Moe Norman

Mastery Orientation

November 16, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Paul Monahan, Graves Golf Mental Game Coach

GGA Mental Game Coach

Your brain is amazing.

It regulates your body process, allows you to analyze and interpret external stimuli and is the source of the very consciousness that allows you to read this sentence.

And it is also an incredible survival tool.

The brain has a very powerful (but primitive) threat response system designed to keep you alive. Great when you need to run from a tiger (as you may have needed to 50,000 years ago), but not so great when you want to perform at your best in a competitive situation (like the Spring member-guest against your buddies.)

Your brain’s threat response system is always monitoring your external environment to determine if your safety is in jeopardy, much like aa software program running silently in the background. You probably aren’t even aware of it.

The challenge with this system is that it is not smart enough to know the difference between a saber-toothed tiger running toward you (which could ACTUALLY harm you) and a slippery downhill 10-footer on the eighteenth hole to tie your match.

In both cases, your brain goes into threat response because it has assessed that you might lose something very important to you. It signals to your body that you are in danger.

The problem? On the golf course, this response has physical and mental implications. Sweaty palms impact your ability to hold the putter properly. Nervous, shaking hands affect your ability to move the putter as you would like to. And clouded judgment can impact the kind of decision-making that keeps you in your process.

So what to do?

I believe that we can be successful more consistently in nearly any performance context when we do certain things to prevent the brain’s threat response from activating.

I coach my clients on the distinction between operating from a Mastery Orientation versus operating from an Outcome Orientation. And I teach them how to adopt a Mastery Orientation whenever stepping into any kind of performance arena.

The primary difference between the two operating orientations is this: people who operate a Mastery Orientation are concerned with elevating their competence. People who operate from an Outcome Orientation are concerned with proving their competence.

Because of this, a golfer with a Mastery Orientation has a distinct performance advantage. They are more likely to stay connected to all their skills and abilities. And they can execute at a high level and do things like:

tune into their surroundings in productive ways
stick to their game plan and make clear decisions
stay in the present moment and execute their process
feel the putter move freely
be playful and PLAY the game

This is because they are not wrapped up in results. To them, outcomes are important, but only insomuch as they (the outcomes) reflect where they (the golfer) are on their own path to mastery.

They know deep down that the WORST that can happen is that they will learn something: about their game, their capacity for resilience, their ability to compete in certain conditions…etc. And because they hold this knowledge, their brain’s primitive threat response is not activated as easily.

When they hit wayward shots, they see those shots in the context of their overall goals in golf – and not as defining moments in that particular competition, nor even how they define their own self-worth.

In a way, golfers who operate from a Mastery Orientation have written a story for themselves about what their experiences on the golf course mean to them. And they access that story each time they play.

For them, golf is not (entirely) about winning or losing, but rather about growing in their mastery of the game. Each shot – no matter the stakes – is an opportunity to learn and improve, not a challenge.

The result? They play better. They score better. And typically enjoy themselves more.

On the other hand, the golfer who operates from an Outcome Orientation is typically in for a much more emotionally-charged ride on the course. Why? Because their ego is heavily involved in how they see each shot. (Remember, they are trying to PROVE their competence, not grow it.)

When they stand at the first tee, they experience anxiety because they are trying to show the world the fruits of all their hard work on the range. (We call this pressure.)

And when they have to face that slippery downhill 10-footer, the dominant thoughts are not about what they could gain, but rather about what they might lose. They experience what my colleague and NHL hockey prospect coach Walter Aguilar calls horizontal thinking: they “move horizontally” in their thinking to the future, imagining how awful it would be to miss the putt and to lose their credibility with their friends and/or competitors.

As a result, they begin to lose access to their high-level cognitive functioning, as well as the physical skills and abilities they possessed prior to starting the round. And of course, this can start a kind of performance death spiral that is very difficult to pull out of.

The good news is that you have options. You can choose the mental and emotional stance from which to operate when you play. You can choose the orientation you want to adopt when playing golf.

xI hope you choose a Mastery Orientation.

Improve Your Game Over the Winter … Watching Football

November 16, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

How many of you watched football this past weekend? How many of you know you can now watch football basically every day of the week? (Yup, I know it… and honestly guilty of watching at least 3 to 4 nights / days a week…)

Whether you are watching football games, just watching TV, sitting in front of your computer, sitting at your desk or just sitting on your couch…. how many of you know you can dramatically improve your golf game at the same time??

Good players know this…

GGA alumnus know this….

Professionals know this…

Before I give you a drill you can do now (indoor), I am going to tell you about a training program we have performed the past few winters with EXTREME success.

