Moe Norman

Achieving a Great Golf Swing

April 28, 2017 by admin

A great golf swing is a fine achievement” – Moe Norman

If you and I met in person, there is one thing that I am sure you would immediately recognize – I am passionate about the golf swing. Nothing gets me more excited than what Moe called “the purity of technique”.

Moe did his best to describe the swing: “In and Up”, “Its like a pendulum” and “My arms move underneath me”.

As difficult as it may seem to many, I continue to believe that the golf swing is simple. The body is connected as you rotate in the backswing as your arms move back and up. Then, you stabilize into your lead leg and rotate through as your arms follow though impact. The golf swing is a rotational movement as the arms move around the body. The club follows this movement and gains speed as you continue to rotate.

Moe would often hit 800 balls per day

The golf swing is only Simple if you build it properly.

I don’t believe that learning body movement is easy however. This is because a golf swing is like a house. Its a skill that you construct. It’s an art form that you practice and refine. Moe considered a great golf swing a “fine achievement”. I agree. A golf swing is an achievement because you have to earn it by moving your body.

Most students ignore this very important fact and make a mistake in the first moment they touch the grip of a golf club. They start learning to swing (move their bodies) by swinging at a ball. They want to live in the house before its built.

Teaching the body to move is an important part of building your swing.

One thing I teach my students to help build their great swings to find ways to teach themselves the movements that they are practicing. I often recommend rehearsing the movement to get the feel of the motion.

If you were a good carpenter you would most likely learn from the mistake that most aspiring carpenters make. They measure and make a cut just fraction to short – a costly mistake especially if they are using expensive lumber. They soon learn to measure twice and only cut once.

Rehearsing the golf swing is the golf students way of measuring. However, rehearsal goes beyond just measuring. It involves the bodies nervous system triggering new neuro-pathways in the same way that a child learns to walk. The key to rehearsal is to ensure that you are rehearsing the correct movement so that you can learn to feel what to do. In this way you are using movement to program the body connection to the brain.

But what exactly is feel?

I have yet to find anyone who can define feel or locate it in the body – yet everyone feels their body move. Feel is actually based on a point of reference. For example if something “feels different” you are actually making a comparison to what “feels normal”. Normal is the neuro-program in your brain that already exists. When you change your movement – it feels different because you are engaging “new” parts of your body sending signals to your brain that are outside of your familiar programed network.

Feel is when you move beyond your normal.

Making new movements is the key to change. This is why changing your golf swing is uncomfortable and usually leads to regression in your ball-striking. Keep in mind that I use the term regression only to describe ball-striking results. When you change you are improving your movement. This alters the sequencing of your body too. When you change the sequencing of your body it affects your timing into impact – thus making it difficult to hit the ball well. You will overcome this short-term regression through practice and repetition where you create a newly learned sequence that produces better results.

This takes time.

If I ever experience any frustration with students it shows in the form of impatience. Students want results but they haven’t completed the building process. They expect results when they haven’t finished the construction. When students get too frustrated my brother Tim always says:

“You haven’t earned the right to get frustrated” – Tim Graves

Feeling Moe’s swing with the Single Plane Trainer (SPT)

February 18, 2017 by admin

Jokingly I asked Moe if he would sell me his swing. He said “Sure, for ten thousand dollars but you can’t buy talent” he said. If I could have purchased Moe’s golf swing without having to work at it I would have happily paid him. I don’t like to reinvent the wheel. That’s why the next best thing to buying Moe’s swing was to match him.

I have one word that describes how I learned Moe’s swing: Modeling. I don’t know what that word means to you but it means “copy”. Yes, I admit it. I copied Moe’s swing. He was the notes scribbled on my hand during a test – my cheat sheet.

To be more exact, I picked out various aspects of Moe’s swing positions and movements and I mimicked them, starting at the address position. Once I understood the positions of the swing I put them together and using video and pictures, I mirrored his movements. Eventually, through repetition, I could feel what he felt. Practice wasn’t about hitting balls, it was about learning how to move like Moe.

EVENTUALLY, I starting hitting the ball with pinpoint accuracy. My misses became great!

Moe Norman Said, “You’re only as good as your misses”.

