Jump to content
Check out the Spin Axis Podcast! ×
Check out the Spin Axis Podcast!
IGNORED

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

sungho_kr

By sungho_kr
in Tour Talk

 Share

Greatest Golfer (GOAT)  

222 members have voted

  1. 1. Tiger or Jack: Who's the greatest golfer?

    • Tiger Woods is the man
      1627
    • Jack Nicklaus is my favorite
      820

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 7.2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

brocks
brocks

For some reason, you have missed hundreds of posts that do accept that.  I've often said I can't even prove that Tiger would beat Vardon head to head, although I'd bet on him. What I CAN prove is

turtleback
turtleback

Here ya go, right our of Jack's 1996 autobiography.  He is giving the third of his three reasons (equipment and fitness being the other) for the decline of the superstar in golf (re

brocks
brocks

That's very unfair to Jack, since he played events well into his 60's.  It also distorts Tiger's record, since he played injured for several years. It would be more fair to look at the the period

Posted Images

yourfraction Newbie

yourfraction

Posted
Posted
Lets put another point in there , you win 1 tourney and you are made for life , back then you needed a lot of wins to make the equivelent to the money they make today .
They also had personalities back then , look at the tour today they are boring robots void of smile , sorry the tour lacks a lad , you have to look to Europe now for any type of golfer with a personality , guess thats why the have the Ryder Cup ,

melraid Member

melraid

Posted
Posted
I go back to Nicklaus' era, and would have bet the ranch that nobody would ever approach what he accomplished. I've got to say, Tiger is better. Despite what some of us oldtimers say, the competition is actually tougher today. But don't sell Nicklaus short, in his prime, I don't think I ever saw him miss a putt he just had to make.

FG71 Newbie

FG71

Posted
Posted
Both, I think that greatness should be set in time. Jack and Tiger are both great But what about B. Nelson 13 strait !

Cheers
Frank

rob022574 Newbie

rob022574

Posted
Posted
I feel that Tiger has a built in advantage with superior driving skills, coupled with superior equipment. Nicklaus also had much stiffer competition back in his day, so my vote goes for Jack. This endorsement is not a knock on Tiger, just my opinion.

Hacksaw Member

Hacksaw

Posted
Posted
The toughest question in golf.

There is more depth in the top 50 today and Tiger is seemingly more dominant than Jack was. Just behind Jack, there were tremendous players such as Palmer, Player, Casper, Miller, Trevino and Watson. Were these players closer to Jack, then Tiger's cohorts (Els, Duvall, Singh, and Mickelson) to him because they were themselves better or because Jack was no Tiger?

hukdizzle Member

hukdizzle

Posted
Posted
Considering the timeframe I believe Tiger will surpass Jack in wins major and tour for sure and become a more "accomplished" player but with that said Jack played some of the most nail biting rounds of golf against the guys who are just as legendary as he is and still stayed on top for so long. It's impossible to really say but Tiger has this competetive drive that is overwhelming, he is physically and mentally driven more than any other competetor out there. Personally I pick tiger because of how he has been a dominating force his entire life it seems even playing the juniors.

Zachwright1 Member

Zachwright1

Posted
Posted
This is almost like comparing apples to oranges, just because of the fact they are from different era's. I personally think Bobby Jones is the best player to ever play even though he never turned professional. He didn't have nearly the technology the Tiger uses or even Jack, but he was just as dominate as either one of them. Jack may or may not have had tougher competition but Tiger is in my opinion more dominate than Jack. But, then again I never saw Jack in his prime. Basically they are both great in their own right.

rstyle Well Established Member

rstyle

Posted
Posted
For me it's Tiger but just because I never really watched Jack play but have been following Tiger from the beginning of his career.

Terrier Well Established Member

Terrier

Posted
Posted
This is almost like comparing apples to oranges, just because of the fact they are from different era's. I personally think Bobby Jones is the best player to ever play even though he never turned professional. He didn't have nearly the technology the Tiger uses or even Jack, but he was just as dominate as either one of them. Jack may or may not have had tougher competition but Tiger is in my opinion more dominate than Jack. But, then again I never saw Jack in his prime. Basically they are both great in their own right.