December 15th we are starting this program again, our Single Plane University / Winter Training Program. This program includes the following:

Full Swing, Short Game, Mental Game and Flexibility Drills and Training that can all be done INDOORS.
12 weeks (+ 4 Bonus Weeks) of Training / Drills / Fundamentals (Dec, Jan, Feb and March)
4 weeks of long game / full swing, 4 weeks of short game, 4 weeks of mental game and 4 weeks of flexibility.
First week Long Game Training / Drills, 2nd week Short Game Training / Drills, 3rd week Mental Game Training / Drills, 4th week Flexibility Work… this continues each month for 3 month (+ bonus month)
Personal contact… One on one with GGA master instructors helping you with your training / drills, etc.
All training / drills will be recorded. As a week is complete, it will be stored and you can view anytime during the program. Meaning, if you miss a week or two, you can review and catch up anytime.
The ability for you to record your training and send to the coaches for review (ANYTIME). This is optional (up to you) – but included in the training program.
When you finish the program you short game will be greatly improved, your long game and fundamentals will be greatly improved, you will have great mental game work, and your flexibility will be increased / improved resulting in making it much easier to hit the correct positions in the golf swing, less stress on the body and potentially more distance.

Here are some facts that we know about winter golf.

Very few practice much (especially over the fall and winter).
Everyone wants to be better/improve.
Very few know how to improve over the fall/winter.
The best time to improve your game is over the fall / winter as most play less this time of year.
Very few understand that improvement exponentially increases when you are NOT hitting golf balls.
Practice must involve the long game, short game and flexibility (especially for our typical age group).
Very few know how to practice properly.
Improvement is GUARANTEED if you train / practice properly and GREATLY ACCELERATED if you check / monitor and have someone check / monitor for you.

Indoor Training Example – (Sneak Peak)

Set up a yard stick on the floor
Set up over a putt with a ball on the yardstick

Set up properly – hands leading, eyes over the ball, putter face square, etc.

Now:

Stoke the putt
Hold the finish
Check the finish position

Check:

Face/leading edge should still be square to the yardstick and still centered over the yardstick.
Butt end of putter should have pointed at the lead hip
There will be no movement in body except the shoulders (arms and hands)

Now… Watch your game on TV (lol…)

Think you get my point…. I typically do this drill inside during commercials….

Repeat with a golf ball and without a golf ball.

Repeat 10 to 15 times SLOWLY without a golf ball. Hold finish every time and check

Repeat 10 to 15 times with a golf ball. Hold finish every time and check. Ball should go down the yardstick and off the end…

This is 1 of many drills during the training we will give you in the next 4 months. As you see this can be done inside (recommended) in front of the TV, in your office, in your “man/woman cave”, in your garage… think you get my point. All can be done inside and we will give you the fundamental, checkpoints, drill(s) and follow up. You can then video a send to us (if you choose – included in program). If you send in video of yourself, we will follow up with recommendations for you and an email with those same recommendations/additional training.

This is the best thing you can do for your golf game for the next 6 months!

Last question – Again – how much do you want to improve over this winter….?

Questions about program – please feel free to contact me at (Tim Graves) at timg@gravesgolf.com or timkgraves@aol.com

Again – this is where we put our focus on training for our students over the winter. We STRONGLY suggest all those who want to have a much better golf game next spring to be part of this program with us.

We look forwarded to helping you improve your golf game DRAMATICALLY over the next 4 months…. sit back (watching football……) and watch the improvement!!!

Finally:

All those currently in Single Plane Academy Level # 4 or Level # 5 – you are already included (don’t need to do anything additional). Watch you email inbox soon for your first training session.

Questions about program – email timg@gravesgolf.com

Reminder From Fellow Single Plane Member / Full Swing Practice Tip

November 16, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Good morning Gentlemen,

I’ve recently been struggling with making solid contact, over the top move, double cross etc. I was so lost! Video didn’t even work! What was I going to do? Then it hit me, maybe I should review the Graves golf on demand app!

I typed key words into the search bar, reviewed several videos, most with Tim because he has a blunt way of describing different aspects of the swing that really connect with me. Then I came across one with Todd where he was wearing those glasses with the camera! He broke down from position 2 through position 3 from the view of what he sees. He was describing transition and said and I quote “my arms are moving but I’m not moving my arms” I repeat,”my arms are moving but I’m not moving my arms” boom!

That’s exactly what I was missing, rotation moves the arms through the vertical drop! Holy sh*t, I went back to the range, setup the training tools, yard stick etc did Tim’s pump drill, went through position 2 and 3 slowly then setup a ball 6 iron training club, first ball went high and deep!

Wow I wish more members would take the time to review the videos and resources available to them!

I truly appreciate Graves golf, I don’t always find submitting videos that helpful for me but your resources On Demand are always so helpful!

Regards,

Jack Tinney
Level 3 Member

(To See More Information About Graves Golf Single Plane On Demand: CLICK HERE )

Plane The Trail Shoulder.. Is It Really That Simple?

July 17, 2023 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Moe at Address

Moe’s body and arm position at address allowed for him to reduce numerous variables in the golf swing.

When you can eliminate variables, you can become more consistent. In the picture above, you can see a red circle on his trail shoulder. The trail shoulder is positioned slightly above the red plane line. Once we establish this address position, it causes a smooth backswing and downswing….

Moe at Top of Backswing

As Moe takes the club back, the trail shoulder rides merely directly up the plane line. How does he do this?

