Moe Norman's secret

Basically, he just used less moving parts in his golf swing. He eliminated so many that he could hit 1000 balls a day without much strain or without getting even remotely tired. It's almost like he was just standing there. The single plane idea is false for this reason:

Moe never said anything about a single plane. When I heard him speak, he said the reason he put his arms all the way out there was because he was much less likely to move his arms around too much. He gave an example of this in the videos that i will post in here. He showed his arms flailing in the close body position, then said "but out here I can't!"

Another example of less moving parts is his placing the club behind the ball about a foot with his irons and about 2 feet with his woods. He said this eliminated a foot of the swing, put his left shoulder already in his turn, and he couldn't take it outside. I'm not saying this to make anyone mad, but it's the truth.

Think about it. How would you hit a ball if you arms were flailing all around and your head moving side to side? You couldn't even hit the ball! Let's say you keep your head still instead and kept your arms like we do today. How much better chance would you have of hitting the ball better, more square, and just in general hitting it to begin with?

Think before you post. Insults will NOT be posted. Any flaming and I will quit posting replies. Same with trolling or bullying. You're allowed to disagree, but do not insult other's opinions, or say that someone else is an idiot for their ideas, etc. Be nice.

In conclusion, less moving parts equals a better strike, and though you lose distance, you're dead straight. This was his secret

Videos:

Some extra info:

With less moving parts, you will also be able to control the distance of the shot better, and the direction.

Warning: you lose alot of distance. At least you're straight right?

Well, I can agree with the principles. However, Moe Norman certainly owned this unique technique. I honestly don't agree with this entire system being sold as a superior and easier way to play golf. I understand Moe was a bit odd and this was possibly why his success on the PGA tour was mediocre. The fact that the vast majority of professional golfers and low handicappers have the more traditional style has to say something. I don't see Todd Graves tearing up the PGA with this amazing discovery. And an important note to remember is that this swing style isn't easy to do. Maybe starting a newbie with this method would be interesting, but trying to get people to convert to this from the traditional fundamentals seems futile at best. Just my opinion and expressing my rights under the First Amendment. Hope you don't feel offended.

There are already a few threads dedicated to this particular topic. Having said that... Moes "secret" was that he hit a zillion balls a day and had no life outside of golf. I don't think his mechanics were perfect; just well ingrained.

Moe Norman's secret is very simple. He understood his golf swing better than any other person living or dead. His understanding of what was required to strike a golf ball "PURE" was absolute and unparalleled. Just because he didn't share his knowledge with the general public, it became common thinking that Moe was unable to explain his method. He simply wasn't going to just give away, what he alone, had the brains and determination to figure out.

The good news for all of us is that Moe did share his swing secrets with one young Canadian club pro. Greg Lavern won the lottery when Moe took him under his wing and mentored and taught him for more that a decade.

Greg recently released his book "Finish to the Sky". Do yourself a favor and pick it up. You will learn exactly what Moe taught him during their many years together. Its simply amazing stuff.

I'm hung up on the idea that having your arms separated from the body makes it impossible for them to flail. I guarantee you that I could make my arms flail in just about every position not involving a straitjacket, provided I was trying. What exactly makes the arms "way out there" (as you say) position better than the traditional style of having them a bit closer in? What specifically does this do to make the swing more controllable? Also, how do you get your arms "way out there" without adding moving parts (which you're trying to eliminate) if you don't start in an unbalanced position with arms outstretched? Wouldn't keeping your arms at about the same length throughout the swing (in theory, this likely would be uncomfortable to do) eliminate the moving part of having a changing amount of arm extension? Sorry, but I prefer to read things that explain why something is better, instead of just saying it's better "because this one guy said so". I personally don't care if Tiger Woods or Joe Schmoe said it, it needs to have a bit of evidence as to why it works better than something else. Could you help me by clarifying why exactly this is a superior technique when data shows that distance at all levels is equally or more important (equally at PGA Tour levels of play, more important everywhere else) than accuracy after a certain point?

flame me if you want, but i think his secret had to do with his mental condition.  he was like a savant, a Rainman for golf.

I think the basics of golf are accuracy and power.

It seems that moe norman definitely had the accuracy part nailed down, which is quite spectacular in its own way.

Jamie Sadlowski or someone longhitter like him probably favours the other side of the equation so to speak.

As a beginner though, it boggles my mind to think how the longhiters are able to strike the ball so well... so well hit balls.

Some of the more accurate long driver competitors... the're hitting actually 9/10 balls into the grid. I just watched today some old videos about bobby wilson in senior division long drive 2009 event... That oldie, was really bombing it, and accurately too into the grid! I think he would have been in the fairway/semirough at a real golf course...

My swing is similar to Mo Norman's, and he inspired me to change everything. Before I had a very "wrist-rotaty" swing, and I felt like I was trying to flip the clubhead through the ball and time it perfectly.

I think having your arms super straight and rigid at address is not the point, and not really what Mo did. The point is to address the ball in pretty much the same  arm position as impact so that it's just a back and through motion.

About 2 months ago I switched to the "Mo Norman grip" with your back hand under the club holding it in the lifeline. I like it for a few reasons. 1For one, I am able to eliminate all the wrist rotation movement. That was really causing me to spray the ball all over, and even my good shots were a few feet left or right at best. With this grip it's much easier to have the clubface square at impact, hence straight shots for me - not just straighter in general, but way fewer "really bad misses".

Another reason I like it is because of how it affects the way your wrists bend. Many vardon grip players have a real scoopy motion at the bottom of the swing. Among other things, this can really increase the chance of hitting thin.With the Mo grip I find it really hard to "over release" the hinge on the downswing so my hand never fall into the bad behind-the-ball position.

Another thing that has helped me is swinging "at the target". In Mo's videos he makes fun of other golfers, "When they are swinging where to their clubs end up? Around their backs. I want the ball to go to the target,I swing at the target. They swing around the golf course. Their club swing points right into the trees. So where does their ball go? Rightinto the trees!" When my follow through is finished I try to have my chest hands and clubhead all in a line pointing at the target, and well, a whole lot of the time it goes to the target!

I do feel like sometimes on my driver I come through on an out-to-in path that puts sort of an unwanted fade on the ball, but it's nowhere near as bad as when I wasn't using this grip.