I tend to agree with the above.

Bobby is the best ever. Jack might be the best. Tiger will surely be the best. We can all parse words, stats, and all that crap. What did Bobby say before he died? When he saw Jack play? Something to the effect: "He plays a game with which I am not familiar." Jack's probably mumbling a similar quote to himself about Tiger... Tiger's just freakin' off the charts, insane good...we'll never see another better. Not quite sure the younger generation realizes how good Tiger really is...

marathongolf Newbie

marathongolf

Posted
Posted
Toss up. Tiger the better conditioned athlete, but Jack had the same drive to win, same ability to intimidate -and did it with equipment that didn't change dramatically between 1950 and 1980.

  • Administrator
iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted
Toss up. Tiger the better conditioned athlete, but Jack had the same drive to win, same ability to intimidate -and did it with equipment that didn't change dramatically between 1950 and 1980.

Isn't the ability to adjust to changing equipment an indicator of greater ability, not less?

If anything, the shift in how the game is played is yet another obstacle Tiger's surpassed, to me. And we can say all we want about Tiger's competition not being on Jack's level, but if Tiger was winning majors at "only" the same pace as Jack Nicklaus, his competition might be as good as Jack's.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Zachwright1 Member

Zachwright1

Posted
Posted
Isn't the ability to adjust to changing equipment an indicator of greater ability, not less?

Very good point!

This reminds me of the newer rocky movie. You just cant really accurately compare two different players from two different eras its a total opinion.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up

  • TST Partners

    Carl's Place
    PlayBetter
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FitForGolf
    FlightScope Mevo

    Coupon Codes (save 10-20%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack/FitForGolf, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope. 15% off TourStriker (no code).

  • Posts

    • Shindig
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By Shindig · Posted

      Day 37, June 10.  Today was primarily WFH, so I had several practice sessions (indoors, off a mat, into the net).  At least one each of U, 9, and 6-iron full swings with the usual priority.   I also tried a few times a putting type stroke with my 4H, as something I should probably learn how to hit (and what it does), but the mechanical shot at home off a mat doesn't tell me much of what it's doing.  That's something I should probably try on a real green, not during a round until I've tried it.
    • WillieT
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By WillieT · Posted

      Day 10 (10 Jun 26) - Played in the midweek shootout at my home course - on aerated and sanded greens - day of trying to figure tempo to get the best roll on the greens.  Approach game was decently solid as was shots off the tee.  
    • saevel25
      My Swing (saevel25)

      By saevel25 · Posted

      Ok, I'm trying to find a feel to hit a consistent ball flight (irons).  My current predicament.  1. I try to do the arms down stuff better, with the club feeling like it is way behind me more. It's just a cluster of results. Most of the time, I can't get any speed on the swing. If I get my arms down faster, I just throw them out.  2. I focus all my attention on turning better. Pushing off with my left leg and getting my right side through better. On the DTL view, this doesn't produce anywhere close where the hands and club should be. The result is usually ball first contact, lower ball flight, more centered contact.  At this point, I am going with option 2. Stop thinking about what the hands do. Just make a shorter backswing, keep it wide, turn through. Somehow, the club head finds the ball. My focus is so much on just making sure I turn, it's like, "Oh, that contact was better.... Oh, that bell flight looks playable." If not, I will just be practicing my entire summer.       
    • saevel25
      Brendan Sorsby Sports Betting

      By saevel25 · Posted

      Nope, they spent too much money. They are in over 28 million on the football roster and related NIL compensation at this point. Boosters associated with any Texas college football team has HUGE sway. The AD is between a rock and a hard place. They put a lot of money into Sorsby, at the chance of winning a NC this year. If you move on, you basically wasted a lot.  This is why Ohio State wants 3 QB's they feel can start. That is why the backups the past 5 years at some point transfer. Texas Tech has no backup near the quality of Sorsby. If they move on, they are screwed for 2026. 
    • mcanadiens
      Brendan Sorsby Sports Betting

      By mcanadiens · Posted

      Maybe there's something I still don't understand about the situation. Wouldn't Texas Tech do itself a favor to move on from Sorsby at this point?      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

  I accept