How Would Some of Golf's Former Greats Compete on Tour Today?

[Happy Dragon]

I believe Jack Nicklaus would still be a multi-major champion, mainly because he has enough power and he is so superior with regard to course management and the mental side. He was the first Tiger before there was a Tiger.

Any thoughts? Let's say these old-timers have access to new equipment and play on courses set up for the modern game.

[brgolf]

Well it's like you imply in the question. Deprive any golfer of the modern equipment and they would not compete. Give them a chance to get used to longer courses and skillful players from yesteryear would do well.

[inthecup]

I watched on of the old Shell Challenges and the courses were very different. Not as well maintained. The greens appeared SLOW. Would they be able to compete, sure.

[lumpuckeroo]

Well it's like you imply in the question. Deprive any golfer of the modern equipment and they would not compete. Give them a chance to get used to longer courses and skillful players from yesteryear would do well.

I agree, a skilled golfer is a skilled golfer, regardless of era. Ben Hogan would still be one of the greatest ball strikers, Bobby Locke would still have that incredible putting touch, Bobby Jones would still have that easy smooth swing and they would still be competive.

[iacas]

I'm not sure Jack would have the short game necessary to compete. His putting was there, but your short game has to be out of this world to compete these days.

Not saying he wouldn't win, but 18 majors (even if you remove Tiger from the equation)? I don't see him getting close.

[uttexas]

I believe Sam Snead would do well. Powerfully built with great flexibility (like Vijay), good short game, I see him using a belly putter well.

[brgolf]

I'm not sure Jack would have the short game necessary to compete. His putting was there, but your short game has to be out of this world to compete these days.

Assuming Jack would not elect to practice his short game to equal or better his modern opponents over time. It goes without say that if Jack plays a modern course with a 1960s approach things are not going to go well for him.

[misty_mountainhop]

I watched on of the old Shell Challenges and the courses were very different. Not as well maintained. The greens

Appeared being the operative word. Even if they were that slow, it doesn't make them easier to putt on; the reasons for the difficulty would be different.

I'm not sure Jack would have the short game necessary to compete. His putting was there, but your short game has to be out of this world to compete these days.

I'm sure Jack would have put in the necessary work on his short game if he was at the top of the game now; he was pretty meticulous.

At the end of the day, the stars from the past would compete just as well today in all likelihood.

[steve8820]

Oh sure, I think they would still be able to compete. However, their days of competition would likely be limited to Thursday's and Friday's............

[whetstone]

Not likely. Discipline, hard work, the will to win, and natural talent are all timeless attributes that make for success. The greats of the past had these, as do the greats of today.

Oh sure, I think they would still be able to compete. However, their days of competition would likely be limited to Thursday's and Friday's............

[tjy355]

I'm not sure Jack would have the short game necessary to compete. His putting was there, but your short game has to be out of this world to compete these days.

JN in his prime competing against the cream puffs on tour today? He would win EVERY tournament. No one else would stand a chance, not even Tiger.

[sean_miller]

JN in his prime competing against the cream puffs on tour today? He would win EVERY tournament. No one else would stand a chance, not even Tiger.

I think it would be a lot Tiger, Jack, Arnie, Phil, Gary, Lee, Ray, Fred, Jose Maria, Seve, Sammy, Walter, Billy, Bobby, Larry, Curtis, Gene, Greg, a couple Nicks, and a sh*tload of Toms (Armour, Watson, Old and Young Morris, Weiskopf, Kite, Nakajima, etc).

The real question is, "How well would a top player (other than Tiger, Phil, and perhaps Padraig) in 2009 fare against the players from the past using the equipment of their era - whatever the era."

[Mr Blue]

They would do just fine. I have been playing for 25 years and although my body is worn out am playing better now then ever. The equipment is so much more forgiving now IMO mostly the ball.

[Happy Dragon]

How about a guy like Gary Player and billy Casper? Great talents, but probably could not compete physically, even with technology. I'd say they'd have similar results to Cory Pavin post 1997.

Also, Seve can't hit it far enough to be that crooked off the tee.

[2bGood]

Does Tiger get to be in his prime too (circ 2000). If so I think he would do great.

[jamo]

I think Hogan have gone down as the best player ever had he not been in the car accident. He could flat out hit the ball, and was a great putter untill the -gulp- yips. His only weakness was the occasional duck hook with the driver and look at what Tiger has done without being a good driver.
He would really dominate i think.

[VOX]

Reminds me of a question asked to Ted Williams in the mid 1970s. The interviewer asked him what he thought he would bat today using modern balls against modern pitchers. Ted said "probably around .350". The announcer was incredulous - "but you hit over .400 in your prime".

"I know but I'm almost 70 years old now" responded Williams.

[max power]

They would compete-this is ultimately a silly question. The equipment has changed for everybody, and if conditioning and practice routines have changed that shouldn't be held against players from the past, as they would behave differently in a different era. The competition is stronger than it has ever been in terms of the depth of the field, but golf is still golf-I imagine Tiger, Nicklaus, and Hogan would be the big three.