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“With the Moe Norman single plane swing, I’ve improved from shooting in the 120’s to the high 70’s!”

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Two-Disc DVD Set:

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Slow Motion footage of Todd Graves swing from multiple angles with Driver and 6 iron

Todd Graves Practice / Coaching Session

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2

SPG Volume 1, Number 1 // 2014

EDITORIAL

Editor // Tim O’Connor

Instruction Editor // Todd Graves

Art Director // Kari O’Neill

Contributing writers // Clay Farnsworth, Tim Graves, Jerry Martin, Dave Predzin,

Scott Renfrow, Dr. Jim Suttie, Trent White

Contributing Photographers // Dale Stroud Jon Vopni

Website // www.moenormangolf.com

Single Plane Golfer is published eight times a year by Graves Golf Academy.

Single-issue price US $4.95; $29 for 12 months $39 for 36 months.

All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Copyright 2014 Graves

Golf Academy. All related inquiries should be di-rected to Tim O’Connor, [email protected]

or 519.341.4778. Single Plane Golfer is a registered trademark of Graves Golf Academy.

Printed in the United States.

For subscriptions or address changes or adjustments, call 405.308.4503.

Address all editorial correspondence to [email protected]. Single Plane Golfer

does not accept unsolicited submissions.

BUSINESS

Publisher // Chad Edwards [email protected]

Associate Publisher // Todd Graves [email protected]

Director of Sales // Shawn Linfoot 918.260.8347

[email protected]

Sales Office tri 3 media

209 S. Alliance Court Oklahoma City, OK

73128

405.308.4503 www.tri3media.com

Published by Graves Golf Academy 12716 Cobblestone Parkway

Oklahoma City, OK 73142

Toll free inside U.S: 866.377.2316 Outside U.S.: 405.562.9225

www.moenormangolf.com

Instruction

12 The Four Cs of a great short game. By Tim Graves

14 The Seven Principles of scratch golf. By Todd Graves

18 Why the Single Plane Swing is easier to learn than the Conventional Swing. By Todd Graves

27 To go, or no go. By Clay Farnsworth

30 SPG Performance: Better thinking for better results. By Dave Predzin

32 SPG Fitness: Mastering the transition. By Trent White

Columns

6 Todd Graves // Another dream come true– SPG magazine.

8 Tim O’Connor // A journalist’s journey from Moe Norman to Todd Graves.

20 Dr. Jim Suttie // Moe may have looked strange, but his golf was beautiful.

Features

22 Carrying on the legacy of Moe Norman, the world’s greatest ball-striker. By Todd Graves

26 The Ideal Student: How John Olson went from a 22-handicap to a 5. By Tim O’Connor

33 Memories of Moe: Mickey Rooney and the Artificial Swings incident. By Tim O’Connor

34 FAQs: When you’re an industry maverick, you get questions. By Todd Graves

Departments

10 Schools: Improve your game at one of our schools and when you get home. By Scott Renfrow

16 Equipment: The ABT ensures proper alignment and ball position. By Clay Farnsworth

30 Clubfitting: Ensuring your clubs fit you and your SPS swing. By Tim Graves

CONTENTS

Cover photography and concept: Dale StroudCover design: Kari O’Neill

THE SINGLE PLANE GOLF SWING

Play Better Golf the Moe Norman Wayby Todd Graves with Tim O’Connor

Pre-Order Today

The two greatest ball-strikers I have ever seen are Moe Norman and Todd Graves. This book is your

opportunity to learn Moe Norman’s Single Plane Golf Swing from its greatest living practitioner and teacher.

- Rick Carlisle (Head Coach, Dallas Mavericks)

NEW

(Over 200 pages of instruction)

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866 377 2316 | MoeNormanGolf.com

I’M A DIGITAL GUY. I HAVE AN IPHONE AND AN IPAD, a Mac laptop and a couple of Mac desktops, all which I use almost exclusively for work.

But when I want to relax and read, there’s nothing better than sinking into my couch with a great golf magazine with beautiful color photographs, well-written articles and attractive layout. Magazines are a timely blend of information and art.

For golf instruction specifically, I believe magazines are a wonderful way to help people learn. There is some-thing about being able to carry instruction with you, review it as a reference and save it for years.

If you have recently become interested in—or a convert to—Moe Norman’s Single Plane Swing, you may not remember Natural Golfer Magazine. The magazine ceased publication in 2008, but many former readers have told me how much they enjoyed it, especially the instruction articles.

Since purchasing the Natural Golf company two years ago, I dreamed about re-establishing the magazine.

That’s why I’m excited to welcome you to the debut issue of Single Plane Golfer.

To me, a great looking magazine is an artful and beautiful way to tell more people about Moe Norman, his Single Plane Swing and provide helpful instruction.

Since 2000, Graves Golf Academy has taught more than 5,000 stu-dents in our golf schools—and thousands more in individual lessons. Fans of the Single Plane Swing are hungry for information on the SPS, having purchased more than 250,000 of our DVDs and thou-sands of our training devices.

Our webinars are very popular; we never have enough time to answer everyone’s questions. We recently expanded into China where Moe’s swing has been called “the future of golf.”

But I don’t attribute our growth completely to our marketing ef-forts, running great golf schools and offering effective products that make a difference in helping golfers learn the SPS swing.

I believe that Moe’s legacy is simply the truth, doing what truth always does, finding its way into the hearts of golfers looking for hope.

Through the Graves Golf Academy, I am extremely proud to carry on and enhance Moe’s legacy, which is discussed in greater detail in our debut issue.

We’re excited to launch Single Plane Golfer, a new magazine that provides us with yet an-other way to share Moe’s story and his revolutionary swing in a tried and true format.

