How Long was Moe Norman?

[gvogel]

Pipeline Moe, perhaps the straightest driver ever in golf.  I saw him hitting drives off a pencil at the Canadian Open.  White turtleneck and all.

 

Anyone have any evidence for how long he was off the tee?

[Ferguson]

Was just saying to myself, "Self, it's been far too long since we've had a thread about Moe Norman." 

[rgk5]

About 250-255 with persimmon.

[cardoustie]

Middle of the pack, watched him 3 or 4 times on the range 

[isaacbm]

68 inches…

Actually, since he was Canadian, 173 centimetres. 

[jonsnow]

On 4/3/2024 at 3:57 PM, Ferguson said:

Was just saying to myself, "Self, it's been far too long since we've had a thread about Moe Norman." 

Or Jay Don Blake...

[mikedejong33]

I don't think Moe was known for being long at all. Just very, very, very straight. I have gone down the rabbit hole on Youtube watching Moe Norman videos for a few hours before, its pretty neat.

[gvogel]

On 4/3/2024 at 4:15 PM, rgk5 said:

About 250-255 with persimmon.

I think that may be exaggerated.

[rgk5]

4 minutes ago, gvogel said:

I think that may be exaggerated.

Nope as I watched him play in competition (Ontario Open) several times.  In the 1970 Ont. open at Cutten Fields he played with my good friend Nick Weslock who was rarely under 260 off the tee and Moe was right with Nick.

[kwcsports]

I watched him at Ashburn GC in Halifax NS back in the 80's. He was not a long hitter but man was he straight.

Edited April 5 by kwcsports
spelling

[st1800e]

He visited our club in the early ‘90’s.  250+ yds with the driver, all under a blanket.  😉 He was in his early 60’s then.  Watched him in the ‘75 CPGA, right up there with most and past many.  Don’t recollect the exact measurement.  
 

And this:

 

https://finishtothesky.com/f/yardage-moe-norman-hits-his-golf-clubs

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5 by st1800e
Years and age.

[PedronNiall]

With the way he locked his lower body while taking such a wide stance I can't imagine pushing for the higher side of distance would have worked out too well. 

[Chopper Dave]

I can hear him now - “oooowwhh….long……very long………when I was a kid I wanted be long……yes…….longer the better…..never short…..feeling of greatness”

[iBanesto]

10 hours ago, Chopper Dave said:

I can hear him now - “oooowwhh….long……very long………when I was a kid I wanted be long……yes…….longer the better…..never short…..feeling of greatness”

 

Sounds like a GolfWRX member.

[st1800e]

26 minutes ago, iBanesto said:

 

Sounds like a GolfWRX member.

Nope, he didn’t have to “post” about his skill anywhere, his clubs did the talking.  
 

These are just a few instances of his greatness.  
 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-story-of-moe-norman-golfs-troubled-genius

Edited April 6 by st1800e

[st1800e]

Just few interested golfers watching Moe

 

[TiScape]

When I see/hear the name Moe Norman all I think now is. Vertical drop, horizontal tug! 

[OBbogey5]

On 4/3/2024 at 12:27 PM, gvogel said:

Pipeline Moe, perhaps the straightest driver ever in golf.  I saw him hitting drives off a pencil at the Canadian Open.  White turtleneck and all.

 

Anyone have any evidence for how long he was off the tee?

Was kinda hoping you would tell me, since you saw him hit driver n all?

[gvogel]

17 hours ago, OBbogey5 said:

Was kinda hoping you would tell me, since you saw him hit driver n all?

I was marshaling for someone else, and only saw him in passing as I made my way back in for lunch.  I didn't know about the legend, and was more interested in watching Palmer, Trevino, and even Sam Snead.

[Hawkeye77]

On 4/5/2024 at 11:30 AM, gvogel said:

I think that may be exaggerated.

 

LOL, then why ask?

[m d g]

Ask his wife...

[otw]

21 hours ago, OBbogey5 said:

Was kinda hoping you would tell me, since you saw him hit driver n all?

Played Golf with Moe on 3 occasions 250 to 260 is correct

 

[OBbogey5]

On 4/8/2024 at 10:09 AM, gvogel said:

I was marshaling for someone else, and only saw him in passing as I made my way back in for lunch.  I didn't know about the legend, and was more interested in watching Palmer, Trevino, and even Sam Snead.

