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

[Guest]

First of all I'm new to the forum and happy to be here. I didn't have time to read the 155 pages of this thread to see if someone has mentioned this before but one thing that Tiger has going for him is someone to set his sites on. Jack passed up the Walter Hagen when he won his 12th major and still won 6 more! I think that when you know what you have to beat to be called "great" or "the best" it makes it a little easier to get there. If Jack had to beat a mark of say 22 majors who knows how many he could have won or would have won.

Another thing that makes comparing these two so tough is that professional golf truly is a different game now. Did guys practice hard and want to win back then? Of course they did but Tiger is a true professional. He is constantly grinding golf. If you read about Jack back in the years where he was dominating and he would play a tournament, win, then head home and hang out with the wife and kids for a week or two. Then dust the clubs off and hit the next event.

With all of this said I truly think that Tiger is the better player. I once saw the final round of a US Open that Jack won on ESPN Classic or something and watching Jack made me realize that, to me personally, Tiger is tougher. Just a few little mistakes that Jack made during that round you would hardly ever see Tiger make. Plus the stuff that Tiger has done in career up to this point are just insane. I think that the guy must have made a deal with the devil because he just keeps coming through over and over and over.

Anyway, I'm happy to be on the forum and look forward to chatting it up with you guys.

[williemann19]

We will never find a true answer to this question. The disparity between competition, equipment, fitness levels, and opportunities are to big to make good arguments. I am a Tiger fan just because he is my generations hero.

[flanagan]

It is said that Jack had 37 top twos in professional majors "in his spare time". He was a full time dad and a part time golfer. Eldrick is clearly a full time golfer and in much better condition.

Jack gave up football, baseball and track as a freshman in HS because of golf conflicts, so not recruited in any of those. He played basketball in HS, loved it and was pretty good, but not good enough to be recruited by OSU. In the class after him came Lucas and Havlicek, he knew he wasn't good enough. By the way, he didn't have a golf scholarship from OSU, either, which I thought was interesting.

[flanagan]

As to who is the greatest, when Tiger reaches Jack's professional major total, then the debate can start. Until then, Jack. Then, endless debate.

I don't think there's any doubt he had tougher competition, compare multiple major winners Palmer, Player, Trevino, Watson, even toss in Miller, with which multiple major winners Tiger is fending off? Mickelson and Harrington (who has won 2 of his 3 in Tiger's absence) and Singh, and no comparison of any of them yet with the likes of Palmer, Trevino, Watson or Player.

Enough said until Tiger ties him in professional majors.

[RubeGolf]

Both have or still will contribute a lot to the game of golf.

[VardonFlyer]

Ive got Tiger. I think he will pass jack by several major wins. In my opinion Tiger is the greatest competitor golf has ever seen. In the words of the great Earl Woods. "I said Tiger now promise you that you'll never meet a person as mentaly tough as you in your entire life. he hasnt, and he never will." How well put is that.

[Blades4me]

Just my opinion but what I've observed in the past 35 years of golf:

I agree with almost everything you said. I may not like Tiger, but I do respect his ability. Having said that, Tiger has a long way to go to show as much class as Jack did. Someone here earlier said, and again I agree, that for the short game and putting I'd give Tiger the edge; for off of the tee and long irons, Jack all the way.

I remember back then they used to say the tourny didn't start until the back nine on sunday. It wasn't until sometime in the 70's that they started to pay more than the top 3. Also look at any iron pre 1980 and although they were muscle backs they were a mid weighted club face, whereas from ~1980 on they realized that a bottom weighted iron was more forgiving and got the ball up better. IMO, some of the many reasons its fruitless to compare era's. From Bobby Jones on, they have brought people to the game. The greats do that. To say one is/was better than the other is ridiculous.

[PEZGolf]

I agree with almost everything you said. I may not like Tiger, but I do respect his ability. Having said that, Tiger has a long way to go to show as much class as Jack did. Someone here earlier said, and again I agree, that for the short game and putting I'd give Tiger the edge; for off of the tee and long irons, Jack all the way.