I hope you enjoy it. Please let us know what you think and what you’d like to see in the magazine.

Todd Graves [email protected]

6SPG Premier Issue // singleplanegolfer.com

Welcome to Single Plane Golfer Magazine

SPG VOICES TODD GRAVES Graves Golf Academy

Co-founder

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AFTER MY BIOGRAPHY OF Moe Norman was published in 1995, I was often asked: How did you get to know Moe?

After all, Moe was quirky and excruciatingly shy. He spoke to only a few journalists through his long career.

The only way to speak to Moe was to be introduced by someone within his small group of trusted friends. I was fortu-nate that Ontario golf profes-sional Mark Evershed put in a good word, telling him that I was a journalist who knew golf and could be trusted.

The three of us played that afternoon at now-closed Royal Oak Golf Club in Florida and it was one of the most amazing rounds of my life. I went on to

write newspaper columns and magazine stories on Moe, and ultimately wrote The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story. Along the way, I’ve written and ed-ited other golf books and magazines, and edited enough golf instruction articles to make me a scratch—in my head at least.

With my history and as an avid player, I am excited to be the editor of Single Plane Golfer, a monthly magazine that is making its debut with this issue. It will also be available in digital form so you can access it on your laptop and mobile media.

I’ve always loved magazines; the combination of terrific writing, inventive layout and great photography allows passionate readers to delve deep into the culture of their passions, whatever the subject.

Along with Associate Publish-er Todd Graves, co-founder of Graves Golf Academy (GGA), we are committed to bringing you compelling content unique to the culture of the Single Plane Golfer, including instruc-tion, commentary by interesting people such as Dr. Jim Suttie, timely information on GGA programs, products and events.

We will deliver an exciting array of articles written by the respected instructors of GGA that will satisfy your hunger for instructional information that covers the full spectrum of the game.

Todd and I are also putting the finishing touches on The Single Plane Golf Swing: Play Better Golf The Moe Norman Way, a 200-plus-page instruc-tion book that will provide readers with the most in-depth exploration ever written for golfers who want to master the Single Plane Swing created by Moe Norman, the greatest ball-striker in the history of golf.

These are exciting times for the Single Plane Golfer.

I look forward to serving you as editor and urge you to tell us what you think and what you’d like to see in the magazine.

Tim O’Connor [email protected]

Devoted to the unique golf culture created by Moe Norman

Single Plane Golfer:

SPG VOICESTIM O’CONNOR

Single Plane Golfer Editor

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IF YOU’RE GOING TO INVEST YOUR TIME AND MONEY in attending a golf school, you’d be wise to check if you’ll actually improve in the months and years following.

The ROI on Graves Golf Academy is exceptional because we make a difference.

At a GGA school, you don’t hit thousands of balls until your hands blister, or play much golf. Instead, you will follow an approach unique to the instruction industry in which you will learn the swing created by the one-and-only Moe Norman.

With Moe as the model for the Single Plane Swing, you will learn the correct movements and feelings of the SPS, and take advantage of proprietary GGA training devices that make it easy to learn, improve and main-tain your SPS.

Here is what you can expect to learn and feel during your GGA Golf School Experience:

THE 1 & 2 DAY SINGLE PLANE EXPERIENCEEach student receives hands-on, one-on-one instruc-

tion in each fundamental of the SPS, and the core fun-damentals of putting, chipping, and the wedge game.

Students are measured for a full Single Plane club fitting.

GGA PREMIER SCHOOLSOffered in three- or five-day

formats, each Premier school is a full immersion into Single Plane theory and fundamentals of the entire game. Under the leadership of a highly experi-enced teaching staff, each stu-dent in a Premier school learns each aspect of the SPS. Students are individually coached on each aspect of the game and taught how to develop an indi-vidual improvement plan.

Premier schools also include personal video coaching and swing analysis, custom set makeup and club fitting for the Single Plane Swing, as well as Q&A classroom sessions and training on the range and prac-tice greens.

We teach the Single Plane Swing, but the needs of individ-ual golfers are the primary focus of every GGA school experience.

Transform your game at a GGA Golf School, and keep improving when you get home.

For more information about the GGA School Experience, or to book your Experience today, please call 866.377.2316 (in-side the US) or 405.562.9225 (outside the US). Visit www.moenormangolf.com/schools for in-depth information on schools, locations and dates. Or send an email to [email protected]

SPG SCHOOLS SCOTT RENFROW GGA Director

Schools Programs

Transform your game at a GGA Golf School

Photography: Dale Stroud

Eagle Creek Golf Club - www.eaglecreekgolf.info - 407-273-4653Redtail Golf Club - www.redtailgc.com -352-383-2700Stonegate at Solivita - www.stonegategolf.com - 863-427-7150Stoneybrook West Golf Club - www.golfsbw.com - 407-877-8533Legends Golf Club - www.legendsgolforlando.com - 352-243-1118Kings Ridge Golf Club - www.kingsridgegc.com - 352-242-4653The Golden Bear Club - www.thegoldenbearclub.com - 407-876-5775

SPG INSTRUCTION // SHORT GAME TIM GRAVES Co-founder

Graves Golf Academy

IF YOU COMPARE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE range to the number of people around the practice green at any time, there’s only one conclusion: the long game is the key to scoring.

Well, you would be dead wrong. (Many golfers like to hit full shots more than short ones, but we’re taking the per-spective that you’re reading SPG because you are a serious golfer who wants to score better.)

Consider that the difference between a 30-handicap golfer and a scratch golfer (0 handicap) is 7 to 10 full shots (shots over 50 yards). The difference is 20 to 23 shots for shots un-

der 50 yards. Therefore, the best a 30-handicap golfer who works solely on the long game will ever reach is a 20-handicap.

