Greatest Golfer Ever.. for me...

[Golfware]

Okay, so I'll preface this by saying that this has NOTHING to do with the Tiger-scandal. I'm talkiing strictly golfing abilities.

 

Okay, so I'm watching highlights of Jack Nicklaus in his prime (which spanned decades btw) and I'm just in awe of what he could do with a golf ball, especially considering the type of equipment he played with.

 

He STUCK a 1-iron on # 17 at Pebble Beach into high winds. As he was reliving it, he commented that he "hooded the club on the takeway" and realized it right away, so on the downswing he changed his swing a bit to hit a softer draw. He HIT the flagstick and the ball stopped to a few inches. Whoa!

 

Commentators remarked that he was pretty much the only one of his generation that could hit his long irons high enough to be able to attack any par 5. ANY par 5, and with blades. Whoa...

 

He has actually "came from behind" to win Majors. And his list of finishing 2nd in Majors is unequaled. That plus the fact that he was easily the longest on Tour of his day.

 

In my mind, I have changed my opinion and now feel that JACK is the greatest golfer ever. Whoa....

[apples]

Jack is respectively the best of his generation, but there is no way that you can compare him to someone in this day and age, or for that matter even back when Harry Vardon was playing. Equipment has changed so much in the past 100 years that it is impossible to compare people in this fashion. Unless you could have each player at the top of his playing field play together in their prime and have them duke it out for 72 holes, you will never be able to say that Jack or Tiger for that matter is the best ever.

 

 

Ps: Tiger is #1 LOL

[GolfSpy Dave]

How cool would it be to see the Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods, and Palmer foursome. All at their playing primes.

Golden Bear had some strong game still in the skins tournament last weekend.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I'm just not sure who wins. I certainly enjoyed watching Jack win the Masters in 1986, but it was even more fun watching Tiger dismantle Augusta National in 1997. I really think that Tiger is better than his peers by a greater margin than Jack was.... JMO.

[Golfware]

Jack is respectively the best of his generation, but there is no way that you can compare him to someone in this day and age, or for that matter even back when Harry Vardon was playing. Equipment has changed so much in the past 100 years that it is impossible to compare people in this fashion. Unless you could have each player at the top of his playing field play together in their prime and have them duke it out for 72 holes, you will never be able to say that Jack or Tiger for that matter is the best ever.

 

 

Ps: Tiger is #1 LOL

 

Well, I'm just comparing what they did. I think the talent level that Jack faced was far greater than what Tiger faces. NO disrespect to Phil, but Phil's no Tom Watson, or Seve or heck, even Lee Trevino. And Jack took the throne away from Arnold Palmer as well.

 

Tiger hasn't had to do that. Tiger hasn't had to face the likes of Johnny Miller in his prime, and I don't anyone is going to compare YE Yang to Johnny Miller.... puh-lease!

 

Tiger hasn't come from behind to win a Major either, and this year, his "mystique" was debunked when YE spanked his A$$ at the PGA Championship. Yes, that was a spanking.

[Moecat]

His number of Majors wins don't equal that of Nicklaus, but I think one should at least consider including the name "Bobby Jones" in such a discussion as this.

[Golfware]

His number of Majors wins don't equal that of Nicklaus, but I think one should at least consider including the name "Bobby Jones" in such a discussion as this.

 

Well, while you're at. Many have said that Sam Snead is the greatest golfer of all time. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

[jamo]

His number of Majors wins don't equal that of Nicklaus, but I think one should at least consider including the name "Bobby Jones" in such a discussion as this.

 

There are a lot of guys that you could consider. Vardon won a lot, and that was when he could only 2 majors (3 in you count the PGA, but I don't know if he even played it). Hagan the the same way. Byron Nelson quit in his prime, I would consider him too. Also, what if Nicklaus never played? Palmer, Player, and Watson all would have won more.

 

So, I guess there are a lot of people you could consider, I still think Tiger is #1.

[Matt Saternus]

I'm a Tiger guy (I'm too young to have seen Jack), and I often hear the argument (already mentioned here) that Tiger does not face talent like Jack faced. I would make two counterpoints, one debatable, one not. Debatable point: Tiger is better than his peers by a wider margin. If Tiger was closer to his peers in terms of talent, we would put Phil on a par with Tom Watson because Phil would win more. Just a thought. Not debatable (I don't think): regardless of whether or not the top talent is as good, the talent pool today is MUCH deeper than it was when Jack played. More young kids are playing golf seriously, golf draws in better athletes, and they all train harder and smarter than they used to. The result is, Jack had to worry about 10 other guys (just to make up a number), Tiger has to worry about nearly everyone in the field.

 

Just my two cents.

[Jeeves]

How cool would it be to see the Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods, and Palmer foursome. All at their playing primes.

Golden Bear had some strong game still in the skins tournament last weekend.

 

Can't you do this on Tiger Wood's 2009 for Xbox? lol

 

 

That is indeed the sickest 1-iron ever. Not that there are many 1-iron shots to choose from. But isn't there some famous quote or something - perhaps about Jack's shot - that only God can hit a 1-iron?

[Richie3Jack]

Jack is the greatest of all time until somebody beats his all time major wins record, IMO.

