'Pipeline Moe' was a Canadian original
December 23rd, 2010 06:09 AM
As Ken Venturi watched Canadian great Moe Norman driving during a golf tournament, he said “There goes another one, right down the pipeline.” From that line evolved the nickname for the world’s greatest ball striker, “Pipeline” Moe Norman.
Murray “Moe” Irwin Norman may not have been the greatest golfer, but he was the world’s greatest ball striker! Says who? When asked what it was like to own his swing, Tiger Woods responded “The only two people who have ever owned their swings were Ben Hogan and Moe Norman.”
When asked who the greatest ball striker he had ever seen, Vijay Singh said “Moe Norman.” Lee Trevino said of Moe, “I don't know of any player who could strike a golf ball like Moe Norman, as far as hitting it solid, knowing where it is going and knowing what he wants to do with the ball. Moe is a genius when it comes to playing the game of golf.” Tom Watson said, “He may be the most commanding ball striker in the game, ever.” What made Moe’s game so special? Moe didn’t hold the club in his fingers but in his palms. Moe’s Tip: “How does a carpenter hold his hammer? Not in his fingers but in his palms… Golf is a palm game not a fingers game.” His stance was wide for balance and he grounded the club head 30 inches behind the ball at address. Moe’s Tip: “They say to start it low and slow; well, it doesn’t get any lower or slower than this.” At the top of his swing, Moe pulled his left arm through the swing, keeping his hips square to the target line swinging on a single plane axis (the newest fad in golf) and his right foot remained flat on the ground until the swing was almost finished. Moe’s Tip: “Golfers today are in to much of a hurry to jump off their right side.” Rob Letvinchuk of World Beat Golf in Kelowna once asked Moe if club position at the top of the swing was important. Moe said, “That's everything, that’s everything.” He dragged Rob by the waist of his pants to his Cadillac and opened the trunk. In there were various golf shoes. Moe said, “Bought that pair in 1968, that pair in 1971 that pair 1974.” “Tell Moe what do you see, what do you see?” Rob looked at the shoes and said there were no creases in them. “That’s right, you have to set the club at the top and flow with the shot… Look at your shoes, creases because you’re turning and twisting not leading and lagging… Pfft – you’re no pro.”
Moe never excelled on the PGA due to his autistic mannerisms but he won every professional Canadian event except the Canadian Open and was elected into the Golf Hall of Fame in 1995. Pipeline Moe ranked behind only Wayne Gretzky in Canadian-grown talent and in respect by his peers. Moe died Sept. 4, 2004. CNN broke into their broadcasting to announce the news and the BBC ran it as breaking news. TSN thought the Blue Jays were too important to interrupt and the CBC didn’t talk of Moe until late that night. Sad how we often fail to applaud our own, isn’t it?
Moe Norman’s playing record
2 Canadian Amateurs
2 Canadian PGA Championships
3 Manitoba Opens
3 Alberta Opens
1 Quebec Open
1 Atlantic Open
2 Saskatchewan Opens
8 Canadian Senior Championships
3 Ontario Senior Championships
12 Florida Tour Championships
2 Masters Appearances
1 World Cup appearance
41 course records
17 holes in one
Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer living on the North Shore. Cattermole@telus.net
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Dec 07-Jan 08
Murray “Moe” Irwin Norman may not have been the greatest golfer, but he was the world’s greatest ball striker! Says who? When asked what it was like to own his swing, Tiger Woods responded “The only two people who have ever owned their swings were Ben Hogan and Moe Norman.”
When asked who the greatest ball striker he had ever seen, Vijay Singh said “Moe Norman.” Lee Trevino said of Moe, “I don't know of any player who could strike a golf ball like Moe Norman, as far as hitting it solid, knowing where it is going and knowing what he wants to do with the ball. Moe is a genius when it comes to playing the game of golf.” Tom Watson said, “He may be the most commanding ball striker in the game, ever.” What made Moe’s game so special? Moe didn’t hold the club in his fingers but in his palms. Moe’s Tip: “How does a carpenter hold his hammer? Not in his fingers but in his palms… Golf is a palm game not a fingers game.” His stance was wide for balance and he grounded the club head 30 inches behind the ball at address. Moe’s Tip: “They say to start it low and slow; well, it doesn’t get any lower or slower than this.” At the top of his swing, Moe pulled his left arm through the swing, keeping his hips square to the target line swinging on a single plane axis (the newest fad in golf) and his right foot remained flat on the ground until the swing was almost finished. Moe’s Tip: “Golfers today are in to much of a hurry to jump off their right side.” Rob Letvinchuk of World Beat Golf in Kelowna once asked Moe if club position at the top of the swing was important. Moe said, “That's everything, that’s everything.” He dragged Rob by the waist of his pants to his Cadillac and opened the trunk. In there were various golf shoes. Moe said, “Bought that pair in 1968, that pair in 1971 that pair 1974.” “Tell Moe what do you see, what do you see?” Rob looked at the shoes and said there were no creases in them. “That’s right, you have to set the club at the top and flow with the shot… Look at your shoes, creases because you’re turning and twisting not leading and lagging… Pfft – you’re no pro.”
Moe never excelled on the PGA due to his autistic mannerisms but he won every professional Canadian event except the Canadian Open and was elected into the Golf Hall of Fame in 1995. Pipeline Moe ranked behind only Wayne Gretzky in Canadian-grown talent and in respect by his peers. Moe died Sept. 4, 2004. CNN broke into their broadcasting to announce the news and the BBC ran it as breaking news. TSN thought the Blue Jays were too important to interrupt and the CBC didn’t talk of Moe until late that night. Sad how we often fail to applaud our own, isn’t it?
Moe Norman’s playing record
2 Canadian Amateurs
2 Canadian PGA Championships
3 Manitoba Opens
3 Alberta Opens
1 Quebec Open
1 Atlantic Open
2 Saskatchewan Opens
8 Canadian Senior Championships
3 Ontario Senior Championships
12 Florida Tour Championships
2 Masters Appearances
1 World Cup appearance
41 course records
17 holes in one
Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer living on the North Shore. Cattermole@telus.net
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Dec 07-Jan 08
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