A good on-plane golf swing that can repeat impact consistently is what simplifies the game because the bad shots it produces are still pretty good. That’s the point of putting in the effort to build a solid Single Plane Swing. It breeds consistency, repeatability and the ability to be good when you are average.

I matched Moe’s swing by observing his movements and then matching what I saw. By matching his movements, I began to feel how he achieved his golf swing. Then I developed training tools that helped me feel it so I could eliminate mistakes when I practiced because I quickly learned that what you feel you do and what you actually do are very different.

Here is a word of caution: If you think you are matching Moe – you probably aren’t unless you have video proof or a coach to watch your movements. Personal feelings are unreliable. The goal is to match your movement exactly to Moe’s movement making sure you hit all of Moe’s positions.

“Hit your positions, always hit your positions” – Moe Norman

Moe had a Club to Body Relationship

I always have difficulty describing what I mean by “club to body” (C2B) relationship. I’ll give it another try here. At impact there is an ideal position of the club shaft as it relates to the rotation of the body. Think of it as a single spoke of a bicycle wheel. When you turn the wheel in one direction, the spoke maintains its relationship to the hub or center of the wheel. When you turn the wheel back, the spoke returns back to the exact position it started.

Moe Norman had the same sort of “hub and spoke” relationship with the golf club.

If Moe didn’t hinge the hands, the lead arm and club would act exactly like the hub and spoke of the wheel. The only difference is that he had a hinge where his hands meet the club. The center of Moe’s “wheel” was what I call the “pivot point”, a point above the lead hip. When Moe moved into the backswing and then into the downswing, the club always had a reference to the pivot point allowing him to return the club to the same relative spot – producing a consistent impact point.

Swing Plane is a product of the C2B relationship

One way that I practice Moe’s club-to-body relationship is by practicing with the Single Plane Trainer. The Single Plane Trainer (SPT) aligns the club and lead arm forming a relationship to the lead side of the body. As you take the club into the backswing, the extended SPT maintains this relationship (staying against the body)

Moe Norman Single Plane — Todd Graves demonstrating Moe Norman’s swing with Single Plane Trainer

Moe Norman's Single Plane Swing — Todd Graves Demonstrating Moe Norman’s Single Plane swing

The hub of the wheel, Moe’s pivot point, is NOT the center of the body. It is forward on the lead side above the lead hip joint. The Since the body is more forward at impact that at address, the pivot point has moved forward but throughout the entire swing the C2B relationship has remained.

To maintain the C2B relationship, you must maintain the tilt of your back throughout the golf swing. Think of the wheel and the spoke analogy. You must keep the wheel rotating on the same angle. If you altered the tilt of the wheel, by standing up lifting your back, you would change the plane of the golf club. Maintaining your tilt keeps the club moving around the pivot point on plane.

The GGA SPT

Notice in the photographs that the spine tilt is maintained from address to impact. The GGA SPT has a Feeling of Greatness Single Plane training grip installed to perfect your hand position. With the hands correctly placed on the trainer, it is designed to help you monitor the “connection” of the club to the pivot point throughout the swing motion.

You can find out more about the GGA SPT here: GGA Single Plane Trainer.

You can find Single Plane Training Videos here: Single Plane Trainer Instructions.

Moe’s Swing – A Masterpiece of Movement

January 1, 2017 by admin

If you were an artist describing Moe Norman’s swing you would call it a masterpiece. You would see the geometry of the lines, the beauty of the movement and how there isn’t one wasted brush stroke. You would also see the architecture, the powerful club delivery and the economy of his movement.

Geometry, power and economy – three technical words to describe what Moe called a “Feeling” of greatness. So how do you go from the technical aspects of a golf swing to feel? To use the body as a tool and tech it to or swing effortlessly is a magical feat. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest accomplishments.

As you know, every artist who seems to be performing miraculous illusions on canvas has a few tricks up their sleeve. I believe Moe did as well. I believe his swing motion and movement was based on limitations. Yes, limitations. I believe that what you are seeing when you watch Moe – is a swing that won’t fail.

In other words, Moe is rotating in the backswing and rotating in the downswing as much as he can to his limits. Let me show you.