The difference between a 15-handicap and a scratch is three to five full shots, but 10 to 12 short shots. In other words, a 15 wanting to reach scratch, but only works on the long game, will never improve beyond a 10.

Consider that no pro-fessional, not even Tiger Woods, has an advantage in the short game over yours. Having a great short game has nothing to do with strength or athletic ability. Many 10 or 12 year olds are great around the greens and they may be only 75 pounds soaking wet.

The short game relies more on finesse and feel than strength. Developing a great short game comes from practicing the correct fundamentals and applying those fundamentals at the right time. All golfers are capable of developing a sol-id short game, which is the key to better scores.

The Four Cs of an


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CREATIVITY When you are confronted with a short shot, the first thing to do is create it. At our schools, we place a ball near a green and ask the group to name five different ways to play the shot. Most can name two or three ways only.

Consider a shot 20 to 25 yards off the green with minimal rough between the ball and the hole.

You could:

Pitch the shot to the hole.

Chip the shot into the fringe around the green and roll it to the hole.

Putt through the entire rough and fringe.

Hit a flop shot all the way to the hole.

Hit a 3-wood chip with overspin that rolls to the hole.

Being creative allows you to consider the conditions and your options. Nevertheless, here’s a good rule of thumb: Putt when you can, chip when you can’t putt, pitch when you have to.

COMMITMENTOnce you have created the shot, you must commit to the shot that has the lowest risk for error for you. If you excel at pitching the ball and believe you can get it close, pitch it. Don’t hit a particu-lar shot just because the pros on TV hit it that way. Only hit shots that you can hit with confidence.

CONFIDENCEAfter you have created a shot and committed to it, you must play the shot with confidence. As you settle over the shot, tell yourself that you will hit it close or hole it, then pick your spot to land the ball, use good funda-mentals and hit the shot with 100 percent confidence.

If you don’t feel confident over the shot, back off and commit to something different or take a couple of practice strokes until you regain your confidence. If you make an “average stroke” with confidence, it will always be better than a “good stroke” without.

CRITIQUECritique each short game shot after hitting it. After your round, evaluate all of your short game shots by category. If, for ex-ample, you hit four chips but hit only one close, rather than saying “I can’t chip,” you have evidence that you need to prac-tice chipping.

I believe that everyone can have a short game that’s as good or better than any professional. The Four Cs—Creativity, Commit-ment, Confidence and Critiqu-ing—will help get you there.

It’s crucial, however, that you learn the proper fundamentals and practice them.

In coming issues, I will address technique, approaches to the short game and strategy.

Tim Graves is a PGA of America member.

For more short-game instruc-tion, check out our Single Plane Solutions Short Game DVD series and volumes #3 and #4 of the Seven Principles DVD series. All DVDs are available at moenormangolf.org

There are four key components, or what I call the Four Cs, to becoming great around the greens:

Effective Short GameDon’t neglect your short game if you want to shoot lower scores

1

2

3

4

5



1 BALL-STRIKING: Develop a sound, repeatable swing of ease based on Moe Norman’s swing

2 DEVELOP AN EFFICIENT SHORT GAME (50 percent up and down)

3 BECOME A GOOD PUTTER (under 30 putts per round)

4 Buy or build clubs that FIT your game

5 COURSE MANAGEMENT: Learn to play on the course using developed skills

6 Learn how to PRACTICE efficiently

7 Learn how to THINK on the course

WHEN YOU WATCH COVERAGE OF THE PGA OR LPGA tours on TV, you’ll often hear the announcers say the top players are among the best in the world in one or two parts of the game.

That may be true, but whether you’re talking about a tour player or a scratch amateur, a great golfer excels in seven areas of the game.

As a former tour player and as an instructor for more than 15 years, I’ve determined there are Seven Principles of golf mastery.

SPG INSTRUCTION TODD GRAVES Graves Golf Academy

Co-founder

To get to golf heaven, you have to master all seven

Get a Single Plane Lesson TODAY!

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Furthermore, there are fundamental “definites” in each of the Seven Principles. For example, the hands are ahead of the ball at impact is a “definite” of the short game, and the mind is always focused on the present is a definite of the mental game.

There are definites in each principle and simple ways to learn and execute each one. The golfer aspiring for greatness is focused on mastering all of the definites.

In each month of SPG magazine, we will examine each of the Seven Principles to help you become a highly skilled Single Plane Golfer.Next month: Ball-striking.

To learn more about the principles and to order the seven-hour, six-volume DVD series The Seven Principles of Golf Improvement, visit www.moenormangolf.com/store.

The Seven Principles of Golf (SPOG) is distinctively differ-ent than a handicap, which many people mistakenly believe is an accurate indicator of your skill level. Golf is a multifac-eted game. Professional golfers and highly skilled amateurs know that becoming a good player involves a lot more than a lower handicap.

Skilled golfers never ask each other their handicaps. They ask about specific elements of their games, such as driving, putting, sand saves, pre-shot routine, and so on—the com-ponent parts that comprise the Seven Principles of Golf.

The Seven Principles of Golf are the foundation of your game. By breaking golf down into these parts, it becomes easy to evaluate each element of your game and determine where you need to do some work.

You might be strong in some of these principles, but to be a truly great player you need to nail all seven.

Just as a weak part of your body is susceptible to disease, the same is true for unhealthy parts of your game. By using SPOG, you can build fundamental strengths in your game and keep it healthy.


IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU CANNOT LAUNCH a rocket without a launching pad, you cannot con-sistently hit great golf shots without a fundamentally sound address position.

