The Perception VS Reality of The Real Moe Norman Single Plane Golf Swing

What you see is not always what you get. This is the perception vs reality of the Moe Norman Single Plane Golf Swing.

Moe Norman became a household name in the early nineties sponsored by Natural Golf, a company that promoted a Single-axis golf swing. Natural Golf instruction was based on four swing fundamentals including:

1) The Natural Palm Grip
2) The Wide Stance
3) The Arm & Shaft Single-Axis
4) Facing the Ball at Impact

These Single Plane fundamentals were the first time an instruction company attempted to teach Moe Norman's swing. Many people benefited from these rather basic principles. Even though they were helpful, they were often misinterpreted. Believing there was more to understand about Moe's swing, in 2000 my brother Tim Graves and I decided to evolve the teaching of Moe's swing. Our goal was to develop a clearer definition by quantifying Moe's movement. We figured if we knew exactly what Moe was doing, we could be better at helping others learn it.

We quickly learned that Natural Golf's fundamentals merely scratched the surface of Moe's genius and there were other, very important elements that allowed Moe's swing to be simple and effective at striking a golf ball.

In this video I discuss the often confused perceptions and realities of Moe's golf swing and clarify the details of Natural Golf's fundamentals. Take for example Moe's Grip. While Natural Golf considered it a Palm Grip in actuality it was his tilt that aligned the club correctly with his arm position.

Moe's wide stance, while important, is meant for stability. Moe was wide with the driver and more narrow with other clubs.

The Arm & Shaft single axis describes the alignment of the club an arm however, this must also correctly align with the body as well.

Facing the ball at impact described Moe's position at the moment of the strike. This included the concept that the body was squarely toward the ball at impact, In reality the body is rotated open at impact but it feels like it is square. In actuality Moe accomplished this by keeping the lead knee flexed and trail foot on the ground. The concept of facing the ball at impact caused many people to "slide" the lower body. Again, in reality, Moe's lower body was both rotational and lateral.

In conclusion, Moe Norman's golf swing is the easiest way to strike a ball on the ground with a stick. Becoming clear on the Moe's Single plane fundamentals can help you greatly improve your golf swing and help you lower your scores and have more fun.

#Grip #MoeNorman #SinglePlaneSwing #NaturalGolf #ToddGraves

To order my book, The Single Plane Golf Swing, Play Better Golf the Moe Norman Way, you can go to amazon here:

[jimrothery]

I am one of those people who bought all of the material from natural golf. Your explanation today was excellent thank you you. cleared up things that have been a problem for years.

[toddwmac]

Thanks Todd. Found your channel a few weeks ago when my wife decided to take up golf. I wanted to refresh some fundamentals but after seeing a few of your videos and liking what I heard and saw, I built a driving net in the yard so I could hit daily with you and Mo. I've now pretty much reengineered my swing using your and Mo's mechanics and loving it. I've always had a fast but sometimes inconsistent swing and I realized (thanks to you) that I was just working much harder than needed. Thanks for your commitment to helping more people love this game...I suspect Mo would be proud.

[dochelp]

Your passion is just plain refreshing, Todd!

[natgolfpro]

As a former Natural Golf instructor I felt your pain as far as perception vs reality in teaching that method.  I never had an issue with students palming the grip with their lead hand though as I described it as if looking at the heel pad you wanted to see a babys butt which in turn took it out of their palm and into the fingers.  For me the two key "must have" fundamentals that had to be hit were the body tilt and flexed lead knee as you describe.  Thank you for yet another masterpiece Todd.  I remember looking up to you in those days and I once came to one of your schools in Illinois to observe.

[luckyfamilyman]

Awesome stuff 👍
Mo was obviously the producer of a great swing… incredible ball striker…tournament winner…however, in terms of teaching😱 not so much.. thank God the good Lord put you two together and you were able to siphon through the rhetoric and keep this precious knowledge… I mean in his clinics everybody was trying to nail it down to specifics he would do a lot of fast talki’n, here a little there a little… Reminds me of my grandma when other women would try to nail her down on her recipes 🤣she would give them some of it, but when it came down to it… her vague..here a pinch there a pinch that really made a difference.. people were frustrated trying to make that apple pie like her.. Whether she or Mo intended to do that or not it’s just the reality of how it went down.. The robot in his head doesn’t get to ours..

Bottom line..Absolutely love how you break it down to the reality and close-up show then prove with producing the result.. I love your book Single plane golf swing.. thank you for going deeper with videos and when you sit down going through the book that really helped me
Also, amen on natural golf.. I tried their natural golf always felt like something was missing. I could hit the ball straight most of the time but after watching all your videos over and over what a difference in terms of knowing the specific mechanics you go as deep as anybody could ever want thank God and thank you

Your credibility is so extremely high with me I’m telling everyone about this!

Many thanks again for your wisdom true golf sage!

