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

[j0h4n]

I believe that if Jack have had to play the same field Tiger is playing he would never had won that many majors... Tiger is THE man.

[dpg1682]

I also am not old enough to have seen Jack in his prime but have seen many clips. In his era Jack was the man, but now i say Tiger is the best. This is his era.

[Blades4me]

Tiger... I saw Jack in his prime. He dominated in an era of very similar technology. Just about everyone used Powerbilt Persimmon citation woods, 43 inch steel shaft... not much technology back then. Today, so many players can customize their equipment to the hilt and yet still, Tiger dominates. Maybe not a perfect comparison, but one that I don't think many have verbalized.

IMO, you can't compare era's. Its apples and oranges. The biggest changes have been graphite shafts and the ball. The old blatta balls were very different than balls of today. They'd get out of round after the 3rd hole. In the 70's there was a small hoop the same diameter as the ball. You'd take the ball and put in thru the hoop, using it like a feeler gauage to see if the ball was out of round. The other way was to closely watch the putt and if the ball took a weird roll then you would put that ball into the shag bag and break out a new one. All it took was one thin hit and the cover of the ball had a big smile in it, sometimes thru the cover and either way had to be changed out. It took awhile to get the "feel" of the blatta ball, also when those balls hooker or sliced it was big time and that happened alot. It took alot of skill to work the ball or even hit it straight. If they still had to use that ball today many of the pro's on the PGA tour would still be on the Nation Wide tour if that.

People can dis Jack all they want, but it was Jack that introduced the power game. Jack had class; case in point--what he did with I think it was Tony Jacklin in the Ryder Cup back in the 60's. Jack has more 2nd places than any pro I know of, (Tiger either wins or is down the line a bit). And if it wasn't for Jack introducing the power game no telling what Tiger would be today. They are both great golfers, but to say one is/was better than the other is myopic and obtuse.

[jacksparrow]

Tiger. But it would be very interesting to see Jack in his prime playing with today's technology.

[Blades4me]

Exactly my thoughts. Everybody in any tournament in any era is playing the same course with the same options for buying equipment. If Tiger was playing in the 1930s he'd still be better than the rest of them. As for the competition being better or worse, I don't know. How do you honestly measure that? I mean Jack had Arnie, but what about the rest of the pack who occasionally step up to challenge the superstars? Collectively they actually win a majority of the tournaments. Are those 200 or so guys better now or back then?

If Tiger played back in the 30's Bobby Jones would of cleaned the course with him.

[runwme]

Tiger is a phenom

[EquipmentJunkie]

If Tiger played back in the 30's Bobby Jones would of cleaned the course with him.

Unfortunately I think your right since Tiger probably wouldn't have been allowed on the course

[Blades4me]

Unfortunately I think your right since Tiger probably wouldn't have been allowed on the course

I hadn't thought of that, but that is also correct.

The way I was looking at it was, we all know what Bobby Jones did with hickory and the really old balls. How Tiger would do with that equipment and ball is guess at best. How Jack, or for that matter, Arnie, Tom W., Gary P. or Lee T. would have done with graphite, rescue club(s) and the new balls back in their prime is a guess at best. We call Tiger a "phenom" and he is, but Bobby Jones and Jack were also "phenoms" in their era's. The teaching, training and psychology were very much different between era's. Which gets back to my initial post of not being able to compare era's.

[JohnP]

I hadn't thought of that, but that is also correct.

Great Post

[South_Wales_2010]

having only really seen TW, I'd have to say him, but guys at our club keep stating JN quality player.

[EquipmentJunkie]

I hadn't thought of that, but that is also correct.

Agreed, I am sure our kids/grandkids will be having the same discussion 25-50 years from now.

[mikeyworm]

Tiger! Started playing as he started playing the tour. Really a no brainer for me.

[Tap-in]

My vote has to go to Jack just based on the excitement derived from watching him play in person. I'm old enough to have watched him when I was in junior high school at several events and then again later in life. There was a special vibe around him that I haven't felt around Tiger. I really do like Tiger though. But it took me almost 4 yrs maybe to really take a liking to Tiger. Jack I liked instantly. Tiger is learning to curb his foul mouth, but in the early days I think half the people followed him around the course just to see what kinds of things would come out of his mouth.

[Sir Shanksalot]

Tiger for me too.

[Golfmoose]

Gotta go for Tiger. He is simply amazing.

[golfdad]

tiger.

interesting how people react when he takes golf to a new level. his concentration can apply to everyone elsewhere in life.

however, i do wonder his individualism may have played a part in his ryder cup showings

[mickeyg]

Definately Tiger. With the competition today, to do what he has done is super human.

[Egoolps]

Tiger. He could retire now and would still be better.