I agree with you completely, as I have posted before. Let us appreciate all of the greats. What about Harry Vardon, who won 6 Open Championships and a United States Open as he battled the other two members of the Great Triumvirate (JH Taylor and James Braid, each of whom won 5 Open Championships)? Also, Vardon toured the United States on behalf of Spalding and popularized the game by giving clinics and exhibitions. Vardon almost won the United States Open in 1913 when suffering from tuberculosis (he and Ted Ray lost in the memorable playoff with the amateur from the US--Francis Ouimet) :

"Following a bout with tuberculosis, Vardon struggled with health problems for years but turned to coaching and writing golf instruction and inspirational books. During his peak years, Vardon was known for his exceptional accuracy and control with all clubs, the greatest ever seen to that stage. However, after his comeback to the game following a prelonged absence during which he suffered from tuberculosis, he suffered serious problems with his short-range putting, and several commentators claim that he could have added to his list of majors had this disability not afflicted him"---from a biography about him From Old Tom and Young Tom Morris to Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington, they are all great. Let us celebrate their skills and learn from them.

[Blades4me]

i agree with you completely, as i have posted before. Let us appreciate all of the greats. What about harry vardon, who won 6 open championships and a united states open as he battled the other two members of the great triumvirate (jh taylor and james braid, each of whom won 5 open championships)? Also, vardon toured the united states on behalf of spalding and popularized the game by giving clinics and exhibitions. Vardon almost won the united states open in 1913 when suffering from tuberculosis (he and ted ray lost in the memorable playoff with the amateur from the us--francis ouimet) :

AAAAMEN!---play well.

[AMgolf]

I like Tiger, he is a guy I've had the opportunity to watch and is just a plain good athlete. Especially when he played with a serious knee injury and played well. That's talent.

[bogeyhitter25]

Jack was great even his older years. We'll find out with Tiger in a few more years.

[marksp2007]

That a tough one for me...I have seen Tigers greatest shots (at least a handful of them anyway), and to summarise the comments of his colleagues and top pros who say "None of us would attempt any of those shots, and yet he takes on the riduclous and actually pulls it off". I actually believe that Tiger Woods is either an Alien or a robot created using A.I.

With regards Jack, who can doubt his 18 majors especially The Masters so late on in life. Lets be honest Jack had pretty awful equipment by todays standards and had some very healthy competition to contend with in the form of Palmer, Player, Watson and Jacklin to name but a few and yet still racked up 18 majors not to mention the other tournement wins in his careers...

I reside on the fence with that one.....2 very different golfers with equal levels of genius...

A small mention for me should go to Bobby Jones, who intrigues me for so many reasons that include mindset, lack of practice before winning the majors and sheer sportsmanship......He gets my vote on this topic !!

[starchuk]

I could be hard to make a true comparison with the game changing so much.

The greens are better making it easier to roll the ball. The courses are longer and narrower. The equipment has given unparalleled distance (which isn't a good thing for everybody). The players are in better shape with a better understanding of what the body needs to perform at its best.

I would have to say Tiger because his 2 big advantages are his imagination and his intimidation. Can I vote for Hogan? I think he would take them both down.

[ebough]

In absolute terms, as opposed to career stats, Tiger is better just as Barry Bonds was better than Babe Ruth. Athletes (and equipment) are better today than they were 40--or 80--years ago. These "comparisons" go on all the time in multiple sports and are really meaningless. The only real valid comparisons are how given athletes compare to their temporal cohort. On that score, both Woods and Nicklaus were truly exceptional. Can we leave it at that?

[lugonza_2001]

I do think golf level is higher now than in the past, so for me Tiger is the man.

[supersport]

My vote's for Eldrick!

[ShaneSW2011]

Tiger has revolutionized the game and made golf cool

[George]

I'd have to go with Tiger.