[michaeleyer]

Todd you have done "so much" for bringing the memory of Moe and the single plane swing to the consciousness of The World of has made my world bigger :-)

[richfromboston]

I started Natural Golf in 2000. I got the Natural Golf clubs, still use them and held the club in my palm. Have corrected my grip since. For some reason the overlap grip feels awkward, so i do 10 finger. I down remember learning about the tilt but because of the wide stance i tilted naturally .. Great video Todd. Almost have my single plane swing down. Was carrying my 7 wood 200 yards and driver 250. THANKS

[kencostello]

Thanks for clearing up the, "Feel vs. Real" phenomenon.
I was into Natural Golf back in the day.
Have the Natural golf 9 iron with the fat even grips.
Love that club.
But my issue was facing the ball at impact and the palm grip which you so accurately demyth.
Had the opportunity to see Moe with Lorne Rubenstein, in Hamilton, at a Senior tour event.
Moe was older at the time but still put on an amazing clinic.
I remember Moe hitting balls out 130 yards and he described his ball flights like an elevator.
He would ask, " What floor of the elevator do you want to see?" The audience would give him a floor number and Moe
would hit the ball right to the target at various heights up- down left- right Moe was always right on his target.
Amazing. Moe was a genius.
I might even have a video of that day.
I will look for it.
Thanks for your videos, they are clear and concise.

[robsaxepga]

I have found that going into the left knee and keeping that left foot flat really helps the bracing or posting on the left side through the ball..great vid Todd. Thanks!

[drsurf]

Todd, thanks as always. I’ve been a Graves student for many years now and have appreciated every minute of it. I started with Natural Golf in 2006. Perhaps it was a bit of a evolution by then but may teacher, Billy Gaines, taught us what I would say was the evolutionary step to the Graves Single Plane swing at the time. Stance width was virtually the same as you teach today. The front foot stayed 5 in in front of the ball and the rear foot changed based on the club. The grip he taught us was similar to today although definitely a 10 finger grip. Regardless I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Moe and Natural Golf. After all I was just trying it because my wife had severe back troubles and it was hoped that NG would allow her to play. I was just there for support but fell in love with the swing. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to my Alumni camp in March!

[jmg]

Hi Todd: I am an alumni who came to your 3 day school in Orlando, FL back in 2007. Single Plane golf has made golf fun over the years. The only issue I have is with my single plane golf swing is wrist hinge. Would love to see a short video devoted to forming the proper hinging in the golf swing. Cheers

[frankgallina]

I took what I learned at home watching the videos over the past 2 weeks, not a lot of time, to the course yesterday and was very pleased with way I hit the ball when all the fundamentals were done correctly. It was the best contact I made in years. However, and again I know it’s early, but I felt like I was over swinging a lot and hit some really bad shots when I did that. I’m looking forward to mastering this swing over the winter months with all the drills...

[latman]

Brilliant lesson! I lost my swing the other day and took a video and realized I was spinning out of my left leg instead of keeping it flexed! Night and day difference!

[jasonbourne]

Brilliant video Todd. I was a student of Natural Golf for a long time but never got it right. Your reality checks make so much more sense and give me renewed enthusiasm for the sing-plane swing. Thanks.

[ronbo]

Great content as always Coach. My chiropractor called wanted to know were Ive been I told him keeping my trail foot down.

[benhogankho]

Dear master Todd G
You are the best teacher of all time history. I bow down to your soul of teaching.
From Australia with all best greeting n successful!
Graves Golf Academy .

[majestixinc]

In one of your videos, Moe said: "I'm turning my right shoulder into the ball" - if you don't rotate your shoulders through the ball, you actually gonna hurt your back; that's why Natural Golf doesn't work. So, yes, proper tilt is crucial. If you stand up too straight, you can't get a flowing motion thru the ball - so, thumbs up ;-)
(Plus impact is very solid when you keep turning through the ball)

[TomSmith-ytce]

Todd so well done - it all ties together- grip lead-arm trail-arm tilt etc - GREAT VIDEO

[papahajek]

It takes a while to get over the surprise when this method begins to work. It's not a guarantee of perfection, but it seems to be a path leading in that direction.

[shug]

Mr. Graves, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Norman in person near where I live (Scenic Woods Golf Club/Hamilton, Ontario). He was almost freakish in how easy he made hitting a ball look. I was much younger then and thought golf was an old person's game. Duuhh....! Not unlike Moe's parents, I grew up in an era when "real men" played hockey, football, boxed, etc.
I took golf up much later and regret that I was so unaware of this incredible, super-challenging sport. I am developing my swing now and find myself hitting quite well some days - almost unconsciously - but then, I can't find "that feeling" again. I golf once a week so perhaps that in-of-itself is not enough?
I'm transitioning into the single-plane swing most recently. When you don't golf well and you add transition, you need to be VERY mentally strong! ;) This sport can beat the best of us up (mentally) on occasion.
I hope to survive these changes because I have lived a colourful past. At 66, my body has many restrictions including a bad back. Here's to a better swing that will contribute to my enjoyment of the game while allowing for a longer period of enjoyment. Thanks for the motivation Sir!