I am still learning from Moe. Every time I watch his golf swing on the hours of footage we have, I listen to his comments and his thought on the simplicity of his swing and technique. And even when I practiced with Moe he would say things that seemed unreal. There was a time when I thought some of his ideas were a bit outrageous and yes, sometimes crazy.
Over the years, I have learned to tame that judgmental part of me. I have learned to take a new approach to learning to swing like the best that has ever struck a golf ball. Here are a few thoughts that might help you with getting your mind straight before I get into some “radical” concepts.
First, take nothing Moe says for granted. Most of Moe’s ideas of the golf swing were his way of explaining the unexplainable. Moe was doing his best to describe his feelings. Second, try not to judge it until you understand it. There are many things in the golf swing that don’t make sense but once you finally understand them they are almost common sense. Have you ever experienced that? (This is where you ask yourself how you could have been so dumb?)
So, let me introduce you to a few concepts that I want you to experiment with and see if they can help you swing like Moe.
Club Behind the Ball
Remember the pivot point? This point is a reference point for the golf club as it relates to the body. This relationship is critical when swinging the club into the correct impact position. The pivot point relationship establishes and ideal address position relationship. Notice that the pivot point relationship at address places the line of the lead arm and club shaft in a position where the club head is in the center of the feet but depending on the club you are hitting, the ball is not there, it is forward of the club head.
Also, notice that from the Down The Line View (see pictures) that the club is also in a perfect single plane. This pivot point relationship and subsequent single plane are related. Moe’s genius is reflected in his ability to do what no other golfer has ever done, place the club behind the ball to simplify swinging on plane.
If the goal is to establish the plane at address and impact the ball on this plane, then you will find it important to experiment with the pivot point relationship, which will mean placing the club behind the ball.
The Coin
Moe placed a coin 27 to 40 inches behind his golf ball. Moe claimed that the club would go back low to the ground and touch the coin before it came off of the ground. By doing this, you create the correct arm distance from your body to the golf ball. This arm distance or “width” is a major reason for correct arm motion and speed. By moving the arms correctly, the shoulders also move correctly on plane. The “coin” seems to help the entire first move in the golf swing, a common question we often get asked by our students.
The Club Never Goes Behind You
Now picture this, the address position is a relationship formed with the area I call the pivot point creating two perfectly straight lines, the lead arm and club shaft and the trail arm and club shaft (down the line view). The shoulders are in position accordingly on plane. The spine is tilted as the arms are in front of the chest in perfect harmony. Now the club moves in the backswing, these relationships maintain, the club stays low to the ground (over the coin) and then the hands hinge the club up onto plane. The entire motion is poetry. Simple. Perfect. The hinge of the hands Moe describes “an upward movement, never around like a pendulum” states Moe, once again his feelings coming through in a metaphor.
Moe’s golf swing was a combination of biomechanical precision with perfect design for the task of hitting a ball taken to the degree of mastery. When Moe described this kinetic poetry, his thoughts, sometimes abstract, were gems when it comes to understanding his golf swing and “The Feeling of Greatness”.
Good Luck in your continued pursuit of Moe’s single plane swing and please let us know if we can do anything else for you.
STORY FOLLOWUP
Remember the last E-tip about Court and his progression with his game… here is a follow-up e-tip I received from him the next week.
Tim, Thanks to both you and Todd for a great 3 days. I hit about 300 balls Sunday while going back and forth watching the tape. By the end of day, I think I got it. Today on the course I shot 74 (2 over) 12/14 fairways and long, 13 GIR, 32 putts, no 3 Putts, 3/4 up and downs, 1/2 Sand saves,13 pars, 2 birdies, 2 bogies, 1 dbl. The double came on #17 as I got to thinking about the even par round I had going. Short par 3, didn’t release the club and it went high and right into the water. The big deal I think was walking into my shots for setup, thinking target, and more confidence than I ever have had. The other thing is I just never got into trouble except for the one water hole – taking trouble out of the equation. I have shot better rounds, but I have never played better golf.
Thanks again. Talk to you later, Court
