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

[ganjagolfer]

you gotta go with jack, he's still getting endorsements in his seventies while tiger is getting dropped from endorsements and he's only in his thirties

[dsgreen3]

With all the money that even the ones who finish low in a tournament today I think the pressure to win was even greater in Jacks time. I vote Jack

[Bo the Golfer]

you gotta go with jack, he's still getting endorsements in his seventies while tiger is getting dropped from endorsements and he's only in his thirties

It was between this and the Jack is a legend for his designs quote (paraphrasing) for the mot foolish I've seen in a while. I flipped a coin and you won Ganja-congrats!

[flopdarock]

tough call... i dont even see how you can compare the two... different eras have different champions... but since tiger is around now an i can watch him play now... i had to pick him

[uglande]

I have watched them both, and while I understand why people would want to say it's Jack (he was the undisputed "best-ever" for more than three decades), I don't see how anyone can say that Tiger is not the best. Tiger has exceeded every achievement Jack reached at a similar point in his career, and Tiger has done things that Jack never did (winning the Master's by 12 strokes, the U.S. Open by 15 and the British Open by 8). Jack had an uncanny ability to find a way to get the "W". Well, Tiger has that, too, but he also has the ability to blow the best fields in golf completely out of the water.

The argument about changes in equipment is a complete red herring and I really wish people would stop using it. Of course it is a different era, but the question is who is better relative to his peers. The fact that Tiger uses a 460cc titatanium driver isn't relevent to this debate because everyone Tiger is playing against is using the same technology.

The only issue left to settle is whether -- and let's be honest, WHEN -- Tiger is going to break Jack's record for total wins (73, second only to Sam Sneed) and total majors. I think Tiger will break Jack's win total within the next two years. He's only 8 wins away. And I think he'll pass Jack's major total in the next 3 years--more than a decade earlier than when Jack got his 18th.

I think Tiger will finish his career with more than 100 tour wins (about 125 worldwide) and 22-25 majors. He just needs to say healthy.

[Titleist Man]

Tiger all the way

[ganjagolfer]

royal bank of scotland has been bailed out and nationalized. no word yet on its relationship with jack as its ambassador. certainly if jack is let go, this would put him more on par with tiger who was let go by buick

[tatortodd]

Too early to tell if Tiger will surpass Jack.

[JBGiz]

I grew up in Jack's era, so I lean towards him a bit more, but I believe Tiger is so much more aware of what's going on with his swing and his mechanics at all times, that he's better than Jack in that respect. We have to look at the different technology available to the pros now though. With all the computers spitting out data and video now, it's no surprise that Tiger would be able to learn more about what's going on and why in his swing than Jack would in his time. If Jack had that technology in his prime, I'm sure he would have won even more majors than he did. No matter what, if they had played in the same era, it would've been one hell of a good show.

[dave_u]

Tiger is amazing, but it's kinda like comparing football players of different eras. If Jack came up with the technological and training advances of today, would he have won even more? ie. Having to hit a screaming draw/hook with an iconsistant at best golfball and a tiny persimmon headed driver versus hitting a Pro V1 with any of the current crop of 460cc drivers..? Does beg one to wonder...

[kyldo]

As uglande said, the technology argument is completely irrelevant because it applies to everyone playing in that time. If Jack was playing these days, it's not like he would have a 460 cc driver and video analysis and everyone else would be stuck with old technology. The argument is just bad logic. IMO the only argument for Jack is that he had greater competition; an argument that is unprovable because eras cannot be compared.

I think Tiger is the greatest fo sho.

[leveillb]

Tiger, definitely. Top player putting up Jack stats in a time when leveil of competition i much higher....

[Elvisliveson]

I grew up in Jack's era, so I lean towards him a bit more, but I believe Tiger is so much more aware of what's going on with his swing and his mechanics at all times, that he's better than Jack in that respect. We have to look at the different technology available to the pros now though. With all the computers spitting out data and video now, it's no surprise that Tiger would be able to learn more about what's going on and why in his swing than Jack would in his time. If Jack had that technology in his prime, I'm sure he would have won even more majors than he did. No matter what, if they had played in the same era, it would've been one hell of a good show.

But Tiger needs a swing coach (Hank Haney) at his disposal to tinker with his swing. Nicklaus has been quoted saying that his original teacher (Jack Grout) taught him how to fix his own swing on the fly. He didn't need the constant attention of a swing coach like Tiger and other modern Tour players do.

[mikelaw]

In their prime, both using the same equipment Jack would WHOOP on Tiger. :)

[Fab]

For now Jack is still wearing the Yellow Jersey but if the knee holds on, Tiger might get it soon.
I agree with some posts that Jack's competition was stronger, but there is a change in generation going on right now and when the Garcia, Kim, Scott will shoot their maiden Grand Slam victory, he will then have competition.
On equipment, I don't think it's relevant to say Tiger is favored, he is the almost the only one of the top players who did not gain 10 to 20 yards in driving distance with the arrival of 460cc & High MOI drivers (remember he was still using steel shaft on his driver not so long ago).
@+

[jigray3]

I voted Tiger, but I'd love to see him play with the technology from Jack's prime. That would put a real premium on hitting the fairway and level the playing field somewhat.

[Guest]

They are both great

[ganjagolfer]

In their prime, both using the same equipment Jack would WHOOP on Tiger. :)

true, tiger actually decided to be born 30 years later cuz he knew he couldn't compete with jack