 

I think Jack faced greater competition as well with guys like Trevino and Watson. He also had to contend with Gary Player and Arnie at a time as well. Tiger has prety much only had Phil fo an extended period of time, a wildly talented but inconsistent player who had questionable work ethic to some and unfortunately some major tragedy as well.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[Viper12]

Here's something completely different to think about. 30 or more years ago Tiger would have probably been done with playing great golf simply because he knee would have been shot. Back then there wasn't the medical technology we have today and his knee injury may have been career ending. There are many reasons today's pros can play more events and remain at the top of their game. Do you think Hogan, Snead and Jones had private jets to fly them around? Just more reasons you cannot even begin comparing Tiger to the greats of the past. I will go on record that Tiger faces fewer great golfers than Jack did. Sure the fields today are top to bottom stronger, but the top 25 just isn't as strong. Too much money available and guys don't have to win to make a living any more.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

Here's something completely different to think about. 30 or more years ago Tiger would have probably been done with playing great golf simply because he knee would have been shot. Back then there wasn't the medical technology we have today and his knee injury may have been career ending. There are many reasons today's pros can play more events and remain at the top of their game. Do you think Hogan, Snead and Jones had private jets to fly them around? Just more reasons you cannot even begin comparing Tiger to the greats of the past. I will go on record that Tiger faces fewer great golfers than Jack did. Sure the fields today are top to bottom stronger, but the top 25 just isn't as strong. Too much money available and guys don't have to win to make a living any more.

interesting points.. I still think that Tiger is much more dominant than Jack ever was.. Ever.

[mudfish]

For my it's Tiger... He's the reason I started watching golf, and the reason I started golfing a couple years ago... Before that I never really watched golf, so I never really watched Jack or Arnold, just read about them...

 

Like a large chunk of the population Tiger was responsible for turning me on to golf, and is the reason I continue watching...

[GolfSpy Dave]

I don't know a ton about the old golf, but reading books like Bagger Vance makes me think that the feats accomplished by those guys in the 20's and 30's were fantastic. Jones should definitely be added to the all-time tournament bracket, with a bunch of others. Comparison is brutal though because as many of you have mentioned there are so many variables. Equipment, medicine, general fitness and nutrition, access to courses, presence of discrimination, national prosperity (i.e. golf as a job), and probably more would all have to me considered.

 

I am adding 1980's John Daly too. Not as a 1 seed, but for me he changed my perception of golf at the time. Norman in his prime was fun for me too. I am sure that there will be a new "best ever" 20 years from now, maybe sooner.

[Addicted2Golf]

If Ben Hogan hadn't been in that automobile accident then we wouldn't even be having this debate right now. Best-ball-striker-ever.

[GolfSpy Dave]

If Ben Hogan hadn't been in that automobile accident then we wouldn't even be having this debate right now. Best-ball-striker-ever.

Absolutely. The fact that he came back after is huge. 59 days in the hospital. Thinking about medical technology then vs. now. Won majors after the accident. Huge, probably unequaled game.

[Andrew Bush]

The greatest person in thegame proablly hasnt been born yet, with technology and the way the game is taught now wouldn doubt here soon we will be having a little more competition at the top of the ranks at some point in our life times a little more dueling going on

 

 

 

I HOPE !@!!!!!!!

[TWShoot67]

TIGER for me, but we all know what opinions are like. But if we go by stats alone right now it's still Jack. But I believe in the end Tiger will have 22 Majors.

[GolfSpy Dave]

TIGER for me, but we all know what opinions are like. But if we go by stats alone right now it's still Jack. But I believe in the end Tiger will have 22 Majors.

I hope you are right. Greatness on the course would be nice to see.

[jamo]

Can't you do this on Tiger Wood's 2009 for Xbox? lol

 

 

That is indeed the sickest 1-iron ever. Not that there are many 1-iron shots to choose from. But isn't there some famous quote or something - perhaps about Jack's shot - that only God can hit a 1-iron?

 

You can't do that in Tiger '09, but you can in Tiger '05, that's the only reason I still have it.

 

I think the 1-iron quote was from Lee Trevino- I'm paraphrasing but: "If you ever get caught in a lightning storm, hold up your 1-iron because not even God can hit a 1-iron."

[GolfSpy Dave]

I wonder if Tiger Woods Golf will go the way of Mike Tyson's punch out.

Let that be a lesson to athletes, no individually branded video games.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I wonder if Tiger Woods Golf will go the way of Mike Tyson's punch out.

Let that be a lesson to athletes, no individually branded video games.

I really hope not. I enjoy TW for WII. Tons of fun.

[Addicted2Golf]

I really hope not. I enjoy TW for WII. Tons of fun.

 

A little off topic, but I'll bite. I've heard TW for WII is the best golf game on ANY console. Do you agree?

[GolfSpy Dave]

A little off topic, but I'll bite. I've heard TW for WII is the best golf game on ANY console. Do you agree?

To add to the digression, did the David Leadbetter trainer for the Wii ever get released?

[Golfware]

interesting points.. I still think that Tiger is much more dominant than Jack ever was.. Ever.

 

Oh no, I completely disagree. I USE to agree with this, but not any longer. Tiger was ONCE dominant, but so to was Jack. Jack could do things with a golf ball that Tiger use to be able to do.

[Golfware]

To add to the digression, did the David Leadbetter trainer for the Wii ever get released?

 

No. I think TW for the XBox or Playstation III is phenomenal. The graphics are simply unreal. For the Wii, as much as I like it, it pales in comparison to those other platforms.

[GolfSpy Dave]

No. I think TW for the XBox or Playstation III is phenomenal. The graphics are simply unreal. For the Wii, as much as I like it, it pales in comparison to those other platforms.

This is the one I was thinking of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GQO6IlEN8E

[jamo]

I wonder if Tiger Woods Golf will go the way of Mike Tyson's punch out.

Let that be a lesson to athletes, no individually branded video games.

 

Well, Tiger Woods 11 will have Tiger and Rory McIlroy on the cover. So read into that as you want.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Well, Tiger Woods 11 will have Tiger and Rory McIlroy on the cover. So read into that as you want.

Seems a little soon to change the guard.