If I told you to make a backswing but do not let the trail knee move and keep your lead heel completely on the ground your backswing would look something like this:

You see how Moe’s lead foot is on the ground, his spine is tilted and his trail leg hasn’t moved. The trial leg has braced the rotation of his hips. Moe has limited the motion with certain aspects of his body. In doing so, this is the only place he can take the golf club in the backswing – he has reached a maximum.

If I asked you to rotate your hips in the downswing, you might ask “how much”. What if I said “As much as you can” but only under these two conditions: you must keep your trail foot on the ground and you must have you lead knee flexed all the way through your release and into your finish.

By giving you freedom to rotate to your maximum ability but placing limitations on certain aspects (what I call rules), you create the perfect environment for consistency and repeatability. Why? If you do it correctly you can’t over rotate or under rotate your hips and by allowing you to move to your maximum ability, you can amplify your speed.

Take a look at this picture: Moe is hitting into a flexed la knee creating a limit to his hip turn. His trail foot is on the ground These factors create a boundary that allowed Moe to move maximal and masterfully.

Like all artists who understand the mechanics of their art, Moe limited the movement of his body – possibly making this a “secret” to consistency and accuracy.

I told you so – Bryson DeChambeau

August 24, 2015 by admin

Dear conventional golfers and teachers, I’m having an “I told you so” moment. I have to admit it feels pretty good. For over 20 years I have been answering your questions and your doubts regarding the Single Plane Swing and its validity. Questions such as: “Why isn’t anyone on tour swinging this way?” or “If this is so great why isn’t everyone swinging this way?” Some even question Moe the best ball-striker to ever play the game – asking “If Moe was so great why didn’t he win a major championship”. There have been times when presenting my research and science of the Single Plane, people have attacked me saying that Moe was autistic and a savant. That nobody could swing like Moe.

Now that a Single Plane Golfer, Bryson DeChambeau is now a major champion winning the U.S. Amateur – it feels pretty good to see science (and Moe) prevail. They claim Bryson is the best ball-striker in college golf. I am not surprised one bit.

Now, I want to say something before the golf teachers start justifying that what they have been teaching for 100 years is possibly well, wrong. I want to say to conventional teachers you can’t have it both ways. You can’t claim all successful golfers as another “variation” of conventional swing mechanics. Golf swings are different – because they are mechanically and physically different. Bryson’s swing IS different, in the ways you have been doubting and questioning.

Please, don’t try explaining his Single Plane swing with another predictable “variation of traditional golf mechanics”. Stop painting a broad brushstroke over all golf swings. Let’s face it, conventional golf mechanics don’t explain his swing starting from the beginning – his address. Bryson’s swing is biomechanically superior to conventional swings because of the way he grips the club into the hands not the fingers. Bryson aligns the club with the arms into a straight line. From the start, he has violated two basic tenants of conventional teaching; “grip the club in the fingers and hang the arms below the shoulders in an athletic position”.

Conventionally, with Bryson’s address position, there is nowhere for your instruction to go from here. You can’t explain his swing with traditional methods and how he starts and impacts on the same plane eliminating the need to move the club from two planes into impact when you claim that golfers should start with their hands low.

Oh by the way, just so you know, we have been explaining the alignment of the hands and arms for years. This is the basic principle of the Single Plane Swing. It comes down to simplifying the golf swing and eliminating much of the unnecessary movement of conventional golf swings. You must eliminate the angles at address to simplify the golf swing – exactly what Bryson is doing. You simply can’t simplify the swing from the conventional Two-plane address.

I can’t wait to read the stories of how every conventional golf instructor will try to explain Bryson’s swing. David Leadbetter and Hank Haney will probably publish a book about. Bryson winning a tournament makes it is “safe” to talk about it. I am sure that students will ask about it and many instructors in the PGA will probably change their teaching throwing away everything they have taught for the last 100 years. Just remember that Moe Norman figured this out over sixty years ago. And even though he never won a major championship like Bryson, his ball-striking make it very clear that there is an easier way to swing. It’s called a SINGLE PLANE.

SOOO Simple

October 27, 2014 by admin

One of the most searched golf terms on the internet is “consistency” but few people know what being consistent really means.

