Atomic Monster Cafe: A Mid-November Morning...

...just before sunrise.

Possessed of a fading beauty all its own, Autumn can be both glorious and melancholy, a time of endings and introspection.

But I miss the warm florescence of summer...

...those delightful "shorts and t-shirt" days brimming with vigor, activity and excitement as life moves outdoors.

Sadly, gone for another year.

Wonder how many more I'll get to experience?

Hmm...

It's Veteran's Day folks, time to give thanks for the brave men and women who serve in defense of our country.

I'm not happy about the current state of our nation as it's being diminished by corrupt and morally bankrupt criminals, unworthy of their positions of leadership.

But I am thankful I live in a country that has enshrined the reality of our God given rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness in our founding documents.

And I'm humbled to realize I live my life in relative peace and safety thanks to heroes who spend their lives defending us.

So today, take a quiet moment to reflect on the blessings of freedom, grateful to those who safeguard it.

And if you know any veterans, thank them.

In spite of the falling temperatures and disappearing daylight...

...I'm still swinging my hickories in my leaf covered backyard.

Closed out the season with a slimmed down playset:

That's my Brassie...

...which happily I learned to hit with some success by the end of the season;

My Mashie...

...which once again remained my most consistent club;

And Calamity Jane...

...which…well, what can I say about CJ?

Once in a blue moon I shock myself and drain a 30 footer, but I eat my fair share of humble pie, too.

Overall it was an enjoyable golf season done too soon, though my game is anything but consistent.

Instead of every swing being an adventure, 'twould be lovely indeed to know where the little white ball is going.

Surprisingly, help may be on the horizon as I recently stumbled across a potential solution:

The Moe Norman / Single Plane System.

a young Moe Norman on the left, being congratulated on one of his 55 victories, including 30+ course records, and at least 17 holes in one

There's too much to unpack here, so I won't bore you with a novella of golf trivia.

Suffice to say, the holy grail of golf is a consistently repeatable swing.

Moe Norman had it in spades.

His self-taught swing elevated him to the status of "the game's greatest ball striker".

That's not hype; it's the widely held belief among the game's best players, including two of golf's legends: Sam Snead and Tiger Woods.

And here's the really freaky thing that knocked me back on my heels when I started studying Moe's swing:

It's basically the same swing my younger brother Phil used.

wish it was better, but that's the only one I've got from back in the day: a school pic from his sophomore year in the early 70's

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know Phil was a talented golfer who hung around par whenever he played.

Never serious about the game, it was just a lark he enjoyed now and again when he had time and opportunity.

Phil was impressive to watch, frustrating to play against, because his swing was so naturally effortless and yielded laser beam shots that landed far down the middle of the fairway, time and time again.

And guess what?

He had the same basic "natural golf / single plane" swing that Moe Norman developed decades before him.

If you want to see a short, technical analysis of Moe's swing, click <here>.

So if Moe Norman was so great - and without question or dispute, he was - why doesn't everyone swing the club like he did?

There are answers to that question, rooted in where he played, long standing traditions of golf, the “country club” mentality and the oddities / quirks of Moe's personality.

You can research them yourself if interested; the internet has no lack of articles and opinions re: Moe Norman.

For my part it's enough that it works, and when done correctly, yields consistently straight shots from the tee and fairway.

Next season - Lord willing - I'll roll out my version of the "natural golf / single plane" swing.

Stay tuned.

It's time for everyone's favorite slap in the face...

...so 23 Skidoo:

"The Shot" by Ben Hogan...a 1 iron on the 18th hole in the 1950 U.S. Open. That 200 yd drive to the green allowed him to 2 putt for a 3 way tie, and the next day he won the U.S. Open in a playoff. So why is it called "The Shot"? Because 16 months prior he suffered injuries in a head on crash so severe, doctors said he would never walk again.