The address includes critical elements such as ball posi-tion and alignment, which are the most common source of problems when you struggle. They are easy to fix but you need an accurate practice and reference tool.

To help you learn and maintain these important fundamentals, the GGA Alignment and Ball Position Trainer (ABT) is made expressly for the unique elements of the Single Plane Swing.

With the ABT, you can achieve Moe Norman’s stance width with every club in your bag, set yourself up the ideal distance from the ball, and establish the optimal ball position with your woods and irons.

Standard alignment sticks are OK, but the ABT does so much more. It shows you the ideal fundamentals of the Single Plane Swing address position, including:

for every club

for each club

and radius

ball position, stance width and foot position

SPG EQUIPMENT CLAY FARNSWORTH GGA Master Instructor

GGA Online Coach

Position yourself for excellence with ABT training tool

The Alignment and Ball-Position Trainer (ABT) is designed to correctly align the

feet, placing the ball in the correct position for each club based on the

ideal stance width.

Get your own Alignment & Ball Position Trainer

Call 1-800-528-1663

Or order online at www.MoeNormanGolf.com/offers/spg-abt

By practicing with the ABT, you will never have to guess or approximate ball position again. DBP in-dicates driver ball position, Zone indicates the ideal placement for hybrids and fairway woods, and IBP indicates the position for iron shots (and most clubs in your bag). The ABT also shows you the ideal trail foot placement for every club.

The shape of the ABT shows you how to establish a slightly open stance for short irons, a square stance for mid-irons, and a slightly closed stance for longer clubs.

The ABT solves one of golf’s greatest problems: practicing with a lack of precision, especially for foot and ball position, as well as alignment. If your practice

sessions are flawed, your chances of playing well are greatly reduced.

“When you struggle with your game, the first place to check is ball position and alignment,” says Todd Graves, Co-founder of the Graves Golf Academy. “By practicing with the ABT, you will have confidence that your stance and alignment are perfect. This leads to consistency on the course.”

To learn more about the ABT and to order, visit www.moenormangolf.com/offers/spg-abt

“Without a good set-up, you’ve got nothing.”Moe Norman


MOST GOLF PROFESSIONALS URGE THEIR STUDENTS to let their arms hang, bend at the waist, stick their butt out, bend their knees and “feel like an athlete” at the ball (Picture 1).

Perhaps I’m a heretic, but what conventional golf calls the athletic starting position, I call The One Mistake.

The hang-your-arms-below-your-shoulders creed is the foundation of the two-plane swing. I believe it is a structur-al and anatomical flaw that complicates the task of striking a golf ball.

I am convinced The One Mistake is the major reason that most conventional golfers are frustrated in their at-tempts to improve.

If the arms hang down at address, the club shaft starts off on a lower plane than the impact plane. To strike the ball, the club must move up to the higher impact plane.

This change in swing plane from lower to upper is why the conventional swing is called a two-plane swing. Namely, the club goes away from address on the backswing on one plane, and returns to impact on the downswing on a higher plane (Picture 2).

Hanging the arms below the shoulders also creates a spa-tial problem for the two-plane golfer. At address and during the swing, his body is too close to the ball to allow the club

and trail arm to naturally align at impact. For the club shaft to move upwards to strike the ball, the body must move out of the way.

This movement from a lower shaft plane to a higher impact plane is a tricky one. The body must make numer-ous adjustments, including straightening the lead leg, rotating the lead hip, raising the spine upward, and lifting the trail foot.

The complexity of the traditional swing is the main reason that the majority of amateur golfers struggle with consistency in their ball-striking. Furthermore, to master the timing of all these movements requires hours of practice.

Avoid The One Mistake The Case for the Single Plane Swing

SPG INSTRUCTION TODD GRAVES Graves Golf Academy

Co-founder

SPG Premier Issue // singleplanegolfer.com

Excerpted from the forthcoming book by Todd Graves and Tim O’Connor that provides the most indepth-instruction ever assembled to teach you the Single Plane Swing. Featuring more than 320 color photos and compelling ar-chival photography of Moe Norman, the book also tells Moe’s life story and how he taught Todd Graves the Single Plane Swing and changed his life. Watch www.moenormangolf.com for more information on the book and how you can get your copy.

19

IF I WERE DESIGNING A GOLF MACHINE, I WOULD ELIMINATE all unnecessary movement to make it as precise and powerful as possible.

At address with his straight legs and arms, and the club shaft pointing at his mid-spine, Moe Norman secured a position of considerably less variation (Picture 3). And with his arms and legs straight at address, he eliminated the need to change his spine position from address to impact.

At address, Moe established the optimal amount of space between his body and the ball. He could reach impact without lifting his body (Picture 4).

Moe created his Single Plane Swing at address. He achieved this mainly by placing his hands and arms on the same plane as his club at address. If you drew a line along Moe’s club shaft,

it would intersect at the same point in his back both at address and impact. The only way to do that is to swing on a single plane.

Those are the key principles of the swing that belonged to the man known as the best ball-striker in the history of golf.

Come on over to the side of the Single Plane Golfer. We may be heretics, but we believe the success of our students proves our case for us.

SINGLE PLANE SWING

3 4Single Plane Swing Address Position Single Plane Swing at Impact

CONVENTIONAL SWING

Two Planes

1 2Conventional Address Position Conventional Swing at Impact

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ONE OF GOLF’S MOST RESPECTED INSTRUCTORS, Jim (Doc) Suttie would meet annually with Moe to talk about life and the golf swing. In summer, he works out of Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville, Illinois, and in winter at TwinEagles Country Club in Naples, Florida.

