Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story by Tim O’Connor

Reviewed by Drew Sinden

With Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story, Tim O’Connor provides us with a well written, enlightening and entertaining account about a golf legend that has largely gone unnoticed. Moe Norman is and extraordinary individual that is not your typical person or golfer. Anybody who has heard of Moe will enjoy delving deeper into his uniqueness.

Through interviews with many of Moe’s boyhood friends, golf partners and victims, and several PGA touring pros, the author provides many anecdotal stories from a very coloured past. The stories date from his early junior golf days against Jerry Kesselring in Kitchener Ontario Canada, to his hustling years in Florida, and to his Masters debut and subsequent withdrawal.

The second to last chapter outlines the fundamentals that Moe uses to perfect his swing, from grip and stance to ball position. World-renowned golf instructors call Moe’s action the closest thing to perfect that has ever been implemented.

I have been fortunate to run into Moe on a few occasions over the years.   On one such occasion, I was playing golf at Brantford Golf and Country Club when we were invited to play through his group on the long par four fifth. After our tee shots, I was perhaps 2 yards ahead of Moe (for Moe this was typical middle-of-the-fairway), we decided to hit to the green together.

What a privilege, hitting shots with Moe and Nick Weslock (another Canadian golfing legend).

Moe hit a little four-wood from just over 200 yards to about 12 feet.   I remarked to Moe, in kind of a tongue-in-cheek manner, what as easy game this was. Moe walked over, hung out his hands as if I were going to handcuff him, and told me rather bluntly that people may think this game is easy, but try hitting over a million balls. Had I just offended the best ball striker that ever walked the face of the planet?   Moe quickly changed course and talked my ear off all the way to the green.

After my brush with greatness, I ran right out and bought the book. I wanted to know more about the odd fellow with more game in his pinky than most of us will ever dream of having.

I rate this book a must read for all Canadian golfers and fans of golf everywhere.