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

[mseals]

I think Tiger is too moody... Jack was the best... Tiger will get there... just not today.

Mike

[Parker0065]

I think Tiger is too moody... Jack was the best... Tiger will get there... just not today.

Tiger will get there by default, but that still doesn't mean he could have been as successful under the same conditions Jack had to go through! Jack had to deal with taking down the Tiger Woods of that time, "Arnie's Army"!

[hoots711]

I grew up hearing Arnold Palmer stories since i am from western PA, but i cant imagine watching anyone play like tiger is playing now.

[Mikey]

I think Tiger will be the greatest I mean the guy just dominates and he is still young.

[Rick67]

I am sure Tiger is better due to better conditioning and equipment. Due to this it is not comparing apples to apples.

However, given how relatively unforgiving the equipment was back in Jack's day, you got to give him a lot of credit.

I went to high school with Jack. But never really met him. He was a senior when I was a freshman! LOL!

Rick
www.golfclubplayability.com

[arran]

i think tiger is better because he has a strong competition, phil michaelson, sergio garcia, henrik stenson, vijay singh, rory sabbatini is on a roll right now. jack had only palmer, player and hogan. when tiger is in the lead, he never loses it, jack has lost it a couple times

[Hogan Fan]

i think tiger is better because he has a strong competition, phil michaelson, sergio garcia, henrik stenson, vijay singh, rory sabbatini is on a roll right now. jack had only palmer, player and hogan. when tiger is in the lead, he never loses it, jack has lost it a couple times

See my post on page 7, I think you missed some of Jacks competition...

Lets take a moment to compare Jacks competitors to Tigers... Jack played against .... (Player and number of Majors) Gary Player 9, Tom Watson 8, Arnold Palmer 7, Lee Trevino 6, Seve Ballesteros 5, Raymond Floyd 4, Billy Casper 3, Johnny Miller 2, Ben Crenshaw 2, Tom Kite 1. all the while Jack was winning 18. (player and number of tour wins) Palmer 62, Casper 51, Watson 39, Littler 29, Trevino 29, Miller 25, Player 24, Floyd 22, Irwin 20, Norman 20, Sanders 20, Crenshaw 19, Kite 19. Jack had 73 wins Tiger played against.... (player and number of majors) Renie Els 3, Phil Mickelson 3, Vijay Singh 3, John Daly 2, Retief Goosen 2, Jose Maria 2, Mark Omera 2. ( player and number of tour wins) Vijay Singh 30, Phil Mickelson 29, Davis Love 19, Mark Omera 16, Fred Couples 15, Ernie Els 15, Corey Pavin 15, David Duval 13. Granted, Tigers competition is still playing, but I don't see any of todays players reaching 62 wins like Arnold did or even 51 like casper. They probably won't match Watsons 39 with the exception of Vijay.

[Double Bogey]

I would have loved to see these two guys against Bobby Jones with all of them in thier prime

[Firebat138]

Hmm...I say Tiger....But a hard one at that..Perhaps they will come out with a movie like Rocky Balboa and we will know the truth.

[Parker0065]

Thanks for puting the numbers together Hogan Fan, that's been a part of my point all along.

My other point is the younger people on the board really have no idea just how popular Arnold Palmer was back in the early 60's. I don't think it's stretching it at all to put him in the same popularity level as Tiger today. Although Palmer had a great record at that time it was not quite up to where Tiger's is today, but it might have gotten there if Nicklaus would have never showed up.

Another thing that I don't think people understand today is that players had more moxy back then. Meaning they were not as easily willing to give in and say, "Well I can't beat you, your just to good". You hear players talk like that about Tiger all the time, but when Jack was dominating, players took it as a personal challenge to take him down.

I don't recall a major where Nicklaus jumped out to a lead and the rest of the field started playing worse and worse. Usually they would come at him with everything they had and Nicklaus would have to turn it up another notch to get the victory. Tiger gets a 2 or 3 shot lead in a Major, and by the end of the day it's up to 7, 8 or 9 shot lead, and he shoots a 71,,,lol(Well, not all the time but it has happened a couple times)!

One last point is don't buy into the point that once Tiger passes the 18 major mark that it automatically gives him "Greatest Ever" title. I know all the media and Tiger fans will officially crown him, but don't think for a minute that when Nicklaus was playing if the record was 18 at that time he would not have backed off until he had +20 or more. From 1977 -1979 he really backed off and started getting involved in family and other business propositions. I think 1980 when he came back and won 2 majors was his way of saying I miss the drama and I can still win a Major if I want to put in the time and practice. Then he went back into hibernation until that magical Sunday in 1986.

Greatest Ever: Jack Nicklaus
2nd Greatest: Tie between Bobby Jones, Tiger Woods, Old Tom Morris, and Harry Vardon!

[King Norre]

I'm a total newbie, so I don't know much about the players or the game. However, Woods is an inspiration to me and probably many more. Everybody knows him, even the people that don't play golf. There are not many other professional golfers who can say that .. I think.

[missin44]

For now Jack, ask me agian in 10 years

[i-Guy]

As exciting as it would be for golf and as a fan to see Tiger pass Jack's record, the traditionalist in me would like to see Jack's record stand. Like the ones Bobby Jones and Bryon Nelson have set and they still stand. Let Tiger go set a new record like the all time winner of the FED Ex Cup...lmao

[David Hillman]

i think tiger is better because he has a strong competition, phil michaelson, sergio garcia, henrik stenson, vijay singh, rory sabbatini is on a roll right now. jack had only palmer, player and hogan. when tiger is in the lead, he never loses it, jack has lost it a couple times

What? I think you are vastly underestimating the importance of mental toughness in the game of golf. As much as I may like some of them, Phil, Sergio, Henrik, Vijay, and Rory (?) have the collective mental toughness of a bowl of jello on a hot day. They aren't even playing the same sport that Jack, Arnie, Player, Hogan, and Trevino were.

The guys Tiger is playing against are beaten before the round starts. They are just happy to finish in the Top10, cash their huge checks, and move on. That said... this thread is dumb. Hogan is the greatest golfer ever.

[mike_pinto]

My vote is for Jack. He never (as far as I can remember) threw a club or continuously whined about a hole or course. The title is who is the greatest. Tiger is probably physically better, but Jack wins the all-around award..

My $.02

[wengerlaw]

Tiger is the better player without a doubt. The competition these days is so much better. I can't recall an athlete in any other sport that came on the scene and actually forced his competitors to change the way they play the game.

For example, Tiger has forced all his competitors to start pumping iron and eating right just to stay competitive.

[c2rex]

I prefer to watch Daly. But between the (2), I say its a toss up. Both are great.

[OGuy]

Tiger :) Although, its not like either one is really a loser if they don't win the poll