Most golfers equate great ball flight with a swing that looks good. But there are only two things that are im-portant about the swing: (1) Does it produce the required distance and direction control and (2) Does it repeat?

Although Moe Norman’s swing looked quirky, it fulfilled the requirements of distance and directional control and he could constantly repeat it.

There are many ways to swing a golf club. For example,

Fred Couples, or you can aim right and swing left like Sam Snead. You can swing high and make a figure eight like Jim Furyk. Or swing low and come down steeply like Matt Kuchar. All these swings are efficient and unique.

Among the great ball-strikers, however, no one’s swing was as unique and efficient as Moe’s. But just because a swing looks funny doesn’t mean it’s a bad swing. A good swing is based on linkage and timing—not on perfect positions. I define linkage as proper sequential movement of the body and club.

Moe did not care that he addressed the ball differently as long as it produced results. For example, he put the club 20 inches behind the ball.

When I asked him why he addressed the ball this way, he would say, “I don’t need that part of the backswing and I am already into my turn.” His Single Plane Swing was years ahead of his time.

When I asked him about his swing, he often said, “I’m the only golfer alive that has the feeling of greatness.” If you heard the sound of the ball coming off his clubface, you believed him. Moe compressed every ball he hit.

If you are looking for pretty,

and Moe Norman are not your models, even though they were the best ball-strikers in the his-tory of golf.

You can enjoy more of Dr. Suttie’s fascinating insights on Moe and watch rare video of Moe holding a clinic for Suttie in 1992 on The Moe Norman Notebook, a new three-disc DVD.

Moe proved that pretty swings don’t mean a thingDr. Suttie featured in The Moe Norman Notebook DVD

SPG PERSPECTIVES DR. JIM SUTTIE SPG Voices

The never-before-released video: The Lost Lessons of Moe Norman

The never-before-released video: Todd’s Practice Notes!

The Best of Moe Clinic Series

FREE BONUS: Video Coaching And Swing Analysis

www.MoeNormanGolf.com/offers/spg-notebook

Never-before-released vintage video shows legendary golf genius Moe Norman teaching his closely-guarded secrets to owning the picture perfect swing he called “The Feeling of Greatness”

Moe Norman’s: Swing Secrets FROM A LEGEND

The Lost Golf Lessons Of “Pipeline Moe”

Full ONE YEAR, 100% Zero RiskMoney-Back Guarantee!

You get…Own a vintage, never-before-seen

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Moe Norman Notebook!


SPG LEGACY TODD GRAVES Graves Golf Academy

Co-founder

The legacy of a man who discovered a superior golf swing

THE FORTUNATE FOLKS WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF watching Moe Norman strike a golf ball knew they were expe-riencing something special.

The best players in the world admired Moe for his amazing ball-striking ability and for being one of the greatest charac-ters in the game. Yet, because of Moe’s personality, I believe the golf world missed what will be Moe’s real legacy and con-tribution to the game of golf—the truth.

The first time I saw Moe hit balls was in 1994 at a small driv-ing range in Chicago. It was a critical moment in my golf career. It was particularly meaningful because I’d spent the previous three years trying to learn from the best teachers in the game. But I was getting worse—to the point I considered quitting.

What I witnessed that day was a swing that made it easier to hit a golf ball and the man who mastered it. I became deter-mined to learn his swing. It took me two years, but I became

It takes time, effort and dedication to acquiring skills and the precise technique of a golf swing, even for a swing that’s simpler than the conventional. “All talents must be earned,” says Dan Coyle, author of The Talent Code series of books.

However, I believe that learning to strike a golf ball is far

easier with Moe’s mechanics, mostly because there are fewer moving parts and they are not complicated.

Since my brother Tim and I started the Graves Golf Acad-emy in 2000 to teach Moe’s swing, and through the dedi-cation and effort of our stu-dents, we have been proving the superiority of Moe’s Single Plane Swing.

We’ve taught more than 5,000 students in our golf schools and sold more than 250,000 instructional DVDs. More than 250,000 people have received instructional in-formation from our websites.

Over 14 years, we have helped thousands of golfers play better golf, including


Todd Graves and M

oe in Pinehurst, N

orth Carolina in 2

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many people who were close to giving up on golf. We teach a lot of disheartened players who are so frustrated they are ready to quit this infernal game. The greatest joy that I experience in teaching comes when I help these golfers turn their games around.

It’s also been our privilege to protect and enhance the legacy of Moe Norman, who became a minor celebrity and cult figure in golf in the last decade of his life.

We have been able to make golf fun again for people with a swing that’s significantly different from what they tried before. Moe made a radical discovery when he earned his swing. Truth often defies tradition. Iconoclasts such as Moe are often branded as misfits or mavericks. It’s the price paid for taking the road less traveled.

Single Plane Golfers are sometimes ostracized for “looking weird” as they set up in Moe’s address posi-tion, placing the club eight inches behind the ball with their arms and

legs straight. When I learned Moe’s swing, I was still playing on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour in 1995. I was often teased on driving ranges by my col-leagues. But nothing could dissuade me from Moe’s swing. “Stay with it” Moe would say when he hit balls for me at one event. Even when I struggled and was learning, I believed fervently that Moe’s swing was superior. My secret weapon was belief.

Belief keeps you going when things become diffi-cult. Without belief, it is easy to become disheartened and quit. Belief makes you look forward to another day on the golf course. Belief keeps you on the range for an extra hour and makes you late for dinner.

What I saw in Moe’s swing with his arms stretched out and wide stance wasn’t weird. I saw an intuitive genius with pure golf swing mechanics.

