Where MOE meets MAINSTREAM

By Jonathan Begley

The genius of Natural Golf lies in the grip, set-up, equipment, and the simplicity of its in-swing principles. While the methodology is unique in many ways, there are significant parallels to philosophies held by some of the greatest instructors in the history of the game, including the likes of Bob Toski and Ernest Jones. The obvious parallels to conventional instruction are the goals to keep the club square, on plane and in rhythm, which are taught by any instructor worth his weight in tees. A not so glaring comparison between Natural Golf and the game’s greats, is the principle that the swing consists of an arm generated body movement.

Bob Toski is arguably the best living golf instructor, possibly the best of all time, and an inductee to the golf teaching Hall of Fame. Having had the opportunity to study his methods first hand, I can tell you his methods often parallel those of Natural Golf, even though he may bristle at the idea. Some people are drawn to Natural Golf because of Moe Norman, and some scoff at it for the same reason. However, in my time with Mr. Toski, a recurring theme is that the hands and arms dictate to the body. The hands and arms swing the club and the body simply follows and accommodates. When posed with the buzz phrase “take the hands out of the swing”or “use your body to hit the ball”, Mr. Toski exclaims you’d have to play with the club sticking out of a certain orifice and use a lot of hip action.

Ernest Jones is member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, teaching from 1924 through 1960, and was said to give over 3000 lessons a year out of a studio in New York. His book “Swing the Clubhead” is an absolute masterpiece, with a simplicity rarely found. The basis of Mr. Jones teachings focused on a true swinging motion, generated by the hands, without any conscious movements of the body. Here is an excerpt from is book, “Use the hands to wield the clubhead and to sense control of what is being done with it from first to last. Actions by other body members are responsive only to this conscious purpose of maintaining control of the club thoughout the stroke.”  I’ve used Mr. Jones methods in my instruction, and have seen it used by others as the basis for their instruction, to great success. The methods of Natural Golf add to the plausibility of his findings, rather than run contrary to it.

While not quite on the tier of these two greats, Mike Adams is consistently found on the Golf Digest’s Top 100 Instructor rankings. I had the opportunity and pleasure to study under Mike Adams at Emerald Dunes in West Palm Beach, Florida. Despite Mike’s protestations that his first lessons weren’t all the same, more often than not he would get people to hook the ball using just their hands and arms. People always came away from their lesson with an astounding confidence based on simplicity. Another recurring philosophy of his can roughly be stated as, for any great master, the mastery lies in minimized movement. This is probably some one else’s quote, but could serve as a billboard for natural golf, and a good definition of Moe Norman’s swing. While I was working as a lowly bag-guy, Mike Adams gave me a slot in his lesson book at no charge. Shortly thereafter I shot a career low 66 which is truly a testament to his gifts as an instructor.

There is true genius in the grip, set-up, and equipment of Natural golf, and true genius pertaining to the in-swing principles, not entirely unique or radical. I came to these realizations after discussions with Ken Martin and studying the principles set forth on this website (www.moenormangolfacademy.org), which ran contrary to my pre-conceived notions, Moe Norman tidbits taken out of context, or worse yet, the negatively biased opinion of the uninformed.  If Moe Norman was more socially adept, sharp dressed, and possessing a few more teeth, how many more Natural Golfers would there be?

Jonathan Begley’s Bio

Apprenticed under Stan Wiel, Top 100 Instructor- Chartiers Country Club, Pittsburgh, PA

Former Staff Instructor- Emerald Dunes Golf Course, West Palm Beach, Florida

Former Resident Director of Junior Golf- Heritage Ridge Golf Club, Hobe Sound, Florida

Former Staff Instructor- Heritage Ridge Golf Club, Hobe Sound, Florida

Currently Staff Instructor Bill Balash Golf- Headquarters Hobe Sound, Florida