By rotating his body and folding his trail arm. At the top of the backswing, you can see that the trail shoulder is slightly above the plane line, mirroring the position it started in higher up. With this simple movement, the hands are on the plane line, and the club shaft is correctly on the plane

Moe at Impact

Do you see anything similar here?

That’s correct. The trail shoulder has come right back down the plane line resulting in an up and down motion. Moe called this “the pendulum.”

The only difference between address and impact from this down-the-line perspective is the rotation of Moe’s hips and torso. In this picture to the right, you can see how the hips and chest are rotated open. This has to occur for the hands to lead.

Join Us – Let Us Help You Make It That Simple….

If you have any questions/comments about our Premier Schools, how to become a Member of our Single Plane Academy, or anything else, please contact us at or call (405) 250-6960

Hit More Fairways with Common Sense

September 7, 2020 by admin

There are practical and common-sense strategies that you can use on the course to help you improve your game and help you shoot lower scores. One such tip is almost so simple you’ll probably scratch your head and wonder why you didn’t think of it yourself.

When you play the game enough, you eventually learn that driving the golf ball into the fairway is one of the most important aspects of playing well and having fun. Alternatively, when you miss fairways and lose balls, golf can be a very frustrating and expensive game. Here is a simple tip that can help you hit your driver straight, find your ball in the fairway and even save a few bucks.

This tip is actually two steps. The first step is to select the place on the tee box where you have the best angle into the fairway. The Second step is to use the ball as an alignment aid.

Step 1: Tee box “angle”

It might seem unfair, but many times golf course designers align tee boxes toward hazards and trouble. Average golfers often fall for this trick by unknowingly going to the middle of the tee-box without understanding that there is possibly a better option. By moving to one side of the tee or the other you can improve the “angle” of your shot – thus increasing the possibility of hitting the fairway.

For example, if you see that the hole is located on the right side of the green and the best place to approach the flag is from the left side of the fairway, teeing the ball on the right side of the tee box creates a better angle to land the ball in the left side of the fairway.

Once you select the proper side of the tee box, the second step is to align yourself correctly.

Step 2: Align the Ball

Alignment to the target is difficult for most amateurs from especially from the tee. I often see amateurs hit really good shots but, since they are often mis-aligned, the ball flies into trouble.

Another tip to help you align accurately and hit more fairways is to use the ball as an alignment aid. You will find that most golf balls have a logo or marking on them. For example, the Titleist Pro-V1 has an arrow on the side and the Callaway Triple Track has three lines. By using the logo or lines on the ball, you can aim the markings toward your intended target in the fairway. The lines on the ball give you a sight-line and a visual reference toward your target.

Now, when you select the correct place on the tee box (tee angle) and align the logo on the ball to your intended target, you have increased your chance of hitting the fairway. Now just get comfortable and swing and you are two-steps closer hitting more fairways and playing great golf.

Moe Norman’s Lead Thumb – The Long and Short of It

April 29, 2020 by admin

The lead hand grip is more than just where you place the club in the hand. How you place the hand is just as important. If the golf swing were a jigsaw puzzle, I would consider the lead hand position my final piece.

When I first learned Moe’s Single Plane swing, was always intrigued by how comfortable he appeared at address. He was neither relaxed nor was he tense. it seemed that he was both. His lead arm was straight and rod-like as it aligned and extended with the club. His trial arm was straight but more underneath and soft.

The tilt of his body created a perfect alignment of the club to his lead shoulder as he lead arm extended. Much of his lead arm alignment was related to his unhinged or ulnar deviation and lead thumb positioned down the grip.

Here is a picture of the Single Plane address where you can see the extension of his lead arm.

And how the hand is positioned when holding the club.

When the wrist is in the proper position, there should be no stress on the top of the wrist due to the extended lead thumb position. The thumb is long but not extended too far down the shaft. There is a gap between the thumb and the knuckle of the index finger where the fingers are tightly wrapped together under the club.When the wrist is in the proper position, there should be no stress on the top of the wrist due to the extended lead thumb position. The thumb is long but not extended too far down the shaft. There is a gap between the thumb and the knuckle of the index finger where the fingers are tightly wrapped together under the club.When the wrist is in the proper position, there should be no stress on the top of the wrist due to the extended lead thumb position. The thumb is long but not extended too far down the shaft. There is a gap between the thumb and the knuckle of the index finger where the fingers are tightly wrapped together under the club.

The extended thumb and wrist position at address translate into the proper hand action at the top of the backswing where the hinge of the hands leverage and support the club.

Another view of the hand position at the top of the backswing shows the pressure in the trail hand as well.

When the hands are positioned correctly they can work together and hinge correctly to the top of the swing. This allows the club face to move correctly where it moves in rotation with the lead arm.

Achieving the ideal lead hand position was the final piece of my Single Plane puzzle. With a little attention to the detail of where you place your lead hand, it might be your final piece too.

You can find out more about the lead hand position and every detail of the Single Plane Golf Swing in my latest DVD product, The Domino Effect – Back to Basics.

The Domino Effect – Back to Basics DVD

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