More importantly, I saw hope. I had finally wit-nessed the truth that I was so desperately seeking during years of trying to master the conventional golf swing. I finally had the answer to the question, “What is the easiest way to swing the club?”

Although it was 20 years ago, I recall the day that I first met Moe like it was yesterday. That day changed my life.

And I believe that once you get past the zany Moe stories, you will come to appreciate—as I did—that Moe found the truth about the golf swing.

It is this conviction that drives everything that our instructors do at the Graves Golf Academy. We are dedicated to sharing the legacy of Moe Norman to make golf more enjoyable and enriching for all golfers, both present and future.

What I saw in Moe’s swing with his arms stretched out and wide stance wasn’t weird. I saw an intuitive genius with pure golf swing mechanics.

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BEFORE TODD Graves reveals the secret to playing great golf at GGA schools, he always tells his students: “I know you won’t do this.

“Don’t play golf for six months.”John Olson of Minneapolis-Saint Paul did. For-

merly, a 20+ handicapper, John went through such a radical transformation that Todd honored him with the ultimate teacher’s compliment, naming him The Ideal Student.

John’s tale began in 2003 when he attended a Graves Golf Academy school in Wisconsin and then another in the fall of 2005 in Indiana. Tim and Todd created a program expressly for John, a business pro-fessor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He was 42 at the time.

With winter approaching, John’s golf was going to be restricted to his basement. The program recom-mended John work daily on his grip and set-up and perform a series of drills.

He diligently followed the program, but he didn’t swing golf clubs. (His clubs were in storage due to a move.) Instead, he used a lead pipe. “I got desperate and actually started to video myself swinging (the) pipe,” John wrote Tim in an email. “The funny thing is the pipe was always on plane.”

In the spring, John got his clubs and started to play. Even though he had not hit a ball for more than six

months, the results startled him. “When I went into the winter I was hitting a slice,” John wrote. “Now the winter is over and I can’t slice the ball at all. In fact, if I miss a shot, I hit a small hook”.

During the season, John continued to work on his fundamentals but also on his short game, and he saw some major improvement.

John began mailing vid-eotapes—this was the VHS era—for Tim and Todd to review. They’d send each tape back with only one suggestion. John focused on the one thing for a month at a time.

“I really started to learn,” John said.

Over a year, his 19.3 index dipped to 5.0. His driver swing speed went from 106 to 118 MPH because, John said, “I am on plane and I maintain my leverage.

“I rarely shoot over 80 now on tough courses and I have really started to enjoy the short game because I know the long game is good,” said John, who has gone up to 8.4. He’s now got two young children and plays only nine holes once a week.

What’s the No. 1 thing that John learned about improve-ment? “When you are work-ing on your swing, don’t care about ball flight.”

John sloughs off the sug-gestion he is an ideal student. Rather, he believes his exam-ple follows a business princi-ple: work hard and smart and you’ll reap the dividends.

THE IDEAL STUDENTJohn Olson:

SPG PROFILETIM O’CONNOR


Photography: Chris Doman

ALL GOLFERS FACE THIS SCENARIO. You’ve got a great score going and you hit a good tee ball on a par 5. Now you have a choice to make: Do you try to hit the green in two so you have a shot at going even lower? Or do you layup to reduce your chances of making a big number?

To go or not to go, that is the question.There are a number of factors to consider in making your

decision. The key is to first step back and analyze the situa-tion. In other words, take your emotions out of the equation about whether you are a daredevil or a mouse. You want to base your decision on solid information.

Good course management dictates that you assess every-thing prior to selecting the appropriate club. First, look at the lie of the ball. Can I get a club on the back of the ball cleanly? If not, NO GO!

Next, assess what lies between you and the pin. If there are no hazards between you and the hole, then GO. If there is a hazard such as a bunker or water that you are not confi-dent you can carry, NO GO.

Next, assess what the wind is doing. If it’s helping, you might GO. If not, NO GO.

If you’ve decided to layup, this shot requires lots of thought as well. Always choose a club that will leave you with the simplest and most direct approach to the target for your third shot. It’s always a good idea to leave yourself a favorite yardage with a club that gives you confidence.

What’s the most important part of determining GO or NO GO? Keeping your ego out of your thought process.

Clay Farnsworth is a PGA of America member. For instruction with Clay in the Orlando, Florida area, call 866-377-2316.

To Go or Not to Go

SPG INSTRUCTION Course Management

CLAY FARNSWORTH GGA Master Instructor

GGA Online Coach


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WITHOUT PROPERLY FITTED CLUBS, YOU WILL struggle to become an effective Single Plane Golfer. You could become the ideal student, but you’d never become a great ball-striker. Graves Golf Academy clubfitting ex-perts check these elements to ensure your clubs fit your Single Plane Swing (SPS):

LENGTH: With fitted clubs, you will stand the proper distance from the ball (26 inches from the ball to the toe line) and have the ideal spine tilt (for example, a 45-de-gree bend at the waist with a 6-iron). This also sets your arms in the proper address position.

LIE ANGLE: In the ideal SPS address position, the lead-ing edge of an iron sits flat on the ground. The correct lie angle allows the club to cut squarely through the turf at impact, while an improper lie angle causes the heel or toe to dig, sending the ball off-line.

SHAFT FLEX: Most golfers play shafts that are too stiff for their strength and swing speed, and subsequently their ball flight is too low. They also try to lift their shots to add height, and commonly cast the club and top the ball. The more flexible the shaft, the higher the ball will fly.

GRIP SIZE: Proper grip size allows you to fully release and maximize your distance with each club. With a grip that’s the wrong size, you will tend to grip it tightly and reduce your leverage angles. (The markings on a GGA Moe Grip allow you to grip the club exactly like Moe every time.)

