MOE NORMAN GOLF - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Operations Manager, Graves Golf & GGA Master Instructor
Blade resides in Edmond, OK after recent multi-year Graves Golf adventures in China and the Gold Coast of Australia.
Blade met Moe Norman in Pinehurst when he was four years old. Moe placed his hands on the club and told him with authority. "Don't change". And, he never has. In fact, the only golf-swing he knows is the single plane move. When his golf mentor, Todd Graves, was on the tour, Blade was accustomed to his monthly visits to see his Dad, the sport behaviorist Dr. Ron Cruickshank every month and spent hours every month watching and learning.
Blade is an accomplished athlete, playing collegiate lacrosse for four years under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Carmean, his Senior year as Team Captain. Post-graduation from Guilford College in North Carolina, Blade worked a variety of Coaching jobs serving as Defensive Head-Coach. However, his first love of golf lured him back to the fold and for the last several years he has worked in the International Division of Graves Golf opening up their China and Australia operations. In November of 2017, Blade came to Oklahoma to consolidate Operations and Logistics. In January of 2019 he was named Operations Manager for GGA
Blade is a GGA Master Instructor and coaches at Premier GGA schools when available.
Clay is a PGA member and Master Instructor with the Graves Golf Academies. He is the Director of Instruction at the Golf Tour Trailer and Studio located just outside Warrenton, VA. This facility is open year round and has an indoor studio for inclement weather.
Job Titles:
- Member of the GGA Teaching and Club Fitting Staff
Introducing our newest member of the GGA Teaching and Club Fitting Staff, James Bell. He comes to us through our home base Golf Club at Rose Creek.
James was born in Goose Bay, Labrador Canada. He grew up living all over the Eastern Canada and joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1981. Stationed and travelling throughout Canada, Europe and the United States, James retired in 2004 at the rank of Captain, while stationed here in Edmond OK.
In 2001, James obtained his Golf Teaching credentials through the United States Golf Teachers Federation, ultimately becoming a Master Teaching Professional in 2003. Upon his retirement from the CAF, he began his teaching career working at numerous golf facilities in the OKC area. In 2005 he became a tech rep for Callaway Golf working demo days, mastering club fitting techniques and has been certified to fit golf clubs by all major club manufacturers. In 2017 James travelled to Carlsbad CA to become certified as a Master Club Fitter by Callaway Golf.
James resides in Edmond OK with his wife Cindy and two boys Alexander (13) and Christopher (12). When he is not working James is very active with the Boy Scouts of America. He is a past Cubmaster (105 boys), current Scoutmaster (13 Boys), and a mentor to National Youth Leadership Training and the BSA adult Leadership Training - Woodbadge.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professionals ) Member
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of Brentwood Country Club
Born in Mexico City in 1950, Pepe moved to the United States in 1983. Pepe has an extreme passion for playing the game of golf - with many accomplishments including becoming a scratch golfer at an early age.
Pepe is a member of Brentwood Country Club in Southern California,, Hualalai (Hawaii), Kukio (Hawaii), Hokulia (Hawaii) and Club de Golf Bellavista (Mexico). Served as a board member in three different country clubs.
Before founding the Graves Golf Academy with brother Todd in 2000, Tim worked as an Epidemiologist for the State of Oklahoma for 10 years.
Tim has been playing competitive golf for over 35 years, turning professional in 1997.
Moe Norman's accuracy with a golf ball earned him a meager living until 1995. During one of his clinics, Moe hit over 1,500 drivers in a little over seven hours, all of which where within 15 yards of one another.
It was this accuracy that eventually earned Moe Norman the respect and notoriety that true genius deserves.
In January 1995, Titleist CEO Wally Uilhein decided to pay Moe $5,000 per month, what they called a reverse scholarship" for nothing more than his unique contribution to the game of golf. Presented with the money Moe asked "What do I have to do for it?" Mr. Uihlein replied "You have already done it Moe".
Moe Norman's genius with a golf club was seen by thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, throughout his lifetime. He often hit balls at the Canadian Open for the touring professionals when the tournament was in town.