Moe Norman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moe Norman |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Murray Irwin Norman |
| Nickname | Moe |
| Born | July 10, 1929 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | September 4, 2004 (aged 75) Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1957 |
| Former tour(s) | Canadian Tour |
| Professional wins | 55 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| The Masters Tournament | CUT: 1957 |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Canadian Golf Hall of Fame | 1995 |
| Canada's Sports Hall of Fame | 2006 |
Murray Irwin "Moe" Norman (July 10, 1929 – September 4, 2004) was a Canadian professional golfer. He was known for hitting the golf ball incredibly straight. This amazing accuracy earned him the nickname "Pipeline Moe." During his career, Moe Norman won 55 golf tournaments in Canada.
Some famous golfers thought he was one of the best. Sam Snead called him the "greatest striker of the ball." Even Tiger Woods said that only Moe Norman and Ben Hogan truly "owned their swings." This means they had perfect control over how they hit the ball.
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Who Was Moe Norman?
Moe Norman was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, in 1929. He learned to play golf at a young age. He started as a caddie, carrying golf clubs for other players. Moe practiced a lot at the Rockway municipal course in his hometown. He became very skilled by playing against other talented golfers.
Moe Norman often faced financial challenges during his career. He sometimes worked setting pins in a bowling alley during the winter. This helped him earn a little money.
His first big win was in 1949. He won an amateur golf event at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club.
Moe's Early Golf Journey
Moe Norman won the Canadian Amateur Championships two years in a row. He won in 1955 and again in 1956. In 1957, he became a professional golfer. He played a few times on the PGA Tour in the United States.
However, Moe was a very shy person. He also faced some unkindness from other pros. Because of this, he preferred to stay and play mostly in Canada. He did not travel much outside of his home country. Later in his life, in the 1980s, Moe also played in some events on the Senior PGA Tour.
Towards the end of his life, Moe Norman found more financial stability. Two companies, Natural Golf and Titleist, helped him. Titleist is a big golf equipment maker. They gave him a special lifetime contract. This happened after Moe reportedly said they had never done anything for him. Moe often put on golf shows across Canada. The president of Titleist called Moe's contract a "Reverse Scholarship."
Moe Norman passed away in 2004 in a Kitchener hospital. He had congestive heart failure. He had been dealing with heart problems for several years.
Moe's Unique Golf Style
Moe Norman taught himself how to play golf. He never took a single golf lesson. His ability to hit the ball was truly legendary. As mentioned, Sam Snead called him the best ball striker ever. Tiger Woods also admired Moe's unique swing.
Moe's golf style and even his clothing were unusual. He always wore long-sleeved shirts, even in hot weather. His shirts were buttoned all the way up to his chin. His pants often looked a bit too big for him.
The Single Plane Swing
Moe created his own way of swinging the club. It's known as "The Single Plane Golf Swing." He kept his arms very straight and far from his body. He stood with his feet very wide apart. He bent his knees only a little bit. His backswing was shorter than most golfers. He followed through with his arms extended and very little hand movement. This unique swing helped him place the ball with amazing accuracy. He also played very quickly. Sometimes, he didn't even slow down to line up his putts.
Moe was also known for his funny and unusual actions on the golf course. Once, his caddie told him he could reach the green with a driver and a 9-iron. Moe then hit his first shot with the 9-iron. He then hit his second shot onto the green using his driver!
In a golf show in 1990, Moe faced a creek. Most golfers would hit their ball short of the creek. But Moe rolled his drive right across the bridge that went over the creek.
Amazing Career Highlights
Moe Norman had many impressive achievements in his golf career.
- Canadian Amateur Championship winner in 1955 and 1956.
- He won 55 professional tournaments in Canada.
- He won the Canadian PGA Championship in 1966 and 1974.
- He won the Canadian PGA Seniors' Championship many times (1979–1985, 1987).
- He set 33 course records, meaning he had the lowest score ever on those courses.
- He made 17 holes-in-one during his career.
- He played several exhibition rounds with scores under 60.
- Moe was honored in several Halls of Fame:
* Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1995. * Inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. * Inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
- He played in the Masters Tournament twice as an amateur. He withdrew in 1956 and missed the cut by one stroke in 1957.
Team Appearances
Moe Norman also represented Canada in international team golf events:
- Americas Cup: 1954
- World Cup: 1971
Playing on the PGA Tour
Moe Norman started playing on the PGA Tour in 1959. After one tournament, PGA officials spoke to him about his unusual playing style. Moe felt discouraged by their attitude. He decided to return to Canada to play golf.
Here is a summary of Moe's PGA Tour record:
- He played in 27 total events.
- He made the cut in 25 of those events.
- He had 1 top ten finish and 7 top 25 finishes.
- He earned $7,139 in prize money.
Playing on the Senior Tour
Moe also played on the Senior PGA Tour from 1981 to 1984:
- He played in 5 total events.
- He made the cut in all 5 events.
- He had 1 top three finish and 2 top ten finishes.
- He tied for third place at the Peter Jackson Champions tournament in 1982. He won $10,133 in prize money at that event.
- He earned $22,983 in total prize money on the Senior PGA Tour.
Books and Films About Moe
Moe Norman's amazing golf skills and unique personality have inspired many stories. Several books have been written about his life:
- The Feeling of Greatness – The Moe Norman Story, by Tim O'Connor (ISBN: 1-57028-086-X)
- The Single Plane Golf Swing, Play Better Golf the Moe Norman Way by Todd Graves with Tim O'Connor (ISBN: 978-1-61254-192-1)
- Moe Norman: The Canadian Golfing Legend with the Perfect Swing, by Stan Sauerwein (ISBN: 978-1-55153-953-9)
- Moe and Me: Encounters with Moe Norman, Golf's Mysterious Genius by Lorne Rubinstein, (ISBN: 1-77041-053-8)
- 'Finish To The Sky, by Greg Lavern (ISBN: 978-0994886118)
There have also been plans for films about Moe Norman's life. A documentary film called The Feeling of Greatness was being made. Another film, Dance the Green, was also in production. Famous hockey player Wayne Gretzky was one of the people investing in that film.