LOFT: The standard difference in loft between irons

driver, fairway woods, hybrids and wedges. With the wrong lofts, you may hit the ball too high or too low and lose distance. To optimize scoring, your wedges should have even gaps of loft between them.

SET MAKE-UP: This is individual for each golfer, de-pending on swing speed, divot pattern, physical condi-tion, a preference for feel versus forgiveness, and ability.

Graves Golf Academy has custom-fitting programs with most major golf manufacturers that allow us to offer equipment at reduced rates for our customers. Please email your questions or comments to [email protected].


We guarantee to meet or beat the lowest prices in the industry.

All clubs will be t to your Single lane swing speci cations, including

GGA Specialized Moe Norman Grips to your individual hand size at NO additional cost

Each club order comes from the manufacturer custom t’ straight to your door

o sales ta if you live outside of the state of Oklahoma

We cover shipping charges (within U.S.)

To order clubs, or discuss tting options for your swing, contact Tim Graves

direct by email at [email protected] or

[email protected]

GGA IS PROUD TO OFFER THESE BRANDS:

SPECIAL GGA PRICING ON ALL BRANDS

GGA ensures you are fit for the tee

The Idea Complete Set is everything you need for the course, now with Adam’s patented and game-enhancing slot technology going through the set. Everything from the easy to hit driver and fairway woods to the hybrids, irons, wedges – this set will make the game more fun and enjoyable for you. Topped off with a Yes! putter, featuring C-Groove Technology.

This set will be customized for your single plane swing for length, lie angle, shaft e , grip size (our GGA grips) at no additional cost.

(At this time, this complete set is only available to be customized in the Senior (A) and Ladies Flex)

Set includes:

Cost of this complete set:

Save time! Call:1-866-377-2316

2014 Adams Idea Package Set

Idea DriverIdea 3 Fairway woodIdea 5 Fairway woodIdea 4 HybridIdea 5 HybridIdea 6 Hybrid / IronIdea 7 Hybrid / Iron

Idea 8 IronIdea 9 IronIdea itching WedgeIdea Sand WedgeYes! utterAdams Golf Bag

(Ladies set will have 7 fairway wood instead of 4 hybrid and comes in Blackberry or Almond color)

(If you purchased components separately, would cost you well over $1,500).

$899

Order online at www.MoeNormanGolf.com/clubs/club-specials

THE MAJORITY OF GOLFERS STRUGGLE WITH neg-ative thinking on the course. They worry, for example, about hitting the ball in the water or missing short putts—and that’s exactly what happens.

One of the most common pieces of advice given to golfers to combat this tendency to over-think is: get out of your own way. That is, just turn off your brain. But it’s not that easy. Most golfers must learn to use their minds on the course. It’s a skill just like other parts of golf.

In this series of articles, we will provide you with tools to use your mind on the golf course to help you play better golf and overcome common problems such as negative thinking.

Faced with water, most amateurs will think something such as ‘please don’t let me hit it in the water.’ However, the parts of your brain that execute motor skills such as golf don’t respond to language. They respond to images. If you are thinking about the water, your brain directs your body to hit the ball in the water.

One of the most powerful tools for improving mental performance is visualization. In other words, using your brain’s ability to respond positively to images.

Try this exercise: go to the practice putting green and place a ball about two to four feet away from the hole.

Go through your normal routine but add one thing: picture the ball rolling into the hole. Try to picture exactly where it will enter the cup and the speed you intend to roll it. You may have to close your eyes initially and that’s okay.

Once you’ve seen it, step up and stroke it. No more prac-tice strokes, no more conscious thoughts—see it then stroke it. I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

As Moe often said: “Bad thinking, bad golf.”

We’re going to focus on the second part of his equation: “Good thinking, good golf.”

Dave Predzin is a PGA of Amer-ica member. For instruction with Dave in the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia area, call 866-377-2316.30

SPG Premier Issue // singleplanegolfer.com

The Mental Game:Better Thinking for Better Results

SPG INSTRUCTION DAVE PREDZIN GGA Master Instructor

Performance

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AMONG EVEN THE MOST DEDICATED STUDENTS of the Single Plane Swing, the transition from the backswing to the downswing can be difficult to master.

Some golfers struggle with it because they have physical limitations. I have designed a training exer-cise to help you learn and feel the transition from the top of the backswing (Picture 1) to the downswing.

First, let’s review the fundamentals of the transition, during which the club changes direction. The down-swing starts with the lower body—particularly the hips and lead knee—which makes a slight downward move-ment while rotating toward the target (Picture 2).

While the lower body moves toward the target, the upper body stabilizes (your head stays in its original position set at address). [email protected]

Become a Master of the Transition

1 2

SPG INSTRUCTION // FITNESS TRENT WHITE GGA Master Instructor

GGA Coaching Program Director

The following Mobilization/Stabilization Exercise trains your transition:

Place yourself in 6-iron posture.

Next, take your arms to the top of your backswing and grab something anchored like a golf cart or a doorframe.

While maintaining your 6-iron posture, hang on to the object and rotate your hips towards the target as if you were starting your downswing. (Hanging on to the object will isolate your upper body.)

Rotate your hips as far as you can with-out straining or losing your posture. You should feel a slight stretch between your upper and lower body. Hold the stretch for a few seconds.

Do the exercise daily. The more reps, the better. The goal is to rotate your hips farther over time.

Photography: Jon Vopni

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MOE STORIES CENTERS around actor Mickey Rooney, who ironically looked a little like Moe in his later years: he was short, squat and jowly.

Ben Kern, a former PGA Tour player, was giving Rooney a lesson at the National Golf Club of Canada in the 1990s while the actor was in the Toronto area doing a dinner theater production.

