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

By: Dr. John Wagner


I always heard of Moe Norman and his great ability to hit a golf ball but never had a chance to read a good account of his life. Anecdotes about Norman are legendary: He hit 800-1,000 practice balls a day; struck 1,500 perfectly straight drives in one day; had hitting four to six pins in a round of golf as a goal; and to try and set a course record the first time he played a course.

Does he sound like the super-golfer? No, it's just a few of the remarkable feats the late Moe Norman did during his life. Author Tim O'Connor writes so well that you feel like you're there watching all this happen to the Canadian great. He really brings Moe to life.

And what a life it was. No person will ever know what made Moe who he was, but this book is a joy to read if you want to enjoy a really good biography of a very eccentric person. Moe was the only golfer who was placed on the Titleist launch monitor that never recorded sidespin on his shots. Every shot was dead center.

Read this book and be amazed by the unparalleled ability of this man. You'll revel in how he hustled the hustlers in Florida during winters while living out of his car. Palmer, Player and Nicklaus all marveled at his ability; each called Norman the best ball-striker in the world.

This is a fun book to read. Many thanks to the author for making the Moe Norman biography a real treat.

"The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story," by Tim O'Connor, Published by Eyelevel Video, Mississauga, ON, $19.95 ($26.95 Canada), 230 pages, ISBN 0-9680064-0-X.

Dr. John Wagner has been a Seattle dentist for 37 years. He's been published in several dental journals as well as had several articles appear in the turf magazine for Pacific Northwest golf course superintendents. John has served as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington Business School for several years and as a guest lecturer for several dental societies. Dr. Wagner is the co-designer (with Steve Shea of the Berger Partnership) of a golf course in Japan that cost over $120 million and was built by Wadsworth Golf Construction. He's a Past President of the Washington State Golf Association and a Trustee of the Pacific Coast Golf Association. John is currently a Member of the USGA Green Section and a Director of the WSGA.