The Secrets of Golf's Best Ever Ball Striker | Film Study | Golf Digest

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Tiger Woods says only two players have ever “truly owned their swings”, Ben Hogan and Moe Norman. The legend of Moe Norman and his homemade golf swing have fascinated players, coaches and fans since he began breaking records in the 1950s. But what was the secret to his incredible ball striking?

In this Film Study, Luke Kerr-Dineen dives into one of the most unique and successful swings in golf history and explains what amateur golfers can learn it.

Senior Editor: Luke Kerr-Dineen
Director of Content: Jamie Kennedy
Editor: Adam Baranowski
Executive Producer: Christian Iooss
Footage credit: Todd Graves

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Comments

@gallago4640 says:

Shallow fans – eat this ????

@jakemitchell1671 says:

No. Just no. Moe was a savant. His method cannot be taught or learned, just as Beethoven and Einstein can't be taught or learned.

@george.keller says:

this swing has some similarities to Brysons, straightening inline club and arms

@DukeFame88 says:

It's essentially a hockey slap shot. If you were to grip the club , like Mo with the thumbs down the shaft and with more space between hands and swing, it would feel like a slapshot with the face of the hockey stick / club square to the target. I believe Mo simply moved his hands closer together for a golf type "slap shot".

@shrimboi8909 says:

Watch where he lined up his golf club. That's the key to understanding the golf swing. He lined up a foot or more behind the ball. Why? That's where he intend to swing the club. In golf you don' swiong the club in the direction of the intended path. U swing in a direction that will redirect the club toward the intended path as a result of its momentum. There is a gold channel called "Overhand Golf"that will explain it much better. I finally have a more consistnt swing after understanding this fact.

@derekwhyle1884 says:

Just a golfer with an idiosyncratic swing and personality issues. Legend ? I think not.

@zero2herogolf says:

No side spin for two back2back shots! The only player ever recorded to do so. A-mazing!

@z.muhammad5905 says:

Too bad he was Bullied and Teased off of the tour by the ‘so-called’ beloved greats of his day.????????

@randy9573 says:

17 hole in ones

@kylek7748 says:

I had never heard of this guy before and i just started golfing a couple months ago and i was told the way i drive is very weird. Little did i know i lineup and swing very similar to moe Norman and I'm not changing. I lineup far back with a very wide stance just like him i just don't dip down nearly as far as him.

@GeeZeusJnrGTBond63 says:

Imagine if he had the equipment they have today.

@davidparker2563 says:

Moe could hit drive after drive and the tee would not move, after witnessing this one of the spectators would inevitably say "Moe the tee never moves" Noe would always reply " I hit balls not tees"

@blubberbooty says:

I think Moe was on the spectrum.

@part1801 says:

If you look closely, he does start his left hip before his upper body starts. That's key to his good timing also.

@johnathanwetherill456 says:

My golf hero !!

@Coinresearcherant says:

I think the real story behind Moe was him being hit by a car when he was a small boy.
This may have rewired his mind to genius level, which happened to focus on golf, but left him appearing eccentric and 'different,' which has always been taboo in the states, imo. The tour was never going to accept this brilliant but odd legend. The tour's and golf's loss.

@AndrewLane-pm2ro says:

Moe Norman was so good that he was a failure on the US Tour. ????????

@breakthroughwithdr.d says:

moe was amazing but who else cant watch his swing for to long or they will start rethinking their own with his tendencies, which will be disastrous for 99pct of us. lol

@paulgilbert2506 says:

Hot take time:

I think its a popular opinion to say "OMG… Moe was the absolute BEST ball striker EVER" and no one wants to say otherwise or else you look like you dont know what you are talking about. Holding this opinion is like having some special inside knowledge of a golf savant that most people have never heard of… so it makes you one of the special ones "in the club" if you know about him.

Here is the thing: by all accounts his swing did not produce distance… he was a short hitter.

Sorry/not sorry… but you have to hit it long. All the greats hit in long. Maybe you could say that a few were of average length like Byron Nelson… but I challenge you to name a great who was a short hitter.

No matter how "deadly accurate" you are, if you cant it it far, you will not really be competitive with the best.

Its no different than saying that some long driving champion is the best driver ever. Nope. Unless they hit a certain % of fairways at their max distance, they are not in the conversation. Foul balls dont count.

The best ball strikers are a combination of distance and accuracy. Their swings produce power AND consistency. If you have to sacrifice one for the other, you are not in the conversation.

@rowstyles says:

it's a great video, and we love moe—but hogan was the best ball striker, and i'm sure moe himself would agree

@StevenMoney says:

One word, no! By the way you just cannot believe a word Trevino says.

@kevinkeding8937 says:

no. axis golf ai is the perfect swing. improvement to moe and hogans swing.

@nattyboom4444 says:

If he was so good then why wasn’t he on PGA?

@mattpruitt4273 says:

Watch this, then take a lesson with Mike Bender, or watch his content.

@Nate100 says:

Canadian Legend!

@user_1664 says:

Missing the whole point . Watch the hands , especially lead wrist and let the rest follow .
Personally i think mo norman has the most disgusting golf swing ive ever seen and i think anyone not on the same spectrum scale has little to no chance of emulating .

@norfolknwhey4787 says:

He also played before the era of long courses. He would not have come to prominence in the post-Tiger era.

@norfolknwhey4787 says:

Best ball striking, Yes. Best swing, No.
He was great because he practiced so much that it became 100% feel. Being a great ball striker does not mean best swing. Jim Fyrik and Chichi Rodriguez are prime examples of this.

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