer and heir to the Wanamaker department store fortune, held a meeting at the Taplow Club in New York City with a number of prominent professionals including Jack Hobens, for the purpose of forming the Professional Golfers Association of America. Their aim was to advance the standing of the club professional, caddies and greenkeepers in the United States.
Wanamakers who incidentally were supplied with golf clubs by Ben Sayers, sponsored the first PGA Championship in 1916, when Cornishman Jim Barnes defeated the former St Andrews caddie, Jock Hutchison by one hole, to lift the Wanamaker Trophy. The championship was not played again until 1919, following the First World War, when Barnes again won, defeating Fred McLeod in the final.

It was usual practice at this time, for the club professional to attend a member's summer house and teach the entire family for a month or more. Hobens travelled to Maine with Dwight Morrow on several occasions. Morrow's daughter Anne, married Charles Lindbergh and Jack would often travel to his residence to teach. Hobens was a professional at Glen Ridge in New Jersey (1901); Yountakah NJ. (1902-04); Englewood Country Club NJ. (1905-15); Huntingdon Valley Country Club, Jenkintown PA. (1923-26), and Knickerbocker, Tenafly NJ. where he retired.