Kern said Rooney’s acting ability extended to his golf. He didn’t have a very good swing, but he could fake a great finish with the club perched elegantly behind his head. Kern said that at one point in the lesson, a sound drew their attention. They both looked toward the park-ing lot, and then at each other. Rooney scowled.

Kern finally made out what the sound was—and he was mortified. It was Moe, who was walking toward them rhythmically bellowing: “Artificial swings… for artificial folks. Artificial swings… for artificial folks.”

Kern hotfoot it to Moe until they stood toe to toe. Kern barked: “Moe cut it out right now. Either respect Mr. Rooney or leave right now.”

Moe turned around immedi-ately and headed to his car, re-galing everyone with more gusto and volume: “Artificial swings… for artificial folks. Artificial swings… for artificial folks.”

After my book The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story was published, Ben told me the story. “Ben, why didn’t you tell me that story before?”

“Because you might have put it in your book.”

Sadly, Kern died in 2002 of cancer.

For information on The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story, visit www.moenorman-golf.com.

SPG MEMORIES OF MOETIM O’CONNOR



Mickey R

ooney and Judy Garland in B

abes in Arm

s in 1939


SINCE MY BROTHER TIM AND I FOUNDED THE GRAVES Golf Academy in 2000, we have helped thousands of people play better golf with the Single Plane Swing. But not without making some waves.

We fervently believe the Single Plane Swing created by Moe Norman is an easier swing to learn, master and self-coach than the conventional two-plane swing that is com-monly taught. We tell everyone that the conventional swing is more complicated and difficult to perform. Some don’t like hearing that, and some don’t believe it.

lot of questions. It’s our experience that sharing our FAQs and our answers helps people understand why we proudly walk an unconventional path.

Q: If the Single Plane Swing is so great, then why aren’t more players on the PGA Tour using it?

Steve Stricker’s swing resembles the ideal Single Plane Swing. At address, he starts on the same plane as impact. Brian Gay and Carl Pettersson have similar address posi-tions. Recently, Steve Elkington, now on the Champions Tour, adopted some of Moe’s mechanics.

Keep in mind that the goal of all good ball-strikers is to swing the club on a plane (path) that achieves impact consistently. I believe that all players, at every level, can benefit from the Single Plane Swing because it is an easier way to hit the ball solidly with accuracy and power on a consistent basis.

Because the address po-sitions starts on the same plane as the impact plane, the Single Plane Swing makes it easier for every player—even tour players—to achieve consistency.

But this doesn’t mean that tour players would win more money if they hit the ball more consistently. Stats show that tour winners have the best short games.

SPG FAQ’S TODD GRAVES Graves Golf Academy

Co-founder

Everything you wanted to know about the Single Plane Swing, and you weren’t afraid to ask

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Furthermore, the average PGA Tour player is 28 years old. As athletic young men, they can overcome some of the complications of the two-plane swing. As these players age, however, the conventional swing often takes its toll as we’ve seen with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy recently.

Due to its simplicity and the lack of stress it puts on the back, the Single Plane Swing has helped thousands of golfers—especially aging players—who are inconsistent and swing in pain.

Q: I have heard you lose distance with the Single Plane Swing compared to the Conventional Swing. Is that true?

There is nothing that limits a Single Plane Golfer from producing an equal amount of speed or more speed than any other golf method. The mechanics of the Single Plane Swing contribute to the most efficient use of the body to produce maximum speed with less motion and effort.

In 1983, Moe was hitting a 3-iron 188 yards. Today, with modern equipment and technology, the average 3-iron distance for a PGA Tour player is about 212 yards–24 yards longer. In 1983, the longest driver on the tour, Curt Byrum, led the tour with an average of 276 yards. Today, the longest drivers average well over 300 yards–24 yards longer. Based on these statistics, Moe hit the ball tour level distances.

Q: Do I need special clubs to use the Single Plane Swing?

All clubs manufactured today can be used for the Single Plane Swing as long as they are properly fitted for you and your swing.

Q: Will my current clubs work for the Single Plane Swing?

Yes. As long as they are fit to your body. Key factors in-clude arm length, lie angle, shaft flex and particularly your set make-up (the clubs you carry in your bag).

Q: How long does it take to convert from a conventional swing to the Single Plane Swing?

It’s important that you start by learning the key funda-mentals of the address position. This can be accomplished during a Graves Golf Academy one-day golf school (Single Plane Experience) or by watching the Single Plane Solution DVD. Once the address position is learned, it can take as lit-tle as 30 days to develop the fundamentals of a sound Single Plane Swing.

Q: What is the fastest way to learn the Single Plane Swing?

You can speed the learning process if you follow these steps: (1) Get instruction as soon as possi-ble. Expert hands-on instruction is invaluable. (2) Get feedback when you practice to ensure you are practicing correctly. Use video, mirrors and training

and practice to make proper movements rather than ball-flight results.

Finally, and most importantly, (4) adopt a mental attitude of mastery. When I met Moe, my goal was to become a better ball-striker than him. I modeled his every move, and compared myself to him con-tinuously to make sure my swing matched his. If not, I corrected my swing until it looked like Moe’s. I used video, training aids and mirrors. The model-ing process was the key to my success.

To learn the Single Plane Swing, you cannot just dabble in it or try it. If you fully commit your-self to the swing and follow my process outlined above, you will become a successful Single Plane Golfer. You will have more fun because you hit the ball better, you will be able to self-coach to keep yourself playing well, and you will play for longer because your swing is less stressful on your body.

And then your friends will ask you lots about questions about your new and improved swing, which you will be delighted to answer.


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