« What Moe Norman Didn't Know (About Fashion), Didn't Hurt Him »

If you have been reading CNG for a while, it likely did not take you long to realize that Chapeau Noir cares about what he wears and how he looks when he tees it up, if only to look the part of a golfer, and to provide the sufficient facade to make it look like he knows what he's doing.

Someone who knew full well what he was doing, but cared little for superficial appearances was legendary Canadian golf savant Moe Norman.

While Chapeau Noir is perhaps too concerned with style over swing function, Moe's only concern was the pursuit of perfection in ball striking, which is something that many of his contemporaries believe he achieved.

Dance The Green

Murray (Moe) Irwin Norman (1929 - 2004)The story of Moe Norman is well documented in golf circles, but now that story is coming to a wider audience, as Giovanni Ribisi (Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, Avatar) is set to portray Moe in an upcoming film titled Dance The Green. Written by Academy Award winner Barry Morrow (Rainmain), production will start in early summer on location in both Pittsburg and Florida.

The small US$10 million budget shouldn't alarm the Dance The Green wardrobe department, as Ribisi's character can be taken care of with a trip to the local vintage clothing store, for Moe's state of dress was as mismatched and disheveled as his swing was grooved.

Once Dance The Green hits theatres, most will look to see how Ribisi emulates Moe's swing, from the palm-held grip to his wide, bracing stance and high finish. Chapeau Noir on the other hand, will be paying close attention to see how appropriately they dress Ribisi.

A simple search for images of Moe reveals his preference for oversized long sleeved polos and shirts with geometric patterns, always untucked, and always looking like they had been pulled directly from a pile in the trunk of his car (more on this later).

The same set of archival photos also show that Moe did have a certain eye for style, at least when it came to golf shoes. For evidence, compare Moe's shoes here, with those of one of modern golf's fashion leaders Ian Poulter, here.

A Lost Soul?

Moe was, without question, an the sort of person you would make a point ignoring if you passed him on the street. His weatherbeaten face, stained gapped teeth and odd mannerisms would make you think he was lost soul looking for a handout. On the contrary. A handout was the very last thing Moe would look for, from anyone.

Moe Norman shows Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price, and Nick Faldo how it's done. Take note of Nick Faldo smiling, even though this photo was taken in the 1990s.Chapeau Noir was fortunate enough to stumble upon Moe holding court in the Glenn Abbey parking lot at Canadian Open in the mid 1990s.

A small group of people had gathered around the back of Moe's Caddilac as he espoused swing theory and dime-store truisms in equal portions to an uneasy yet riveted audience. Chapeau Noir could not help but notice the piles of expensive yet gaudy golf shirts, turtlenecks and trousers strewn throughout the trunk of Moe's car, mixing in with dozens of loose Titleists, wedges, metal woods, putters, and boxes upon boxes of FootJoys.

This may have been orderly chaos for Moe, but it was nothing short of golf apparel abuse for Chapeau Noir.

While Moe Norman may have lacked the social graces to grant himself full access to the inner circles of country clubs and professional golf associations, Moe was always himself, for he knew of no other way to be. Even the fashion conscious Chapeau Noir is not so shallow as to look only at someone's state of dress before passing judgement on their game, or their person.

Look no further than Moe Norman to find the absolute definition of this rule.