This paper presents the modeling of the starting performance of large solid pole synchronous motors using equivalent circuit approach. In this approach, the solid rotor body is assumed to have two sets of separate virtual windings. Therefore the two-axis theory can be used for the solid-pole synchronous motor. Parameters associated with the solid-pole are derived, together with their transformation coefficients. The starting performance was simulated and the results were validated by the test results on a 15000Hp, 13.2 W, 4 poles solid pole synchronous motor.