My golf game of late hasn't been something to write about, thus the lack of blog entries. I've managed to work in a few good rounds each month to keep my handicap in check, but way too many rounds lately have included a bunch of dreaded double, triple and quadruple bogies. My ball striking has simply been weak and inconsistent -- very frustrating!

Fortunately, during a recent round with a regular playing partner, we pinpointed when my swing went south. Since we often play in 2-man best ball events together, he's been motivated to help me figure it out too! He shared that it seemed to start the week I began experimenting with the Stack and Tilt swing, the popular new "Tour Swing" covered last year in an article by Golf Digest Magazine.


Stack and Tilt Swing

I only used the swing for about a week, so I didn't think much of his comment at first. However, after giving it more consideration, I determined it wasn't actually the Stack and Tilt swing that caused the problem, it was an inadvertent lesson I received during that same week.

I had mentioned to our local pro that I was trying out this new swing, then a few days later he saw me on the range while he was waiting for a student to show up for a lesson. While he was waiting, he asked if I'd like him to take a look at my swing. Nearly an hour later, I had three new swing changes to work on, and had abandoned the Stack and Tilt. That's when I began making changes to my swing that gradually led to my poor ball striking. It's not that his instruction or observations were wrong. It just got me focused on technique instead of just swinging the club, and I'm sure I didn't implement the swing changes correctly or thoroughly.

Anyway, it was during our club championship that my frustration reached its peak. I managed to shoot 2 rounds of 79 to finish 4th, even with what seemed like a ton of double bogies and worse. In the first round, I nearly gave up after getting to 10-over after 11, but an incredible lob shot on 12 after scalding my approach way over the green inspired me to hang in there. I finished just 8-over. The second round started off okay, but a quadruple bogie on the 6th led to another bad hole on 7 and another big score. Again, I pulled it together to finish 8-over. But these rounds had become the norm - grinding just to break 80.

I got to play in the final foursome in the final round of the club championship with the golfer who ended up winning in a playoff. Although I was struggling, I enjoyed getting to watch his solid ball striking. He shot 1-over in the final round, scoring only 1 birdie. When I made a comment about his swing, he shared that he's always tried to just keep his left (leading) arm in line with the shaft of the club at address, like Tiger.


The Natural Golf Address

The following week I decided to play less and hit the range instead. I started experimenting with this address position. I lined up the club shaft with my left arm using each of my clubs. I started hitting the ball solid. I was then inpired to strengthen my grip and even changed my hand position so my club shaft lined up with my arms from behind, moving my hands slightly away from my body. My artful ball striking returned! I gained considerable yardage, my ball flight improved, and the ball went where I was aiming. I even incorporated this new address for my chipping and pitching. The resulting swing was very much like the one I had before my unexpected lesson.

During one of my sessions on the range last week, I ran into an x-tour player who frequents our club and I mentioned my new swing change. After observing my swing, he told me I was demonstrating Moe Norman's "Natural Golf" swing. I'd heard of Moe and Natural Golf, but didn't know any specifics. Simply by changing my address position, I'd indirectly discovered "Natural Golf" and the Single Swing Plane all on my own, and I'm here to tell you -- it works!

I played in a Ryder Cup type event over the weekend against another local men's club, then a scramble tournament on Monday and played some of my best golf in months! I nearly won the long drive contest in the Scramble tourney and made some great golf shots throughout the round. I can't wait to get out and play again!



It turns out that Moe Norman won dozens of amateur tournaments in Canada during the late 1950's, including the Canadian Amateur two years in a row. After 1979, Moe won seven straight Canadian PGA senior championships, tied for fifth in the eighth, and won the ninth. He set more than 30 course records, including three shooting 59 and four shooting 61. The Royal Canadian Golf Association inducted him into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1995 and he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Many consider Moe the best ball striker of all time.

You can learn more about Moe Norman, Natural Golf, and the Single Plane Swing at swinglikemoe.com, naturalgolf.com and switchtonaturalgolf.com.

There's also some great video to learn from at YouTube.com too. Just search for Moe Norman. Below is one of my favorites - from a series of videos by Mike Maves. Also, make sure to read Mike's (Sevam1) popular thread at GolfWRX.com about Moe Norman and Ben Hogan's move!



What is Happiness?
"Golf is happiness for
Happiness is achievement.
The father of achievement is motivation
The mother is encouragement.
The fine golf swing is truly achievement
Man may lie, cheat, and steal for gain.
But, these will never gain the golf swing
To gain the golf swing man must work.
Yet it is work without toil
It is exercise without the boredom.
It is intoxication without the hangover
It is stimulation without the pills.
It is failure yet its successes shine even more brightly
It is frustration yet it nourishes patience.
It irritates yet its soothing is far greater
It is futility yet it nurtures hope.
It is defeating yet it generates courage
It is humbling yet it ennobles the human spirit.
It is dignity yet it rejects arrogance
Its price is high yet its rewards are richer
Some say it's a boy's pastime yet it builds men
It is a buffer for the stresses of today's living.
It cleanses the mind and rejuvenates the body
It is these things and many more.
For those of us who know it and love it
Golf is truly happiness."
-- Paul Bertholy (golf instructor and friend of Moe Norman)

Labels: Moe Norman, Natural Golf, Rounds, Single Plane