From my perspective, consistency is synonymous with simplicity especially when it boils down to how you move your body during the golf swing. The goal of all golf swings is to achieve impact. Just ask the golf ball – all it knows is the moment that the club makes contact. Reaching impact where the club is square with ideal speed and direction is the real goal of anyone who swings a golf club. Common sense says that if you have twenty movements to swing a club to impact and I can make the same motion with fifteen, I can certainly be more consistent. Therefore, simplifying and eliminating the movement is what consistency really means. I also believe this was Moe’s gift to golf, if you are willing to listen. Here are the ways Moe’s swing simplifies golf and can make you more consistent.

Same Spine Tilt, Address, Backswing, Through-swing

Unlike conventional golf, Moe established his spine tilt at address. This tilt “presets” the spine for the tilt in the backswing, downswing, and impact. By establishing this tilt at address Moe eliminated unnecessary movement of the spine. Less movement means more consistency.

Trail (Right) Shoulder positioned on plane

Due to his address spine tilt, Moe’s trail shoulder (Right), moves up and down as opposed to around (conventional golf). We call this “planning” the shoulder. Moe would refer to this up and down movement of the shoulder moving on the same plane as the golf club as “like a pendulum”. Moe was great at simplifying the motions into understandable concepts and feelings.

Trail (Right) hand non rotational

Moe’s trail hand grip was placed on the club in a “non-rotational” position. Non-rotational means from address to the backswing all the way to impact, the hand does not turn. Less rotation of the trail hand means less rotation of the clubface allowing you to more easily return the club to square at impact.

Lead knee flexed, trail foot on the ground.

If you study Moe at impact, you immediately notice a major difference in his position compared to most conventional golfers. Moe’s right foot is on the ground and his lead knee is flexed. This positioning of his foot and knee reflect the perfect bio-mechanics of his spine position into impact. By keeping his trail foot on the ground and his lead knee flexed, Moe kept his spine exactly in the same tilt as he started. By keeping his spine tilted, he could move his shoulders on plane as the movement of the shoulders always follow the tilt of the spine.

The Pivot Point and Mid-spine body/club relationship at address

The simplicity of Moe’s mechanics and the simplified movements began from Moe’s address position. Moe’s setup is a platform of geometry, kinesiology, and bio-mechanics that create what I call a club to body relationship. What exactly does this mean? If you fast-forward Moe from address to impact, you see that at address and impact there is a certain distance from the ball. To be consistent, this spacing must be maintained throughout the swing. Moe accomplishes this from proper spine tilt at the beginning of the swing and proper lower body (leg and hip) movement. The club also references the lead side of Moe’s body – we call this the pivot point. This is where the club starts and impacts and can be referenced throughout the golf swing

Teaching vs. Unteaching

September 21, 2014 by admin

I have never been one to criticize the teaching of other instructors. I believe that there are swing instructors that teach sound principles of swing mechanics – but there are very few.

When teaching, I have noticed lately that I spend quite a bit of time changing things that students have adopted from other lessons in their swings. Most of these things have become bad habits which then create compensations resulting in bad swings and sometimes injury. This is what I call “unteaching” because the art of teaching is to educate. By definition, educate is derived from the Latin word “educere” meaning to draw from within or to bring forth. I find myself erasing rather than educating.

Too often when I teach a student Moe Norman’s movement I run into what I call resistance. Resistance is when I make a suggestion and the student immediately responds with “that’s not what my other teacher said”. This type of resistance is a barrier to progress. It shows that the student is having a hard time knowing or “trusting” the teaching. Similar to putting up a road block, questioning does not allow the student to draw from within.

Anything that feels “new” will also feel awkward. These feelings must be overcome to make learning progress. Without this type of experience, learning is stifled.

Ideally, I would show the student the desired swing position and he, on his own, would develop a feel and then through repetition would “remember” his movements. A student always teaches themselves. A teacher just leads. I wish it was this easy.

So what would I say is the best learning and teaching scenario? The answer is easy. Empty your cup. This means that when you enter into instruction you must empty yourself from the “old” instruction and be completely open to any and all suggestions. I call this the “OK” zone. When the teacher asks you to do something, just say OK.

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