Why Aren’t More People Copying Moe Norman's Swing?

[Josh Alveraz]

Moe's Trackman numbers would be awesome. However, you can get on a Trackman, thereby eliminating the need to copy Moe Norman. Trackman allows you to hit the ball like Moe without swinging like him. As I understand it, the great benefit of Trackman is that with the assistance of a competent instructor, it allows the golfer to hit better golf shots with minor, relatively unobtrusive swing adjustments (i.e. swing more left).

[ppine]

The real story of Norman in a nutshell is that he was different and golf has very narrow boundaries of what is acceptable at the PGA level.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, ppine said:

The real story of Norman in a nutshell is that he was different and golf has very narrow boundaries of what is acceptable at the PGA level.

I don't know if that's entirely accurate. Moe did a lot to seclude himself, or to take himself off the Tour, too. It wasn't unilateral.

[danielS]

Dear friends in Golf:

I just want to add my little humble opinion to this BIG discussion thread.  I want to focus on 'One Plane golf swing'.  I am talking about One Plane, i.e. Single Plane. 

I think the idea is a lot makes sense to me, and I actually practiced on this for a while.  It works well.

Please see the picture I attached.  Again, I am not talking about grip and other elements of swing.  Just Plane itself.   

In fact, I am not quite sure the entire golf circles have the same understanding on what the One Plane Swing really is. 

Now, I saw one recent young Pro-golfer, Bryson DeChambeau, is using this one plane swig.  He is very close to One Plane.

I support One Plane golf swing.  I do.

Thanks for being part of great discussion.

[sakinclancy]

On 9/17/2009 at 1:48 AM, Msokol13 said:

I've been doing some research on this man's swing. It makes perfect sense, yet I see no professional golfers doing it....never heard of a pro teaching it locally...what gives?

If it really is all that it is cracked up to be it would make sense to overhaul my swing instead of spening $1k every other year buying the newest technology. All I want to do is hit the ball perfectly straight, down the middle every time.

 

You need to check Graves Golf Academy on the internet.This was founded by Todd Graves, a long-term student of Moe himself. If you want a swing that's simple and easy to reproduce time after time, there are plenty of instructors available to teach you how.

[efdeel74]

Single plane swing on PGA today : Bryson Decambeau

 

Meanwhile, here is my single plane swing (still have to improve here and there) :

 

[iacas]

Still have to work on the leg drive. Very flat footed, and over the top/left.

[Patch]

On 5/1/2016 at 11:49 AM, ppine said:

The real story of Norman in a nutshell is that he was different and golf has very narrow boundaries of what is acceptable at the PGA level.

From everything I read about Norman, you a re hitting closer to home than not about those bounderies.  I read quite a bit about the guy. He was different.

Some discribed him as some what mentally challenged. Those same people also discribed him as a great ball striker. 

The pga did recognize his swing a viable one, with a letter to it's members at the time. They pretty much said it was a legal swing and grip, and others could try it if they wanted. 

I think in today's PGA world, no one knows enough about his swing to really teach it, though some have tried with limited success. 

[Lihu]

7 minutes ago, Patch said:

I think in today's PGA world, no one knows enough about his swing to really teach it, though some have tried with limited success. 

Is there even a reason to learn that swing?

[efdeel74]

12 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Is there even a reason to learn that swing?

What I read from some source on the net, his ball flight straight everytime. 

Some one ask him on tournament : "when last time your shot missed fairway?" Moe Norman answered : "7 years ago".

He doesn't like putting.

 

Today PGA player that closest to Moe Norman swing : Bryson Decambeau

Edited March 2, 2018 by efdeel74

[RussUK]

6 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Is there even a reason to learn that swing?

A lot of golfers struggle with what they regard as the "conventional" swing so try what they think might be a simpler swing. There are a lot of golfers who have had sucess with the "single axis" swing but when you have the likes of Graves golf, Kirk Junge and others all saying they teach the real Moe swing its not suprising there is so much confusion over how Moe really swung.

If it works for them all's good in my book.

[Patch]

12 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Is there even a reason to learn that swing?

Sure there is, especially if the golfer could get the same ball flights that Norman hit. 

1 minute ago, RussUK said:

A lot of golfers struggle with what they regard as the "conventional" swing so try what they think might be a simpler swing. There are a lot of golfers who have had sucess with the "single axis" swing but when you have the likes of Graves golf, Kirk Junge and others all saying they teach the real Moe swing its not suprising there is so much confusion over how Moe really swung.

If it works for them all's good in my book.

I don't think anyone teaches Norman's swing. I think they teach their version, of what "they think" is Norman's swing. 

Norman was a unique ball striker. It's s quite possible his own uniqueness was the biggest reason for his own success. He really did own his own swing. 

[efdeel74]

No body swing the same. even moe norman's, or ben hogan's or tiger wood's swing.....or dual plane or single plane swing, ......no body swing the same way. everyone have their own unique swing.

 

but the main idea......could be the same.

my swing definitely different with Moe's, but the main idea....I think the same: single plane.

Edited March 3, 2018 by efdeel74

[Lihu]

Yeah, everyone is different, but they have 5 things in common when they get it right

[Zeph]

Many ask why nobody use this swing, but doesn't that question answer itself? Golf has been around for a long time now, millions of people play it, some at a professional level with personal coaches. If nobody but Moe (and a few pros) tried this swing and made it work, I would say they aren't using it because it's not what it's all hyped up to be, or has limitations that makes it less viable.

There's a certain amount of doubt about Moe's claims, but even if he actually hit it that well, it doesn't necessarily mean it was because the swing was so good, but more likely because he was really good at hitting it straight.

[RussUK]

21 hours ago, Zeph said:

There's a certain amount of doubt about Moe's claims, but even if he actually hit it that well, it doesn't necessarily mean it was because the swing was so good, but more likely because he was really good at hitting it straight.

Spending the time he wasnt playing golf hitting balls to practice certainly helped. I once read he was htting 500-1000 balls a day. If true thats pretty crazy. HItting that many is bound to ingrain a swing to the point where its almost completely automatic.

[efdeel74]

this is just my opinion..

 

if you can play at least 3 times a week....conventional swing (dual plane) is perfectly good. (note : PGA/Pro player play/train everyday. sure conventional swing is perfect for them, they can shape the ball flight.)

but if someone only play once a month (like me hehe)...or even once in three months, they need more "simpler" swing. (word "simpler" is arguable).

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by efdeel74

[RussUK]

6 hours ago, efdeel74 said:

this is just my opinion..

 

if you can play at least 3 times a week....conventional swing (dual plane) is perfectly good. (note : PGA/Pro player play/train everyday. sure conventional swing is perfect for them, they can shape the ball flight.)

but if someone only play once a month (like me hehe)...or even once in three months, they need more "simpler" swing. (word "simpler" is arguable).

 

I can agree with that. My kids are my priority at the moment so i dont play as often as i'd like but can get to the range every weekend or so with my 4 yr old son so for me simpler is better.

 I personally use Jason Birnbaums "no take away swing". Essentially a modified version of Leadbetters wrist set drill. Works great for me. Its horses for courses really. If you find something that works and a willing to invest the time to nail it down then thats reallt all that matters. The ball doesnt care what your swing looks like.