Jack vs. Tiger: Who's the Greatest Golfer?

[mvmac]

 

A bold statement from Brandel Chamblee. Join us tomorrow at 6pm ET as we celebrate Tiger Woods' 40th birthday with Golf Central's #TigerTurns40 Special.

A video posted by Golf Channel (@golfchannel) on Dec 29, 2015 at 9:05am PST

[saevel25]

Is this actually Brandel talking or did someone do a good job dubbing 

[saevel25]

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/7-tiger-woods-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind

Here are some crazy stats.

1. Tiger Woods spent 682 weeks as world number 1, seven years longer than Greg Norman 

2. Tiger Woods has had  winning streaks of 5 or more tournaments 3 times. He owns 3 of the top 5 longest winning streaks. 

3. Tiger Woods has won a major tournament with a winning score of 18 under or better 5 times. It's only happened 8 times ever. 

4. Tiger has won 18 World Golf Championships, the next best is 3. 

5. Tiger's cuts made streak is 142, from 1998 to 2005. 

6. Tiger has only lost once in a playoff, the 1998 Nissan Open to Billy Mayfair. He's 16-1 in playoff situations. 

 

[turtleback]

21 hours ago, saevel25 said:

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/7-tiger-woods-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind

Here are some crazy stats.

1. Tiger Woods spent 682 weeks as world number 1, seven years longer than Greg Norman 

2. Tiger Woods has had  winning streaks of 5 or more tournaments 3 times. He owns 3 of the top 5 longest winning streaks. 

3. Tiger Woods has won a major tournament with a winning score of 18 under or better 5 times. It's only happened 8 times ever. 

4. Tiger has won 18 World Golf Championships, the next best is 3. 

5. Tiger's cuts made streak is 142, from 1998 to 2005. 

6. Tiger has only lost once in a playoff, the 1998 Nissan Open to Billy Mayfair. He's 16-1 in playoff situations. 

 

This is a nice list.  I suspect the Jack supporters could come up with a list of their own, but there is no way it would reflect the level of dominance this list does.  

[jamo]

One thing I mentioned in the big Tiger vs. Jack column I wrote a few years ago for the TST blog was that Jack Nicklaus was largely regarding as having won his 20th major when he won the 1986 Masters. Here's some evidence: http://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/13/sports/nicklaus-suffers-bad-first-round.html

 

Quote

SOUTHAMPTON, L.I., June 12— Jack Nicklaus, seeking his 21st major victory two months after winning his 20th in the Masters at age 46, attracted the attention, the cheers and the help of his cold and soaked gallery today. The help came on the 10th hole. On that par-4, 409-yard hole, Nicklaus pushed his drive over a steep hill on the right side - so far right, in fact, that the ball went beyond the sea-grass rough into the dense, thorny bushes that grow thickly away from the fairways. He and his son, Jackie, as well as the huge gallery, searched for the ball. Jackie found it, but his father decided his time limit had expired. He teed off again, with a stroke penalty, and wound up with a double-bogey 6.

 

[parman]

I have seen the both and Jack is by far the best. What is Tiger doing now? He sure is not winning. His historical achievements are nice but they don't win tournaments. I saw Jack at a driving range prior to the start of a tournament and he talked to the crowd, explained what he was hitting and doing. He was very sociable and approachable. 

[boogielicious]

43 minutes ago, parman said:

I have seen the both and Jack is by far the best. What is Tiger doing now? He sure is not winning. His historical achievements are nice but they don't win tournaments. I saw Jack at a driving range prior to the start of a tournament and he talked to the crowd, explained what he was hitting and doing. He was very sociable and approachable. 

Tiger has won more total tournaments than Jack. I'm glad Jack was nice to you.

[mvmac]

2 hours ago, parman said:

His historical achievements are nice but they don't win tournaments.

Tiger is 40 and has won more tournaments than Jack.

2 hours ago, parman said:

He was very sociable and approachable. 

Tiger does clinics as well.

 

Pretty cool hearing @tigerwoods talk about his golf game at his @twfoundation clinic today. Definitely learned some stuff! Thanks for letting me hit golf balls for you #nikefam

A photo posted by Michelle Wie (@themichellewie) on Jan 11, 2016 at 10:13am PST

[parman]

I don't blindly worship Tiger like some do. I also did't know others on this site have seen Jack in person. Exactly where did you see Jack play?

