This is a sequel post, following an invited sojourn through mounds of dusty archives of the Canadian PGA recently.

Described earlier as panning for Moe Norman nuggets of historic value, it turned out to be a gold rush of pictures, stories, videos and artifacts that will surely embellish the production of the documentary The Feeling of Greatness we are producing. Moreover, it emphasized how much Moe meant to his fellow golf professional community.

My exposure to Moe, the Canadian sports treasure, was mostly from a relationship we developed while he spent his 182 annual days in the US (183 on leap years). He was meticulous about never violating the 6-month stay regulations, timing his migratory movement precisely.

My recent stay at the Canadian PGA Headquarters in Acton, CA gave me a greater perspective, especially how now Moe is revered by his peers. Led by CPGA CEO Kevin Thistle with staff support by Darcy Kral, Greg Doiron, and Chris Fry, I was set up in their HQ with 13 huge boxes of PGA Canada material and reels upon reels of films and video.

Then, with their outreach to members, I was impressed by visits of PGA members who donated us their personal images and videos of Moe. Some of them drove for miles to bring me contributions.

Among the highlights are never before seen videos of Moe from Jim Kenesky’s dad and another being mailed to us by Albert Southgate, octogenarian CPGA Scot with a burr as thick as gorse.

Jim is also trying to arrange for our film crew to interview another octogenarian player, Jerry Magee who lost to Moe 5&4 in the 36 holes final of the 1956 Canadian Amateur Championship—Moe’s second consecutive. Jerry, Jim says, “remembers every shot.”

Then there’s Tony Evershed, sharing the golfing Evershed family ebullience, who brought along a leather-bound compilation of Moe Norman memorable media mentions that bespeaks of how important the world’s greatest ball striker is to his peers.

Kevin Thistle’s hospitality, he said, is based on his enthusiasm for our documenting Moe’s Feeling of Greatness. Kevin says it’s important because “our young members never had the opportunity to know and experience Moe’s greatness and it is such a strong part of Canada’s golf history.”

For me, nosing around the PGA HQ and finding trophies with Moe’s name engraved, 7 consecutive years on the PGA Senior Championship version, was great.

Mostly though, I came to know Moe as his countrymen did, reading his clippings and even seeing his growth as evidenced by a couple of pictures shown above that depict his maturing as a person. The young Moe was so shy he could not speak even to receive winner trophies.

These and many more Moe moments are being donated to our The Feeling of Greatness work which will solidify for posterity the gift of greatness he so proudly put on display until his passing in 2004.

If you or someone you know has Moe Norman footage they would contribute to The Feeling of Greatness, please have them contact me at peterf@moenormangolf.com   Or, if you’d like to contribute to our effort and be credited in our film for your support, please click here. 

Thanks.