The Golf Blog: moe norman: the best ball striker ever?

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

moe norman: the best ball striker ever?

USA Today has an excellent article about Canadian Moe Norman, who just passed away recently. I didn't know much about Norman until this article. It's the most interesting golf story I've read all year.

6 Comments:

At 12:47 PM, Golf Grouch said...: When news surfaced that Moe Norman, teetered on the brink of financial ruin, Titeist stepped in and offered Moe a $5,000 monthly stipend for the rest of his life. But what did Moe have to do in return? Nothing, it was a thank-you gift for his prior accomplishments. Sadly, Moe passed, but I'm sure that his last years were more comfortable than otherwise thanks to Titleist. Kudos to Titleist.
At 2:52 PM, mulligan said...: wow, the story gets even more interesting!
At 3:43 PM, Power Fade said...: Natural Golf has a good article detailing his life and all the accomplishments.
At 1:32 PM, Anonymous said...: I shagged balls for him as a 12 year old at a small local Canadian event called the Peter Jackson. He was so straight, I never moved my feet left or right once from 175 yards, and he would hit 5 to my left arm and 5 to my right. I never saw anything like it, and it made me think that top golfers were all that good. My game aspirations were temporarily destroyed. He openly planned to hit driver and wedge on the first hole...a small feat, until we saw him hit the wedge from the tee and put the driver shot, off the deck, on the green. He missed his short putt.
At 9:06 PM, Anonymous said...: My father played an 18 hole event with Moe at Point Grey G&CC in the 1960's. 45 years later as dad slipped away he whispered in my ear something he had been telling me for over a decade 'Just go out and hit it like Stinky Moe." Moe Norman had that affect on people. Rob Letvinchuk, out of Kelowna BC, practised and played a lot with the greatest ball striker who ever lived ( Moe's title). He tells a story of asking Moe about club position at the top of the swing. In his sing song voice Moe repeated 'that's everything, that's everything." He grabbed Rob by the crotch of his pants dragged him to his apartment ( that was his Cadillac which he lived in) and showed Rob a long row of golf shoes. ' Bought that pair in 68. That pair in 69. That pair 1971." " Tell Moe what you see, tell Moe what you see." Rob looked at these shoes, some 10 years old, and said there was no wrinkles or creases in them. " That's right, you have to set the club at the top and flow with the shot." "Look at your shoes, look at your shoes, creases because your turning and twisting Pfft you're pro," " I am the only pro in the world with no twist, no worries and no struggles."

Go to BCGOLFNEWS.com and skim thru it until you get an audio clip of Moe Norman. It is only 12 minutes long but your eyes will blow open with his thoughts and his views. Now a days there are so many Moe quotes that they are called Moisims. the three I like are: Vanity is the luxury of fools. And when it come to the swing it's energy, direction and wisdom. Take away one of those and you have nothing. Finally - Inspiration without knowledge still equals frustration.

Here in Canada everyone has a Moe Norman story and your not a Canadian unless you at least try and do a high pitched Moe Norman voice. The greatest ball striker ever? If Nicklaus, Snead, Vijay and recently Tiger Woods say so who am I a 10 handicapper to argue?
At 4:54 PM, Anonymous said...: I watched a video of Moe practicing. He turns and coils without swaying on his backswing. If he slides at all, it's forward on his downswing.