[mvmac]

5 minutes ago, parman said:

Exactly where did you see Jack play?

Who are you asking? It helps to quote people or use the @mention, like this @parman.

http://thesandtrap.com/how-to/quote-posts/

http://thesandtrap.com/how-to/mention-members/

[iacas]

7 minutes ago, parman said:

I don't blindly worship Tiger like some do. I also did't know others on this site have seen Jack in person. Exactly where did you see Jack play?

What's blind about "Tiger won more events against tougher competition"?

[Gunther]

Jack is the Greatest of All Time.  His 18 major wins and 19 2nd's far compensate for any strength of field calculation that might be done.  That's what?  120% better than Tiger?  Strength of field hasn't increased that much.

Then consider his impact on the game.  From his broadcasting to course design to the significant tournament he hosts; he has impacted the game of golf far more than Tiger has.  Tiger still might but I doubt it, he's working his way into a quiet retirement.  

Jack's the GOAT, I'll give Tiger 2nd for now but reserve the right to move Tiger down in 15 years based on Jordan and/or Rory's accomplishments across that time.

[iacas]

42 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Jack is the Greatest of All Time.  His 18 major wins and 19 2nd's far compensate for any strength of field calculation that might be done.  That's what?  120% better than Tiger?  Strength of field hasn't increased that much.

Yes it has.

[mvmac]

51 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Strength of field hasn't increased that much.

It's improved quite a bit. Anyone (excluding one or two players) that tees it up has a reasonable shot to win, that wasn't even close to the case in Jack's day.

[BlackandGold]

The "Who's Better" Debate

Tiger or Jack?  Lebron or Jordan?  Jesus or Mohammad?  What is it about the human condition that promotes this type of debate?  Everyone wants to believe that THEY are witnessing the best ever rather than admit that something came before them that was superior.  If you want to get technical you'd have to go with the math to eliminate any bias.  Look at the stats.  Then examine the technology used at their respective time of play.  Then the state of the game and competition.  If you really dig deep you might start accepting the fact that Bobby Jones or Ben Hogan have more merit as a G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) in the golf universe.  At the end of the day I don't have the time or ability to calculate the GOAT factor but I am fairly certain that its ok to have great players from every era without trying to determine who is "the best."  I would have voted for Hogan for what it is worth...

[turtleback]

4 hours ago, parman said:

I don't blindly worship Tiger like some do. I also did't know others on this site have seen Jack in person. Exactly where did you see Jack play?

Nope, you blindly worship Jack.  It is obvious that you have not read much, if any, of the thread.  But hey, you saw Jack.  In person, yet.  So what.  I did too.  I saw him win his last USGA championship at Cherry Hills.  I saw Tiger play as well - although in person I only saw practice rounds.  So what.  That does not make my assessment of their respective careers more or less credible.  Geee, I never saw Hogan play so I guess we cannot count him in the discussion.  

You think Jack was better.  That is fine.  You are entitled to your opinion.  Just don't spoil it with specious reasons or arguments.  Because those we will slice apart like one of Klinger's salamis.

 

[Patch]

A long time ago, by Tiger's own admission,  said a golfer's career is measured by "majors won" . So if Woody does not break Jack's major record, then according to Woody, his career will be second to Jack's.

Now Jack has said that he expects (expected) Woody to break his major record. So Jack is saying he expects Woody will have the better career. 

These are the only two guys who would know who had the best career.  

Neither one is going to be the GOAT. They will just be a GOTE. 

[Silent]

The topic title is the question who is the greatest golfer, the poll is the question who was the best. Two different things in my opinion. There's no doubt to me Tiger was a better golfer. How could he not? Spieth, McIlroy, Day but even guys like Wiesberger, Luiten and Donaldson play better golf than Jack. The game evolved so much over the years, and got so much more professional. If Jack would have been around in this era he would benefit from all that as well and be a better golfer than he was (and probably top those guys I just mentioned).

But who was the greatest. How do you measure that (can you)? Tiger was dominant in a stronger field, winning more titles than you can count. Jack was the first of a kind, winning the biggest titles (majors) over an enourmous span and having the most of them. Isn't it mostly a matter of personal who you find 'greater'? For me Johan Cruyff is the greatest Dutch football player of time, but I have no doubt that Dennis Bergkamp and Arjen Robben were/are better because the game evolved.