Said in jest 😊 But wow!! You saw those guys.. very jealous. I caught Palmer and Trevino in a mid 90s senior tour event at Wilshire CC. Palmer still went after it and hit it hard. Trevino talked a lot. The most impressed I’ve been by an older generation is Nicklaus at the 95 PGA. Watched him hit the same club and the same ball flight on #6 as all the other youngsters. Pretty memorable. 
 

Don’t you think the equipment advances would allow Moe Norman to maximize his tee to green game..? Just from the videos I’ve watched, I’m sure in his prime he could hit it out there with the mid distance guys when the conditions were optimal, but I’m guessing he’s not hitting that high, FAR long iron off hard pan on a sea level chilly day. Just my guess. 
 

But with high launch equipment, I could see him geeking out on ball flight and spin until everything was dialed in. “Every time.”

[Chopper Dave]

On 4/6/2024 at 4:52 PM, iBanesto said:

 

Sounds like a GolfWRX member.

“oooowwhh hcap of 4…..of 4…..120…..120 swing speed, so much joy….320 carry every time…just like that…turn par 5’s in to par 3’s…tour XXX stiff tipped 5 inches….there she goes!”

[notsohard]

On 4/6/2024 at 6:51 AM, PedronNiall said:

With the way he locked his lower body while taking such a wide stance I can't imagine pushing for the higher side of distance would have worked out too well. 

Worked for Allen Doyle.

[TheDeanAbides]

Does it matter how long he was when he hit his fairway woods with the same accuracy as most players wedges? 

[coops]

On 4/6/2024 at 2:19 PM, st1800e said:

Nope, he didn’t have to “post” about his skill anywhere, his clubs did the talking.  
 

These are just a few instances of his greatness.  
 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-story-of-moe-norman-golfs-troubled-genius

Thanks for that link...

 

"At the Masters in 1956, Norman hit his first tee shot while the announcer was in the middle of introducing him. Asked by a playing partner why he took so little time to line up his shots, he said, “Why? Did they move the greens since yesterday?” He once putted between the foot and outstretched arm of a competitor who was marking his ball."

 

Legend.

[st1800e]

5 hours ago, coops said:

Thanks for that link...

 

"At the Masters in 1956, Norman hit his first tee shot while the announcer was in the middle of introducing him. Asked by a playing partner why he took so little time to line up his shots, he said, “Why? Did they move the greens since yesterday?” He once putted between the foot and outstretched arm of a competitor who was marking his ball."

 

Legend.

If you’re interested in more of these amazing feats check out the book “The Feeling of Greatness”.  

It’s worth the read.  
 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+feeling+of+greatness+the+moe+norman+story&crid=1YTLPZPPDQGZ0&sprefix=The+feeling+of+greatness%2Caps%2C199&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_24

[gvogel]

11 hours ago, OBbogey5 said:

Said in jest 😊 But wow!! You saw those guys.. very jealous. I caught Palmer and Trevino in a mid 90s senior tour event at Wilshire CC. Palmer still went after it and hit it hard. Trevino talked a lot. The most impressed I’ve been by an older generation is Nicklaus at the 95 PGA. Watched him hit the same club and the same ball flight on #6 as all the other youngsters. Pretty memorable. 
 

Don’t you think the equipment advances would allow Moe Norman to maximize his tee to green game..? Just from the videos I’ve watched, I’m sure in his prime he could hit it out there with the mid distance guys when the conditions were optimal, but I’m guessing he’s not hitting that high, FAR long iron off hard pan on a sea level chilly day. Just my guess. 
 

But with high launch equipment, I could see him geeking out on ball flight and spin until everything was dialed in. “Every time.”

I marshaled one day for Palmer, and he couldn't have been nicer.  We had a brief conversation on the 8th hole.  We had more of a conversation in the locker room at Bay Hill years later, but I'll save that for another time.

My father and his good friend, maybe the club champion at the time, enjoyed watching Snead.  Apparently they watched him years earlier, in 1956 at the Country club of Buffalo when he did and exhibition match with Ed Furgol before the US Open at Oak Hill.

Trevino had, what I thought, was a funny swing.  He told the same jokes for 5 days.

[st1800e]

28 minutes ago, gvogel said:

Apparently they watched him years earlier, in 1956 at the Country club of Buffalo when he did and exhibition match with Ed Furgol before the US Open at Oak Hill.

Trevino had, what I thought, was a funny swing.  He told the same jokes for 5 days.

And Lee won the US Open in 1968 at Oak Hill.  
 

As to the repeating jokes, Lee has been quoted as saying:

 

"I played the tour in 1967 and told jokes and nobody laughed. Then I won the Open the next year, told the same jokes, and everybody laughed like hell.”