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

[Kiin Yang]

I think it has to be Tiger for me, but to be honest Jack given the clubs of today (technology) I think Jack would be on par with Tiger.

[Tim S]

Jack had tougher competition -- relative to his skill. The competition is just as tough now, but Tiger is that much better.

I *think* Jack came in 2nd more than any golfer in history.

[r7 425]

both best of there times

We can all agree with this one...I feel Tiger has the mental edge over Jack but this is kind of "What came first-the chicken or the egg" type of debates..

[mikelz]

We can all agree with this one...I feel Tiger has the mental edge over Jack but this is kind of "What came first-the chicken or the egg" type of debates..

I don't know how anyone could have a mental edge over Jack.

I think the term "course management" was invented to describe him. Even though Tiger amazes me totally, he has no rivals. Jack had to stare down the likes of Player, Palmer, Casper, and Weiskopf in the last 3 holes and beat them. That's mental toughness. Until Tiger weakens or somebody gets good enough to challenge him regularly, I don't think we'll see just how mentally tough he is. I'll forgo the entire story but Sam Snead told me that nobody concentrated better than Jack.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Yeah, Jack is still the best, ..and im from Tigers generation.

[ganjagolfer]

still, if tiger is greater than jack or jack is greater than tiger, no one can equal harry vardon

[mikelz]

still, if tiger is greater than jack or jack is greater than tiger, no one can equal harry vardon

Having the most-used golf grip and the PGA scoring title named after you is something neither have achieved.

[ganjagolfer]

Having the most-used golf grip and the PGA scoring title named after you is something neither have achieved.

and no one had as much fun as the haig, a different babe or two every night, wore the most flaming outfits, fought the high-brow establishment by embarrassing them giving pga golfers the respect they deserve all in the guise of a party or a picnic... a forty year party, raises cup to walter hagen

[wclark68022]

Tiger is soo fun to watch. Great for the game!!

[BASHERBAKER69]

Im not sure if many can tolerate the Tiger Woods Sycophantic Appreciation Society..what a duped crowd!

[TopWalker]

2008 could be the Year of the Tiger.

[JasonI]

I Started playing about the time Tiger started to get big so as a 13 or 14 year old kid just learning to play golf I thought the world of Tiger Woods.

Now that I'm older I know who Jack is and have a huge amount of respect for him and what he has done for the sport. That being said their is said I still hold a special respect for my first sports idol and so I pick Tiger.

[iacas]

I don't know how anyone could have a mental edge over Jack.

Easy... by being Tiger Woods. I think he's got the edge.

I think the term "course management" was invented to describe him.

That doesn't mean Tiger hasn't taken course management to a new level.

Even though Tiger amazes me totally, he has no rivals.

Seems like you need to read an article JP published on Thursday...

I'll forgo the entire story but Sam Snead told me that nobody concentrated better than Jack.

Sam Snead died in 2002 and was not at all a contemporary of Tiger Woods. Contemporaries of Ben Hogan might have said the same thing about him (and did).

[ganjagolfer]

2008 could be the Year of the Tiger.

not according to the chinese calendar, 2008 year of the rat

[AmenCorner]

Tiger, unquestionably. I could write a book on the reasons why he is better, but I won't. Jack played golf when it was a game for dorks and rich people, that didn't make much money. Tiger dominates in an era that is, by far, way more competitive than it was in Jack's day. The stakes are higher, and the courses are much much harder. I have paramount respect for Jack, but when all is said and done, there will never be another Tiger for a long long time.

[RichF]

Way too early to make any solid comparisons yet, apart from how they play the game - and I'd rate them as follows:
Driving - Nicklaus
Irons - Even
Short-game - Woods
Putting - Woods (long) / Nicklaus (short)

Also, it's too early to rate their competiton (and Major winners), too:
Nicklaus (18)
Player (9)
Watson (8)
Palmer (7)
Trevino (6)
Floyd (4)
Miller (2)

vs.

Woods (13)
Singh (3)
Els (3)
Mickelson (2)
Goosen (2)

However, can anyone see Els, Singh or Goosen adding that many more to their tally? It's guys like Scott, Ogilvy, Rose, Garcia, Stenson , etc, to start winning multiple Majors otherwise, I can see Woods hitting 20+ Majors.


10 years to go yet before the final analysis can be drawn up.

[iacas]

Driving

I'd agree with that in general until you get to Nicklaus (short). Tiger makes more short putts (inside of 10 feet, inside of 5 feet) than anyone. Your memory bank doesn't include the weeks Jack wasn't putting well because he missed putts that week, but Tiger goes nearly a year between misses inside of three feet and sometimes months between misses inside of 5'. He's gone whole tournaments holing everything inside of 10'.

Also, it's too early to rate their competiton (and Major winners), too:

You must have missed last week's article by JP...

[Alderweis]

The Babe or the Mick? Wilt or Michael? Walter Johnson or Randy Johnson?

Very good points... all sports have their greats, and their young phenoms... eventually we will compare Tiger to the next (see: MJ or King James) I know this, he has made the game very interesting to a lot of people who may have never stopped channel surfing on a Sunday afternoon.